Apparently knowing better didn’t matter a bit because I couldn’t stop from tracking her as she followed Leann back through the mess of tables and over to the spot at the bar where the servers handed their drink orders to the bartenders, Leann talking with her hands the whole way, giving her instructions.
My attention was glued on that body, on those golden waves that rolled down her back and caressed her slender shoulders, on her waist and the delicious curve of her ass.
A rough chuckle punched me from the side. I jerked back to face my brother. Jud sat there with a smug look riding his face, dark eyebrow arched.
“Wanna tell me what that was about?”
Gave him the most indifferent shrug I could find, asked it like it was obvious. “Training the new girl?”
Jud chuckled low. “Who you think you’re foolin’, brother? Know you better than you know yourself, and I haven’t seen you shit yourself over pussy since you were about fifteen.” His forehead pinched. “She doesn’t exactly give off the vibe that she fits in around here.”
“No shit,” I rumbled with a sigh. “But she needs the job, so I gave her a chance to prove herself.”
A shock of heavy laughter jolted from his chest, and he shook his head in straight disbelief. “She needs the job? Everyone who applies is in need of a job, brother. That is how that works, in case you missed the meanin’.” Every word was a jab.
“Let’s just clarify on what you really meant, yeah? Your dumb ass wanted her to have the job. You know… quick access. Think I can’t see the greed lighting in your eyes? Think I can’t tell you’re sitting there imagining exactly how you’re going to get her out of those clothes? Thought we agreed not to sleep with the help?”
He looked at me pointed even though he cracked a self-righteous grin.
The two of us had made the rule when we went into business—no dipping our dirty paws into the cookie jar.
These were our employees.
Totally fuckin’ off-limits.
I scowled. “Not even considering it.”
That time, Jud cackled. “Oh, Trent, you’re adorable when you lie.”
I frowned at him. “Girl’s not exactly my type.”
He pointed at me. “Which that, my friend, is exactly why you want her.”
Nah, it was more than that, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to admit it.
“Doesn’t matter. Not gonna touch her. You can count on that.”
They were on their way back with our drinks, ripples of intensity coming off her, waves of it as she approached.
Jud and I sat back so Eden could set his beer and a menu in front of him. “There you go,” she murmured below her breath, then she turned to slide the glittering tumbler of scotch in my direction.
Slower, though. Like she was relishing in the second she got to be closer to me. Or maybe she was wary of getting too close.
Our gazes tangled.
Questions raged.
Confusion and greed.
“There you go, Mr. Lawson,” she whispered.
I reached out, our fingers brushing as I accepted it. “Thank you.”
Her nod was jerky, hand shaking as she drew it back, and she straightened herself out and pinned on a smile when she shifted her focus to Jud. “I’ll be right back to see what you’d like to eat.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be right here waitin’.” Jud was all burly charm. How the asshole pulled it off, I didn’t know.
She peeked at me and that was all it took for that crazy feeling to take hold of the air. A thrum, thrum, thrum in the midst of the music that played and the clamor that was taking to the stage as the band’s crew finished their set up.
Ripping herself away, Eden followed Leann to another table.
Couldn’t do anything but watch her go.
My smug-ass brother laughed.
“Hundred bucks you have her in your bed by the end of the month. Hell, I’d bet my fuckin’ share of Absolution.”
I scraped a frustrated hand over my face. “You might wanna retract that bet. She’s Gage’s kindergarten teacher.”
Surprise knocked through his features before he was laughing harder. “This just gets better and better.”
“Fuck off, man.”
“Look at you over there, squirmin’ in your seat.”
I started to spout off a response when I stilled, craning my ear and my eye over my shoulder when the atmosphere shifted.
When a disorder descended on my bar.
Could sense it.
Way the hairs at my nape shivered as a roll of corruption and lawlessness filled the room. Tendrils of it rushed through, winding and curling, spreading like a disease.
Supposed it was my past that left me so in tune. Fact I could sniff out trouble in an instant. Scent evil just as easily as I could scent the good.
Same as Jud could do.
We both took note as three guys wound their way through the masses and sat down at one of the only empty tables close to the sectioned off area in front of the stage.
Shady as fuck. Something malicious rolling from their skin.
My eyes roamed the faces in the bar, taking stock, landing on Kult who stood right inside the main doorway. He lifted his chin with a heads-up.
He’d picked it up, too.
I returned the gesture, letting him know I had it covered.
“You seen these pricks around?” Jud asked.
“Nope.”
He grunted a hard sound over the clamor of the band taking to the stage. They were local and played rock covers from the 70s to the 2000s. Performed most Monday nights, the crowd eating them up every single time.
My attention swung back to Eden. Fuckin’ sweet as sin Eden.
Little Temptress.
Moving through the crowd as she and Leann approached the new table.
Lead singer moved to the mic. Sound crackled through the speakers as the DJ killed his set and gave it over to the band. “Yo, Absolution. We’re Deep Under Cover, and we’re about to go deeper! Let’s go!”
They drove into one of those 80s songs that set off the entire bar.
An injection of chaos.
A dose of unruliness.
Almost everyone got to their feet, and a slew of people rushed to get out on the dance floor in front of the stage where they could completely let go.
This was when we started raking in the dough. When inhibitions were freed. When the chains of everyday life were loosed.
It got crazy busy for the servers and bartenders, too, which had me cringing all over again when Leann motioned for Eden to take the table herself so she could help some other customers.
The girl was clearly ready to stand on her own, but shit, not like this.
Eden nodded and moved for the table.
Nerves rushed. Neck tingling and hands twitching.
Wanted to go charging that way. Send another server over in lieu of her. Maybe get their order myself.
Stupid.
If the girl worked here, she needed to hold her own. I was the one who’d given her the chance and she was the one who wanted to take it.
But I didn’t think she had the first clue about the vileness that often came crawling through these doors. And I felt it strong.
A wave of that vulnerability came rushing out ahead of her as she strode for the table, all mixed up with that steely determination as she pasted on one of those smiles.
That was the problem…I wasn’t the only beast who took note. Wasn’t the only one who sensed her goodness.