I suspected this was true, but still I leaned back and took in Malik, who was now leaning against the bar. What I took in was a tall frame, lean hips, a flat stomach, big hands, broad shoulders, perfect skin, warm, brown eyes, and a brilliant smile even if it was directed at the bar while he shook his head in a way that said clearly he thought his woman was crazy but all kinds of cute.
I leaned forward again and toward Elvira to point out, “True, but IT geeks don’t tend to look like Denzel Washington circa Training Day. Denzel might have been scary in that movie but his scary was all kinds of hot.” Elvira made no reply so I further noted, “And your man isn’t Denzel Training Day scary. He’s more Denzel Man on Fire intense with a little sense of humor and a goatee thrown in.”
Elvira turned her eyes to me and asked, “You got every Denzel film memorized?”
“Doesn’t everybody?” I asked back.
She looked to her glass, tapped it on the bar, and muttered, “Point taken.”
Rush poured her another shot, she threw it back, and I reached out and took the bottle from him. I was a biker babe and I didn’t mind putting the bottle to my mouth and sucking back, so that was what I did.
I was putting the bottle down on the bar when the door opened again, and all eyes, including mine, went to it. My pulse spiked as Natalie, followed by Hound, Boz, and Speck came in.
She looked freaked. She also was wearing a short, tight nurse’s outfit, white stockings, garters, and white, patent-leather, stripper platform, lace-up knee boots. Her boobs were spilling and her hair was a ratted mess of curls contained in ponytails and a nurse’s cap.
Elvira was right. That whole gig had been done to death, and as a nurse I took professional umbrage.
But I couldn’t think of that seeing, as I felt cold start to infuse my system from the outside in because Nat, Hound, Boz, and Speck were the only ones that came in.
No Shy.
No Dad.
I jumped off the stool and locked eyes with Boz, not trusting myself to look at Natalie. Not yet. Not until I knew everyone was okay.
“Where are Shy and Dad?” I asked.
Hound ordered Rush, “Lock her down. My room.” He had his hand on Natalie’s arm, shoved her forward, and she stumbled on her stripper boots.
Rush moved toward Natalie.
My eyes shifted back to Boz. “Where are they?”
“Tabby,” Natalie called, her voice shaky.
I didn’t move my eyes from Boz. “Boz? Where are Shy and my dad?”
“Tabby,” Natalie called again, her voice breaking halfway through my name and that cold shot through me, freezing me completely.
I looked to her.
“It went bad,” I stated and saw tears sliding out of her eyes, mascara going with them. Rush had made it to her and had a hand on her upper arm, but he didn’t get the chance to move her before I shot forward and stood in front of her.
“My man or my father?” I asked.
“Move back, Tabby, honey, we need to get her locked down then take care of some business,” Boz said from close behind me.
“My man or my father?” I demanded to know, not moving an inch.
“Let’s get you to a couch, get you a drink, and we’ll talk,” Boz went on.
“My man,” I leaned in so I was nose to nose with ex-best friend then I lost it completely, “or my father?” I ended on a screech.
“Shy got winged by a bullet,” she whispered, and the deep freeze shattered, imploding from the inside and the pain was excruciating. So unbearable, I had to do something. I had to try to let some of it go. I had to lash out.
So I did.
I drew back a hand and slapped her with everything I had. Apparently everything I had was a lot since not only her head but her whole body shot to the side and she again lost her footing on her stripper boots. She only stayed standing because Rush had a hold on her and kept her that way.
I looked up at Boz. “How bad?”
“Clipped, not bad. Tack took him to Baldy to have a look, stitch him up if it’s needed,” Boz replied.
“What does that mean, clipped?” I snapped.
“Nicked, Tabby, in the neck,” Boz answered and I felt my pulse pounding in my wrists, my temples, my neck. “It was a ricochet off a warning shot. Made a bad situation worse. Still, didn’t hit anything important. It’ll leave a scar but he’s fine. Everyone’s just pissed ’cause we bought a new problem.”
“We bought a new problem,” I stated and swung my gaze back to Natalie.
She dropped hers to my shoulder.
“Look at me,” I hissed and it took a few beats before her eyes lifted to mine. “You called me tonight knowing. Knowing that for me, they’d swing their asses out there for you. Knowing this was bad shit. Knowing they’d be in danger. And without a thought, for me Shy swung his ass out there for you. He called his brothers and they swung their asses out there for you. My man, my dad, my brother, my family, all getting out of bed to take on your shit. Now, my man bled for you. Now, my family has a problem because… of you.”
“Tabby—”
I shook my head. “No, you don’t get to talk. I gave you chance after chance to talk for months, and you didn’t take me up on any of them. You left me hanging until you fell so far, you were buried and needed help digging yourself out. I offered you my hand months ago, Nat, you refused to take it. Right now, you are dead to me. Dead. The only way you get resurrected is if you kick that shit, for good, Natalie, pay your dealer with your own f**king money and figure out a way to make this good for my family. You pull off that miracle, you breathe for me. Until then, you do not exist.”
“Tab, you were right, you—” she started, leaning toward me beseechingly, but I stepped away from her and turned to Boz.
“Take me to Shy,” I demanded.
“Honey, shit’s hot and Shy wants you at the Compound where you’re safe,” Boz replied.
“Take me… to my man!” I shrieked, losing it. I needed Shy, needed to see for myself he was okay.
Boz opened his mouth but Hound moved in.
“Yell, scream, scratch, slap, bite, woman, whatever you do, not gonna happen. We get you, you lost a man, you’re tweaked. But we’re tellin’ you, he’s fine and we’re yours, Tab, you’re ours, we would not shit you about something that important. Now, Shy says you stay here. You stay here. You wanna be away from this bitch, you’ll get that. We’re lockin’ her down so they can’t get to her and she can’t get into more trouble. What we are not gonna do is take you to our brother when he told us to keep your shit safe. You try to go, woman, you’re locked down too. Your choice, sit your ass down and have a drink or find yourself locked in your man’s room. Make it. Now. We got shit to do.”