Strong: A Stage Dive Novella (Stage Dive #4.5)(11)

One side of the maniac’s mouth pulled upward. “Marty, darling…a move into management makes total sense. You might look pretty as a picture, but you’re a natural bully and a thug. Always have been, always will be.”

So many smirks and smiles filled the room. Even Sam covered a bark of laughter with the worst fake cough ever. Bastards. But I didn’t flip out or fly into a rage. Instead, I took a moment to think the imbecile drummer’s words over. “Actually, Malcolm, I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“I think you should.” Ben slipped an arm around my shoulders, even going so far with the sibling affection as to kiss me on the cheek. “Martha?”

“Hmm?”

“You have a black eye,” he said, the words strained.

Dammit. I’d been distracted, and let him get too close. A strange sort of silence filled the room and I immediately took a step away from him, covering the right side of my face with my hand. “It’s fine. God, Ben, way to make a big deal out of it and embarrass me. I just bumped my…”

“No. Do not lie.” He loomed over me, radiating anger. “How did that happen?”

My mouth shut tight, a stupid unnecessary panic filling my veins. For fuck’s sake, this was my brother. No matter how upset he got, he wouldn’t hurt me. But the need for fight or flight pressed at me.

“Ben, mate, take a step back. Give her some space.” Sam’s calm and steady voice came from my side. When he’d moved, I had no idea. But he’d obviously been fast. “You’re scaring her. Look at her face.”

“I am not afraid.” My voice sounded about an octave higher than normal. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

“Of course you’re not,” soothed Sam, his rough, familiar features oh so welcome. I don’t know why his smile chilled me out, but it did. My shoulders inched back down and breathing came easier. “You’re a fighter, aren’t you, Martha? Now, why don’t you tell us what happened to your face? And like your brother said, the truth please.”

I sighed, turning my face away. “I got mugged.”

Beside me, my brother seemed to swell with fury. “And you didn’t think you should tell—”

“Ben,” said Sam with unerring patience.

“Inside voices,” shouted Gib, not the least bit ironically, before sticking his thumb in his mouth.

“That’s right, Gibby.” Sam nodded and smiled. “We’re staying nice and calm and using our quiet inside voices while Aunty Martha tells her story, aren’t we?”

The child nodded emphatically then crawled onto Jimmy’s lap, obviously in search of comfort. All of the tension in the room must have had him worried. Without a word, the singer gathered him close, cuddling the small child and rubbing his back.

“Sorry.” Ben slumped back against the wall, his face lined with concern. “I’ll try and relax.”

Sam turned back to me, waiting.

“Fu…fudge. Honestly, it’s humiliating, stupid, and not worth all of this drama.” First, I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets, but when that didn’t feel quite right, I tucked them behind my back. “Can’t we just forget about it? We’re upsetting the child.”

Nobody said anything, everyone still waiting for me to speak. I was not going to get out of this no matter how hard I tried. Dammit. Movements slow and steady, Sam withdrew my arms from behind my back, holding my hands in his larger, warmer ones. He didn’t pressure me further. Just held my hands, waiting for me to speak.

“I was walking home late from work last week and the guy ran up to me and grabbed at my bag. He just—he ripped it off my shoulder,” I said, doing the best to keep my own voice calm and even. But the frown was definitely back on my face. “But I hung on.”

Sam blinked. “You hung on to it?”

“It was Gucci. No way was I just going to let him take it.”

Something in the bodyguard’s jaw shifted, though nothing was said.

“Anyway, he punched me. Then another couple of guys stepped in to help and I still had a good grip on my bag. Guess he decided it was more trouble than it was worth and took off,” I said, blowing out a breath of air. “And they say everyone in New York is rude and unhelpful. Just goes to show.”

“Okay.” Sam licked his lips in a very distracting manner. Guess I was just in an easily distracted mood. Anything had to be better than thinking about it again. “That’s everything?”

I nodded.

“Certainly explains why you’ve been so jumpy.”

“I guess it was a bit of a shock. I’ve never been hit before.” My fingers tightened around his and he pulled me closer, gently holding me. Against my ear, his heart beat loud. Odd. I’d never particularly been a cuddler before either. But I suppose everyone had their moments of…not weakness exactly. Something else.

“And you never will be again if I can help it,” he said, the words rumbling forth from deep within his solid chest.

“Seriously?” asked Mal. “Is no one going to say the obvious thing here?”

Over on the couch, Dave lifted one shoulder. “It’s a bit strange that Martha and Sam are hugging it out, but I guess it’s been an emotional day.”

“Not that. Man, and you call me the band idiot.”