He reached up and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” he asked, then caressed the hand against her cheek to her shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she said and tried to move past him. He wouldn’t let her.
“You’re not fine. They scared you. Come with me.” He took her hand and then slid his arm around her waist. He moved through the crowd and to the end of the bar and the table she had seen him sitting at last week and then again Wednesday night. He had been watching her.
She was shaking from what just happened and then Luther approached them.
“Are you all right? I had those men thrown out. I saw what they were doing and when I called for the bouncers, Daville and Vic got over there in a flash,” Luther said and he caressed her arm and looked at her.
“I’m sorry. It’s a rowdy crowd here tonight.” Luther told her.
She didn’t dare wipe her eyes to try and push away the tears that were about to fall. She didn’t want to show weakness here. Luther was the only person other than the band that she really knew. She glanced at the other guy. Luther didn’t say his name, but then the other two came back. She wondered who was Vic and who was Daville.
“I can’t do this, Luther. This isn’t for me. I don’t belong here. I appreciate the opportunity, but I’m done. You don’t even have to pay me,” she said.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t quit because of some drunk assholes,” Luther said and then the other guy uncrossed his arms.
“He’s right. You’re very talented and have a lovely voice.” She shook her head at him.
“It’s not what I want to do. It was just a goal, a thing on my bucket list.”
“Bucket list?” he asked and he widened his eyes and looked her over as if she were sick or dying.
“Oh, it’s just an idea my friend had.”
“You’re not sick?” he asked. She suddenly felt sort of stupid for blurting that out about the bucket list.
She shook her head.
“She looks perfectly fine to me,” one of the other men said to her and she was surprised as he ate her up with his eyes. She really needed to leave. Right now.
“Come sit down for a little bit and calm your nerves. Maybe Luther can grab us a few drinks,” he said to Luther and Luther nodded his head and then disappeared.
“I don’t want a drink. Thank you anyway,” she said to him and he smiled then helped her sit down next to him and near the other guy.
“My name is Si. This is Daville, and Vic,” he introduced them and she nodded toward the other men. They kept their eyes on her and Si licked his lower lip as she crossed her legs and folded her hands on her lap. She looked toward the bar where Luther was grabbing the drinks. But then she felt the fingers under her chin. She locked gazes with Si.
“Don’t be scared. We got to you in time.”
Her eyes widened at his words and the nerve to say such a thing and then he calmly added, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to Clarissa’s number one model. She thinks very highly of you,” he told her and that fearful untrusting feeling slowly began to ease up. Just slightly.
“Is that really what you prefer doing? Modeling, not singing?” he asked as Luther returned with the drinks and set them down.
“We’ll take care of her. You take care of that thing we discussed,” Si said to Luther and Luther nodded.
“Luther, I’m serious about being finished,” she told him.
“I wish you wouldn’t. Maybe give it another try next Wednesday?” he pushed.
She went to speak and then Si took her hand and placed the glass of wine into it.
“She’ll think about it,” he said for her and Luther nodded and then walked away.
She looked at Si.
“I will?” she asked, challenging him.
“I’d hate to see you waste such a talent. It would make me sad.”
“Us too,” Vic added, looking at her as he drank what looked like whiskey.
She didn’t know how to react. Once again her inexperience made her speechless. She took a small sip of wine and then placed the glass down.
She had to show some backbone here. She was out of her comfort zone. She forced herself into this adventure of reaching for things she was scared of and challenging the fears she had. But now that she was caught in all of this chaos all she kept thinking about was not feeling safe and then came thoughts of the Hayes brothers. It didn’t totally shock her.
She looked at Si and then toward the busy crowd. She could see all the people having a good time. The college guys dancing sexy with college girls, and it made her feel uneasy and out of place.
The crowd grew bigger near them and she leaned back a little, instantly feeling Vic’s hand on the back of her chair and now against her back. His fingers stroked her skin and she leaned forward again and looked at him. His expression told her he wanted her. These men shared their women. Not that the idea shocked her for obvious reasons, but it was the fact that she found wanting to share her or thinking they had a chance to, to be creepy. She stood up.