“Bells and I are going dancing.”
Her friend peered at Ty with wide brown eyes, looking like a doe caught in the headlights.
“And cockblocking me is not part of your job description,” Vicki grumbled.
Ty’s eyebrows flew up at that ridiculous statement.
“Yeah? Whose cock was I blocking exactly?” He waved a hand at the fool still sprawled on top of his friends. “This idiot? You want him? Because you didn’t look very into his ass grabbing.”
She stared blearily at the guy, like she couldn’t quite remember who he was or why he was on the ground. He was swearing and cradling his wrist like it was a fledgling bird, even though Ty knew he hadn’t done any lasting damage. He very much doubted there’d even be a bruise.
The cluster of fuckheads bumbled around trying to get themselves organized, and Ty wanted his charge and her friend out of there before the guys managed to get vertical. Undoubtedly, they’d be full of piss and vinegar and looking for ways to compensate for the humiliation.
“Vic, I’m knackered,” Bella finally spoke up. “I think I’m ready to call it a night.”
“Don’t let him intimidate you, Bells,” Vicki said, planting her hands on her hips and staggering at the movement.
“I’m not. My feet are killing me, I definitely don’t think I can dance tonight. Why don’t we save it for another time?”
“Now that you mention it…I am feeling rather lightheaded.” Vicki’s words were starting to slur. In the fourteen and a half months that he’d been her lead CPO, Ty had never seen her so hammered.
And nobody had said a damned thing about feeling lightheaded, which made her comment all the more alarming.
“Right, we’re leaving.” He locked an arm around her waist. He’d parked the car four streets away, close to the first pub. Getting her there was going to be a fucking nightmare.
“I can walk without your help,” Vicki protested, shaking off his arm. “Whoo…everything is spinning.”
Shit. She was now seriously wobbly on those heels, and he doubted she’d get very far without falling flat on her ass.
“No, you can’t.” Ty stepped toward her, intending to give her his support again, but she dodged his sweeping arm and took a tottering step back.
“I can. See?” This was followed by another unsteady step.
God, why were drunk people so fucking irrational?
“How many of those tequilas did you have?” His irritated question was directed at Bella, who now seemed a lot more sober than Vicki. In fact, she was starting to look downright concerned as she watched her friend, which alarmed Ty even more.
“Four. But she wasn’t this bad at the last pub.”
“Did she take anything else?”
“Vic? No, she wouldn’t. She tried ‘shrooms once when we were eighteen and hated how they made her feel. She didn’t want anything to do with stuff like that afterwards.”
“Did anybody touch your drinks?” He was sure that couldn’t be the case, he had watched them like a hawk all evening. Well, aside from his dumb slip of a few minutes ago.
“No. I mean…I don’t think so.”
He grabbed Vicki’s elbow firmly when she staggered again.
“Le’ go,” she protested. He ignored her and glared at the men who had finally made it to their feet. None of them looked older than twenty-five and they were staring back at him belligerently. Well, all of them except for the little fucker who had been groping Vicki earlier. He appeared to be slinking further away.
“Hold her,” he instructed Bella curtly, shoving a progressively limp Vicki into her arms. He strode toward the asshole, and his buddies squawked in terror and leaped out of the way. Ty was on Handsy before he could dash away and fisted the lapels of his jacket.
“What did you give her?”
“Nuffin’.” His voice rose. “I promise. I didn’t give her nuffin’.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” Ty patted the guy’s pockets and found the hip flask in seconds. “You little shit, what’s in this?”
“It’s nuffin’ illegal, like! I wouldn’t do that to a bird. It’s just some Jägermeister. It were only a couple of sips.”
Frustration, fury, and a healthy dose of self-disgust made Ty’s grip tighten on the fucker’s lapels, but the terrified look in the kid’s wide eyes prevented him from acting on his blistering rage. He shook him instead before lifting him until he was on his toes and almost at eye level with Ty.
“Get the hell out of my sight, you little bastard. And consider yourself lucky that I’m feeling generous.”
Ty released him and turned to face the women. He was peripherally aware of the men making themselves scarce and relaxed fractionally once he knew they were no longer a possible threat. Vicki had kicked off her heels, and Bella was desperately trying to stop her from dancing on the sidewalk.
Ty allowed himself a moment. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache starting to form, and took a deep breath.