Savage Collision: A Hawke Family Novel (Hawke Family #1)(33)

I can’t see my door security guards over the throngs of people. Being so low to the ground has distinct disadvantages. I push my way through the crowd, ordering people back, but don’t make it very far before a wall of patrons block my path.

Shit, I will never get to Byron and Gabe from here.

A hand lands on my shoulder and I grab the wrist, twisting my torso to flip the assailant onto their back, but, thankfully, I catch a flash of familiar blonde hair in my peripheral vision and recognize Nora. She somehow made it to me from the stage.

“Savage!” She leans in, pressing herself to my side. “What should we do?”

“You need to get the fuck out of here, go back to the dressing rooms where it’s safe, and make sure all the other girls are back there.”

Anger flares in her eyes and she pushes past me and then turns to face me. “Hell no! I may look like a fucking princess, but I’m not helpless. Gabe and Byron need help, so we are going to help them.”

I growl at her, but she ignores me, turning back to the crowd and pushing people out of the way, making room for me to get through.

Maybe Nora is more like Dani than I realized. Nora and I will definitely be having a talk later.

We finally make it to the epicenter of the melee and I find Byron and Gabe, each with a choke hold on guys in expensive-looking clothes while another asshole is doing some serious ground and pound on some poor soul on the floor.

Byron catches my eye and nods down to the MMA-wannabe.

I nod my understanding and reach down, grabbing his arm as he brings it back for another swing, and twisting it backward. He screams, turning toward me, frantically trying to get the pressure off his shoulder and elbow.

“Fuck! Let go, you motherfucker!” The wannabe thrashes wildly, striking out at me with his free hand, but his fist only grazes my right cheek.

Damn, that actually kind of hurt. All this time away from the ring must have turned me into a real pussy.

Byron steps in and wrestles him away from me and I turn to find Rocky and Tubbs escorting the other two guys toward the front door.

“What the hell, man? That asshole started it!” Mr. Wannabe screams, pointing to the bleeding kid on the floor.

“I don’t give a fuck who started it. I don’t tolerate this bullshit in my club. You’re all banned from the premises, permanently.”

More cursing and grumbling comes from various directions, but I push my way through the crowd to the bar. Clarissa and Jamie are waiting for me, wide-eyed and visibly shaken.

“Everything’s fine, girls. Did you see what happened?”

Jamie nods. “Those guys were all part of that bachelor party that started out in the champagne room. They were really being assholes, then Byron moved them out here and they just got worse.”

I cringe. I knew it would come back to my Dom favor.

Selling your soul has repercussions.

“So, what started the fist portion of the evening?” I ask, glancing over to see Byron and Gabe shoving the last offender out the door.

“The bachelor grabbed Crystal’s leg while she was at the end of the stage. One of his buddies got real pissed and started screaming something about his sister. I have a feeling he is the future bride’s brother.”

I don’t blame the guy for reacting, but this stuff absolutely cannot happen in my club. Ever.

Glancing around the main room, I find things are slowly returning to normal. My employees are doing their jobs, wrangling the clientele and getting the girls back on the poles. I run a tight ship and I don’t let things like this ruin the evening for everyone, at least I try not to.

This is going to cost me.

“Have the waitresses tell their sections the next round is on the house. I will help you man the bar until things calm down.” They nod and disappear to tell all the waitresses just as Gabe and Byron make it back to the bar.

Gabe gives me an “I told you so” look.

“Don’t you fucking start with me,” I snap, grabbing a bottle of Glen Livet and pouring us all a shot. We raise our glasses in unison and down them in one gulp.

“Gabe, go check on Danika. I left her in my office. Keep her company until I’m done down here.”

His look holds a thousand questions that I have no plan on answering right now, or maybe ever, but he keeps his mouth shut and walks toward the elevator, leaving me and Byron to get things back to normal.



I down my second glass of bourbon and pour myself another one as I sit at Savage’s desk, my eyes glued to the footage of the club on the screen. My heart hasn’t stopped racing since Savage disappeared behind the door.

How the hell does he think he can just bolt out of here like that without explaining what’s going on to me?

I raced to his desk to see what was happening and found myself watching my baby sister push her way through a throng of men to get Savage to the middle of the crowd. My heart may have stopped when I saw that asshole throw a punch at him, but another glass of bourbon has somewhat steadied my nerves. That, and seeing Savage is okay.

Now, on glass three, my heartbeat is finally returning to normal as I watch him behind the bar. A knock at the door startles me, and I almost drop my glass. Setting it on the desk with my shaking hand, I stand to open the door but wobble on unsteady legs. Maybe I shouldn’t have poured that third drink. I kick off my heels and, with a little more balance, make my way to the door, Savage’s parting words echoing in my head.