Page 6 of Angels In The Dark

“I don’t take kindly to threats, sir. Especially towards ‘my woman.’ I’ll repeat myself one more time before there are consequences. You need to leave. Now.” I put my hand on his shoulder and try to pull him back.

“Fuck no. I’m not leaving until I have back what’s mine.”

I miss it. The left hook that comes for me. It lands hard. I’m disoriented, and it takes me a moment to stabilize. When I come back to myself, I see a terrifying sight before me. He has Julia pulled up against his chest with her arm twisted behind her back.

The gun is pointed at her head.

Shit.

“Where. The fuck. Is she.”

I really hate when they do this. When their masculinity overrides common sense and they do something stupid.

Like pull a gun.

What is wrong with Julia? She’s not usually so careless. It’s like she’s on a different planet today. Normally someone wouldn’t have the chance to grab at her. For that matter, what the hell is wrong with me? How did I let this happen?

I need to focus. If anything happens to Julia…

The rest of the patrons aren’t even fazed by what is going on. They’re too far away and the music is too loud to hear. Attentions are elsewhere.

Julia looks apprehensive. My heart is pounding in my chest. I can’t let anything happen. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time one of us has been threatened, but this is the first time someone has pulled a gun. Knives have slipped in before, but normally we’re so careful about checking patrons. The staff here expects us to keep them safe from their pasts. Part of taking in people who need help is protecting them from those trying to hurt them.

Chad presses the muzzle of the gun into Julia’s hair, and I see her tense. She’s frozen in fear.

“Look, why don’t we just… put the gun away,” I say, trying to soothe him. “And we can figure out what might be going on.”

A slight shake of Julia’s head tells me I can’t give him what he wants. But if the decision is between Kelly’s anonymity and Julia’s life?

My decision is already made.

Thankfully, his reactions are sluggish because of the drinks. He relaxes a bit. When the gun leaves its place at her skull and he begins waving the firearm around, I take my chance. I’m closer to them than I was, and it doesn’t take much to force his hand holding the gun up towards the ceiling.

My main priority is getting Julia out of his grasp. I pull her by her free arm and drag her behind me. The sound of her falling to the ground hits my ears, but I don’t turn my focus away from the man in front of me.

He’s several inches taller than me, but my hand goes to his neck. I find the pressure points on either side and squeeze. Slowly his body droops in my hold, his inebriation working to my advantage, and I’m able to pull the gun from his loose grip.

Soon Gus, our head of security, is at my side, pulling the man out of my grasp. It takes a bit to let go. This man has my whole body on edge, and violent rage burns in my chest. It’s all directed at him.

He hurt her.

“You’re leaving, and you won’t be back,” I state coldly.

Adrenaline still courses through my body as I relinquish our new buddy Chad off to Gus. I sigh as I begin disarming the gun in my hand.

Finding Julia as I look up, I can’t help the ache seizing my chest at her form as she sits up. She rubs at her shoulder as if in pain but immediately pulls her hand away when she sees me looking.

“Shit. I don’t ever want to see you at gunpoint.” I hold out my hand, and she takes it.

“Oh. Come on. I’m fine. I knew you’d get me out of it.” She laughs. But there’s a tremor in it. Still, she’s grinning wildly, and I can’t decide if I want to strangle her or hold her tightly.

“Yeah, but I still don’t like you being there at all.”

“I know, and I love you for it.” Her deep breath is telling, but I’m not going to call her on it. Then she kisses me on the cheek before strolling off to the bar as though nothing happened at all.

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