Lance caught sight of her breasts as her blouse lowered and gaped slightly. “Baby, you’re a gem, and we would be fucked without you here. You’re so flexible and capable, and can handle any position,” he said, his mind thinking of all the positions he would put her in as he fucked her.
“Any position,” Travis added, and she gave him a dirty look.
“Cool it, I’m not in the mood for your teasing,” she said, blowing them off as usual. Didn’t she know they were fucking serious? This pussyfooting around crap had to give. He was losing his mind, and sooner or later she was going to be in their bed between them.
“All right, what’s the deal? What is going on back here tonight?” Lance asked.
“Well, first of all, Gabby was an hour late, and the fairly new girl Brown hired doesn’t know shit about bartending, only about finding her next rich bachelor, then Eliza is probably going to be quitting any day now. I told her to talk to you guys and give you the heads up.”
“She looks like shit anyway, what’s the deal?” Travis asked.
“She’s pregnant,” Bo said, and then some guy came up and ordered a couple of drinks. Lance stared at Bo as she made those drinks, and her arms flexed as she shook the silver shaker. She poured the concoction into a special glass, added some fresh pineapple and then took out three bottles of Bud and placed them down. The guy gave her the money, she walked to the register, added it in and then came back with the change. The guy gave her a five-dollar tip and a wink. She was efficient, fast, courteous, professional, and fucking gorgeous to look at.
As she turned back to look at them she paused, glanced at Lance then Travis, and then worried her bottom lip. As tough as she tried to act, she was so sweet, reserved, and untainted.
“You’re exceptional, Bo. I mean it. In everything you do, in how you represent Percy’s. We could put you anywhere and you would get the job done and to perfection,” Lance told her.
“That’s’ why Dad loves her so much,” Travis said.
“Listen, I appreciate the compliments, I do, and you know I won’t leave here tonight until things are under control. But I’m going to start looking elsewhere for work. This was supposed to be temporary.”
Lance narrowed his eyes at her, he felt instantly jealous, angry, concerned that he could lose the opportunity to have her.
“Bo, you can’t look elsewhere, we need you.”
“No, you can find a replacement. Perhaps get those cousins of yours to stop impregnating my sister. Maybe get some new person to assist in the office, tell my cousin London to stop screwing around and do his job, and maybe get some real bartenders in here who actually know how to bartend and want to make money. We’ve been at this for nearly a year and all I keep doing is winding up behind this bar, working more hours than I intended, and I feel like I’m not making any progress,” she stated and then exhaled. She then lowered her head and cupped her cheek.
“You’re frustrated and overworked. That’s our fault for taking advantage of your professionalism. We’ll work it all out. Together, tomorrow when you come to the office, let’s sit down, you, me, and Travis and come up with some concrete solutions. We don’t want to lose you though, Bo,” Lance said to her.
“I’m not staying here forever. I’m twenty-three, and I have to explore other options and other types of work I can use my degree in,” she said, and before he could make another comment and try to convince her that him and Travis were here for her, some other guys came up ordering drinks and complimented her. They stared at her body, and then into her eyes.
“Damn, you have gorgeous eyes,” one of the guys said to her and she smiled.
“Thank you, honey,” she replied, knowing how to work the customers, then even asked if he wanted top shelf tequila in his drink, or the lower brand, not even mentioning the one in between. Of course, the guy went for top shelf, he was trying to impress Bo.
She made the drink and the men stared, so did Travis and Lance.
He watched her, and the more he did, the more he wanted her. He had to make sure she continued working here. If she did decide to take another job and work less here, he would need to make a strategic move. He would focus on meeting her tomorrow and talking things through. Alone, in the meeting room by the couches, and not the formal table. Relaxed, comfortable, and having a perfect, close view of that sexy feminine body and working his magic to convince her to stay. Perhaps even having her cousin and sister ready on the back burner to persuade her that Percy’s is where she belongs, and not somewhere else.
