Page 39 of Back in Black

Suddenly she was on him again and Brett felt consumed. The sounds of the bar faded beneath the heat of her mouth, her unique scent, and her anxious participation.

The food would wait.

Leaning into her, Brett slid a hand from her waist to her hip—and urged her in for some sizzling, full-body contact. She was so small that one of his hands would cover a good deal of her cute little bottom. His palm tingled at that thought.

When the music suddenly died and the sound of the crowd grew rowdy, Brett didn’t understand.

He could hear Barber, the lead musician, making an announcement, but in the stairwell his words weren’t clear. And with Audrey clinging to him, kissing him so hotly, he didn’t really care.

Until the door to the stairs burst open.

“What the hell?”

Several people rushed through. Brett flattened himself against Audrey to protect her.

“Brett?”

“Shh. Something’s going on.”

At the top of the stairs, he saw a bouncer directing people into the stairwell, cautioning them to go slowly and in an orderly fashion.

Something had happened. What, he had no idea. Maybe a fire? But he hadn’t heard an alarm and he didn’t smell any smoke. He took Audrey’s hand and pulled her around so that she could go down the stairs in front of him.

She held back. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know yet. Let’s go.” He kept her to his right side, closer to the wall. People jammed into his back, knocked into his shoulder, shoved and shouted.

Audrey, bless her heart, did her best to keep up without a single complaint. She didn’t even seem worried.

When they reached the main floor, Brett saw Gregor Marsh. That fighter towered over others, making him easy to spot. Gregor had taken on the task of ushering folks out the front doors, keeping things orderly.

“What’s going on?” Brett asked as soon as he reached him.

Without taking his attention from directing the crowd, Gregor said, “Got a bomb threat.” He kept one fellow upright when he would have stumbled, and he stopped another from turning back to talk to a friend. In short, he added, “I’m helping Roger get everyone out.”

Bomb? Brett rocked back. Of all the things . . . well, he hadn’t expected that. Audrey said nothing.

He wanted her out of the place, and fast, so he didn’t ask any more questions.

“Got it. Thanks.” But before Brett could merge with the outgoing customers, Gregor caught his arm.

“We met the other day, right?”

Brett nodded. “Yeah.” With any luck, Gregor wouldn’t mention that they’d met in a gym.

“I sent my lady outside, kickin’ and bitchin’ and none too happy. Tall gal, sweet on the eyes. Jacki Marsh. Havoc’s little sister. Can you look after her for me until I get this place cleared?”

Understanding his worry, Brett clapped him on the shoulder. “Got it covered.”

“Thanks, dude.”

When Brett had to nudge Audrey along to get her moving again, he looked down and found her eyes as wide as saucers. But it wasn’t the mention of a bomb that had her boggled. Even as he led her away, she craned her head to stare back at Gregor.

Yeah, Gregor had that effect on lots of people, male and female alike. Even as heavyweight fighters went, Gregor was gargantuan, and solid as steel. To go with his impressive size, he had an abundance of tattoos, shaggy black hair, and ears thickened from his profession. His imposing visage didn’t quite match his congenial manner, though.

As he nudged Audrey along, he asked, “You okay?”

She nodded. “Was that guy a fighter?”

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