Cruz launches at him again, thumping him right across the face. Blood flies as what sounds like bone crunches.
I cover my mouth to stifle the scream that builds in my chest. All eyes in the room come to us and the scene we are causing. “Cruz, stop.”
Another couple of bouncers run in from different directions, pulling Cruz off the suited man. The first bouncer drags him from the VIP lounge, and another two shove Cruz back into the booth, trying to get him to calm the hell down. “If you can’t chill the fuck out, I don’t care what your last name is, I’ll boot your ass out on the street,” Lee growls at him.
I gasp for air, trying to slow my racing heart. The rest of the room returns to normal as a new song and dancer take the stage, our little show mostly over. But all my focus is on Cruz. Why did he have to do that?
“If you assholes were doing your job, I wouldn’t have had to intervene. He had his hands all over her,” he spits back at them, his eyes wide and crazy.
I shake my head, so damn frustrated with him. “What the fuck, Cruz. I had the situation under control, and now you have made some big scene. You’re going to get me fired.”
He glares at me, his breathing ragged like a wild animal about to pounce, and it’s me he has in his sights. “Fuck off you did,” he spits back at me. “I hope they do fire you.” His angry eyes look back at Lee. “She shouldn’t be here.”
“Last warning, Cruz,” Lee fires back.
I stare back at Cruz in absolute shock. I can’t believe how angry he is. He shouldn’t even be here if he can’t handle what goes on between these walls. I get his trauma, I really do, but I’m not his mother. And I’m not his to protect.
“What is the problem here?” I wince when Paige’s voice comes from behind me. Bloody Cruz is going to get me fired on day one.
Asher stands beside her, and when he sees Cruz, he pushes into the booth. “What the fuck, Cruz?” he snaps at his brother, pulling him out of Lee’s grip.
“It’s nothing, just an overreaction,” I try to tell them, not wanting things to get even more out of hand than they already are.
“Some overreaction. Cruz, what are you doing here?” Asher grips his T-shirt collar, looking like he’s trying to shake some sense into his brother.
Paige’s hand comes to my arm. “Are you okay, sweetie?” she says, pulling me out of the booth away from Cruz.
My head drops. I’m so embarrassed. She’s been good to me this week, and I don’t want her to think this is a reflection of me. “Yes, I just want to get back to work.”
She smiles softly. “That’s the attitude. Come and get a drink of water, maybe have a little break, then we will get you back on the floor.”
“I think I need something stronger than water,” I mutter, looking back over to Cruz, who is still scowling at me.
She wraps an arm around my shoulder and leads me to the bar away from the boys. “Erica, have you met Princess?” she asks the bartender.
The nice-looking chick in her late twenties looks me up and down with a coldness to her I don’t understand. “I’ve seen you around. Looks like you have quite the fan base already, fights over you on day one. Better hire extra security, Paige,” she snips, bitchy as all hell, and I glare back at her, wondering what I did to rub her the wrong way.
Asher and Lee take Cruz by each arm and drag him out of the VIP lounge. Cruz frowns at me as he tries to fight them off. There is a sadness in him that crushes me. I know he’s only making such a fuss because he cares, but I don’t need him watching out for me. Can’t he see that?
Asher gives a nod in my direction and mouths, “Sorry,” I think on behalf of his brother.
“Oh, I guess you won’t need that extra security after all, with Asher playing personal bodyguard,” Erica snips.
I flick my attention back to her, wondering what the hell is going on. She’s watching them drag Cruz out of the room, her eyes fixedon Asher. And then it clicks into place. She’s one of Asher’s groupies. Great.
With a heavy sigh, I turn back to Paige. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble I caused. I don’t know why he even came down here tonight, Jagger said he hates the place.”
“Give us a couple of vodka specials, Erica.” She squeezes my arm. “It’s no trouble. Sometimes situations get heightened, but it’s all over now. I have known Cruz a long time, most of us have. He can be a hothead at the best of times, and, yeah, he doesn’t come down here much, but maybe tonight he had a good reason to be here?”
“What are you saying?”
“If you ask me, I would say the boy has a crush on you.”
“He doesn’t have a crush on me. He thinks it’s his job to protect me.” I shake my head. “I’m living with him.”
Her eyes go wide. “Oh. And Jagger?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I sigh heavily.
