I smirked, remembering my days as a prospect. Thane had beenthe sergeant at arms then, and Maxwell Morris, Merrick’s old man, had been president. It’d been, fuck, a decade since, but I still remembered what it was like. People thought Thane was tough, but Maxwell was brutal. And being a prospect was never easy.
“Listen more, explain less,” I suggested. “No one gives a shit about your excuses. If you’re called out for something, just do better next time. Don’t get butthurt. Check your ego and let your actions speak for you.”
Rev nodded and started to ask another question, but Thane whistled sharply and jerked his head at him.
“Duty calls,” Rev drawled.
I chuckled, and my gaze slid past him to where Merci stood with Kenna, Eva, and Rhetta. Merci’s eyes were tired, probably from another long shift, but her bright laughter cut through the noise. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder, and fuck if that didn’t do something to me. She made every other woman in this place fade into the background.
“You’re staring,” Fuse said as he slid into the barstool beside me.
I tore my eyes from Merci. “At what?”
“Who.”
I gave him a flat look. “Who?”
“You know who. You’re treading in dangerous waters, my friend.”
I leaned back, picking at the label on my beer nonchalantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Fuse narrowed his eyes. “You look at her like she’s the only woman in this place.”
“Fuck off. Merci and I are just friends.”
“Who said anything about Merci?” Fuse said with a sly grin.
I groaned. I’d shown my hand, even though I’d clearly been doing a shit job of hiding it in the first place.
“Maybe Merrick would bend the code for you. Being his best friend and all.” Fuse’s tone was smooth with a hidden, taunting edge.
We both knew damn well Merrick didn’t bend rules. He’d break me instead.
A pretty woman with purple hair approached. Her perfume hit before she did—an overly sweet stench that lingered in your sheets long after she left. Her hips swayed with the confidence of a woman who knew how to use her body. She slid onto my lap without asking, nails tracing the outline of my stubbled jaw.
“Hey there,” she purred.
Usually, a woman like her would be the start of a memorable night. But her perfume choked the air around me, and I couldn’t get the sound of Merci’s laugh out of my head.
“Not interested,” I said flatly and pushed her gently off my lap. “Try Bayou.”
Her lips parted in surprise. “You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
She pouted but moved toward Bayou, who grinned like I’d just handed him a winning lottery ticket.
Fuse arched a brow. “Never seen you say no to a sure thing.”
I took a slow pull from my beer. Merci’s laughter drifted over again, cutting straight through the noise and smoke.
“I’m not in the mood,” I muttered. “I’m going upstairs. Chaos is better company anyway.”
Fuse chuckled. “Right. The dog’s better company. That’s how I know you got it bad.”
I didn’t respond. The truth clawed in my chest. There was one woman in this bar I could see, and she was the only one I could never have.
As I circled the bar to the stairway, a hand grabbed my shoulder.
