The bartender yells at us to take it outside. Kingston nods toward the back door.
I back off. “Sorry, man. Won’t happen again.”
The bartender gives us one last glare before pouring more drinks. Kingston resumes his dance with Katie while I take a seat at the nearest table. She jerks back and forth in his arms. He’s whispering. Probably threatening.
Something’s off about this whole thing. It smells like a set-up. He didn’t even try to miss my fist, like he wanted it to happen, that a fight out back was part of the plan. Real fear roots in my chest. My heart races. I feel it stronger than ever, and it takes a lot to spook me. It’s not just my safety on the line. It’s Katie’s.
My father might not do anything but I need to call him. Tell him what’s going on. Maybe send over a bodyguard or something. Maybe this one time he’ll do a favor for me. Casually, I walk to the bathroom. My phone’s in my back pocket. Just a quick call is all I need. I push open the doors and head to the back stall. With shaky fingers, I punch in my father’s home phone. Shit. I don’t even have his personal cell. The home phone rings and rings and rings.
Someone enters the bathroom. I pause. A trickle of sweat drips down my back. The answering machine goes off. I don’t leave a message but let it pick up what’s going on here.
Footsteps near my stall. Scuffed, leather boots stop right outside. I hear the labored breathing. Hopefully, Dad’ll trace my call. Know I’m in trouble.
The door slams open, breaking off the fragile latch door. A fist is in my face before I can react. He grips my shirt, pulls me forward, then punches me in the gut. I hunch over, coughing.
“Don’t say a word, punk.”
I look through my swelling eye at the big guy towering over me. His arms are bulked out, his chest is massive, but I’ll never forget the look in his eyes. This isn’t a normal shakedown because I danced with the wrong girl.
He doesn’t let go of my shirt and drags me from the bathroom and out the backdoor. He throws me to the ground, but I manage to stay on my feet. Instinct kicks in to get in a quick punch and then run. I usually don’t run from a brawl, but I also listen to my gut. And my gut says to run and then get help.
I rush him, swinging. He easily dodges me. I slam into a second guy and I know I’m in trouble. Through the haze of punches and dodging, Kingston exits with a firm grip on Katie’s arm. She walks forward like a robot with stilted steps. Her face shows nothing but is a shade paler than usual. He seems to have some kind of control over her. Somehow he’s intimidated her to the point of obedience.
“Fight, Katie!”
Kingston laughs. “Too late for that.” He waves goodbye over his shoulder. “Take care of him, boys.”
Chapter 9
Katie
“Let’s go, doll.” Kingston takes my hand and walks me out. It’s all I can do to keep my thoughts straight.
The crisp breeze hits me as we exit through the back. It didn’t take many words for Kingston to convince me to go with him, no fighting, no struggle, nothing that would give anyone any idea that I was leaving against my will.
With a firm grip on my arm, he whispered, “Don’t even think about making a scene, or your boyfriend will be dead.”
That’s all it took for me to leave with him.
I hear the grunt before I see Chad lying on the cement. The big guys surround him. Chad’s tough but these guys are different, bigger, tougher, and they carry an air of danger around them like they don’t fool around.
My heart cries out but I can’t do anything. Kingston directs me to his Camaro and tucks me into the backseat. He slides a blindfold over my eyes and puts cuffs on my hands behind my back.
“Really don’t want involve you in this but we have to teach our boy a little lesson. Nothing personal, beautiful.” He shuts the door and climbs in the front.
I lean my head against the cool of the window, wishing I could see through the blindfold, anything just to know that Chad will make it through this. I pray to God that Justine went to get help and not because she was mad I danced with Chad. If she left before seeing what happened, my situation just got that much worse.
The engine bursts to life, striking fear in my chest that makes it hard to breathe. A chill sweeps through me. Suddenly all the answers I thought I wanted to know I don’t care about.
He clears his throat then talks above the radio blaring out rock. “We haven’t properly introduced ourselves. You’ve been playing tease with me for days. I’m glad we finally got the chance to meet. I’m Kingston.”
I say nothing. Partly because I don’t want to give him that part of me, my name, but also because the fear will be evident in my shaky, breathless voice.