“I said get out.”
The tall one stepped forward, chest puffed. “Or what?”
Eli released the first guy and turned on him, but before he could do anything, a fist came from somewhere to his left. He ducked, the punch sailing over his head, and drove his shoulder into the guy’s midsection, sending them both crashing into the neighboring table. Then, the bar erupted.
Eli couldn’t tell who threw the next punch, but suddenly everyone was moving. Matty tackled one of the outsiders into a stack of chairs. Danny McGill, who apparently needed no excuse, decked someone who’d gotten too close to his drink. Bobby Fitz hurled a barstool that shattered the front window.
“Eli!” Olivia’s voice cut through the chaos.
He whipped around. She was on her feet, backed against the wall, eyes wide with fear. He fought his way to her, shoving bodies aside until he reached her.
“Are you okay?” He put himself between her and the mayhem, his eyes scanning her for any sign of harm.
“I’m fine, but we need to go. Now.”
Jacob materialized from the back hallway, still drying his hands on his jeans. He took one look at the mayhem, his eyes growing wide. “What the hell did I miss?”
“Long story,” Sloane said, grabbing his arm. “Cops are coming. I can hear the sirens.”
“Back door,” Eli said. There was a service exit through the kitchen that opened into the alley behind the barbershop. He grabbed Olivia’s hand and they moved, Sloane and Jacob right behind them. Patrick waved them off from his booth, looking thoroughly unbothered by the pandemonium around him.
They spilled out the back lane just as red and blue lights flickered into the darkened alley. They huddled in the shadows as Jacob sprinted for the SUV, which he had around the corner in under a minute, and they piled in. Nobody spoke until they were three blocks away.
“That went great,” Sloane said sarcastically.
“I think it’s time we went to the hotel,” Eli breathed. The anger—both his and his wolf’s—was still there, bubbling inside. He couldn’t help it. Seeing another man touching Olivia had made him see red and he lost control.
As if sensing his emotions, Olivia reached over and covered his hand with hers. After a whole afternoon of touching and staying close to her, it had become familiar and soothed his frayed nerves.
Finally, they arrived at the hotel, a modest place a few miles outside Southie. Jacob handled check-in while the rest of them waited by the elevators. They quickly piled inside as soon as Jacob arrived, who punched the “four” button.
“All right,” Jacob said, handing out keycards when they reached their floor. “Sloane and I are in four twelve. Eli, you and Olivia are in four sixteen.”
Eli blinked. “One room?”
“Yeah, there was a mix-up with the reservation. They’re fully booked.” Jacob didn’t look particularly sorry about it. “There’s two beds, though.”
Sloane, standing behind him, didn’t even try to hide her smirk.
“It’s fine,” Olivia said quickly. “We’re adults.”
“That’s what got you into this situation,” Jacob muttered, earning a sharp elbow from Sloane.
“Goodnight,” Sloane said with a final wave as she dragged Jacob toward their room across the hallway. “Don’t stay up too late.”
Eli and Olivia stood in the hallway for a moment after the other door clicked shut. Swiping the keycard to their room, he held the door open for her. As she brushed past him, the scent of cinnamon and something sweet hit his nostrils.
The room was small but clean. Two queen beds with white duvets, a window overlooking the parking lot, and a TV mounted to the wall. Another door that was probably the bathroom.
A thought hit Eli. This was the first time they’d been truly alone since that other hotel room weeks ago.
Olivia dropped her bag on the bed closest to the window and sat down on the edge, slipping off her shoes. He set his own bag on the other bed and stood there, hands in his pockets, unsure of what to do with himself.
“So,” she said.
“So.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “About what happened at the bar. Those guys.”
