Ash flipped Noodles over onto his back and clocked him in the jaw. “Don’t you ever disrespect Skye again, you fucking bastard.”
“What the fuck happened to you, you pussy-whipped wimp? You used to bring three or four girls back after a concert and fuck them all. Win the game every time. You haven’t even gotten her shirt off.”
Noodles swung at Ash, but Ash blocked.
His voice came out in a menacing growl. “That’s my wife!”
“Yeah. Got that. Why aren’t you fucking your wife?” Noodles lay flat on the floor, not moving a muscle. “You think this one is going to last? She’s a doctor, for fuck’s sake. Way out of your league. I give you two weeks.”
Ash knocked Noodles out cold. “Bastard.”
Not a single member of the security team intervened.
Ash turned to her, agony scrawled deep into his features. “I’m so sorry.”
The redhead hadn’t stopped her oral ministrations during the fight.
Bash pulled her off his dick. “Ah, fuck, we’re leaving? I’m not done.” Frustration edged his words.
Ash shook his head. “No. You stay.” He took in the naked women and his bandmates, and then he turned to Skye. “This isn’t what I want anymore.” He walked to Forest and didn’t back down when Forest puffed out his chest. “I don’t care what you say. She belongs with me. You get what I’m saying?”
“So long as you understand what happens if you hurt her,” Forest said. “And as long as you stop acting like an ass.”
“If I ever hurt her, there’s nothing you can do that’d be worse than what I’d do to myself.”
Ash took her hand. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” He turned to the security team sitting at the tables. “Get ready. We’re going to the hotel.”
“I want to go home.” She squeezed Ash’s hand and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I won’t come between you and your band.”
Noodles moaned on the floor, waking up. He rolled over and pushed up on his hands. Then, he collapsed back down. “You fucking punched me.”
“You deserved it,” Ash said with a grunt.
“Shit. That’s not right.” Noodles rolled to a sitting position. He stared at Skye, a look of awe in his expression. “What have you done to him?”
“Don’t answer.” Ash pulled her toward the door. “If we go back to your place, your brother will make me sleep on the couch. I need to feel you, Skye. You’re slipping away.”
“Isn’t anyone going to help Noodles?” she asked.
The rest of the band was busy getting off. Even Bash had gone back to enjoying his redhead. All the security folks sat at the tables, playing cards or surfing their cell phones, with the exception of Ash’s personal trio. Reggie had disappeared out the door while Sam grabbed her bag from the locker where Reggie had it stored.
Noodles raised a hand. “You hit me over a girl. First, Bash, and now, me? What is it about this one that’s so special?”
Ash gave Noodles a hand up. “She’s the one.” He spun Noodles toward the bar. “Don’t fuck with her.”
“Shit, man, youareinsane.”
For whatever reason, Skye had the impression that Noodles wasn’t as upset by that.
Reggie waited by the door, speaking into a headset microphone. “Donald says the car is pulling around, sir. You ready?”
Ash gave her hand a squeeze. “Stay by my side, babe. This is going to get intense.”
Despite all her doubts, being tucked under his arm made her feel safe. The warm scent of him flowed around her, intensified by the deep musk of his sweat.
“You need a shower,” she said. “You smell rank.”
“So do you. That’s the first thing we’re taking care of when we get to the hotel.” He kissed the top of her head and looked to Reggie. “We’re ready.”
