Part 91
Pushing past Howie and Becca, he threw open the door and was on AJ before security even knew he was there. He spun AJ around, slamming him against the far wall and getting right in his face.
"You sick fuck, what the hell possessed you?"
"Nick-"
"It's not bad enough that you had to go after Sarah? Howie's fucking WIFE? It wasn't enough that you forced your ass on her, then you had to go after MY wife you asshole?"
With a sickening sound, Nick's fist connected with AJ's face before he could even begin to form a coherent defense. He landed several good punches before three of their security team and Howie managed to separate them. The fracas was loud enough to send other guests spilling into the hallway, including Kevin and Brian, who had the misfortune to be on the other side of the wall that AJ's back had connected with.
Sarah and Becca stood in the doorway, helpless to stop any of it for fear of accidentally getting in the middle.
"What the hell is going on?" Kevin roared.
"That asshole hit on my wife," Nick yelled, as Billy's arm wrapped around him to hold him still.
"Nick-" Brian started to interrupt, but it was no use.
"Sarah wasn't enough for this scrawny little prick," he spat. "No, so he tried Becca next. Ten minutes, Billy, I just need ten minutes…" He struggled in vain against the tight hold of his bodyguard.
Kevin sagged against the doorway. Apparently Nick knew what had happened to Sarah, but what the hell else had gone down? "AJ, what the hell have you done?"
"Nothing! This jerk just came at me out of nowhere!" AJ was shaking, knowing that he'd messed up beyond repair now and wondering how the hell to get out of it. Looking beseechingly at Kevin, he was defeated when he saw the look on Kevin's face.
"Get him out of here," Kevin said to security. "See that he stays in tonight. The rest of you," he looked pointedly at Brian, Nick and Howie, "my room in ten minutes. Be there." Turning angrily, he went inside and slammed his door.
With the slamming of the door, the fight suddenly went out of Nick. He sagged against Billy and began to tremble. "Shit, that hurts," he said, trying to flex the fingers of his right hand.
"God, Nick, you're hurt." Becca moved swiftly to his side, taking his hand.
"Ouch!" he yelped as she tried to bend his fingers.
"It's bruising pretty quickly. Nick, you may have broken something."
"Isn't that the hand you landed on tonight?" Brian asked.
"What do you mean, 'landed on'?" Becca asked. "Nick, what have you done?"
He blushed beneath the pain. "I fell onstage tonight."
Sarah smiled. "When?"
"Never mind," he grumbled.
Sarah looked at Howie. "Band introductions?" She grinned as Howie nodded his head. "Let me see …" She winced as she looked at his wrist which had begun to swell, and his fingers which were rapidly approaching a deep shade of purple. "Nicky, I think Bec's right. It looks broken."
"Great. Just fucking great." Nick pulled away angrily.
Brian pulled him aside. "C'mon, let's get this meeting over with and then we'll get your hand looked at."
Becca was suddenly there with a bag of ice from Sarah's room and a T-shirt to wrap around it, making a temporary ice pack. She began to say something, but Nick pulled her against his chest, wrapping his one good arm around her. This was one time words weren't needed.
"I love you," she whispered. "Go to your meeting, okay? I'll be in Sarah's room when you're finished."