CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

MARCY

I didn’t think as I ran outside after Kenzie, and I really didn’t think as I saw the guy ripping her dress. But, I did notice that something was wrong, really wrong. Kenzie, the ultimate fighter, wasn’t fighting back and that’s when I saw the gash on her forehead. Sprinting to him, completely forgetting I was pregnant, I jumped like a fucking spider monkey on his back and did my best to subdue him. This fucker is strong.

I heard Trey’s shout and stopped. That was a mistake. The assailant was able to fling me off and on to the ground. Pain shot up my back from my ass and I groaned out, praying I hadn’t done anything to harm the baby. Looking over, I noticed Kenzie rolling to her side and beginning to stand. I blew out a relieved breath thanking God that she was okay.

I watched in horror as Trey rushed him, not even seeing the gun in his hand. I hauled my ass up off the concrete and ran back inside as fast as my short legs would take me. Pushing through the throng of bodies on the dance floor was harder than I anticipated, but I got through relatively quickly and made it to Mac and the guys. Out of breath, I rambled trying to tell them what was happening.

“Kenzie… Trey… Gun,” I wheezed out and they took off running towards the door. I followed after them and went out the door just in time to see Kenzie push Trey away from the shooter, and the gun go off. I couldn’t believe my eyes as she crumpled to the ground. The scream bubbled out of me before I could stop it.

MAC

As soon as I saw that Bubba and Buck had the man subdued, I got my phone out and started dialing. Kenzie was bleeding like crazy, but it didn’t look as if there was an actual gunshot wound, just a deep graze. I wrapped my arm around a sobbing Marcy.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I came out and he was standing over her and I freaked and jumped on his back. Trey ran over, distracted me, then the guy pushed me to the side. That’s when I ran inside to get you.”

As she told me the story, I got more and more angry. Not only at the scum bag who did this, but also at Pix for putting herself and our unborn baby at risk. “Are you serious? You jumped on his back while pregnant?”

“What was I supposed to do? Let him rape her while she was barely conscious?” She glared at me.

“No, you should have come got us, or screamed. Anything but risk your life and our baby’s!” I yelled.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” A tiny little voice said in my ear and I remembered that I had dialed the phone.

“My friend was nearly raped in an alley outside of VooDoo. She was shot, but we have the perp detained. Can you send emergency services please?”

“Someone will be there as soon as they can. Have you spoken to security inside the club? They may be equipped to help you until the police arrive.”

Griffin and Kaylee came running out the door with a giant of a man a second later. “I told you something like this was gonna happen. That’s the man who harassed Kenzie on the dance floor earlier.”

“Sir, do you have a first aid kit? My friends been shot.”

“Sure do, and the names Eric. This guy? He was blackballed from this club months ago. I don’t know how they let him in.”

He got on his walkie and relayed instructions to whoever was on the other end. It wasn’t long before two more gigantic security guards came walking out to the alley. One held zip ties. “It’s all I had, boss.”

“It’s perfect, and cut it out with the boss crap,” he said sternly. “I could kill Cole for putting me in charge here, so he could traipse around LA.” I heard him mutter under his breath.

He hog-tied the man with the zip ties and pointed to the other guy. “Tony, don’t just stand there, the lady’s been shot.”

“Shit, okay,” he said and made his way over to Kenzie.

“Was anyone else hurt?” He looked at Marcy a little strangely.

“Nope, I fell on my ass but I’ll be fine,” she said a little shakily and I pulled her closer. The guy Eric looked at me funny.

“Are you all staying in the hotel?” he asked after a beat of silence.

“Yes,” Pix and I said at the same time.

“Well, since this started in our club and that particular douchebag never should have been on the property in the first place, we’ll comp your stay. I’ll make sure guest services send some stuff up to your rooms in the morning.”

“That’s not necessary,” Griffin spoke up. “We have a tendency to find trouble where ever we go.”

I chuckled at that because he definitely wasn’t wrong.

“Well, this particular guy held a bunch of my people at gun point a while back, and I would feel a lot less guilty about my security guys slacking off if you would just take the comp.”

I looked at Griffin who shrugged and nodded. “Okay, thanks.”

“I need to get back in there and find out who let this scum back in my bar, but these are my best guys. They’ll help you until the police arrive.” He smiled and took my hand in a firm shake.

“Nice to meet you, Eric.”

“Yeah man, you too.” He walked back inside with one last look over at Marcy.

“What was that about?” I asked her when he was gone.

“I have no idea. Maybe I remind him of someone?” she said thoughtfully.

“Yeah, that must be it,” I replied distracted.