Page 119 of Doc Rock
She was hot, sweaty, and her fingers hurt, but despite the occasional flutter of fear, she didn’t want to stop.
Therewas a commotion over by the door, and Mai peered toseewhat was going on, but even standing on the stage, she couldn’t make it out over the heads of the crowd.
Glancing over at Ford, shesawhim frowning in the same direction. Mai tried to ignore whatever was going on and kept playing.
They finished the song, and Ford began to talk to the audience, but she didn’t listen to him, as now the music wasn’t filling the pub, shecouldhearthe raised voices; someone was not happy at all.
“Let go of me, you piece of shit,”a man yelled.
Mai stood on tiptoes, trying to make out what was happening.
“It’s a Midnight Thunder concert. I’m part of the band. Stop fucking touching me!”the voice rang around the pub, and the previously jovial room quietened down.
Oh shit. It was Ryan.
Wasn’t he supposed to be in rehab in Switzerland or somewhere?
Ryan came storming through the pub.
Why hadn’t they stopped him?
Maiknewthe answer when shenoticeda young skinny bloke following in his wake, ineffectually asking the guitar player to leave.
“Oy. What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”Ryan shouted.“Letting that bitch play in my spot.”
Mai winced. She’dknownhe would be furious about the whole situation with the band, but she never imagined that she would have to face him.
“Ryan,”Ford said.“Now isn’t the time or the place.”
“Really, you tool! You replace me, and I’m not allowed to have an opinion? This is my band. You have no right.”Ryan arrived in front of the stage, glaring up at them.
“Ryan. Maybe we should go somewhere private,”Ford tried again.
“Nah, mate. You made it public. So I’ll keep it public.”Ryan’s eyes flared, and spit flew out of the corner of his mouth.
Ford looked across at Mai, their eyes locking for a long moment before he turned back to his ex-bandmate.
“Oh, now I understand. She leapt into bed with you, and Igetkicked out!”Ryan scoffed.“She always was a slut. Rubbing herself up against you because sheknewshe wasn’t talented enough to be in the band if she didn’t sleep with the lead singer.”
Mai flinched as if he’d slapped her. Someone shot to their feet at her friend’s table. Frost was standing, his face like thunder.
The next part happened so fast that she didn’t have time to react. Ryan’s rage swung from Ford to her, and he snatched a beer bottle up off a nearby table. Their eyes locked, his full of anger, and he snarled at her, then flung it. She was so shocked that she didn’t move, even as the beer bottle hurtled towards her.
Before it hit, a warm body was in front of her, gathering her up into their arms.
It was Ford.
Ford was in front of her, shielding her from the glass bottle.Therewas a dull thump when it crashed into him.
“Shit, Sie. Are you okay?”Ford breathlessly murmured in her ear.
She pulled back to look up into his eyes.“Yeah. I’m fine. Where did it hit you?”
“Back of my shoulder,”Ford muttered.
Mai blanched. Her face was level with his shoulder. If he hadn’t leapt in front of her, that bottle would have connected with her face.
She peered around Ford when Ryan cried out.
