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Sean nodded briefly and looked down at the floor.
Nash turned, glancing down at Dahlia. He’d basically just threatened to end another person’s life if they just looked at her, yet she didn’t see any warmth or friendliness in her direction. He started down the hall with his men following. The man at the end, bigger than the rest, gestured for her to walk in front of him, and she did, with Penny guiding her to the floor. When Nash and his men veered left to the stairs, Penny shifted right, and they stopped in the corner.
“What the hell is going on?” Penny asked.
“I don’t know.”
Penny squinted and looked over her shoulder and up to the balcony. Dahlia followed her stare. Nash was standing next to Trey, whispering in his ear. Trey’s back straightened, his face hardened, and he stepped forward, glaring down at the entrance of the hallway. If she had to guess, Nash had just given him the rundown of what happened. Trey looked livid.
Penny jerked her head, furrowing her brows. It all happened so quick Dahlia had little time to react.
“Come on.” Penny tightened her hold over Dahlia’s wrist, tugging her against her side. One minute, she was standing in the club with Penny. And the next, she was being dragged down the hall. She glanced across at Stark’s men. None of them looked at her. Apparently, they were taking Nash’s orders very seriously.
Penny pushed open the door with so much force it bounced back, almost slamming against them.
“Pen, calm down.”
Penny whipped around and pointed toward the door. “What the fuck was that, Dahl? Why are Oz’s men protecting you?”
She couldn’t say for sure. Dahlia didn’t think she’d left much of an impression on Oz the other night, but he was close with Trey. From what she gathered, Nash worked for Oz and had a relationship with Trey. It made sense that he’d defended her honor. But in keeping with her promise to Trey, she wouldn’t divulge any of that. Trey’s privacy was important to him, and she wouldn’t break his trust.
Dahlia shrugged. “I don’t really know them.”
It wasn’t a lie. Aside from their connection to Trey, she didn’t know much about Oz or any of his men.
“But they know you.” Penny grabbed her hips, eyeing Dahlia. “You got Oz’s second-in-command, Nash, and his personal security, threatening people over a comment. Why?”
It did seem excessive.
“Maybe chivalry isn’t dead, and they were just being nice.”
Penny squinted, looking at her as if she’d just sprouted an antennae. “Oz’s men aren’t nice, Dahlia. And they don’t give a shit about other people who aren’t directly tied to Oz. So again, I have to ask.” Penny’s brows shot up to her hairline. “What the fuck was that?”
“Why are you getting so freaked out? You went ballistic when that guy Sean made that comment to me. Even more so than Nash.”
“Yeah, but the difference here is when I tell someone I’m going to kill them, they’re alive the next day. When Nash says it—” Penny waved her arms. “—they die!”
“All right, calm down. You’re making something out of nothing.”
“Nothing? Nash just threatened to kill that guy over a barback at the Bowery.” Penny raised her brows and folded her arms. “Make that make sense to me.”
Dahlia had known Penny for years. Her friend wouldn’t just let this go. If she wanted answers, she’d get them by any means necessary. Dahlia had to handle this situation carefully.
“Honest, Pen, I don’t know. I mean, I’ve only met Oz once and…”
Penny waved her hands frantically. “Wait, what the fuck do you mean, you only met him once?”
Dahlia shifted on her feet. “The other night at the X-Lounge, Sloane and I went to the club, and he kinda summoned me to his balcony. And we talked.”
Penny’s eyes went wild, and her jaw dropped. This was the first time in all their long friendship she’d ever seen her outspoken friend speechless.
“It’s not a big deal, Pen.”
Penny’s eyes widened even more, looking as if they were seconds from bulging out of their sockets.
“You talked? To Oz.”
“Yeah.” Dahlia cocked her head.