* * * *
“Come on, Bubba, you got this. Push it. Push it!” Thor yelled as Bubba pushed the jeep along the path with the front lifted up and everyone around him cheering and chanting. Another guy, Big John who stood by Walker, had already pushed it, and now Bubba was passing the mark and needed to beat the other team. It was a friendly competition and the losers needed to buy the other team beers for the night at the Filling Station.
The crowd got bigger, and everyone was cheering as Bubba not only passed Big John’s mark, but went farther, making sure that Big John would have a difficult time breaking Bubba’s new record the next time they made this challenge.
Everyone roared as Bubba dropped the jeep and then roared.
“Ooh rah!”
The crowd of Marines retorted, “Ooh ray!”
They all cheered and congratulated Bubba and then Reeves, Flint, and Tiny got roasted about losing to Bubba and the team.
“It’s all friendly competition, men. But hey, whenever you want to stop this back and forth shit and just admit we’re better, we’ll accept your retreat and submission,” Thor teased Big John, and Tiny, who was anything but tiny at all. He was as big and filled with muscles as Big John, Bubba, and Thor. They looked like wrestlers or linebackers for pro football they were so jacked.
“Fuck you, Thor,” Big John stated, out of breath.
His buddies Flint, Reeves, and Tiny shook their heads and patted his shoulder. “Next time, Big John. Next time you’ll roast his ass.
“All right, men, finish up with the run and we’ll see you back here tomorrow morning as usual,” Reeves called out to them.
Thor, Channing, Philippe, and Bubba, along with Reeves, Flint, Big John, and Tiny, were in charge of training the new recruits coming into the program in regards to hand to hand combat maneuvers, strength and conditioning techniques, and training so they could then move on to tactical training, weapons, and other training regimens.
They had formed this comfortable camaraderie, and the troops really liked the competitive attitudes they had with one another and the teams, as well as the bond. These were some of Thor’s closest friends.
“Okay, what time are we meeting at the Filling Station?” Reeves asked.
Thor smiled and stretched out his arms. “Well, eight should be good. We’ll grab dinner first. You guys want to come along?”
“We aren’t buying dinner,” Big John snapped.
Channing laughed.
They headed their separate ways, and Bubba leaned back in the seat and drank down another bottle of water.
“You feeling okay, Bubba?” Channing asked.
Thor slapped Bubba on the shoulder.
“He’s feeling fucking great,” Thor said.
“I’m feeling fucking old,” Bubba replied, and Philippe chuckled.
“You’re not old, man,” Philippe stated.
“I’m pushing fucking forty,” Bubba said and exhaled.
“You’re fucking thirty-four, asshole, what are you talking about pushing forty?” Philippe stated, and then they all laughed.
Bubba looked over his shoulder at Thor.
“I’m tired, man. My body is beat up.”
“Yeah, well the ladies like it, and they’ll be all over you when word gets out you were lifting up a jeep and pushing it up a slight incline,” Philippe stated.
“That slight incline will be a fucking mountain by the time Big John and them spew their shitting lies to get lai
d,” Thor said, and they laughed again.
“It’s going to be a fun night,” Channing stated.
“It will be really fun if your sister’s friends show up, Channing,” Thor stated.
Channing exhaled.
“I get the feeling that Bo is very shy and not interested in dating anyone,” Channing said to them.
“She needs looking after,” Bubba mumbled.
“I’d have no qualms looking after her. Hell, she’s such a petite thing, it’s immediate, the feeling of protectiveness I get when she’s around. That dick could have hurt her or worse that night,” Thor said.
“Guys can be such dicks,” Philippe said, and they all agreed. Thor thought about Bo again. She was so beautiful, and her cobalt blue eyes were mesmerizing. He had never seen such a color before and he couldn’t help but stare at her eyes. She had a soft demeanor and she was definitely not a flirt. She was minding her own business and swinging her hips to the music with her friends when that guy snagged her around the waist and stated she was coming home with him. She looked so damn scared.
