“Boss will be down any second. What’s the plan?”
I don’t bother answering him, knowing I’ll have to explain again when Dominick arrives. Speak of the devil. Just as I push Miles through the doors, Dom emerges from the private staircase he has to his office.
“Shane, what seems to be the problem with our guest?”
Meghan, who’s been nearly glued to my back, answers before I can even open my mouth. “It’s him. The parking lot guy.”
Dominick looks to me for confirmation, and I nod, jerking Miles’s head up to face Dominick. “You fucking assholes! I’m going to call my lawyer!”
Wrong fucking answer. Instead of laughing, Dominick’s voice drops to a silky, amused tone, his cadence slow and clear. If you don’t know any better, he sounds civilized, maybe even casual. But if you pay attention, you can hear the coldness, the lack of fucks he gives about whatever shit Miles is spouting “Ah, Mr. Jacobson. Yes, I do know your name, as well as your address and vehicle information. Since I don’t take my girls being accosted in the parking lot of my place of business lightly, I took it upon myself to get to know your business too. By the way, how is your hedge fund going? You seem to have hit a rough patch, isn’t that right? It’d be a shame if your whole deck of cards came falling . . . falling . . . down.”
Dominick’s creepy menace permeates the room, and I can feel Miles’s skin getting clammy under my hold as he begins to realize just who and what he’s messing with. He stammers, and I swear he sounds like he’s on the edge of crying. “Look, I’m sorry. I just wanted to apologize and hoped to not be banned because of a misunderstanding. I can see that was a mistake. I’ll just go.”
Dominick strokes his chin, but there’s no doubt or softness in his eyes. “Yes, I do think we should go . . . out the back, perhaps?”
Dominick’s eyes meet mine with his judgment and sentencing of Miles complete. I nod, understanding, but gesture behind me with a lift of my chin. We’ve got company, and he doesn’t want to say more.
Dominick follows my gesture, his face softening instantly as he spies Meg’s blonde locks. “Oh, Meghan, I’m afraid Shane casts such a huge shadow I lost sight of you for a moment. Are you okay, honey?”
She seems more angry than fearful, her voice tight. “Fine. Thank you.”
Dom smiles, charming as ever as he comes around, taking her hand and patting her on the shoulder. “Very well, then head back to the floor and resume covering your tables. We’ll escort Mr. Jacobson out.”
Her eyes dip to the floor, but she lifts them instantly. “Uhm, Dominick? Can I ask you a favor?”
He’s a dangerous man to ask that question, but I’m curious what she’s going to ask. He inclines his head, the curiosity on his face too. “You may ask.”
“Can I have a word with Mr. Jacobson before you throw him out?”
I can see the smile on Dominick’s face as he motions with a wide sweep of his hand for her to proceed. She steps in front of Miles, all five foot nothing of her puffed up and standing tall. Curious to see what she’ll say, I lean my head to the side, making sure that my grip is still strong. She meets Miles’s eyes with no problem, and I’m damn proud of her.
“I wish I’d had the chance to do this before,” she says before her right fist flashes out pretty damn quickly in a straight punch that smashes perfectly into Miles’s nose. I might be able to dodge it, but most people would have no chance, especially since no one would see it coming from an angel like Meghan. The crack is unmistakable as Miles squirms in my arms, cursing a blue streak as blood streams from his ruined nostrils. “Fucking bitch. You’ll pay for that. Let me go!”
Dominick puts a gentle arm around Meghan’s shoulders, guiding her again toward the door to the club. “Well done, I must say. And quite surprising, which is a rare occurrence for me. We’ll take it from here.”
She nods, shaking her hand a little as she heads back to the floor. As soon as the door swings closed, Dominick turns back to me, all the polite softness gone from his face. “Now, shall we go outside? I hate to get blood on the tile back here. The cleaning staff tends to gets rather upset.”
Logan opens the door, and we scan for any cars in the dark rear parking area, knowing that there won’t be any but always checking to be safe.
I heave Miles through the doorway and out into the dirty backlot. It’s closed in on three sides between the building and two sides of chain link fence. It’s perfect for what I need to do, especially when Logan stands sentry at the backlot entrance, ensuring our privacy.