Mitch headed over there. By the time he got to Ty, the stripper had moved on to someone else, freeing Mitch to grab the other man by the shoulder and haul him out of his chair. He’d never hit another human being in his life, but the instinct to swing came out of nowhere, unstoppable. His clenched fist and Ty’s jaw connected with a satisfying thwack . A split second later, Ty retaliated, landing a punch on the left side of Mitch’s face.
Mitch’s brain felt positively dislodged. Just as Mitch had never thrown a punch, neither had he ever received one. It hurt . Not even the alcohol could shield him from it. Cursing, Mitch brought his fist back once more, the innate urge to meet violence with violence coursing through him. Someone wrapped an arm around his waist and yanked him backward, preventing his fist from making contact a second time.
Mitch yelled across at Ty, who was also being held back by one of the party guests, “You don’t deserve her!”
Ty appeared mystified. “Who—the stripper?”
“Hayley, you idiot,” Mitch spat in disgust. “You’re the one she wants, and you don’t even give a shit.”
Ty had the audacity to laugh. “Jesus. And you call me an idiot.”
The other man’s laughter made Mitch’s anger flare afresh. He struggled to free himself but either his captor was too strong or Mitch was too drunk to make escape feasible. “Let me go.”
“Don’t think that’s wise right now.” The voice carried a British accent and no small amount of mirth.
“Mitch, why don’t you take a walk and cool off?” It was Luke’s voice, deliberately neutral as he stepped up to Mitch’s other side and slipped into rescue mode. “This isn’t doing you any good.”
“Forget it, I’ll go.” At Ty’s proclamation, the man who’d been holding him let go. Ty shrugged his shoulders, a ghost of a smile playing with his lips. “I s’pose someone’s got to be the bigger man here.”
Mitch leapt forward, only to be held back once again by the British guy and Luke. Ty laughed outright. “Stop it, Wood, you’ll pull a muscle. I told you, I’m going.” Ty took a couple of steps toward Mitch so he was standing just close enough for his low murmur to be heard above the still-thumping pop music. “I have a date with a lady, a cute blonde with the tightest, wettest little puss—”
Pain arrowed through Mitch’s head. Ty swore graphically and stumbled back, clutching his face. Long seconds after the fact, Mitch realized that he’d head-butted the man.
This really was a night for firsts.
In a flurry of movement, several men escorted Ty out of the club, while Luke and Aidan took Mitch to the bar and forced him to drink water, followed by coffee, followed by more water. They needn’t have bothered trying to sober him up. The self-inflicted knock on the head seemed to have dispelled the effects of his earlier intoxication. Everything was so much clearer to Mitch now.
Ty Butler was a reprobate of the first order, and if Hayley got any further entangled with the man, she was bound to end up hurt. Besides, Luke had been right before. Mitch wasn’t the type to concede, it wasn’t in him. He couldn’t give up on Hayley—not yet.
Not until he’d exhausted every last option available to him.
Chapter Six
Mitch snuck out of the club before anyone else could force caffeine or Evian down his throat. The fragrant air outside swept over him as he walked around the edges of the lagoon-style pool that marked the center of the resort. It was built to resemble a tropical oasis and was surrounded by towering palm trees. The moon was a fat orb shining down on the surface of the water, making it sparkle brighter than the pole dancer’s sequins. He wasn’t sure where he was headed until he saw the lights of Bar Evoke glowing on the other side of the pool and heard the music pumping from inside.
The hen’s night. Of course, that’s where Hayley would be. Filled with renewed resolve, Mitch started in
Mitch’s brain felt positively dislodged. Just as Mitch had never thrown a punch, neither had he ever received one. It hurt . Not even the alcohol could shield him from it. Cursing, Mitch brought his fist back once more, the innate urge to meet violence with violence coursing through him. Someone wrapped an arm around his waist and yanked him backward, preventing his fist from making contact a second time.
Mitch yelled across at Ty, who was also being held back by one of the party guests, “You don’t deserve her!”
Ty appeared mystified. “Who—the stripper?”
“Hayley, you idiot,” Mitch spat in disgust. “You’re the one she wants, and you don’t even give a shit.”
Ty had the audacity to laugh. “Jesus. And you call me an idiot.”
The other man’s laughter made Mitch’s anger flare afresh. He struggled to free himself but either his captor was too strong or Mitch was too drunk to make escape feasible. “Let me go.”
“Don’t think that’s wise right now.” The voice carried a British accent and no small amount of mirth.
“Mitch, why don’t you take a walk and cool off?” It was Luke’s voice, deliberately neutral as he stepped up to Mitch’s other side and slipped into rescue mode. “This isn’t doing you any good.”
“Forget it, I’ll go.” At Ty’s proclamation, the man who’d been holding him let go. Ty shrugged his shoulders, a ghost of a smile playing with his lips. “I s’pose someone’s got to be the bigger man here.”
Mitch leapt forward, only to be held back once again by the British guy and Luke. Ty laughed outright. “Stop it, Wood, you’ll pull a muscle. I told you, I’m going.” Ty took a couple of steps toward Mitch so he was standing just close enough for his low murmur to be heard above the still-thumping pop music. “I have a date with a lady, a cute blonde with the tightest, wettest little puss—”
Pain arrowed through Mitch’s head. Ty swore graphically and stumbled back, clutching his face. Long seconds after the fact, Mitch realized that he’d head-butted the man.
This really was a night for firsts.
In a flurry of movement, several men escorted Ty out of the club, while Luke and Aidan took Mitch to the bar and forced him to drink water, followed by coffee, followed by more water. They needn’t have bothered trying to sober him up. The self-inflicted knock on the head seemed to have dispelled the effects of his earlier intoxication. Everything was so much clearer to Mitch now.
Ty Butler was a reprobate of the first order, and if Hayley got any further entangled with the man, she was bound to end up hurt. Besides, Luke had been right before. Mitch wasn’t the type to concede, it wasn’t in him. He couldn’t give up on Hayley—not yet.
Not until he’d exhausted every last option available to him.
Chapter Six
Mitch snuck out of the club before anyone else could force caffeine or Evian down his throat. The fragrant air outside swept over him as he walked around the edges of the lagoon-style pool that marked the center of the resort. It was built to resemble a tropical oasis and was surrounded by towering palm trees. The moon was a fat orb shining down on the surface of the water, making it sparkle brighter than the pole dancer’s sequins. He wasn’t sure where he was headed until he saw the lights of Bar Evoke glowing on the other side of the pool and heard the music pumping from inside.
The hen’s night. Of course, that’s where Hayley would be. Filled with renewed resolve, Mitch started in
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