Suddenly, she was yanked out her chair. Pulled back and a heavy arm went around her waist. “Get your hands off her,” the man behind her said to Nick.
Oh, my God. What was happening?
* * *
Nick saw red when some jerk yanked Noreen out of the chair and pulled her back. “What the hell are you doing? Let her go.”
“Not untilyouleave.”
Before he could circle around the table, Jackson, Caleb, Pax, Will and Steph strode forward. The man kicked Jackson with his foot and her friend went down. He hit his head. It was Steph who got behind the guy and yanked him into a headlock. The gesture freed Noreen and she staggered to the side. Nick grasped onto her. As the guy struggled, Steph said, “Somebody call 911.”
Will was on the phone right away.
Maisy rushed to Jackson. Bent down. “Are you all right?”
“Dizzy a bit.”
Caleb and Gemma and Pax surrounded the table. She caught sight of her mother standing in the back, her hand over her mouth. Then she rushed up front.
“Let me go,” the man choked out. “I’ll leave.”
Will said, “Not so fast.”
The police must have been close because they entered the shop and wrangled the guy from Steph, into handcuffs and dragged him out of the store. The other cop stayed back and asked, “What happened?”
Noreen stepped forward. “That guy grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. He said he was protecting me from Nick.”
“Who’s Nick?”
“I am.” Nick pulled her closer. “I touched Noreen’s hand and he freaked.”
“Do you know the guy?” he asked Noreen.
“He was at another signing but seemed innocuous.”
“A stalker maybe?”
Her heart beat a clip. “I think that’s a stretch.”
“What happened to you?” he asked Jackson.
It was only then that she saw her mother down on her knees tending to Jackson’s wound.
He looked up. “I tried to help Noreen but he got the better of me.” He rolled his eyes at Maisy. “I guess I’ve lost my street smarts.”
“We’ll take him in and talk to him. Do either of you want to press changes?”
Jackson said, “I don’t. Noreen, you can if you want to.”
Nick still had his arm around her. He said softly, “If you don’t, he could come back to the next signing.”
“I think he’s just an overzealous fan. I will get a restraining order for him.”
The police officer left.
Her agent, who’d been agape at the unfolding events, came forward. “We’ll stop the signing.”
She looked to the back and more people had gotten in line. “No, we will not. I’ll be damned if I let one man ruin today. I’m going to sign until the crowd is gone.”