Thor shook his head.
“If Bo is there, I think we should make a point of watching out for her.”
“She’s twenty-three, Thor. Maybe it’s our ages, our sizes, and professions that has her keeping her distance? Perhaps a sign to back off?” Bubba asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve caught her staring at us, several times. It could just be our sizes, man. We’re super fucking big,” Thor said.
“Could be. Only one way to find out, and that’s to talk with her more and let her get to know us,” Philippe stated.
“Are we discussing what I think we’re discussing?” Bubba asked.
They were all silent.
Thor cleared his throat. “I say we be honest and see where this leads. No need for deeper talk now.”
“Agree,” Channing said.
“Agree,” Philippe stated.
Bubba mumbled and then exhaled. “I’m not going to be able to dance I’ll be so sore.” He made a joke and they all laughed.
“Thank God,” Philippe added and they laughed louder. Thor did too, and couldn’t help but hope that Bo would be at the Station tomorrow night.
Chapter One
“Hello, Mr. Percy,” Bo said to Lance and Travis’s father as he walked into the main office. He immediately smiled wide, looked her over, and then grabbed her shoulders and gave her a kiss. She cringed at tentacle man, something she liked to refer to the handsy man as. He took advantage of any excuse whatsoever to touch a woman. She pulled back and smoothed her hands down her skirt.
“Are you feeling okay, Bo? I called in this morning to check on the meeting time and Marcy said you were coming in late,” he said to her and eyed her body over.
“Yes, sir, I’m feeling fine. I was just a little tired from working last night.”
“Bo was a gem last night once again, Dad. After working in the back offices here all day, she then covered for London, who was sick and couldn’t come in.”
Their dad narrowed his eyes at her and then took her hand. She froze.
“What time did you leave?”
“Four twenty or so.”
“What? Alone, that late, and then you drove forty-five minutes home?”
“It was fine,” she said.
He released her hand.
“You are to never do that again. You can have a key to the main offices and bedroom upstairs. That way if you’re here that late you don’t have to drive. You crash here, and maybe leave some change of clothes and things, too.”
“We offered her the room last night, and even to stay in the guest bedroom at our place, but she declined, Dad,” Lance told him.
She nearly spoke her mind aloud. Like she would ever consider staying upstairs in the bedroom there? How many women were brought up there for sex on a regular basis? No thank you, and as far as your house? Screw that, I would never be so stupid.
“I explained that it wasn’t necessary. I was fine driving, besides, I stayed in bed a little longer this morning and took my time coming in. I had plenty of rest and it worked out fine. So, would you like any coffee or a bottle of water for the meeting, Mr. Percy?” she asked as she grabbed her cell phone, iPad, and bottle of water.
“I’m good. I suppose we’ll discuss this more later,” he said, and then gave his sons a mean expression. Mr. Percy walked into the room first then Travis. Lance waved his hand for her to go first and then he placed his hand on her hip, guiding her unnecessarily through the doorway and into the room. Of course he took the seat right beside her and Travis took the other on her other side.
“So, what do we need to go over?” Percy asked.
“First, the bartender issue. We lost another woman this morning, Eliza,” Travis stated.
“Eliza? Why?” Mr. Percy asked.
“She got knocked up by her boyfriend,” Lance stated, and Bo cleared her throat feeling uncomfortable by his statement. Though it was true, there was a nicer way to say it.
“I see, do you have any replacements?” he asked.
“None yet. We were going to ask around and see if there are any good looking women, like maybe friends of Bo’s,” Lance said to her.
“What?” she asked, surprised by his question and concerned that perhaps he caught sight of one of her friends and he wanted to hit on them.
“Your friends, there are a few hot ones you always hang with. Any of them have experience bartending?”
“They aren’t interested,” she replied.
