Songbird by Victoria Escobar Page B

I had a feeling
the kiss had been an extension of his fist in a way, but it still
hadn’t been a physical strike. There was more than one way to lash
out at someone, after all.
    The problem was the very real pressure of his
tense and angry body. The very real edges of the violence in him
had triggered memories I had never wanted to revisit. If those
hadn’t triggered, if the fear hadn’t nearly eaten me alive, being
kissed by him even in temper wouldn’t have been so bad.
    Maybe if I had even an ounce of vanity, or
higher self-esteem then I might have anticipated this reaction and
could have protected against it. But… Men didn’t attack the fat
chick or the ugly one or the pathetic, shy, introverted loser. I
was supposed to be safe.
    “Miss Sheridan?” Henry’s voice called out and
I heard the door open. “Jesus Almighty.” Fast steps crossed the
room to where I lay with eyes closed and curled up on the bathroom
floor.
    “Are you hurt?” His hand was gentle on my
cheek.
    “No. Scared myself shitless facing off with
Nicholas like that, but I’m not injured.” My voice was weak but
steady. I had been drained by the encounter and the aftermath. I
needed a few minutes more to recharge.
    “Your wrists are bruised.” Henry corrected
and he sounded less than pleased.
    “He just held on too tight. He didn’t strike
out.” Not with his hands anyway but Henry didn’t need to know
that.
    “Open your eyes for me.”
    I did as asked and stared at the gentle
giant. “Really, I’m just trying to get the fear back in its box.” I
tried for a frail smile. “Facing Nicholas’s full blown anger like
that was stupid.”
    His eyes searched my face and apparently were
satisfied. “Can you stand?”
    I let him help me to my feet and I brushed
the debris from my dress. I didn’t move yet—my legs still felt
shaky—so I glanced around the mess in the room beyond the
bathroom.
    “This is going to cost a fortune to satisfy
the vendor.”
    Henry took a survey. “Not the worst he’s
done. Do you know what set him off? When he came over to the other
room he was still angry but I think at himself.”
    “His ass might still be sore from the
belting.” I shrugged trying for nonchalant. “Honestly, I have no
idea what sets off his mood swings. He has PMS worse than I
do.”
    “You belted him?” Henry’s brows rose.
    “How do you think I got him off the hotel
clerk?”
    He laughed. “My God. I’d have loved to have
seen that.”
    “Well, I didn’t get to see the result of the
belt, but I wasn’t gentle.”
    He shook his head still laughing, “I don’t
think that would have bothered him. Ezra has done some cruel shit
when Nick gets in a pissy mood. Might have been the cold shoulder
you were giving him. He doesn’t like to be ignored.”
    I shrugged. “He’ll get over it.”
    “Maybe.” Henry offered his arm much as he had
earlier to a lesser woman.
    I slid my hand into his elbow and was pleased
when my legs didn’t shake crossing to the door. “Thank you,
Henry.”
    “Don’t want you falling on something sharp.”
Henry smiled. “Would be a shame. You’re a really good person.”
    “I try.” I squared my shoulders and faced the
cracked door of the other dressing room. “I’ll be fine now.”
    “You call me if he gets out of hand again.
I’ll hold him down until he calms.”
    I patted his arm as I released him and
reached for the door knob. “It’ll be a cold day in hell when I come
across a man I can’t face down.”
    As my luck would have it Dolls of Serenity
entered with Denton and I think the assistant’s name was Gertrude.
Everyone stopped and took in my appearance and for some reason when
Gertrude went stony faced and Denton red faced, I was grateful
Henry still stood at my side.
    “Stage director is waiting.” I lifted my chin
and refused to waver from their stare.
    “You should be ashamed.” Gertrude waved her
hands at the girls to herd them past me. “What were you thinking?
This