Chapter Four

Nick glanced up from the till just in time to see the creep from the bar practically carrying the brunette out the door. She looked really out of it, like her feet weren’t even under her anymore. He frowned. From just looking at the two of them, and if he didn’t know better, he’d have said that the guy was supporting his wasted girlfriend. The problem was that he knew for a fact that the woman wasn’t wasted. She also wasn’t this creep’s girlfriend.

So what’s she doing leaving with him? And why can’t she walk on her own?

The truth hit him like a Mack truck, and he launched himself over the bar in one strong movement. Nick barrelled through the dancing crowd, losing precious seconds, using his massive upper body to roughly force people out of his way. He reached the door, ducked outside into the cool early-autumn night. He looked both directions, back and forth; no sign of them.

“Adam!”

His friend turned. “Yeah?”

“A guy and girl just came out of here – she looked totally wasted. Which way did they go?”

“I don’t know. I was dealing with this dickhead.” Adam gestured at the guy standing there with his wallet out. “Trying to buy his way in, if you can believe it.”

“Look, man, this is serious.” Nick felt panic rising in him. “We need to find that girl, OK?”

Adam cocked his dark head at Nick. “How come?”

“Because that asshole she’s with drugged her.”

Adam stared at Nick for a second, and then shouted to the bouncer on the other door. “Hey, Davis!”

“Yeah?”

“Take the main door. Now!” He turned back to Nick. “You go that way, I’ll go this way.”

Nick shot off down the street, looking into the small alleys as he passed them. Come on, come on. You can’t have gone far. He ran past a side street, something caught his eye, he backed up. There.

The guy was shoving the woman into the back seat of a car; she looked unconscious now. Nick approached quietly while the guy had his back to him.

“Hey,” Nick said.

Startled, the man spun around and Nick punched him – Careful now, not as hard as you can, even if this asshole deserves it – right on the chin. With a grunt, the guy slammed head-first into the door. His legs buckled, he slid down the side of the car, and slumped over. He was out cold.

Nick reached into the car and gingerly pulled the woman towards him. Her head lolled, her body was boneless. As her face became visible under the streetlight, Nick saw a raised welt on her left cheek, and a big cut on her right temple.

The fucker hit her. Maybe she tried to fight back?

He took off his t-shirt and carefully put it under her head. She didn’t even move; she barely seemed to be breathing. He knelt down beside her and touched her uninjured cheek. She was cold.

“Damn,” he muttered.

There was nothing for it, he knew. He climbed into the car and gathered the woman in his arms. He pulled her gently on to his lap, and then tucked her head under his chin and held her, trying to warm her up with his own body heat.

Adam came around the corner, and saw Nick sitting in the car. He ran over, scarcely giving the unconscious guy at his feet a second glance.

“Is she OK?”

“I don’t think so." Nick looked down at her, winced again at those cuts. "She’s totally out, man, and freezing cold. You’ve got to call an ambulance.”

“My phone is back at the club. I’ll call and come right back. Give me two minutes.”

“You want to do something about this dickhead before you go?” Nick pointed his chin at the creep.

“Yeah. Sure thing.”

Adam popped the trunk, and picked up the guy like his dead weight was nothing. Without ceremony, Adam tossed him into the trunk and slammed it closed.

“He’ll only be in there for ten minutes or so,” Adam said. “Just until the ambulance comes. Then I’ll haul him out and wait for the cops.”

Nick shrugged. “I really don’t give a fuck. You can leave him in there all night, as far as I’m concerned.”

“It’s tempting. OK, I’ll be right back. Hold on.”

After Adam had gone, Nick turned his attention back to the woman. He brushed her hair back off her face, and examined her injuries more closely. She’d have a bad bruise on her cheek, no doubt about it, and it looked like she’d need stitches for that gash. Gently, he pressed his t-shirt down on her temple, trying to stop the bleeding.

Mia felt a horrible pain shoot through her head and she groaned. She tried to lift her hand to touch her forehead, but she wasn’t able to move.

“Hey,” a deep voice rumbled under her ear. “Hey, are you OK?”

Mia fought to open her eyes, but the lids felt impossibly heavy.

“Can you hear me?” Somebody was lightly touching her face now. “You’re going to be OK. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

For a few seconds, Mia was able to hear and feel everything: she was pressed up against a naked chest that was rising and falling steadily. She felt the man’s heartbeat against her cheek, and his warmth spread over her whole body. She heard his voice and felt his arms around her. His hands were gentle as they stroked her hair.

Then – between his breaths and heartbeats – she blacked out completely, and knew nothing more at all.