In the locker room, Gage explained to the Retribution team what had just transpired in the hallway.
“HE WHAT?” Colt yelled as he took off out of the room. “Holly. Stay with Trent and Gage. I’m going to kill that little weasel!”
Colt went to Davis’s office with Dustin and Chris fast on his heels. Shoving the door open, he looked like a psychopath in a fit of rage. Sam looked terrified and backed up behind Davis.
“Listen, you little bastard! We may not like Holly, but I’ll be damned if I am going to allow you or anyone else to put your hands on her!”
Davis looked back at Sam. “Sam, what’s going on?”
“Uncle D, it’s not that big a deal.”
Dustin stepped forward. “Not a big deal? Trying to grope a woman who clearly begged you to stop is nothing? The only reason she didn’t kick your ass is because of this deal she has with Davis. Gage told us he was ready to rip you to shreds. The only reason he is not here right now beating your ass is that he’s worried about Holly.”
“Sam! Explain yourself!” Davis was a womanizer, but he didn’t approve of a man forcing himself on a woman.
“I just got carried away, Uncle D. I like her. She’s hot. I just got a little too excited. I thought she wanted it. I thought she liked me.”
Colt got in his face, ready to punch him. “Stay away from her or I will kick your ass myself. Regardless of what is going on with me and your uncle, Holly is off limits to you. Understand? What you did, better never happen again. If Gage wouldn’t have come along, I hate to picture what could have happened.”
Sam nodded in shame. “It won’t happen again.”
Davis spoke up. “They’re right. Sam, stay away from her. If her brothers hear about this, they’ll be after you. You know that. I know you like her, but that’s not what we’re about.”
Sam looked embarrassed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Gage probably hates me now.”
Colt huffed. “Can you blame him? Someone he has known for years and thought he could trust assaults a woman. A girl who will soon be a family member. Not to mention it happened right in front of him. You are lucky Gage didn’t kill you.”
“I’m sorry. Okay. I’m sorry.” Sam cowardly looked down, seeming more annoyed than remorseful.
Colt grumbled, “Touch her again and you will be.”
***
Holly had been stewing in the locker room, getting angrier by the minute. She pushed past Trent, and he didn’t even try to stop her. Whatever she planned to do to Sam, he deserved.
She barged into Davis’s office walking straight up to Sam shoving him against the wall by his collar practically lifting him off the floor.
“If it weren’t for this job, I would end you right now. I don’t care if people see me as being the biggest slut in this company. No means no! No one touches me unless I say so. Touch me again and I will show you exactly why people fear me. Job or not, I am still one badass bitch you don’t want to piss off. Don’t cross me, or next we meet, you will wish you were never born. Old Uncle D won’t have enough money in the world to put your punk ass back together!”
Davis got in between them. “Calm down. Holly, he’s sorry. It was a mistake. Why don’t you go with Colt and the guys and relax before the show? Tell you what. Take Retribution out for dinner after. My treat. Everyone has been under a lot of pressure lately. We need to deescalate all this tension.”
Holly turned around to Colt, who was still in the room. Getting in his face like she was mad at him, she pointed in his face. “And you! I don’t need a bodyguard, pretty boy. I can handle myself. Get the boy band together after the show. Dinner sounds great.”
Colt wasn’t sure how to take that. Was she acting like that to trick Davis or was the angry control freak Holly back? Colt and the other two guys shook their heads to play along and followed her out the door to their locker room. Soon as the door closed behind them, Holly rushed into Colt's arms with an enormous hug. He was a little confused and looked around to the guys for an answer.
“Thank you. Thanks to all of you. No one has ever stuck up for me before, other than my brothers and Isis. You guys are the best.”
“So, that was a work? You aren’t mad we went to Davis? Baby, I really wanted to rip Sam apart just now.” Colt hugged her back.
“I have to keep up the perception you guys hate me in front of Davis, or the plan won’t work. I’m seeing that maybe you all don’t hate me as I thought. I was wrong about you guys. You all are becoming like… family. You. Colt. You are becoming more to me than you could ever know.” She looked around at the guys, smiling sweetly. “Thank you.”
Dustin and Trent being the most skeptical looked at each other. “What do you say, Dustin? Do we trust this chick?” Trent asked.
Dustin smiled and shook his head. “I think we can give it a try.” He winked at Holly. “You are one of us now. Don’t let us down.”
“Never,” Holly said with a smile.