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She stormed around Beau, but he stupidly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in. “I’m saying it all wrong. It’s only you for me. I promise I was never with Divine.”
“You are such a cheating liar,” she yelled.
Her security eased closer, and Ike saw Jacob and Parks slide through the crowd. They stopped just outside the door.
Donavon rushed at Beau and swung wildly. Beau pivoted to protect Bermuda, taking the hits in his upper back. Bermuda cried out in surprise and curled into Beau, clinging to him as Donavon punched him over and over.
Ike grabbed the muscle-head by the shoulders and flung him to the floor. He quickly manipulated the man face down on the industrial carpet with Donavon’s arm wrenched behind his back and one knee planted between his shoulder blades. He yanked the man’s head to the side with his free hand and then pressed down on the side of his head so Donavon couldn’t move an inch.
Myra was in front of Beau, eyeing Bermuda’s security. “Don’t move,” she warned one of the suits who looked tempted to pull Bermuda from Beau’s arms. The guy wisely listened to her. If they advanced on Myra, Ike would incapacitate Donavon with one hit and intervene before anyone touched her.
“Help!” Donavon screamed from the floor, but he wisely didn’t buck against Ike’s grip. Ike wouldn’t break his neck, but he could.
The rest of the box froze. Ike knew with all those iPhone cameras somebody had a good angle of him.
“I’ll let you up,” he told Donavon. “But if you touch Beau again, you’ll not only be on the floor facedown, but you’ll also be unconscious. Understood?”
“Yes. Sorry,” Donavon squeaked.
Ike eased off the pressure, stood, and offered Donavon a hand. The guy took it and stood quickly, backing away from Ike and toward the wall. As if Ike would attack him. Donavon was the one who had started throwing punches. Maybe all the fighting in the hockey game had inspired him, or more likely he’d been hoping for a go at Beau for a while.
Bermuda gazed up at Beau, still clinging to him. For half a beat, Ike felt some hope for his friend’s future romance.
Then she shook her head decisively, ducked out of his arms, and backed away.
“Let’s go, Beau,” Ike said in a soft but commanding voice. Beau wasn’t gaining any ground tonight.
Beau turned to him, his dark eyes like a sad puppy dog. “Okay.” He looked defeated.
Ike wished he could make the situation better for him. Ike met Myra’s gaze. She gave him a slight nod. He appreciated that she’d done exactly as she should, standing by Beau and keeping an eye out. Thankfully nobody had challenged her, or Ike would probably be in trouble for intervening in what should be Myra’s fight.
Myra took Beau’s arm. The way a security guard would, not a girlfriend. Would anyone else notice the difference?
Beau gave Bermuda one last pleading glance. She looked at Myra’s hand on Beau’s arm and her eyes narrowed. She hurried to the front of the box, down the short set of stairs, and dropped into a seat next to the glass, facing away from all of them. Apparently to a heartbroken ex, Myra’s touch looked intimate.
Shoulders rounded, Beau let Myra turn him away. Ike hurried to open the suite door and then went to Beau’s other side.
“You’ve got this,” Myra whispered. “Stand tall.”
Beau nodded, pasted on a very fake-looking smile, and stood straight. Ike’s estimation of Myra kept going up. He led the way out of the box, inclining his head to Jacob and Parks. They cleared a path through the video-taking throng to the closest exit.
Smiling and even waving to people, Beau let Ike and Myra sandwich him between them. A few excruciating seconds later, the five of them were in the elevator. Myra released Beau but stayed by his side.
“Sorry,” Beau breathed out, leaning against the elevator wall and closing his eyes. “I messed that up completely.”
“It’s life,” Ike said. “No stress.”
Myra gave him an approving look.
“Thanks for having my back.” Beau nodded to each of them in turn, but he focused in on Ike. “I should’ve turned and fought him, but I wanted to protect Bermuda. She probably thinks I’m a wuss. But that was dope when you flattened Donavon. That’s going viral for sure.”
“Great.” Ike rolled his eyes. “Just what I want. My moment of fame.”
Myra laughed, and that got Beau laughing. Ike found himself joining them. It felt good to laugh, release the tension.
“Luckily, nobody knows or cares who I am.” Ike grinned at Beau and Myra.
“They should,” Myra said vehemently.
