“You’re not invited, Willy,” Liz said. Kara poked her friend in the ribs, trying to signal her not to egg the trio on. “What? It’s my birthday. If I don’t want to have to put up with their bullshit, I shouldn’t have to,” Liz replied.
Kara poked her again.
“Oh, well, it’s your birthday? I guess I’ll have to make sure and give you a big fat juicy present.” His eyes ran over Liz’s breasts, and he actually licked his lips. The other two laughed.
“Dream on, Willy,” Liz said strongly. “The only thing big and fat you have is your head. And I wouldn’t let you get near me if you were the last man on earth.”
Kara stabbed her finger into her friend’s ribs. “Shush,” she hissed.
Willy wrapped his hands around Kara’s arms, ready to yank her out of the booth to get to Liz, but a hand dropped on Willy’s shoulder.
“Let her go,” Nick said in a low voice.
Willy’s smile grew, and Kara realized this was exactly what Willy had wanted.
“Nick,” Kara warned, but Willy’s fist was already in motion. She watched in horror as it connected with Nick’s stomach. She was impressed when Nick didn’t even wince.
He’d seen the punch coming and had stepped back far enough that Willy’s fist only grazed his gut.
Willy didn’t get a second swing before Nick yanked him off the bench. He landed on the floor facedown.
Dean and Mike started to get up, but a glance from Willy had them relaxing back.
“I got this,” Willy hissed as he got up off the ground.
Just then, Kyle Morgan and his wife stepped over. Just seeing the officer, even out of uniform, had Willy straightening up.
“Is there a problem?” Kyle asked, his eyes glued to Willy.
“No sir,” Willy sneered. “Just… fell out of the booth.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I think you and your boys have had enough fun for one night. Don’t you?” Kyle said firmly.
Willy’s eyes narrowed slightly. Instead of answering, he motioned to his two friends, who slid out of the booth and followed Willy into the crowd.
“Liz, I heard it’s your birthday,” Kyle’s wife, Emma, said. The woman had been one of Liz’s and Kara’s favorite teachers in high school. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Morgan.”
“We’ll leave you young kids to your party. My husband promised me a few dances before we have to take the babysitter back home,” Emma said with a wink as she tugged her husband’s hand and pulled him out onto the dance floor.
“Are you okay?” Nick asked, sitting across from them.
“Yeah,” both she and Liz answered at the same time.
“What an ass,” Liz said, taking the drink from the waitress when she set a tray down on their table.
“The food will be a few more minutes,” the waitress said and then disappeared.
“He was obviously trying to get to me,” Nick said with a sigh. “His dad is sitting in a jail cell, waiting for his court date on Monday.”
“He’s in jail?” Liz asked. She took a sip of her beer.
“They arrested him yesterday on fraud. He made a fake deed to the ranch and tried to pass it off as real to put up for some pretty big purchase like the new vehicles and a few other items around town,” Nick said. “He honestly believed that once he took over the ranch, he’d get everything, all the money and the bigger income.”
“What will happen to you if they get your ranch?” Liz asked.
Kara took a sip of her beer and tried not to think about that possibility. She loved her place. Really. But the thought of living next to Willy scared her.
Nick glanced at her briefly before answering. “I’d maybe travel for a while.”
Her heart skipped at the thought of traveling the world with Nick for a year or two.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Italy,” Liz said. While they ate their food, they talked about where each of them would like to travel and what they had hoped to see and do in other places.
After she was done eating, she pulled Nick onto the dance floor. Over the years, she’d seen him dance. He’d taken loads of girls to the Firehouse, and she’d watched and wished from afar.
The man knew how to move. Feeling him up against her tight as they bumped to the fast music was a different kind of thrill that she’d never experienced with any of her previous partners. Liz was beside them, dancing with one of her exes. The man looked completely gone over her. Liz looked like she was just having fun.
Then the music turned slow, and her desire bubbled deep within her, almost causing her to pull Nick into a dark corner.
“How much more of this are you going to torture me with?” he growled into her ear.
She wanted to leave with him. To have him drive them back to her place and…
She caught sight of Willy and his goons cornering Liz. The trio had her blocked in the back hallway near the bathrooms. Her blood went cold when she realized they were pulling Liz out the back door. She had never seen that look of sheer panic in her friend’s eyes before.
She pushed away from Nick and rushed across the dance floor and out the back door before it even closed. She used all that anger and pushed Willy off her friend. She caught him off guard and, once more, Willy ended up on the floor, this time on his ass.
“Stay away from my friend,” she yelled as she reached for Liz. But she wasn’t quick enough, and Willy jumped up and wrapped his hands around her neck. Then he yanked her off her feet and shoved her against the outside brick wall of the Firehouse.
She heard shouting as the back of her head connected with the wall. Her feet dangled in the air as stars exploded behind her eyes. Everything swirled and then tilted several times while she was held, shoved, pushed, and eventually, released.
She coughed a few times when Willy’s hands were removed from her throat. She’d fallen to the sticky ground of the alleyway, bent over on her hands and knees as she tried to draw a breath.
“Kara!” Liz was shouting her name.
She wanted to respond, but her throat had closed up and she just couldn’t get enough air.
“Help!” Liz shouted. “Someone help her.”
She heard more shouting and felt someone push past her. The back door was opened as more people rushed out. She shivered at the thought of what would have happened if the three men had taken Liz away.
“I’m here, Kara.” Nick’s voice caused her to focus and calm. “I’m right here. Breathe,” he said, and finally she calmed enough to suck in a deep breath.
“I… I’m okay,” she croaked out. She coughed a few more times. Her hands covered the spot where Willy’s had held her against the wall.
She was lifted and carried back into the warmth of the building. When she was set down, she realized that the music had completely stopped. The entire room was quiet and as she opened her eyes, she noticed that the house lights were on.
Liz was sitting next to her, holding her hand, looking very worried.
“Are you okay?” Liz asked.
Kara nodded and swallowed, then winced at the pain.
“Here,” their waitress said, handing her a bag of ice. “This might help.” She handed one to Nick. “Here’s one for you too, hero.”