Page 105 of Nauti Intentions (Nauti 4)

. ”

“Bitch. I’m here now. ” He kept his voice low, a warning hiss that had her flinching at the virulence in it.

“Find a table. ”

Janey looked around. Timothy was buried at the register, and Natches was busing a table while Alex quickly helped him. Hoyt was across the room helping wait a table. She didn’t have time for this.

“You don’t want the kind of trouble you’re getting ready to start here,” she said quietly. “I think you and your friends should leave. ”

He sneered. “Trash like you doesn’t tell me when I can leave. Now find me a table. ”

The other two moved, blocking her from sight of Timothy. Gossip was good for business, but a fight wasn’t.

Alex looked back to where Janey stood at the reservation counter. At first, it looked as though she were merely talking to the businessmen standing around her. But something warned him, some instinct told him she was frightened. It was in the line of her shoulders, the tensed set of her head, and the indication that her arm was at an unusual angle in front of her body.

“Trouble,” he told Natches quietly and headed her way.

He could see Timothy trying to peer around the register and becoming concerned.

“This is a really bad idea. ” He caught her words as he neared her.

“You traitorous little cunt,” the older of the men rapped out, jerking her wrist, pulling her hard into the counter. “Give me the fucking table before I show you what a real man would do for you. ”

A red haze of primal fury enveloped Alex. It washed through his mind, shattered decades of control.

He knew Natches heard; Timothy heard. They moved for the group, but it was Alex who took on the one that had dared touch his woman.

Alex’s hand slapped over the little prick’s wrist, exerting enough force that his fingers immediately loosened. His arm went around the bastard’s neck and he jerked him back, smiling at Janey’s surprised face over his shoulder. “Be back in a minute, baby,” he ground out furiously. “You just wait right here for me. ”

Natches had the other man in a similar grip, but Timothy was a brutal, sadistic son of a bitch. The third man was purple, gasping, as Timothy led him through the shocked bystanders, his fingers curved around the taller man’s balls as he forced him to walk.

Janey stared, wide-eyed. The glass door closed, and seconds later those in the waiting area were rushing for the door as well.

“Now, that was interesting,” Rogue drawled as she eased up behind her. “You do know Alex and Natches left their table unfinished, right?”

“They’ll kill them. ” Janey started for the door.

“Oh, no you don’t. ” Rogue caught her arm as Chaya looked up from where she had taken over for Timothy at the register.

“Rogue, Alex will kill them,” she whispered. “I know Natches will. ”

“Then we’ll send flowers. ” Rogue rolled her eyes. “Give it a break; let the men do their thing. We’ll do ours and coo over their little boo-boos and tell them how heroic they are. ”

Janey swung around in outrage. “You’re as crazy as they are. ”

To which Rogue pouted prettily. “Now, Janey, let’s not bring the question of sanity into this. ” Then she grinned. “And I’m proud of being crazy, remember?”

A yell filtered in from outside, laughter, a whoop.

“Damn. I’d like to see that fight. ” Rogue sighed. “I’ll go finish their table; you stay put. ” She glared at

Janey. “Don’t challenge Alex when he’s in defensive mode. ” She grinned. “Unless you want a little some-some against the wall rather than a bed. ”

She sauntered off then, waving a busboy over and putting him to work. She marshaled the

waitresses and busboys as though she had been born to give orders.

Janey turned to Chaya as the customers rushed outside to watch after paying for their meals.

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