Hold Me Close (Ryker Falls #5) - Wendy Vella Page 0,44

found his target. Mackie was at his side in seconds. It was he, of course, who threw the first punch.

Mayhem erupted.

“Mackie! You idiot!” Maggs waded in and grabbed an arm. She was pushed away and landed on her ass, which just made her spitting mad. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed his arm again and tugged. “Mackie, stop!” She hung on to it as he struggled to shake her off. Seconds later, she was off her feet.

“Let me go!” She couldn’t see who held her.

“Are you insane!” Fin dropped her to her feet away from the fight.

“I was trying to stop it!”

The muscles in his jaw bounced. “How? You’re half their size. The only thing you could have achieved was getting hurt. “Now stay!” he roared. She then watched as he ran back to the bar.

He grabbed Leyland from behind with practiced ease that told her he’d done it before. The Trainers and Ted were there. Nash too. He had Mackie. It was over not long after, with the men involved being marched away.

“What the hell were you doing?” Nash found her back at the table.

“When?” Maggs was sipping coffee one of the staff had gotten her. She, Pip, Bailey, and Rory, were discussing the fact that Leyland and Mackie struggled to form a reasonable working brain between them.

“Getting involved in that fight. Christ, Tigger, you could have been hurt.” His face was set, jaw clenched, and he had a good glare going on. Not dissimilar to Fin’s, actually.

Maggs waved a hand, dismissing his words, and realized how good she felt. Not because of the fight, but because she hadn’t been terrified when it started. She’d felt her old self instead and strong enough to try and stop it.

“I’ve stopped you and Ford from fighting many times.”

“Those men had been drinking. You could have caught a fist in the face.”

“And yet here I stand, my beauty unmarred.”

“You’re bloody reckless!” Fin joined the conversation. He stood beside Nash, glaring at her. Clearly, they were united in their condemnation of her. “I thought you had more brains than to do something like that.”

“I could outthink both of you using only the left side of my brain!” Maggs felt her own anger climb.

“Oh, leave off, you two. Maggs never takes a step back; you both should know that by now,” Pip said, winking at her. “It’s good to see she still has that spark in there.”

“We’re going,” Nash snarled. “Get your things.”

“But what about your little friend? I was sure you had more plans for the night.” Maggs smiled at her brother. It was sickly sweet. “I can always get a lift home if she gave you her key.”

Nash growled. Fin was still glaring, and strangely Maggs felt lighter inside. What did that say about her?

“I’m going to the bathroom. Wait here,” she said, walking from the room. Like everything else in the place, the bathrooms were scrupulously clean and decorated elegantly. She was heading back when she saw Mallory Hudson ahead of her. The girl turned right, then opened a door. Maggs followed.

Chapter Nineteen

Someone brought them another round of drinks, and slowly the red mist eased from his eyes. When he’d seen Maggs grab that idiot Mackie’s arm to try and stop him, his heart had nearly stopped. He’d reached her seconds later, carrying her to safety.

What did that say about him, that all he’d seen was her and the need to reach her?

She’d worn a dress tonight. Midnight blue, it didn’t show off vast amounts of flesh like Lola’s but it looked good on her, better than good. It fitted her lovely body, enhancing all those lush curves and stopping midthigh. Her heels were black and sky-high. He’d wanted his hands on her. Wanted to simply slide his hand down her back and pull her close as they’d stood at the table. It had been primal, the urge to stake his claim. Primal and terrifying. Whatever he felt for Maggie Winter was growing in a big way. Some of that was because she had a new vulnerability about her.

“Thanks for the help, Fin.” Ted interrupted his thoughts.

“All good, bud. No damage done?”

“No, thankfully. You all stepped in just in time. I just saw your sister Mallory, by the way. She’s talking to Maggs.”

He straightened. “Where did you see them?”

“In that seated area near reception.”

“Be back soon.”

He found Mallory and Maggs exactly where Ted had said they were, seated together. His sister was waving her hands about as she talked. Her hair