“Wait, I have to go, too,” Charlie announces, knocking back the remainder of her drink before she slides out of the booth and falls into step beside me.
We cross the room and part ways in the hallway, each pushing through our designated doors. I do my business, taking my time washing my hands, knowing it always takes the fairer sex a small eternity to emerge from the bathroom, which is why the sight of a panicked Charlie being caged in against the wall by a burly biker-type comes as a bit of a shock.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” I bark, and the sheer relief in her eyes triggers that protective part in me that’s been lying dormant for some time.
The rodent-looking dude glances over his shoulder and meets my furious gaze, but doesn’t step back.
“Mind your own business and move along. Nothing to see here, isn’t that right, Charlotte?”
“I suggest you give me some space and go back where you came from, Razor, or I’ll call the police.”
Razor? What kind of stupid ass name is that?I don’t have time to ridicule him, because he doesn’t seem to heed Charlie’s warning, choosing to push his body further into her instead.
“I think you misunderstood me,” my steely tone cuts through the hallway as I step up behind her assailant. “I wasn’t making a request when I asked you to take your hands off the lady. I’ll give you exactly three seconds to back off and leave the building. If you fail to do so, we will have a problem.”
This seems to get his attention, for he turns to face me, eyes flashing with anger as he gets in my face.
“And who the fuck are you? You really willing to fight me for some piece of ass you don’t even know. Don’t be a hero. Theladyand I have history. I’m here to deliver a message from her man. Doesn’t concern you.”
Canting my head, I hold his beady eyes as a familiar buzz starts up in my body. Anticipation takes a firm hold of me as the possibility of giving this scumbag the ass kicking he deserves becomes more and more real.
“The lady is with me, so she’s very much my concern. You can tell that women-beating motherfucker that Charlie hasn’t been his since he chose to shove her down the stairs and killed her unborn child. What kind of small-dicked douchebag would harass a woman to do the bidding of a spineless piece of shit like that? If you have any decency at all, you tell yourprez,”I sneer the word, letting him know exactly what I think of the undeserving title. “If he has unfinished business with Charlie, he can grow some balls and faceher himself, not send his lackeys to do his dirty work. But make sure to let him know she’s no longer unprotected. She has people watching out for her now. People who aren’t as easily intimidated by a low-level criminal. Charlie, let’s go,” I say, reaching around Razor and holding a hand out for her to grasp. Her fingers link with mine, and I’m about to pull her over to me when Razor grabs her upper arm hard enough to bruise, making her release a pained grunt.
He doesn’t have time to prepare before I grab his outstretched limb and twist, moving behind him and shoving it so far up his back he folds forward with a loud yelp. I kick him in the back of the knees with enough force to send him to the floor at my feet. Keeping a firm grip on his forearm, I give him another shove for good measure and lean down, bringing my mouth close to the shell of his ear.
“If you touch her one more time, I will kill you. Do you understand me?” I ask just loud enough for him to hear. “I said, do you understand me?” I repeat when he doesn’t reply, applying pressure and making him whimper like a little bitch.
“I hear you. I hear you. You can ease off now.” I give him one last shove that almost sends his face into the floorboards before I reach for Charlie and deposit her at my back. Razor staggers to his feetand rubs at the spot where his chest meets his shoulder, giving the aching joint a couple of rotations to assess the damage.
“You’re going to regret that,” he warns, leaning sideways as he tries to get a glimpse of Charlie.
“Doubt that,” I drawl, sidestepping him to keep her hidden from view. “Leave now, and don’t bother her again, or that rotator cuff injury will be the least of your problems.”
The stocky biker gives me one last scathing look before he grits his teeth and disappears down the hall.
“Are you alright?” I ask, as soon as he’s gone, and the sight of Charlie’s glassy-eyed gaze makes me want to go after the asshole and give him the beating he deserves. Wrapping my arms around her, I run a palm over the length of her back, murmuring soothing words to let her know she’s safe. “No one will hurt you as long as I’m with you, you hear me?” The sound of a slow clap echoes through the narrow space, and I whip my head around, zeroing in on an older, lanky guy lingering in front of the men’s room.
“That was some move. You had that sucker on his knees and incapacitated in three seconds flat. Color me impressed.”
Charlie pulls back and wipes at her cheeks as if her emotional display embarrasses her before she offers a timid wave.
“Hey there, Chief Moseley.”
“Heya, sweetheart. Are you alright? You look a little shaken up. I’ll admit I’ve had a few, and I’m off duty tonight, but if you want to press charges, I can call up a couple of my guys, or you can come on down to the station in the morning.”
I’m gathering we’re speaking to the police chief of Moose Harbor, which has my shoulders dropping from around my ears as I relax my hold on Charlie.
“You know what, I think I might take you up on that, but it can wait until tomorrow. I’m fairly certain he’s gone, and up until now, I was really enjoying myself. I don’t want this to ruin our night.”
“That’s perfectly fine, sweetheart. I’m sorry someone seems to be giving you trouble, but it looks like you’re in good hands with this one,” he says, flicking his chin my way while offering her a warm smile. “So, what’s your background, son? Military? Law enforcement?”
“Law enforcement,” I confirm, and take a step forward to offer him my hand. “Special Agent Cole Foster. FBI.”
Moseley’s bushy eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, and he gives me an impressed nod. “Not often we have a federal agent in our midst. You on vacation?”
“Something like that. I’m staying at Charlotte’s Resort while I sort out a few things regarding my personal and professional life.”
“You looking for a career change?” the older man asks, intelligent eyes lighting up with interest.
