[Unbreakable 02.0] Rule Breaker
Page 29
But instead of fighting the impulse, I rolled with it, reprogramming the data streaming in. “Cade: not a mark. No one here is. No one anywhere.” I exhaled in relief at my small mental progress. Old habits die hard? A phrase coined by the weak-minded. Make new habits.
The next time I glanced toward the door, I imagined the boss coming through it, Cade’s ex-partner. The one I hadn’t met yet but knew by everyone’s reverence for him. The one who apparently surpassed Cade in his goodness. And according to Cade, the guy was razor-sharp, genius in both reading people and running his business.
But rumors painted the now-sole owner of Loading Zone as darker, edgier. Especially in the last month. Before he’d taken the most recent couple of weeks off—unheard of in the almost two years since they’d been open, according to Jillian.
“Ben!” Some overly excited female across the room shouted the name at the exact moment it settled into my mind.
An instant wave of energy crackled through the nightclub, hotter and more alive than anything the music or dance floor pulsed out. Slight movement rippled through the vast space of the reclaimed warehouse—toward the same metal roll-up entrance door that had been haunting me all night—as heads craned to see, breasts pushed out a little farther, and bodies pressed closer, like a powerful magnet pulled them uncontrollably forward.
Even I couldn’t look away.
After the initial crowd crush, I could see his occasional nod, a brief smile. He angled deeper into the club and scanned an assessing look across the bar, starting at Cade’s section. Seconds later, his sights landed on me—and stayed there, fierce gaze locked on to mine.
My breath caught at the intensity radiating from halfway across the room.
Ben. His simple name echoed larger than life in my head.
The crowd parted as he strode through the room. He stood a good head taller than other men he passed. Broad shoulders strained his black T-shirt with every slight rolling turn as he moved. Dark hair, cut closer on the sides, curled down over one side of his forehead. Shadowy stubble covered a defined jawline as it clenched. Thick brows drew together over eyes that narrowed as he stared hard at me. He stepped through the now three-deep crush at the bar, then planted flat palms on the edge of the metal bar top in front of me.
“What are you doing back there?” he snarled, tone low, heavy with accusation.
Cade braced his arms on the bar beside me, mirroring him. “She’s a new hire.”
Ben never looked away from me. “I asked her.”
Holding his unwavering gaze, I straightened my shoulders, undaunted. “Her name is Shay. And she’s behind your bar...working. Hard.”
Dark eyes narrowed a fraction more, boring into mine. “How old are you?”
Great.
Here we go.
“Old enough.” All he needed to know.
A muscle in that clenched jaw tightened. “Not what I asked.”
“You sure about that?” Because yeah, I looked young, no matter how old I really was. But his heat-seeking-missile aggression? Totally unwarranted.
“ID.” He kept at the groundless demand.
“I’m not some underage club-bunny at the door. I’m an employee. I’ve already been hired.”
“I don’t give a shit. I’m the boss. And I want to see your ID.”
“No.” Not gonna happen. I couldn’t risk it.
He gave a slight nod, smug satisfaction in his eyes. “So, you’re not eighteen.”
“I didn’t say that.” Yet somehow, I sensed our verbal tug-of-war had dragged me across lost ground.
“Are you or aren’t you?”
“I am,” I gritted out, angry that I’d been foolish enough to want something so bad.
“Then no big deal.” He rose back to his impressive height, crossing his arms, confidence plastered on his face. “Prove it.”
Damn. My first weekend night, not even a full one, and already the life I’d earned, had fought and bled for, had begun to slip through my fingers.
Disappointment seeped heavy into my chest. What naïve people got for having hope.
The inborn fight in me remained. Pride too. With every tightening breath, fury burned my lungs, for being judged without cause.
“No. You either believe me…or you don’t. I filled out my application. Gave my ID then. Got interviewed. Got hired. And I’ve proved myself over the last few days, tonight. Ask anyone here.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
But it did. My actions mattered to me. They were all my life had been based on. Everything I’d ever accomplished had been from what I had done—not who I was, what anyone thought, or what society believed.
I crossed my arms too, refusing to bend, by principle, if not more.
His expression hardened.
Commotion grew around us, two immovable blocks of granite, as thirsty patrons called out for drinks. Cade steadfastly remained beside me. While the poor lone fresh-shift guy hustled ass to fill orders.
The atmosphere grew charged between Ben and me. The sounds of the club faded to background noise as my heart thumped harder against my ribs, my pulse drummed louder in my ears.
Ben planted his hands on the bar again, staring me down as he leaned forward inch by inch. His eyes bored deep into mine, penetrating. Any other girl might’ve thought intimidating.
I didn’t twitch a muscle.
He towered over the bar, head lowered, a ferocious wolf who’d cornered an unknown threat. That shaggy dark hair spiked over darker piercing eyes. Unshorn scruff peppered an unforgiving jaw. An unhidden snarl curled his lip, baring white teeth.
No resemblance to the wholesome happy guy I’d spied on in the pictures hanging on his office wall.
Oddly, more attractive.
Most women would’ve gone weak in the knees. Some would’ve put on a layer of flirt, feigning vulnerability or exposing true fear, hoping to snag the obvious alpha in spite of the glaring warning signs. Maybe because of them.
I’d never been a bleating sheep in my life, wasn’t about to pretend with fluffy false clothing.
Wolf, too, buddy. I leaned forward, matching him inch for inch. My trim nails clicked on the bar top as I dug in, holding my ground.
Alpha all the way.
Discover the rest of the story: Lawbreaker
Want to Read More?
Want to read more of your favorite characters from Rule Breaker?
In the Unbreakable series...
Kiki and Darren’s romance ignites in…
Heartbreaker
Ben & Shay flirt with danger in...
Lawbreaker
Cade and Hannah fall in love in the No Weddings series…
No Weddings
One Funeral
Two Bar Mitzvahs
Three Christmases
For Valentine’s
(a steamy nightcap novella)
Coming soon in the Highland Legends series…
Born of Mist and Legend
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Kat Bastion won several awards for her bestselling debut novel Forged in Dreams and Magick.
Kat and Stone Bastion’s bestselling first novel No Weddings and the No Weddings series were named Best of 2014 by multiple romance review blogs.
When not defining love and redemption through scribed words, they enjoy spending their time mountain biking and hiking in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona.
Stay in touch with them on their social media pages:
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Your purchase of Rule Breaker helps the victims of human trafficking because a portion of the net proceeds of all Kat and Stone Bastion’s books are donated to charities who support them. These charities are creating legislation and prosecuting criminals, rescuing and restoring victims, and raising awareness in the effort to eradicate the tragedy of human trafficking.
Please visit the Charity Support and Awareness page on their website www.katbastion.com and blog www.talktotheshoe.com to learn about some of the organizations they donate to and to find out how you can further support them.
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~ Kat Bastion, Utterly Loved.
Rule Breaker is a book of fiction. Names, characters, places, occurrences, and theories are the products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, locales, events or theories is wholly coincidental.
The authors acknowledge the trademark status and trademark owners of products, names, and/or phrases mentioned within this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication of the trademarks are not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Rule Breaker
COPYRIGHT © 2016 Kat Bastion with Stone Bastion. All rights reserved.
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Cover Design by ©Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations
Image provided by Love N. Books
Photographer: Made by MK
Model: Jase Dean
First Printing, November 2016
ISBN: 9780996418164
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