“You fucking bitch!” Briggs held himself, crying like a baby.
“Watch your mouth,” Colton growled.
“What’s going on in here?” Henry’s amused voice had everyone looking at the huge man.
“The fucking…” Colton’s furious gaze had Briggs changing his mind about his choice of words. “Vida kicked me in the balls.”
“It was an accident, Henry. Colton pulled me off of him. I didn’t mean to. I wouldn’t hurt you deliberately; you’re one of my favorites.” She batted her false eyelashes at him.
“I’m sure King will refund your money, Briggs. We do want our customers completely satisfied. Ashley will give you a dance on the house also. Does that sound reasonable, Briggs?”
Mollified, Briggs sat back, rubbing his abused crotch.
“Let’s go, Vida and Colton. Vida, King will have to let you go because of this second complaint from a customer. We can’t have them hurt because a dancer’s boyfriend becomes jealous.” Briggs’s head swelled even further at the thought that Colton could possibly be jealous of him.
As Vida and Colton left the room, she gave a sigh of relief when she heard the door close behind them. Colton’s arm came around her shoulders.
“Did you get what you needed?” Colton asked.
“I think so. Colton, they’re really sick and have to be stopped.” Vida told him with resolution.
“I know, baby. That was the only reason I could let you back on that stage again, much less let that motherfucker touch you.”
“You better get out of here,” Henry said, motioning for Ashley, who slid past them with a bottle of King’s best whiskey in her hand.
Vida felt sorry for the pretty blond who would have to let Briggs touch her so that he would forget the fountain of information he had provided them with.
Interpreting her look, Colton sought to reassure her. “By the time he’s a fourth of the way through that bottle, he won’t remember his own name, and she can leave.”
Vida nodded.
Colton and Vida went to the dressing room to retrieve her bag. She didn’t want to take the time to change, needing to go home and get further away from the pollution still upstairs. Understanding, Sherri let her borrow a long raincoat, which she used in her act sometimes, that covered her completely. Vida put it on and, giving Sherri a quick hug of thanks, left to find Colton waiting outside the door.
Colton waved to King as they left, who returned it with a grim nod as he talked on the phone. Vida could tell from his expression he was giving the other person on the line hell. By morning, Vida was sure every bug in his club would disappear.
“Should I call Seth?” she questioned Colton.
“That’s who King is talking to. I gave him the number you gave me,” Colton informed her.
A large man rose from a table they were passing close to the stage. Vida’s stomach plunged when she recognized the man from the farmers’ market that Colton had fought. Glancing quickly at the table, she became even more upset when she recognized the two others among the nine men seated.
“Well, looks like we found Trouble after all, boys.” He snickered. “Charlie recognized you when you were on the stage,” he said, giving her an insolent look. “You being with her, now that’s just icing on the cake.”
“Move.” Colton took Vida’s arm, moving her to his side, further away from the group of men.
“Make me, asshole. I don’t think you’ll be able to take us all on. When we’re done with you, we’re going to show that slut how a real man fucks.” He laughed with the others following his lead. They started whistling and name calling Vida.
Vida wanted to get out of the club before a fight broke out. She looked around the room for Henry before she realized he must still be upstairs keeping an eye on Briggs.
“Need any help, Colton?” a cold voice had her turning sideways to see Ice, Max and several of the other Predators getting up from their chairs at the front of the stage. She noticed the one with the scar stood before casually striding out the front door.
“I got it covered, Ice. These fuckwads couldn’t fight their way out of a whore’s pussy.”
“Dave, you gonna take that shit?” A loudmouth sitting at the back of the group hadn’t noticed the arrival of the Predators.
“No, I don’t think I am.” Dave seemed bolstered from Colton’s friends’ presence, which just proved how stupid he was. “I’m going to kick your ass.”
Colton took a step toward Dave and Vida pulled him back.
“Colton, remember you’re on parole. If you get caught, you could get your parole revoked. He’s not worth it. Let’s go home,” she pleaded. The thought of him getting thrown back in prison, this time because of her, wasn’t something she would be able to handle. “Please, Colton, ignore him.”
“Shut-up, and take your tits and ass over there.” Dave pointed to the stage where Sherri stood frozen in place, ignoring her music. “Me and my friends will take care of you when we finish.”
Max moved closer. “Fuck this shit. I’m not on parole.” His fist struck out, sending Dave hurtling onto the table. Bottles of beer went flying as the men stood up, each becoming ready to fight.
“Gentleman, I want you to leave.” King’s sudden appearance with several of his bouncers as the fight started to get out of control had the men pausing briefly.
Dave and his friends came to their senses when faced by even more opposition.
“We’re leaving,” he grumbled as they began to head to the door followed by the bouncers.
“Thanks, King,” Vida said, relieved.
“No thanks needed, Vida. I wasn’t going to have to pay for the damages to my club. Those fuckers don’t look like they could afford one of my chairs.”
Vida had to agree. “Can we go now?” she asked Colton.
“Go out back. I’ll send Henry to give you a ride in my car,” King ordered.
“Why not take his bike?”
“Because I think the police will be called any minute.” Vida didn’t understand what King meant until she realized the Predators had also gone outside. The bouncer’s hadn’t returned, either.
“Oh.”
“Let’s go,” Colton said with a satisfied smile.
Henry was waiting for them at the back door. He had come down the back stairway. As he saw their approach, he opened the back door, looking outside before holding the door open for them.
Colton and Vida slid into the back seat as Henry started the car, pulling out of the alley onto the main road. Henry turned the car towards the direction of Colton’s apartment.
When they passed the front of the King’s club, Henry slowed the car as they stared at the huge fight in the parking lot. Ice and Max were beating on Dave. Vida almost felt sorry for him until she remembered he could have led to Colton being back in prison.
Vida’s eyes glanced off one fighting pair before they went back in shock. The biker with the scar who had left the club had the heckler down on the ground. Vida turned, burying her head in Colton’s shoulder at the viciousness of his attack on the man.
Thank God, King had stopped them from going outside. There was no way the cops wouldn’t be locking up several of the men fighting while sending others to the local hospital.
During the ride back to the apartment Vida’s thoughts returned to those poor women who didn’t have their freedom. They had no choice in who took their bodies, captive and broken, and bent them to someone else’s will.