Page 90 of Demitri

“She, she didn’t want you. She wasn’t here for you. She wanted me to…”

“I know, baby. I know. But she’s gone now. And you were such a fucking boss lady. I’m so proud of you.”

I hear the edge of panic in his voice, the same panic I feel.

“I’m going to lose the bar, aren’t I? She’s going to do something to it. Set it on fire, break in and trash the place. We already know they can get in. I fucked up, didn’t I?”

“No. You didn’t fuck up. You responded to her ridiculous request exactly how you should have.”

He sits down on the couch, pulling me down next to him, holding me to him. The older man, the one the girls referred to as Hot Santa, is the first to the door.

“Everything okay?”

“It will be. She gone?” Demitri asks her.

“Stormed out of here like a madwoman.”

“At least she’s gone.”

“Your girl alright?”

“My girl is fucking epic. She burned the shit out of that woman without even raising her voice. Fucking rockstar.”

“You don’t fuck with my bar,” I finally lift my head enough to say. “Or my family.”

Her declaration hits me like a gut punch.

“Family protects you,” Sarge replies. “No matter what that family looks like to you. Blood ain’t shit if they stink.”

Mia smiles a little. “I’m Mia.” She gives a little wave.

“I remember. I’m Sarge. The idiots out there are Davis, Tiny, and Ranger.”

“I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting Davis. And, let me guess, the oversized giant of a man is Tiny, right?”

He laughs, nodding. “You got it. I’d say blame the Army for bad nicknames, but he came with that one already in place.”

“Thank you for coming tonight. I’m so sorry you had to give up a night for me.”

“Nonsense. Family, remember? My family called me and I’m here for you.”

“Who did you call?” I ask Demitri.

“Joker.”

“Hmm. That tracks. Only he would know people crazy enough to come out in the middle of the night to watch a person they didn’t know.”

Sarge laughs again, making Mia smile.

“I like this one. She’s feisty. Reminds me of my Rosie.”

“Is she okay?” Grace asks, rushing through the door, stopping short when she sees me. She lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I thought she might have killed you back here. What did she want?”

“She wanted to plant her men and run business out of here,” I tell her.

“Fuck that.”

“That’s pretty much what I told her.”

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