What the hell just happened? Adam plowed both his hands through his hair. Chaos ruled around him. The bouncers were back, people were yelling, Piskey fainted and Jillian's teeth jarring screams behind him were making his ears bleed. Hanover laid at his feet in the fetal position, one hand clasping his balls the other trying to stem the flow of blood while he moaned pitifully. Bastard! Served him right. Adam was severely tempted to kick the ever loving shit out of him for trying to swing at...his mind drew a blank.

His eyes jerked over to her, desire for her wellbeing more prominent than his need for vengeance or remembering her name. She was covered in blood, eyes wild, but her hand with the broken beer bottle remained steady. Nobody was getting close without worrying about having their internal organs ushered into daylight. Perhaps that was the reason the security twins gauged the situation from a distance.

Despite the menace, she was impressive. Adam was astounded at how she handled herself and if he was honest, a bit emasculated and aroused at the same time. Before he was able to get his ass up and out of his chair to come to her aid, she'd neutralized her attacker in a series of moves which would have made Steven Seagal proud and Jackie Chan shed a tear.

"OH MY GOD!" Jillian shrieked. "She's going to kill us!" Another shriek. "She's fucking crazy!" Yet another blood curdling screech blew out of her lungs as she pelted his back with her small fists.

"Enough!" Adam whirled around and grabbed her shoulders giving her a couple of rough shakes. Jillian gulped as if she was reloading for another round of banshee calling and he slapped his hand over her mouth. "You need to calm the fuck down. Now!" he growled. Her eyes bulged. "I'm going to take my hand down and call my driver. He will escort you outside and you will wait in the limo for me. Understood?" Jillian nodded and he slowly withdrew his palm.

"Thank fuck," one of the bouncers grumbled as he continued to keep the crowd at bay.

"You're welcome," Adam absently muttered, fishing out his cell phone and pressing speed dial. Erich answered on the first ring.

"Mr. Steele."

"I need you to bring the limo up front and chaperon Ms. Ross outside," he commanded before jabbing a finger and disconnecting the call. Slipping the phone back in his pocket, he watched as the owner of the club parted the pandemonium. People scattered and shuffled out of his way as he barked orders to staff.

"Get everyone out of here. Comp drinks if you have to, but I want this place empty immediately." Employees rushed to do his bidding. Most of the crowd made a bee-line towards the door when the commotion started, but the rest of the looky-Lou's were efficiently herded and pushed out the exit. Mr. Briganti pulled up to the spectacle at the same time Erich arrived to fetch the still twittering, albeit quieter, Jillian.

"No, no...I won't leave him," she dramatically protested clawing towards Adam as Erich started to ease her away. "She's deranged. She'll kill him!" Her voice rose in octaves until the shrillness of it could break glass. Adam's eyes darted to the waitress at the accusations, but she remained undisturbed by the commotion around her. Her glassy eyed focus continued to stay on her victim flopping around on the floor. He couldn't tell if she was daring him to stand or wishing he would. Another round of yelling yanked his attention away.

Jillian was in a full frenzy melt down. Mike impatiently tried to reason with her, getting himself slapped in the process, while his driver's attempts to pull her away were resulting in him being used as a scratching post by her continuous clawing. Nabbing Erich's attention with a short whistle blast, Adam stiffly jerked his head towards the exit. Take the cue, he scooped Jillian over his shoulder and body bagged her out. Her screams reverberating in their wake.

"Thank you," the owner exhaled in relief, brushing past Adam towards the waitress. Mike's face a mask of concern as he slowly approached her.

"No problem," Adam said under his breath, running his hand through his hair again before stuffing them in the pockets of his slacks. The helpless feeling coating over him wasn't something he was accustomed to. Taking control was in his blood and being sidelined went against his nature, but it was clear the waitress, or Trixie rather, seemed beyond approach. Absurdly, he remembered her name finally.

As Mike stepped into her vision, she crouched lower and flicked the bottle in warning causing him to pause. "Hey dolce Bella," he said softy, using his voice to lull her. "You're okay. It's Mike, honey."

She blinked, looked up at him briefly and then refocused on Hanover.

"No Bella...Look at me." He reached slowly out towards her. "He's not going anywhere. You did a good job honey. Now how about you give me the bottle and let Trevor take it from here."

"Trevor?" She faltered, blinking furiously as if she was waking up from a dream. Or a nightmare, Adam thought grimly.

"Right here kitten," the big bouncer answered, stepping smoothly between her and Hanover. Effectively blocking her view and breaking her concentration.

The bottle clattered to the floor and her body broke into spasms as she began to sob. Mike quickly pulled her into his arms, further shielding her. "Shh dolce Bella. I got you," he whispered, stroking her hair gently.

An unreasonable flash of jealousy broke free in Adam and he took an unconscious step forward before catching himself. Dammit Steele! She didn't need his shit right now. What she needed was to be removed from the scene. In the state she was in, it would be far better if it was by somebody she knew rather than a total stranger. He fought the urge to scoop her up and cradle her to safety when he saw her small body jolt and shudder in the club owners arms.

"Take her to the back and wrap a cold rag around her neck. It'll help with the adrenaline rush and calm her down," Mike said gently while he disengaged Trixie out of his arms and transferred her into the behemoth ones of Trevor. Thankful that she was being attended to, Adam ignored the curious longing he felt as he watched him shuffle her off through the now empty club and disappear behind the stage. He blamed his erratic feelings on the unexpected fucked up evening.

