The world froze for a moment.
“Oww, fuck, Carlie. Fuck.” He rubbed his jaw.
I hoped it was broken. I hoped it ruined his looks forever.
I swung again, aiming for his nose this time, but someone grabbed my arm before I could connect.
"You've made your point, now leave him alone." Razer held me tight.
"Let go of me, Razer. This is nothing to do with you." I struggled and tried to break free.
This was between Holden and me. I didn't need to be restrained. He kept rubbing his jaw. He was lucky it was only his jaw. He didn’t have bile rising up inside him, making him want to vomit. He didn’t have his world twisted on its axis.
"I'll throw him out if you want but I'm not letting you hit him again."
I took a deep breath, trying to control myself. I didn't want to let him get to me at all.
"I'm fine, Razer. He can stay or go, it means nothing to me."
Violet put her arm around me and led me over to a table away from Holden.
"Are y
ou sure you're okay?" she asked.
"Yep, I'm fine," I told her. "You crazy kids, run off and have your sex." I even managed a smile. This was my business and I didn't want to get Razer and Violet involved.
Maybe if I ignored Holden, he'd fuck off in the meantime.
"We won't be long," Violet said.
"Speak for yourself," Razer added. He still had that crazy sex look. He wouldn't need any convincing to leave.
"Take as long as you like. The bouncers will be in soon. I'll get them to take out the trash if he doesn't leave on his own."
Violet nodded and Razer led her out of the bar.
“No punching,” Razer said as he left.
I didn't look at Holden, even though he was in my direct line of sight now. Instead, I focused my gaze on the crack in the wall behind him. My hand throbbed in pain and I wasn’t even sure if I did much damage to him.
I wouldn't talk. I wouldn't break the silence. I went back behind the bar, stepping gingerly over the broken whiskey bottle, wrapped some ice in a bar towel and held it against my hand.
"Holden King? Holy shit, what are you doing in our bar?" Mark came out of the storeroom and stared at Holden as though Jesus Christ himself stood in the middle of the bar.
Holden grinned at him in that lip curl rock star way he had. A bolt of lust shot straight to my pants. The throbbing in my hand was replaced with a throbbing of a more painful kind. I hated myself when my body reacted to him. It was nothing though, just muscle memory.
"Can I get you a drink, mate? Carlie, why are you just standing there like a star-struck fool? Get our man a drink."
I wondered if my hand was recovered enough to take a swing at Mark as well.
"Since you aren't my boss and the bar isn't actually open, I think we'd be better off showing 'our man' the door and getting him the fuck out of here."
I'd kill Drew when I got my hands on him. Of course, he had no idea that someone like Holden would walk in but he'd been warned often enough. How frigging hard was it to remember to lock a door after you? Even with the bar empty, it was far too small a space at the moment.
Mark glared at me but he could shut his mouth. He was the one obstacle between me and getting some breathing space. If Holden didn't leave soon, I wasn't sure if I could survive. With Mark fawning over him, he'd even sat himself down on a stool.
"I'll get the drinks then." He moved to go behind the bar. He trod on the glass, looking down in surprise as it crunched under his feet. I hoped a big shard pierced his foot but nope, not that lucky.