by Jayne Blue
“Good. Maybe I can learn to appreciate them better.”
I smiled and an awkward silence rose between us. In that moment, I had a decision to make. Do I ignore what almost happened between us last night, or do I face it head on? Pretending like nothing happened didn’t seem tenable. I took a breath and stepped around the desk. Jase towered over me and I found myself drinking in every detail of his face again. It was easier on my nerves than looking at his body. He had just the hint of silver threaded through the dark hair at his temples. He arched a heavy black brow and his eyes sparked through those thick lashes. God, he could have been a pirate in a former life. Sultry and dangerous but sexy as hell.
“Look. I just wanted to … thanks for being cool about last night. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. It’s easy to just say I had too much wine. And I did. But ugh. I don’t know. It had just been a long day and you were being so nice to me. Plus, you look like … well ... you. I got a little carried away and I’m sorry. Again … just … thanks for being decent about it.”
My mouth seemed powered by a motor. A bunch of other awkward apologies dribbled from my lips before Jase finally cocked his head, shot me a devastatingly sexy smile, and put his hands on my shoulders. Fire seemed to shoot from his fingertips and set my nerve endings ablaze. It took everything in me not to do just what I did last night and reach up to kiss him. Luckily, I had more sense than before and kept my feet firmly planted on the ground.
“Devin,” he said after taking a deep breath. “Relax. We’re on the same page. We’re also both fully consenting adults. I’m not going to stand here and pretend I really, really didn’t mind kissing you. But I’m a sensible man and I’m not looking to screw anything up here either. We had a moment. It’s cool. Let’s not talk it to death.”
“Right.” I took an awkward step backward and out of Jase’s arms. I wanted nothing more than to slide right back into them. Shit. This was worse than I thought. “And again, thank you for not being a dick.”
“Not a problem. I don’t always succeed at that so I’ll take it as the true compliment I know it was.”
I crossed my arms in front of me and gave him a weak smile. “I don’t do that a lot, you know.”
“Give compliments? Well, then I really appreciate it.”
“No. No. I mean … I don’t throw myself at guys a lot. I mean ever. It’s just, well, a complication I don’t need. You know? I just didn’t want to give you the impression that I’m something other than what I am.”
Jase leaned against the desk. His look was half amusement, half smolder, and all infuriating. He crossed his arms in front of him and made little figure eights with his head as I kept on talking. God. This wasn’t me. This guy had me all tied up in knots. Maybe the stress of club business was getting to me more than I realized.
“Devin,” he said, finally putting his palm up in a stopping gesture. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“When’s the last time you took a day off?”
The room grew so silent I swear I could hear myself blinking. “A day off? I don’t. I run this place.”
“Not even on Sundays?”
“I … what? I’m not proud of it, but I don’t really go to church, Jase.”
He smiled. “I’m not asking about your religious preferences, Devin. I’m asking about your mental health. I think you’re letting this place drive you into the ground. Now that we’ve established what we can’t be to each other, I was kind of hoping maybe we could be friends. I’m thinking you could use some. And as your friend, I think you’re wound a little tight. That’s all I’m saying.”
I opened my mouth to say something but felt the build of another rush of words that would make his head spin again. I clamped my mouth shut and pursed my lips together. The second I did it, he laughed.
“What?” I didn’t like being mocked.
He broke into a full-throated laugh that sent vibrating heat straight through me. God, I loved the sound of it. Wicked and dark like strong whiskey. When I blinked, my mind flashed to a vision of Jase standing in front of me stark naked and pulling me close.
“I’m not laughing at you,” he said, putting a hand up in surrender. “Honest. I’m not. I like you like this. It’s a side I’m guessing you don’t show to too many people. Off guard. Not in control.”
“Yeah? Well, I don’t like it one bit. I’m sorry. Again. Can we just go back to twenty-four hours ago? You work for me. You’re good at your job. We’re friendly but I don’t need any more friends, Jase.”
His face fell, and I instantly regretted sounding bitchy. I had no choice. I had to figure out a way to put the toothpaste back in the tube as far as my relationship with him. There couldn’t be a relationship with him. Every warning bell in me clanged loud along with the simmering desire he brought out in me.
“All right, then,” he finally said, pushing himself up off the edge of the desk. He towered over me again. His face was kind but held a twinkle of mischief at the creased corners of those pirate eyes of his. “And I promise not to try and kiss you again.”
“Thank you,” I said, even though we both knew I was the one who started it last night. “I appreciate your professionalism and I’ll make sure to keep mine in check too.”
Something dark flashed in his eyes. Just like last night, he made a move to leave the room but stopped himself. He took a step forward, invading my personal space in the most delicious way. “Well, that’s probably a good idea. But just so you know, it’s not just professionalism keeping me from kissing you again.”
“Oh?”
He shot me that rakish smile and leaned in close. “Oh, it’s a little bit of that. But it’s more knowing that if there’s a next time, we won’t just stop at kissing.”
Electricity shot through me and heated my core. I gasped and clamped my mouth shut again as he gave me a wink and turned to leave.
