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“Keep the change,” he said, passing me a bill. He rose to study the bar, eyes fixing on a booth near the door. He approached the booth and took a seat, sighing as he sat down.
The door swung open as Lucas took his seat. A tall figure entered, wearing a leather trench coat, black jeans and black boots. Short blonde hair, clean shaven. Very handsome, tall, lean and well-muscled. The coat sat casually back on his shoulders, accentuating his defined muscles. I could see his broad shoulders and biceps showing through the leather.
This must be Lucas’s friend, Jack. Wow.
Jack approached Lucas, and they clasped hands as they clapped each other on the shoulder. They exchanged a few words I couldn’t quite work out. They both laughed raucously, and Jack then turned to approach the bar.
I brushed my hair back with a hand and adjusted my top, trying to look casual as I waited.
Suddenly I froze, recognition sparking at the back of my mind. My gut turned to ice. I racked my brain trying to remember where I’d seen the guy. It finally dawned on me where we’d met before.
No. Can’t be. Fuck you, Conall.
The guy looked a hell of lot different, smartly dressed. Well groomed, not a mess like he did before. Clear, sharp eyes.
He had been an associate of the O’Rourkes, working as an enforcer and dealer. He’d risen through the ranks pretty fast, so Conall had told me, jealousy in his voice. I’d only met him once or twice, and he hadn’t paid me any attention at all. I remember his eyes. Focused and deadly looking. Cold. Never any fear.
I guessed Conall had contacted him upon his return to town, as Jack seemed to have somehow avoided prison. I was suddenly convinced Conall had sent him to watch or intimidate me.
I was still frozen in shock as he approached me, my mind racing in fear at the figure in front of me.
But something about him… seems different. What’s changed?
I grimaced as his eyes roved my body hungrily, before snapping back to my face. His gaze narrowed for a second, then he grinned mischievously at me.
“Hey. Hope I’m not bothering you, miss. Can I get a beer?”
Cindy walked over and elbowed me in the ribs.
“Now ain't the time to act like a rabbit in the headlights!” she whispered in my ear, pushing me towards the bar where Jack was standing.
I forced a smile, looking up into his eyes.
“Sure thing, hon. What’ll you have?”
His stare locked mine intently for a second. I felt something pass between us, but I wasn’t sure what. He ordered the same as Lucas, but with a whiskey instead of a tequila, knocking the whiskey back, gasping gratefully as he did so.
“And one for you and your friend, too.”
I poured his beer out with a shaky hand. My heart sank at his words.
Why does the hottest guy I’ve ever seen walk in here, hell, one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen, have to be a damn gangster? Just my luck.
I passed him his beer. “It’s ok. I got a drink already,” I lied, giving him his change. Cindy took another drink for herself from the fridge behind us.
“Ok. Suit yourself. I’ll keep asking though, until you let me buy you one.” He winked at me as he turned to stride towards Lucas in his booth.
I felt Cindy approach me from behind, hand on my shoulder as she spoke into my ear.
“What the hell are you doing? Look at him!” She was frowning as I turned to face her, starting to go a little red in the face. “Isn’t that what you’re all dressed up for? To meet someone just like him?”
I opened my mouth to talk, not sure how to explain to Cindy that this guy was a nasty gangster.
“He’s…. He’s. Uh, he’s a friend of my ex, Conall. I think he might be involved in, you know. Dealing. Drugs. Not the sort of stuff I want to get involved in.”
Again.
Cindy laughed at me, tears welling in her eyes as she shook her head.
