AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sliding into the booth, I incline my head to the bar. Tyler and Draven leave immediately, a testament to how much they trust my judgment, while Mav and Atlas hesitate before following.
“Alright, lass,” Seán says, turning his body toward me. I can see the authority that lives in every fiber of his body, and his eyes are hard and cold. The sweet little pet name belies the hard man in front of me, making it difficult for me to decide which personality to believe. “Tell me, what the fook were you doing in my bar to begin with?”
Swallowing hard, I really want to kick Mav in the balls. “The open mic night was a test of sorts,” I begin to explain. “I was vetting new band members, and they’re a package deal. If one of them decided against me, then they were going to walk. Two of them have a past history with me, so they were being difficult,throwing me to the wolf in the group. He demanded to see me sing in public to see if I was any good?—”
Seán snorts, surprising me. “I’d say you’re more than just ‘good’,” he says. “I saw the viral videos from that night. You brought a fair bit of interest and publicity to my little bar I didn’t really need that night.”
Wincing, I think back to the poor person who was killed that night. I’m not naive, sometimes there are times when people need to be wiped off the face of the earth. I just don’t know which camp he or she was in.
“I can promise that wasn’t my intention,” I tell him. “I was simply doing as Mila asked of me once I was on stage. Before that, I was basically showing some stubborn men I was willing to rise to the challenge.”
“The ones who didn’t want to leave? Looks like they’re sweet on you if you want my opinion,” the old man says. He’s probably in his late fifties, and looks like he runs his business with an iron fist.
“I appreciate it, but even if I was interested anymore, that ship has long sailed. They can sit at the bar like good little boys while we discuss whatever business we have,” I say.
“I didn’t expect to like you,” Seán sighs. I don’t know what he means by this, goosebumps erupt all over my skin.
“It’s probably not a good idea for me to disappear,” I mutter. “The label, my sister, and dangerous men who adore me as the baby of the family, all know where I am. You know I’m here for my family, because we don’t leave anyone behind.”
My fight or flight instinct is working hard, but I’m unsure if the danger is in front of me or in the fringes of my eyesight. While I’ve been taught how to fight, I don’t have the killer instinct my sister or my brother in law, Orion does.
“Aye, I don’t plan to keep you long,” he says with a cruel smile, waving toward someone I can’t see. My arms are grabbed before I can take a breath and I’m dragged from the booth.
Stepping on the man’s instep, I drop my weight, ensuring he loosens his hold. It half works because he lets go of one of my arms, while twisting my other around my back painfully.
“Let go of her!” Draven yells, but I block him out. I can’t focus on anything but the man behind me, and the fact that I need to get away. He needs to bleed for the infraction of touching me.
Pulling my knife from my thigh holster, my lips curl into a wicked smile as I stab him in the femoral artery, tearing as much as possible. The goon screams, letting me go, and I walk forward, effectively pulling my knife with me. Pointing at Seán, I ignore the guns being pulled on me and the men holding back my people.
“Do not fuck around, I came in good faith, and you’re breaking it,” I growl. Seán’s eyes grow wide, glancing back at the man I stabbed who I’m pretty sure is bleeding out. I’m sure I’ll care later, as I’ve never killed a man before.
Right now? I’m pretty damned pissed.
“Holy shite,” Seán grunts. “Who the fook are you?”
“The baby sister of someone who made sure I was trained for a rainy day. Now where the fuck is my uncle?” I ask him.
“Stand down, don’t shoot the lass. We don’t kill people for defending themselves unless I really don’t like them. Take her men to cool their heels, and I’ll take her to see her uncle,” Seán says, standing. “Knife, if you would. Now that I can see what you can do with the thing, I don’t want you stabbing me in the back.”
Dropping it in his hand, I smile sweetly. “It doesn’t serve me to kill you yet, Sir,” I tell him.
Shaking his head, he pockets my knife, despite the blood. “You must have been a hellion growing up,” he grunts. “Jordan have anything to do with raising you?”
“He had everything to do with it,” I say honestly. “Uncle Jordan is as close as I have to a father right now. I’ll burn everything down around you if you hurt him.”
I’m talking out of my ass because I don’t have that kind of power, but I definitely know people who do.
“Those are very strong words, girlie,” Seán says.
“Sometimes it’s not about who you are, but who stands with you, Sir.”
Inclining his head, he starts to walk. Making sure not to touch myself with my bloodied hand, I follow him. Cutting my gaze to Tyler whose eyes are pinched, I shake my head. I think I’m fairly safe for the immediate future.
I’ll worry about the rest of the time later. I don’t know why he even wants me. I’m a twenty-six-year-old rockstar. My vocal chords are insured, as are my hands because of my talents. He didn’t say he hated my singing, so I doubt it has anything to do with that.
I trail after him as he pushes open an employee’s only door.
“I can’t promise to give you back your uncle right now because he’s doing very important work for me, but I can give you five minutes,” he grunts when I hesitate. “You will owe me dearly for that time, with compounded interest if my man dies. Jack has been with me for years, I don’t know how the fook you got the drop on him.”
