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I follow Kathy to the closest bar stools, and she orders cosmos for both of us. The bartender looks at us quizzically, shakes his head slightly, and then starts poking around to see if he can find martini glasses somewhere. He can’t and ends up pouring the drinks into highball glasses instead.
“We should go jewelry shopping.”
“Jewelry shopping? Didn’t we already shop enough?”
“Not actually shopping for actual jewelry.” Kathy snickers and leans in close. “It’s code.”
“Code for what?”
“Code for going around and trying to figure out which guys are pierced where. Start with that one. I bet he has a Prince Albert.”
The guy she points out sits at one of the booths. He’s covered in tattoos and has several visible piercings. He slams back a beer at the urging of his buddies.
Kathy has already forgotten about the guy as she announces my birthday to the bartender, and a shot magically appears in front of me. Then another. And another.
“What is this stuff?” I laugh as I slam back another one. “It tastes like Big Red gum.”
“Fireball,” Kathy replies. “It’s good shit.”
“I think I’m drunk.” I laugh again.
“You were drunk before we got here. Drink this!”
Kathy shoves a glass of ice water toward me and strikes up a conversation with the guys sitting next to us. She begins to babble on about tipping, gynecologists, and warm hands, but I no longer hear exactly what she’s saying. My attention is drawn to the booth behind the pierced beer-guzzler and a tall, shadowy form I know all too well.
Deklan is sitting in the very last booth with his back to me. If it weren’t for his size, no one would be able to see him at all. In fact, I think he’s sitting there alone until I see a hand attached to a tattooed arm reach across the table and take a piece of paper from Deklan’s fingers.
What is he doing here?
Who is with him?
I can’t tell from this angle if the person he’s with is a man or a woman, and I slip for a moment into jealous mode. I shove myself off the bar and take a step closer.
“Kera? What is it?” Kathy asks as I start to walk away.
“I’m not sure yet.” I stand up and head straight to the table where Deklan sits across from the unknown person accompanying him. All I can see is that they’re leaning close to talk to one another. Deklan’s body blocks my view of his companion.
I take a few steps down the row of booths and finally get a better look at the person with Deklan. Now that I’m closer, I can see that the tattooed arm is definitely masculine. The tattoos aren’t familiar though, and I don’t think it’s someone from the Foley crew.
Even though Deklan isn’t sitting with another woman, my anger has built up. I have no idea what he’s doing here or who he is with instead of me. He isn’t even supposed to be in town. I grit my teeth and walk straight up to the table.
I stumble before I reach my destination, and I have to adjust my tiara before it falls off.
Deklan glances up, and his eyes go wide.
“What are you doing here?” He gets the words out before I manage to speak.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.” I try to put my hands on my hips, but I miss. “You aren’t even supposed to be in town.”
Deklan glances across the table at the man sitting there, eying us both. I glance at the man’s face and pause.
He’s one of the most physically attractive men I have ever seen in my life. High cheekbones, broad shoulders, and well-built. He’s not huge like Deklan but definitely muscled. His hair is light brown and cut in a short, military skin-fade. His piercing eyes meet mine, and I immediately wish I had never come to the table.
In his eyes, there is nothing but the cold, calculating desire to kill.
“What the fuck is this?” the man mutters.
“Apologies,” Deklan says softly as he glares at me. “She’s leaving. Now.”
