“Isn’t it kind of desperate?”
“Not at all. It’s Saturday night, we usuallygo out, and he invited you.”
“It feels weird.”
“Get over it. We’re going, and we’re going tohave fun. We’ll hit a few other bars on our way there, so you don’tseem overeager, but wewillmake it there. Now, let’s figureout where this place is so we can plan our bar-hopping route.”
***
Kyle lifted the door at the end of the barand slipped behind the counter. Jesse, the afternoon bartender,squeezed by him with her drawer in hand.
“Have fun tonight,” she said.
“Always,” Kyle said.
Although, he wasn’t so sure how true thatwas. He couldn’t stop thinking about Melanie out at other bars withher friend. Not only would men hit on her, but there were far morelethal and sinister dangers lurking in the night.
The Savages were becoming more aggressiveagain, and if she was out there, she could become a target for one.The possibility caused the demon inside him to uncoil like a dragonwoken from its slumber. It was ravenous and pissed off and seekingto destroy whatever disturbed it.
Melanie was out there, unprotected, and hewashere. Kyle didn’t see any way he could enjoy himselfwith that knowledge. However, he couldn’t leave here and go afterher. It’s not like he was concerned about losing his job; he wasmore concerned about the fact that he’d told her he was workingtonight.
She wouldn’t expect him to track her down,and he might scare her away if he suddenly showed up where she was.Running would be the sane reaction for her to have, so no matterhow badly he wanted to leave here, he couldn’t.
He reminded himself that she’d been out thereall those years before he met her. But now that he knew her, heneeded to keep her safe.
So, he forced himself to stay as he inspectedthe crowd already gathering around his bar. Most nights, he had funtending bar. He enjoyed talking with the people who came in, andhe’d gathered quite a following.
A following he wished would go away. Over thepast couple of weeks, he’d made it clear that while he stillenjoyed talking with everyone, he wasn’t interested in anythingelse anymore.
Some of them had taken the hint; otherslingered.
He shut the door behind him and slid hisdrawer into the cash register. It was still early, but the placewas already filling up. He wasn’t the only one with a following;Cassidy had a lot of fans.
Saturday night was usually their busiestnight, and he was grateful for that as it would keep him distractedfrom his concern over Melanie. A small piece of his mind remainedfocused on her, but he fell easily into the rhythm of pouringdrinks as he talked with the regulars.
When Cassidy came in an hour later, she wavedat him before strolling toward the stage. Cheers and catcallsfollowed her as she climbed the steps to the microphone. When shefaced the crowd, she smiled and waved to everyone she knew.
Pride coiled inside him as he watched her.She was the most talented person he knew. She’d never get to seehow far that talent could take her, but she loved what she did andpractically glowed as she started her first song.
A little while later, Dante entered the barwith Preston, a man who, along with Kyle and Cassidy, he’d helpedto locate his missing half sister, Julie. Preston and Julie weredoing well, and they’d recently told Julie’s mother about Preston’sexistence.
He waved to Dante and Preston as he poured avodka and tonic for one of the cougars who liked to hunt at thebar. He set her drink on a napkin and pushed it toward her. Thewoman grinned at him and leaned across the bar to retrieve itthough she didn't have to. Her lean gave him an ample view of herfull cleavage.
Kyle turned away and walked down to where heleft his phone by the cash register; Melanie hadn’t texted him. Healmost sent her a text, but it had only been a couple of hourssince he last saw her. Still, he wanted to know that she wassafe.
However, it was only eight o’clock. The sunwas still up, and if she was out, there probably weren’t anySavages out right now. His hand tightened on the phone, and his jawclenched. The idea of a Savage anywhere near her was enough to makehis blood boil, and it was not going to help him stayreasonable.
He shoved his phone back under the counterand made his way down to Preston and Dante.
“How’s it going?” he asked Preston.
“Good; you?” Preston responded.
“Can’t complain. What can I get you todrink?”
“Captain and coke.”
Kyle shifted his attention to Dante, who wasstudying the tap beers. “I’ll take the Sam Summer.”
