Page 43 of The Bourbon Bride

I look up when I’m called and see Antonio DeSano, the owner of Napoletana, coming over.

“Everything okay out here? I came out when the cops showed up and saw your car. I wanted to make sure you’re all right.”

I look at the police officers with me, wondering if I’m allowed to talk about it. The closest one shrugs and leaves me with the remaining cop.

“It’s good now, Antonio. I’m sorry this happened here. It’s a good area. I never expected to get carjacked in Buckhead.”

I shrug and my shoulder blares in pain. I reach over and feel the warm wetness of an injury I wasn’t aware of. I look at the last cop.

“You have a first aid kit? I could use a little patching up if we’re not going to have an ambulance here.”

Paige pulls away and looks at my shoulder.

“You’re bleeding! He cut you?”

“Apparently,” I answer, keeping calm for her. Truth is, I came out of that far better than the other guy. He left with a pretty bad stab wound thanks to falling on his own knife after I kicked him. I seem to have managed only a few bruises and a slashed shoulder. It could have been worse. I could have lost Paige.

My brain replays the instant my world became black and white, then went red. When the carjacker showed up with a knife, threatening Paige’s safety, something just clicked. My first priority became to keep her safe over anything else. I went on instinct, but I saw the wrathful haze of red when the fucker continued to fight when he didn’t get the hands up acquiescence he had hoped for. My own safety was a far lower priority and I leaned on some Muay Thai I did in my twenties to make sure that fucker stayed away from her.

But I’m too old for this shit. My ribs burn with every inhale, so I’m thinking I may have bruised a few, and my shoulder is throbbing. Both are injuries that wouldn’t have kept me out of the gym the day after a brutal sparring session, but a decade later feel debilitating as the adrenaline leaves my system. I’m just glad I had something to rely on when I needed it and didn’t end up stabbed and missing a car, and possibly without my girl.

I get my shoulder cleaned up and it thankfully doesn’t need stitches but will probably leave an ugly scar right across the top. I write out my statement for the officers and give them all of my contact information in case they need to get in touch with me. They likely will, as the criminal investigation will lead to a trial and all sorts of opportunities for my name to be dragged along in the press. I’m not looking forward to the news tomorrow.

It’s not every day that a billionaire fights off a carjacker who leaves the scene in an ambulance.

When the police release us, I tuck Paige into the car, shut the door and make a call to Payton.

“Aww, Hater calling after hours. Miss me?” he asks when he answers the call.

“Hardly, but I need you on a situation.”

“What happened?” He’s alert and all trace of humor is gone from his voice.

“Some fucker decided he was feeling extra brave and wanted my car tonight after dinner at Napoletana. It wasn’t pretty and he left in an ambulance. Get our PR team on this immediately to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand.”

“Are you hurt? Oh, shit. Did something happen to Paige? That would be so fucking bad,” he finishes almost to himself.

“Just a little cut and bruised, nothing too bad. Paige is fine, but this will get ugly when her parents find out.” I scan the area and notice a few bystanders with phones out, recording video and snapping photos that will likely be all over the news, or worse, the gossip sites, tomorrow. “We can’t stop our names from getting out, so we need to tighten up at Olympus for the takeover.”

“I’m on it. Take your girl home and make it up to her. Damn, your first public appearance together had to be a big one, huh?”

“Not really my intention,” I grumble.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Night, Hayes.”

I hang up the call and pocket my phone. I look over at Antonio standing near the restaurant, his arms crossed as he surveys the continued commotion the police presence brought to his doorstep. I walk over and extend my hand. He takes it in both of his for a moment and gives me a worried look.

“I’m sorry Antonio, this is a shitty situation to drop on you. Let me know if it affects business. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Oh, no, I’m more worried about you, man,” he says, his hands held out in front of him. “Can’t have my best customer and investor attacked right here. I’m going to look into security for the lot. This is unacceptable.”

“Everything will be fine. You couldn’t have stopped this.”

“Looks like the police are leaving now,” he says, looking over my shoulder. I turn and catch the cruisers pulling away from the lot.

“I guess I should get going, too. Thank you for checking on us.”

He nods and motions for me to go. I wave as I turn and walk back to the car.

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