“How do you know?” Travis asked, staring at her face and then her chest. She felt self-conscious and shifted in her seat.
“They all have other jobs and interests,” she replied.
“Well then, looks like we’ll be opening up for interviews. Have Bo assist,” Mr. Percy said, and she was surprised.
“Why would I assist, sir? That isn’t my job.”
“You’ve been doing a fantastic job, Bo. Better than your cousin. I actually need to speak with London, is he here today or still sick?” Mr. Percy asked.
“He’s here and working on the orders for the bar,” Lance told him.
“Great. Now, Bo, before I go, I would like for you to assist Lance and Travis in finding some bartenders that will make the patrons very, very happy. You know the criteria,” he said, and looked at her breasts. She took a deep breath and exhaled. It was cold out today. Thanksgiving passed and all the festivities for the winter holidays were under way. Everyone had out decorations and she was asked to help decorate the bar, and even here in the office.
She didn’t respond, and then looked down at her iPad and took notes as they continued the meeting, talking about some new items being brought to the drink menu and other crap that bored her. She really needed to look for a new job, or perhaps hit up her savings and open her own little place. Not a bar or restaurant, but a private little café and book store. Something that had character, and sitting areas both inside and outside. Maybe gardens to view while reading, and tiny private nooks along pathways that had comfortable benches and sitting areas to enjoy the solace of a peaceful read. She loved reading books and being whisked off into fantasy places. Sometimes those stories kept her from crying and being depressed or scared. Her family environment was not a positive one.
She swore Sally got pregnant on purpose, although, her father had her married off and the families connected after the first date. Her sister was weak, but she was also devious, and Bo didn’t really trust her, which was pretty sad. In fact, Bo considered Mercy, Laci, Kendra, and Sam as her best friends and practically family. She trusted them. So much so that they knew she was a virgin. They knew she worked a lot and had some family problems. None of it mattered. They included her in everything, and tonight she would go out and get some relief from all this pressure. Maybe Sunday she could walk the trails of Lake Freeman and do some hiking, if it weren’t too cold. She tapped the stylus against her lower lip and thought about a place near Lake Freeman. One that
had a fireplace people could come and warm up at, maybe have some hot chocolate or spiced rum, even spiked. She smiled to herself. They could sit by the fire or on one of many cushiony chairs and sofas and just read a book, look at special paintings on the wall, or even just watch the seasons through the large window. My God, it would be so incredible to own a place like that. Something that was all hers. Her heart and soul put into, and reap great benefits of satisfaction and accomplishment.
“Bo!”
She gasped and looked at Travis. He and Lance narrowed their eyes at her, but Mr. Percy smiled.
“Sorry we’re boring you. We’re all done,” he said and stood up. She felt flush, embarrassed, that she was so lost in thought that she completely zoned out. Well, she zoned out from the three men and their annoying, condescending voices. Their commands, demands and irritating smirks as they gazed over her body.
Mr. Percy left the room and she stood up and gathered her things.
When she felt hands on her shoulders, she inhaled sharply and turned, only for Travis to squeeze her shoulders, making her remain in place as he massaged them.
His hands were hard, rough, and she didn’t like how she felt having him touch her.
“Were you thinking of us when you were daydreaming?” he asked and leaned closer like he was going to kiss her shoulder.
She shifted and chuckled and moved from his hold abruptly.
“Don’t be silly. You are such a flirt, Travis. Save it for those bartenders we need to find,” she said and scooted closer to the door, but Lance was there, towering over her like most men did despite the low heels she wore today.
“Not so fast. We have things to discuss,” Lance said, and placed his hand on the door knob, holding it and basically telling her she definitely wasn’t going anywhere.
“Lance, I have work to do. I’m certain you and Travis can handle putting out the word that you’re looking to hire some bartenders.”
He reached out and stroked her jaw. She went to turn and he scowled at her.
Sons of Justice 3: Love Unexpected (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 2