Chapter Seven
Devin
Despite Jase’s bad review from my Bluetooth speakers, the new band didn’t suck. At all. In fact, they were brilliant. The platinum lead singer had a Kurt Cobain vibe about him except he was taller and buff. That little detail wasn’t lost on every girl in the place. They crowded the stage to get a better look and I pulled up their YouTube channel on my phone again. They called themselves The Malcontents and the name fit. All five guys were drop-dead sexy bad-boy types and it didn’t take me long to realize I had a potential fucking gold mine if I booked them again next week. This might just make up for everything that happened with Jase.
I walked back into the main bar to make sure everything hummed out there as well. I stepped behind the bar and shot Kinney a thumbs-up. He wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. He poured two margaritas at once and garnished them with a flourish. He was on top of his game tonight too.
“Holy shit, Dev.” Georgia leaned over the bar, breathless. “We’re going to break a record tonight, I bet. Drinks are flowing and everyone’s in a good mood. I bet I clear two hundred!”
I shot her a thumbs-up. I danced on the balls of my feet, not so much to the rhythm, but from the buzz of delight from everyone around me. This might just be lightning in a bottle. A thought flashed through me that made me go still. I wanted to go get Jase. He was stuck in the back of the kitchen, away from the excitement. Part of me wanted to gloat and say I told you so. The band was terrific. His taste in music sucked. But I also found myself wanting to share the triumph with him. I wasn’t used to that at all. Instead, I just stabbed a metal ice scoop into the bin and refilled the well at Kinney’s station.
The Malcontents started in on their next song and I heard a swell of hoots and hollers, mostly female voices. God. This was just what I’d envisioned for the bar all along. Local bands playing original music. Not that cover crap The HolyRocks played.
“Damn,” Kinney said. “Chicks are into those guys.”
I made a gun with my hand and shot him. “I think we’re on to something. I think ma
ybe The HolyRocks are going to have to start looking for another gig.”
“Sheeit,” Kinney said. “Maybe you wanna wait to tell them that. Fucking drama those guys. Straight up.”
“Right. Exactly what I don’t need right now. I’m gonna sit down with their lead singer back there. Word is he manages the band too. What’s his name again?”
Kinney leaned over to shout in my ear. “Krist, I think. Justin Krist?”
I nodded. “Thanks. Well, if you get to him before I do, make sure you tell him to come see me tonight before they pack up. But don’t tell him why. I’d like the advantage of surprise before he starts thinking of ways to screw me about money.”
Kinney laughed and nodded. Again, I had the urge to head back into the kitchen to share the good news with Floyd and Jase. But they were getting the trickle down. Food orders flew out of the kitchen and I knew they were keeping up just fine. Better to stay out here where I was needed the most.
The Malcontents played three encores and the drinks kept flowing. Kinney worked the bar staff hard but everyone was on fire tonight. So much so that for just a few minutes, I was able to take a step back and make myself a fly on the wall.
It was happening. Tonight could be a turning point. I felt that in my bones. I had the right staff. The right mix of patrons: newcomers and regulars. And now, I had the right draw with the band. I squeezed my fists and pressed them against my thighs, otherwise I felt like I might just lift into the air with the excitement of it all. Taking a step back also gave me a chance to look for weak links.
Georgia was on her game, but Leslie and Marie were just a tad slow with the drink orders. In Leslie’s case, I could see why. She spent a good amount of time flirting with some of the customers. Marie seemed star-struck by the band. These were fixable problems. I nodded and made a mental note to deal with it in the morning. Georgia could take point with that. Leslie was sensitive and if I came at her, she might shut down no matter how soft an approach I took. Again, fixable problems.
I got caught up in it, I’ll admit that. I saw stars and dollar signs that night and maybe I should have been looking even closer at the patrons instead of my staff. Maybe I would have seen the potential disaster before it became one. It was nice to think that, anyway. That I could have controlled it.
It came in a rush. Screams and a rush of people pouring from the back room where the band just finished up. A guy. Not one of the regulars. Young. Early twenties. Kinky black curls drooping over his eyes and three-day-old dark stubble, like a short version of Russell Brand. Two of his friends carried him across the floor. He stayed on his feet for two or three steps, then his legs turned to rubber and he crashed to the floor in a heap and went rigid.
And just like that, my best night ever started to slip through my fingers.
Chapter Eight
Jase
The night was fucked the minute I caught a glimpse of the lead singer of Devin’s new band. Thank God he wasn’t looking my way when we passed each other in the darkened hallway, me heading for the kitchen. Him, carrying his guitar, head down, headed for the stage.
Justin something. He was from fucking Lincolnshire. He’d headlined at my brother’s club a few months back. Colt and the Great Wolves MC had signed his fucking paychecks. He’d seen me maybe once or twice but only in uniform. Tonight, the misplaced context and his singular focus on where he was headed probably saved me from getting made that night. Still, it was too close a call. I decided to keep my head down and my ass firmly planted in front of the dishwasher until their set was over and Justin Whatever-his-name-was got the hell out of The Dive Bar. It was disloyal of me to Devin, I suppose, but I silently prayed the band sucked and she’d never ask them back.
