Page 41 of Black Bird

“Why? Need to puke?”

“I need you to spread those legs and wrap ‘em around me.”

Nowshewanted to puke. Sarah pressed her hand against his chest when he moved closer. “How about I wrap them around your neck? Would you like that?” Sarah soothed, inching closer.

“Yes, ma’am … I think you would too.” He grinned, swaying a little. Sarah’s fingers drifted to her phone, swiping across it and activating her recent calls.

“How ‘bout I squeeze these thighs around your face until it chokes off your air supply? That get your little dick hard, bud?” The drunk groaned and she leaned closer, blocking his view with her shoulder as she tapped on the phone to ring her last call.

“Why don’t you hop off that stool and come find out just how little it is, love? I’ll make you scream … one way or another.”

She could faintly hear Athan’s voice pick up the call. “You think so? And if I said I wouldn’t touch your greasy, drunk ass to save my own life?” He huffed a laugh and placed a hand on her thigh. Sarah looked down at it and then back up at him.

“I got two friends with me that say you’ll reconsider.”

Sarah wasn’t sure where the guttural growl came from that edged her voice. “Get. Your. Fucking. Hand. Off of me.” She glanced over at the phone. Call ended.

Dammit.

It could only mean two things. He either heard none of it, or … he heard all of it. Sarah hoped it was the latter. She looked around seeking help, growing increasingly angry when his hand slid further up her thigh. The bartender was busy at the far end, and the only ones who seemed to be watching them were the two sweaty bastards that she was sure had come with him, both of them smirking when she caught their eye.

“Be a good girl, and we’ll pay you well. We’re not gonna hurt you too bad. You might like it.” He gripped her thigh in his hand and squeezed the side … way too close to her ass.

“I’m not a hooker. Last warning, pencil cock.” She grabbed his hand, and he slapped his clammy fingers around her wrist, turning it, and leaning so close to her face that his hot, nasty breath fanned across her chin and up her nose. She wanted to vomit.

“Play nice, bitch. Or I can add a few bruises to that neck before they find you in a dumpster somewhere uptown.”

“You’ve got two seconds to stand down before I roundhouse theshitout of you. Although, that’s not gonna save you from the charges I’mabout to pile on for communicating a threat like that during an ongoing investigation.”

Sarah’s head darted to the right to find Rhaena Northwood with her fists curled, ready to strike. He smiled at her and the two henchmen he had in the corner raised from their chairs.

“Aren’t you pretty. I wonder if that mouth will be just as sassy when it’s wrapped around my—” His insult gurgled in his throat when Rhaena’s fist plunged into his Adam’s apple and he grasped at it, staggering back, and gaining the attention of the entire bar. Sarah lunged forward, grabbing him by his collar and turning him toward the detective just as she started driving her fists into his midsection and jaw. Patrons from the bar started forming a circle around them, and the two assholes started to try and shove their way past the throng of people watching as Sarah grabbed the prick by his greasy brown hair and thrust his head into the bar. He dropped like a stone, Rhaena flipping him onto his front and forcing his arms behind his back while she slapped cuffs on him.

It was almost a blur. A black smudge across her vision. The kind that haunted her nightmares from that night in the alley as it crossed the bar, and she realized Kane was storming towards the two other men. The look in his eyes ignited a heat between her legs as he glanced at her on his way to possibly end their lives. They made to run towards the back of the bar, and he chased after them, jerking one by the back of his jacket, and slamming the other into the wall. She’d never seen someone handle two men like that at once. Neither of them were able to get one hit in before he had them both bleeding from every place on their faces. Sarah could swear she heard bones break over the sounds of gaping onlookers as Athan cuffed them both and started dragging them toward the bar. He jerked one of their heads up by his hair and forced him to look at Sarah.

“Lying to me will be the last fucking thing you do. Tell me what you planned to do with her.” He growled, holding tight to the other one when he tried to break away. “Move again, and I’ll snap your fucking neck.” The man stilled, and the one Athan had by the head spit at her feet. Athan bashed his face into the bar top and pressed his cheek against the counter. “Talk!”

“Aaaagggghhhh! Fuck!” The man groaned, heaving ragged breaths. “We were gonna tag team her! Make her squeal and then leave her somewhere! We weren’t gonna kill her!”

The asshole that Rhaena had picked up off the floor whirled at his companion. “You fucking idiot … youstupidfucking idiot!” He looked back at Sarah and clenched his bloody teeth, baring them at her. “I would have … I woulda burned the little witch. Right after I tore through that tight little ass!”

Sarah moved before Kane could react, flipping open her butterfly knife and holding it to his throat. “Sarah!” Rhaena yelped, pulling the man back. “Stop, before you catch a charge! Put it up! Put it up, now!”

She could feel it. Something dark and powerful. Something foreign that she couldn’t control. That rage from the hospital had turned into something bigger. She wanted to gut this piece of shit. The blade shook inher hand and the man smirked at her, silently begging her to make a move. Rhaena’s continued warnings drowned out, and everything around her began to spin and blur. Something cunning and sinister whispered for her to kill.

Kill … slit his throat. He was going to do so much worse to you.

Firm hands slid around her, causing her to flinch before an overwhelming calm took over and her knife dropped from her hand, clattering to the floor. Rhaena kicked it away with her boot and Sarah was spun around to find Kane peering down at her. Several uniforms surrounded them, towing the bastards away and he just stared at her.

“It’s alright. You’re safe, it’s alright.”

She nodded deliriously, slowly blinking as if she was in some trance and he held her steady. The rage turned to the deepest ache in her chest, and it started to sputter up and down with uncontrollable sobs. Sarah hid her face in her hands, and he pulled her into him, wrapping his arms tight around her. She gripped his white t-shirt that was spotted with someone else’s blood and cried into it, unable to find the strength to control herself.

“I’ve got her stuff. Take her to my car.” She heard Rhaena mutter as he guided her out of the bar. Rhaena’s SUV was parked by the curb, several patrol cars surrounding it and blocking off some of the street. The flashing lights nearly blinded her as Athan walked her toward them. She chose not to look at the man she almost killed as his muffled insults sounded from the rolled-up window in the back of one of them. Sarah wiped her nose on her sleeve, tucking her arms around herself as Rhaena opened the passenger side door for her and he helped her inside. All of them noticed other flashes that didn’t belong, then. Rhaena’s head snapped over and Sarah spotted several photographers shamelessly taking pictures of her and everything else. “Kane … block her.”

Athan stepped between her and the angle of their cameras. “Get down.” He soothed, taking his leather jacket off and covering her with it as she leaned over her lap. He slammed the car door shut and she could hear a bunch of commotion and arguing outside it as she breathed in his scent and tugged the material closer around her.

The driver’s side door opened and Rhaena’s voice got louder. “Yeah, well consider that your fine for the next time you try to take photos of somebody who doesn’t want you to, or when you try to throw mud at the Boston Police Department. Get the hell out!” She slid into her seat and shut the door, cranking the truck and placing a gentle hand on Sarah’s back. “Sit tight, Sarah. I’ll let you know when, okay?”

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