Page 45 of Barristers & Bones

“You’re a young woman. That demographic usually likes sweet, fruity drinks.”

“And your demographic likes whiskey, so you didn’t surprise me at all.”

He smirked. “I’ll have to work on that.”

Were we… flirting? I couldn’t shake the feeling this was more than just Roman visiting one of his clients. His head suddenly jerked up, and he stood. I turned and saw a man take Misty by her neck and cock his fist back.

“No!” I screamed. Misty jerked back, but the man caught her on the side of her mouth. He then tried to slam her head into the stage, but she jabbed his crotch with her long fingernails and squeezed. The man grunted in pain but didn’t let go of her.

I started toward Misty, not understanding what was happening. Why would a patron attack one of the dancers? The squat, rotund man moved fast for someone his size. His dirty-blond hair was slicked back into a ratty ponytail, and he had gaudy gold rings on his fingers.

Another man stood in front of the attacker, and when he saw Roman bearing down, his hand slid behind his back, probably reaching for a gun. In a flash, Roman picked up a highball glass off a table and threw it at the second man’s head. He ducked and stumbled, and Roman lunged forward, kicking him in the thigh, then followed up with a quick punch to his neck. The man fell to his knees and started choking.

Scooting around them, I dove toward Misty. The ponytail guy still had ahold of her neck, and I grabbed his hair and tugged on it as hard as I could. “Let go of her!”

He yelled, released Misty, and turned on me. I tried to back up and give myself room to dodge him, but a chair got in my way. Grabbing my wrist, he tried to yank me to him, but Roman wrapped his arm around the attacker’s throat from behind and stuck a gun to his temple. “Let her go, or I’ll put a bullet through your walnut-sized brain, Strack.”

The man let go of my wrist and put his hands up. “Okay. Okay, man. It was just a misunderstanding. The bitches are fine.”

“If you touch either one of them again, I will end you. Tell me you understand.” Roman’s arm tightened around his neck.

“I understand,” the man choked out. But he stared at me with mean, dead eyes while he answered Roman. Samuel and another bouncer appeared and subdued the two men, and I turned to Misty, who stood holding her face.

A half-hour later, we sat in Fiona’s office. She leaned against the corner of her antique desk, scowling at everyone in the room. Misty sat huddled on the couch next to me, wearing a robe and holding an ice pack to her mouth.

I put my arm around her and patted her shoulder. “That was a nice jab to his crotch.”

Misty pulled an icepack off her swollen mouth and winced as her split lip started bleeding. “Don’t make me smile. It’s been a shit night.”

Fiona cocked her head at me. “Will you help Tiny get Misty cleaned up? Roman and I need to talk.”

Misty grabbed my hand and squeezed. “No. I want her to sit in on your conversation and tell me exactly what you plan to do.” She looked up at Samuel and her face flushed. “And his name is Samuel, not Tiny. He’ll help me get cleaned up.”

Fiona stared at Misty for a few seconds, then turned to Samuel. “Do you prefer Samuel?”

“Yes. Or Sam is fine.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off Misty.

“Alright.” Fiona pointed to me. Do you know this woman?”

“Yeah. I first met her when she came here with Roman. She’s the one who gave us the idea to ask for benefits, and she helped me from getting beaten up even worse tonight.” Her eyes filled with tears.

Fiona turned to Roman. “Thank you for getting Lionel off her, and fuck your intern for putting the idea of benefits in their heads. Do you have any idea how much that cost us?” Roman’s eyebrow went up, and he turned to me.

Misty kept going. “We’ve also hung out. Luna works at the mortuary where my aunt’s funeral was held, and she invited us to Sunday poker brunch there. It was pretty fly. I mean, have you ever been to a party at a funeral home? We plan to go next month too. So yeah, I know her. We’re friends.”

Roman stared at me. “You invited Fiona’s dancers to poker brunch?”

“Well, not all of them. But they’re welcome if they want to come.”

“And you’re just telling me this now?”

“No.”

“No?” he asked slowly.

“I didn’t tell you. Misty did.” I turned to her. “Do you need us to take you to the hospital? You have health insurance now.” Fiona rolled her eyes, but I saw her lips twitch.

Misty smiled and winced again. “No. They won't tell me anything I don’t already know. But I do want to get cleaned up.” She stood and walked over to Samuel, then took his hand. “We’ll be in the dressing room if you need us.”

---