“You shoulda seen her an hour ago,” he went on, looking back at Jax. “She was climbing the damn walls. You got off easy,man. She could’ve gone for your throat instead of that thick skull.”
A couple of the bystanders snorted. The man on his knees swore, but he was back on his feet now, one hand still on his bleeding head, the other flexing like he wanted another excuse.
Jax glanced around the room, taking in the eyes on him, the bartender’s glare, the way a few neutral patrons were already pulling out their phones. Cops would kill this whole party vibe in a heartbeat.
He spat on the floor.
“You get them out of here,” he said to Josh. “Now. I see them again tonight, or she swings that bat near any of my boys, and we ain’t talkin’ anymore. We’re buryin’ somebody.”
Josh nodded fast. “Got it. They’re gone.”
“And kid…I hear you defend a Bastard again, and I’ll have your spine.”
Jax shoved past him, shoulder checking me as he went. The others followed, hauling their wounded brother toward the door. The crowd parted just enough, whispers already spreading.
The music kicked back up, like it had just been paused but my heart still hammered.
Josh turned on me. “You’re welcome,” he hissed under his breath.
“Sorry, kid. I don’t know what got into her.”
“I just put my life on the line for you. Now get her out before she gets dead.”
I grabbed Grace’s arm and she resisted. “Let’s go, Gracie.”
Her muscles tensed beneath my hands and the bat that was still in her hand twitched. Her eyes were wild, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted in a wide grin.
“Did you see his face?” she asked, laughing. “He thought he could touch me. I should’ve broken his jaw too.”
“Grace, what the hell is going on with you,” Seraphine finally stepped in, yanking the bat out of her hand.
“You almost started a war,” I growled, hauling her toward the back door. “And you did it with my enemy’s name on your skin. What the hell is wrong with you, cher?”
She only laughed harder, stumbling a little as I dragged her. Josh fell into step on her other side, hands up, ready to help if she turned on someone else. He looked pale under the bar lights, but his jaw was set.
“Stay close, Seraphine. You shouldn’t be here either.”
“Well, I couldn’t find her over at Cherry Smoke. I saw you both leave, Josh helped me.”
We pushed out into the alley, the door banging shut behind us. The air outside hit cooler, damp with the smell of the Quarter, beer and garbage and river rot.
I stopped, spun her to face me. “What the hell was that?” I demanded. “You don’t swing at Scorpions in their backyard and then laugh about it.”
She rolled her eyes, gum snapping between her teeth. “He touched me,” she said. “Nobody touches me unless I say so. You should understand that better than anyone.”
“I do,” I said. “That ain’t the point. You escalated. You also fucking enjoyed it.”
Her smile shifted, turning sharper.
“Maybe I did,” she said. “Maybe I liked the sound his head made when the bat connected. You gonna punish me for that, exorcist? Tie me up, read me my sins?”
The words hit low, hot, meant to distract me. Josh flinched, his gaze dropping to the cracked pavement.
“Stop talking nonsense, Grace,” Seraphine chimed in. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”
“Grace,” I said quietly, leaning in. “Look at me.”
She met my eyes. For a split second, something flickered behind the wild light. Confusion, maybe. A look of recognition, but then it was gone. The grin snapped back in place.
