“Did a stripper just knock out Linus?”
“Hey, you can’t do that!”
Shit!
Cam grabbed Sabrina by the arm and forced her to the door. He hated manhandling a woman, but if he didn’t get her away from the crowd, things could escalate into something no one wanted or needed. She seemed to get it and didn’t fight him as he hurried her out of the building.
He didn’t stop until they got to the closed shoe repair shop a few doors down. He pulled them into the recessed doorway between two display windows to hide from anyone on the street.
“You okay?” His breath fogged in the air as he spoke.
Sabrina didn’t answer. She pressed her back against the wide glass and hugged herself.
“What the hell were you thinking, punching a man twice your size? You shoulda let me handle his ass.”
She stayed silent and compact.
Cam’s ire melted. “Look, seriously, are you okay?”
She raised her head and met his concerned gaze. Whatever shadows she had in her eyes disappeared as shutters dropped over them. “I’m just fine. It ain’t the first time I’ve had to fight off an asshole. Ain’t gonna be the last.”
Her words bothered him. A lot. But he couldn’t process that at the moment. Later, he might ponder it, but for now, he needed to get her somewhere safer than here. “Look, Sabrina, it’s a strip club. Guys come here to drink and look at naked women. Yeah, things get out of hand sometimes, but we take care of it. Our ladies get spooked by someone, we make sure they’re safe.”
Her fire returned, and her chin came up. “I ain’t one of your ladies.”
“You’re Scrap’s daughter. That makes you one of us.”
He’d said it before he could stop himself, and he couldn’t take it back.
Sabrina jolted, and for the first time since he met her, it seemed she had nothing to say. She deflated before his eyes as whatever fight she’d mustered up left her.
Cam swore under his breath. “I’m sorry. I should have waited until Scrap gets tested, but I can’t see it any other way.” He finally recognized her nonresponse and grew alarmed. “Hey, are you okay?”
She rallied. “Yeah. It’s just the first time I’ve been called someone else’s daughter besides Ernie. He was my dad, but possibly not my father.” She gave a little shake of her head. “It’s really fucked up and confusing as hell.”
“I’ll bet.” He paused, and the silence of the street surrounded them. The shoe repair place had a security light, but it was still too dim for him to make out her features. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t see her expression, though; he’d had similar experiences, and it wasn’t a stretch for him to figure out her headspace. “Listen, Sabrina. We can’t fix this tonight, but I’ll help you as much as I can, yeah?”
She took a sharp breath through her nose and blew it slowly out of her mouth. Cam’s eyes landed on the shadow of her pursed lips, and for a moment, he wondered what they tasted like.
A burst of noise distracted him, and he peeked around the corner. Sure enough, a limo had pulled up outside the bar, and the bachelor party was loading into the back. They had to carry the groom on their shoulders like pallbearers with a casket.
Cam raised a brow. “Huh. I wonder how the bride will feel tomorrow when he shows up hungover as hell.”
“I hope she kicks his ass to the curb.”
There was such bitterness in her voice that he jerked his attention back to her. His lower spine locked up at the sudden movement, the muscle twisting viciously, sending a wave of pain down his leg. He couldn’t move.
“Son of a bitch!” he gritted out and placed a hand on the window just above her shoulder to keep from falling into her.
“You fuc—what’s wrong?” Her angry voice did a complete one-eighty when she realized he was in pain, not trying to cop a feel.
“Back. Cramp.” His voice was tight, as he had trouble getting air into his lungs.
“Hang on.” She maneuvered herself behind him. “Put both hands up and lean forward. Don’t freak out either.”
He felt her hands slip under his shirt and touch the skin just above his hip.
“Damn, that’s a bad one. Hold still.” She dug her thumb into the area, nearly sending him through the top of the alcove.