Hanover groaned loudly making a half ass attempt to sit up before flopping back on the floor. Speaking of fuck ups. Adam, the owner and what was left of the security team all glared at the prone figure. The urge to play hacky sack with his head made Adam's foot twitch.

"What exactly happened here Mr. Steele?"

Adam sighed heavily. "I informed Mr. Hanover of my intentions and he didn't react well."

"That's the understatement of the century." Mike rolled his eyes.

"No shit," Adam laughed dryly, wearily running his hand through his hair. "Hanover was already agitated by the time Trixie came to our table. Before I realized his intentions, he had jumped up and was accusing her of feeding me inside information. Where the fuck he came up with that idea, I honestly don't know." He looked down at Hanover. The urge to take a pound of flesh out of him surged anew. "I got out of my chair to intervene, but he pulled back and threw a punch before I could," he said bitterly, angry at himself for his poor reaction time. "The rest of it was a blur. She moved unbelievably fast and with in a few moments Hanover was down, bleeding and cupping his busted balls."

Unlatching his hand from his crotch, Hanover mumbled something incoherent and reached up towards them.

"She slice him?" He asked looking more closely at the pathetic sight by his feet.

Adam shook his head. "The beer bottle was used as an deterrent to keep him there."

"I don't think this asshole is getting up anytime soon," Mike commented ignoring Hanover's moans and pleas. "What about his buddy over there? Bella knock him out?"

"No sir. She didn't touch him that I saw." The bouncer knelt down next to Piskey who remained unconscious and oblivious to the world.

"I believe he's fainted," Adam scoffed.

"Pussy." The bouncer turned him over and cursed loudly. "He's pissed himself!" Jumping back up on his feet in disgust, he placed a boot on Piskey's shoulder and roughly shook him. "Wake up you sleazeball." Keeping up the boot assault until Tom's lids finally fluttered open. "He's damp, but awake," he smirked over at Mike.

"Well that makes things easier," the owner grumbled. Kneeling down, he examined Hanover. Flagging over a passing employee, he grabbed a towel they'd been using to wipe down tables. "Here, hold this on your nose. You're messing up my floor." He shoved it none too gently into the bleeding man's face.

"I'm d'oing to due you. I'd dhink dat bidch brok-ed my node!" Hanover garbled.

"Interesting. She must have knocked the your memory right out of you too, because I think I've already explained about those little bubbles in the ceiling and what they do. I have every second of it saved and uploaded. I can send you a perfect snap shot of you attacking first and you can use it for your fucking Christmas cards," Mike snarled. "Plus, I have a several eyewitnesses, so you tell me asswipe, who you think is going to win?"

"You have my complete legal team at your disposal," Adam added casually. Fear flickered in Hanover's eyes. At least he thought it was fear, with the swelling and bruising forming, it was difficult to tell. A hint of a smile pulled at the corners of Adam's lips.

"I would sue you for every penny you're worth," Mike drawled, "but rumor has it, I'd be lucky to get even a damn penny. I guess I will have to settle for the pleasure of kicking you out of my club." Bending down he roughly gripped Hanover under his arm with one hand and grabbed his crotch with the other, slinging him to his feet like a sack of potatoes. "Ups-a-daisy." The piercing yowl of pain made Adam wince. There was no doubt Hanover will be pissing sitting down and hitting high notes in the shower for a month, if not longer.

"Ged dour ducking dands doff me!" Garrick jerked his arm trying to pull himself free to no avail.

"I don't think you are in any position to be giving orders you figlio di puttana," Mike growled, jerking the protesting idiot closer until they were nose to nose. "You're in my house now and so you're going to play by my rules." Loosing his grip, he stepped back and grinned. The motion of Mike lifting his hands to smooth out Hanover's jacket, made the man blanch. "Now, you have two choices," he said as he smoothed one lapel and then the other. "One, you can shut your fucking mouth and walk out of here or two, you can keep flapping your lips and I'll shut it for you and drag your sorry ass out." Cocking his head, he waited for Hanover to choose.

"Duck dou!" Hanover spat, regaining some of his bravado.

"Number two it is," Mike reached out and snatched Garrick by his tie, smiling evilly. "I was really hoping that was going to be your answer." His fist flew so fast, Adam could hardly clock it, but the sound was unmistakeable. It was the sickening crunching of broken bone when Mike's fist connected with Hanover's jaw.

"He always did make poor choices," Adam absently commented while he watched Hanover slump like a wet noodle in Mike's grasp.

"Awe shit," the bouncer sighed. Adam looked up to see Piskey crumpled on the floor once again. "I hope like hell he didn't piss himself again."

Mike's laugh broke the silence. "Come on Jack, let's get this trash outside." Nodding over to the bar, "Go help yourself to a drink, Steele. We'll join you shortly," he offered rather jovially.

Adam decided to accept. It had been one hell of a fucking night and he still had Jillian to contend with once he got to the limo. Unquestionably, she'd probably managed to work herself up into quite the rage. Thinking he needed to add an extra bonus into his drivers pay this week, he strode over to the bar and poured three fingers of scotch, downing half of it while he watched Briganti and the bouncer not so carefully drag the two out the exit. He winced when Hanover's head made contact with a table corner. The "Whoops, my bad," had him tilting his head back and finishing the rest.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope to have updates every other week, so keep coming back for more.

Any comments you may have will be greatly appreciated. It helps me to see how you are responding to the story and encourages me to keep going. Also, any critiques are helpful!