That was almost fuck-tastrophe number one. Number two came a little later when I heard screaming coming from the bar. I couldn’t help it. Running toward danger is ingrained in me.
I got to the main floor and saw Kinney jump the bar and head toward a huddle of people. Maybe a dozen gawkers that surrounded the core of the commotion. The band was still playing so most of the patrons didn’t witness what I saw. Devin did though. She stood slack-jawed against the wall as one of her customers slumped between two others, his face purple, pupils big as dinner plates.
“Shit.” Kinney and I said it together and we got to the guy at the same time.
“Don’t make a scene, man,” Kinney said, both to the purple guy's two friends and me.
“Kinney!” one of them said. I’ll call him Shaggy. He had shaggy brown hair that hung past his shoulders. The other one, well, I can’t even think of a name for him. He wore a blond man bun, had wide pale blue eyes, and wore steel-tipped alligator-skinned boots. He was scared shitless. “What the hell was that shit?”
Kinney pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. I knew that look. If Kinney had superpowers, he would have crushed Shaggy’s skull with just a stare. “Shut your fucking mouth,” Kinney said through his tight lips. He shot me a look and I gave him a quick nod to let him know we’re cool.
Devin came up. She knew what was happening, but I think a part of her still wanted to deny it. This was bad. On the busiest night of her career, she was about to witness a customer OD right in the middle of the floor.
“Can you cover the bar?” Kinney said giving her a level stare. “We’ve got this. Dale here; is that your friend’s name?” Shaggy nodded. “Dale got served one too many shots, I think. We’ll get him in a cab. No problem.” Devin wasn’t stupid. All the color drained from her face and she looked legitimately shocked by what was happening. She had a way of seeming both street smart and innocent all at the same time. Or maybe she was just a damn good actress, but at that moment I truly believed she wasn’t in on any of this. I could only hope that wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part.
“Kinney…” He gave her another withering stare and Devin swallowed hard. She looked at me and I made a sweeping gesture with my hand. Kinney was right, she needed to get behind the bar. She looked from him to me and back again but then gave us a grim nod as she left us.
We got the guy outside. As soon as that happened, I knew at least Devin would be all right. Dale here was no longer in The Dive. Whatever came next, it wouldn’t land on the bar.
What came next was a stream of projectile vomiting that probably saved the kid’s life. It didn’t do much for Man Bun’s alligator boots. The kid was still half gorked out of his mind, but his color was better. He was probably going to be okay.
“Now get him the fuck out of here,” Kinney said. “And stay the fuck away from The Dive for a while. You got me?”
Shaggy nodded. “We’re cool, man. Thanks.” He shot me a nervous glance then Shaggy and Man Bun helped a staggering Dale across the street and out of sight. Kinney slapped me on the shoulder and we headed back toward the bar. He moved toward the door but I held him back.
“Hold up,” I said. “You got time for a smoke?” Kinney cocked his head to the side then nodded. He produced a pack from his back pocket and handed me a cigarette. I took it from him and we ducked into the alley and leaned against the brick wall. Kinney lit up but I just held the thing between my fingers. I quit five years ago. In that moment, the temptation to light up burned through me like wildfire. But when Kinney offered me a light I held up a finger. He shrugged and took a drag.
“Thanks,” he finally said, blowing out a ring of smoke. “It would have caused problems for Devin if that got out of hand back there.”
“How much does she know about what’s going on right under her nose?” The question hung there. Kinney’s answer one way or the other probably wasn’t worth much if he denied she had any involvement. He could be lying. On the other hand, if he admitted to me right then and there that Devin had a piece of the trafficking going on in her bar … well … that would present a whole new set of problems.
“You need something?”
I didn’t answer, though my heart pounded in my chest. “Depends.”
“Doesn’t it always
? I’ll give you one piece of advice. Steer clear of Devin. She doesn’t want trouble.”
It was kind of a non-answer, but at least it was something. He was telling me if I was looking to score, she wasn’t the one to approach. It was a good sign but nothing more.
I nodded. “She has big dreams for this place. And she’s having a good night.”
“Yeah. Very big.”
A silence settled between us as Kinney puffed on his cigarette. I knew I might not get a better chance and hoped I’d gauged right. Kinney seemed the most likely guy in the bar to get me in. I reached over and took the lighter from him. It would be just the one. And I needed to take the fucking edge off my nerves. God. As the smoke filled my lungs, calm settled over me. Kinney and I leaned shoulder to shoulder against the brick wall.
I exhaled. “You straight?”
Kinney ground out the butt of his cigarette with his heel and gave me a sideways glance. He paused a beat. Two. And I knew I’d guessed right.
“What’re you lookin’ for?”
“Just a ball. Hot Shot.”
He nodded. If I’d asked for a hit or fumbled for money, he’d think I was just another junkie. I didn’t think Kinney was the real player here. I’d been watching him closely for weeks. But I knew he could hook me up with whoever it was. It was tempting to ask for more. Let him know I was looking for more than just a score. But one step at a time or I risked blowing it all together. Bait the hook.
“Yeah,” he said. “Did you get a good look at Dale? A lot of people can’t handle that shit.”
“So I hear. Do I look like some college boy?”