What was it, dumbass night tonight?
“She’s fine. We’re just talking.” I put my hands up to show him I wasn’t a threat. I really didn’t want to go to jail. Not until Angel and I discussed some shit.
“It didn’t look like you two were okay,” he grumbled. He blinked a couple times, and I didn’t think it helped him get us into focus.
“Listen, buddy. I’m not bothering her. We were just talking. Why don’t you go back to the bar? I’ll buy you a drink.” I was a fucking gentleman tonight. I grabbed for my wallet when he stumbled toward me. His feet shuffled against the graveled parking lot.
I moved to grab him, not wanting this dude’s broken face on my conscience. Besides, I needed him to get the hell away. Then I felt it. A damn knife plunged into my leg, and was yanked down my thigh. It took a second for the pain to register.
My first concern was to keep Angel safe. My arm instinctively went up, hitting the guy in the jaw, knocking him out cold. He hit the ground with a bounce, and I did nothing to soften his fall.
So much for being a gentleman.
At least I didn’t kill him.
“Fuck.” I grabbed my leg, leaning against the wall so I could get leverage to pull the fucking knife in my leg out.
“Demon.” Angel’s eyes went wide when she saw me yank the jagged blade out of my leg. “Oh my god, did he stab you? You’re stabbed.”
“No shit. Go get your stuff, Angel. I need you to take me home so you can stitch me up.” I wiped the blood off on my jeans, stuffing the knife in my belt.
“What? No, you need to go to the hospital. Come on, I’ll drive you.”
“No, go get your stuff. I’ll meet you at your car. Hurry.”
She huffed out a breath. I glared at her, stopping her from arguing any further. She shook her head and sprinted to the bar. I stepped over the dumbass, kicking him in the ribs as I went. I held a bandana against my leg as I waited for Angel, leaning against her car.
Her doors unlocked before I saw her. I got in, pressing harder, so I didn’t get blood on her interior, not wanting to hear her bitch at me for something else.
“Here.” She handed me a half-full bottle of whiskey before she put her car in drive. I hissed as she skidded out of the parking lot, not seeming to care that I’d just been stabbed.
I took three big gulps out of the bottle as I sent Rhodie a text telling him to retrieve my bike. I was more pissed off over having Rhodie handle my shit, than I was over being stabbed by a dumb drunken fucker. I wanted to go back and kick the asshole even harder.
“Don’t park in the front. We’ll go through the back. I don’t want to answer any questions.”
Angel rolled her eyes, but listened to me. Thank fuck for small miracles. She put her car in park, leaning back in her seat. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to let me take you to the hospital? Please, it won’t hurt your man card. I promise.”
“Why would I want to go to the hospital when I have a perfectly good nurse who can take care of me? One who got me stabbed in the first place, and owes me. One who won’t ask stupid ass question, and charge me a damn arm and a leg.”
She snorted. “Oh, I’m still charging you an arm and a leg. And I’m a nurse practitioner not just a nurse. ”
“Does that mean you won’t be putting on a dirty nurse’s outfit?”
“Demon, I’m engaged.” She flashed a huge ring on that important finger.
How the hell did I miss that?
“Okay, so no dirty nurses’ outfit. Can we hurry up kid? I’m losing a lot of blood here.” I swigged from the bottle before getting out of the car, not waiting for her to reply.
When I heard her climb out of her car, I spoke to her behind my back, “And kid, nothing can take away my man card.”
She snorted behind me.
When I slowed down before climbing the back steps Angel ran up behind me.
“Right, not even some puny stairs can take that away.” She put her arm around my back as if her tiny frame could keep me up, but I wasn’t moving away. Like I said, nothing was taking away my man card. I just knew when to use it, and when to put it away.