Page 2 of Bound by Passion (Ravage MC)

Buddy, the bouncer from the front door, showed up like poof, a magician, grabbed the man from behind and carried him away from the bar, no doubt throwing him out of the building. Here was to hoping he would either get an attitude adjustment or be banned from the place.

Or maybe I could go to his home and teach him how to speak to women. He had no respect at all. Dickheads were all around me, but this one, for some reason, got to me. Maybe it wasn’t just him. All this time, pushing down the comments, taking the come-ons and insults; it had worn me down to this moment. The split second I could no longer keep the tiger inside me in her cage.

Blinking, I focused and calmed my breathing. I could feel the gleam of sweat coating my skin as I allowed my emotions to snowball into the rage that would, and could, easily end the man who crossed me. Not today, I got a pass, with not showing too much and so did he. Hopefully, he wouldn’t come back here … ever. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was here to do a job, and a job I would do.

“Hate to ask, but can I get a Bud Light?” a man with dark hair, handsome bone structure, and a genuine smile asked, grabbing my attention as I used the bar rag to clean up the mess the man made when he lunged at me, hopefully appearing a bit more subdued than moments before.

“I don’t make it a policy not to serve drinks, considering that’s my job.” My tone had an edge, more bite to it than I wanted. I reached into the cooler, pulled out a bottle, and stretched the bottle opener I had attached to my belt, taking the cap off. Setting it down on the counter in front of him, I tried to control my resting bitch face to be a tad more inviting. If I scared away the customers, that would be horrible for business. “Four fifty.”

The man slid six bucks to me. “Keep it. Thanks.”

On a nod, he disappeared into the crowd. I let out a deep breath that I didn’t even realize I had been holding in.

Why on earth did I let that asshole get to me? Stupid. That was the kind of shit that would turn my life upside down, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.Head in the game!

Holding myself back was getting harder and harder.

“I just went to take a leak. What the hell happened?” Cass, another one of the bartenders who was on duty with me asked.

Shrugging my left shoulder, I replied, “He smelled.” Aiming for nonchalance, I missed my mark with the level of sarcasm dripping from my tongue.

Cass burst out laughing. He had this deep belly laugh that only came out when he really thought something was funny. Secretly, I loved I could give him that. Laughter wasn’t something I heard a lot. These few moments, seconds where I could embrace human interaction was something normal I cherished.

“Let’s not fuck up all the tips for the night.” His grin was wide. Teasing. I found comfort in it. Casual was something I didn’t have before. Just the mere taste of it now was this piece of peace I relished.

I looked around the bar and held out my arm, motioning to all the people around us. “You’re good. Swear it.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Gotta know, where’d that spunk come from?” he asked me, genuinely curious.

He should be. Outside of this moment, none of them knew I had it in me. The me they experienced night after night was meek, charming, sweet, and shy. Not the me I covered in a cloak of darkness.

If I could smack my head without looking like a moron in front of everyone, I would. Instead, I shrugged, wishing like hell I could flash a magic wand and make them all forget the moments before. Instead of giving more to him, I continued refilling two drafts to the left of me as if it was no big deal. Taking the money and cashing them out, Cass caught me at the register.

A small smile played on his lips, “Like it, Nyx. Good to know you have somethin’ under all that stiffness.”

My shoulders relaxed just a touch, relishing that he saw just a glimmer of the shreds of me, then sharply went back in place. Cass had no idea why I had the hard shell around me. He’d probably shit his pants at just half of everything my life had encompassed. Not that I’d ever tell him.

It was best for all of us. The less he knew the safer he was. In turn, the safer I was. No one could know.

Cass and I worked like a well-oiled machine together, catching tickets and filling orders like we were on fire. One after the other.

Two hours later, I was tossing my blonde hair up in a messy bun that didn’t look half bad judging from the mirror at the back of the bar, because it was hotter than hell. Always as the night went on, the temperature continued rising in the joint. Most of the time I’d go home soaked from sweat. Thank fuck for good makeup, or it would be running down my face.

The tip jar behind the bar grew and grew. Cass and I would split it at the end of the night. It was just how we did things. He was very charismatic, and I showed cleavage. Win. Win.

The volume in the bar went down a few notches more than normal, and my eyes swung to the door. Instincts kept me aware of all things at all times, including the number of people within my radius. I hadn’t made it this far without knowing when my attention needed to be on something.

Immediately I found what, or should I say who, was pulling everyone’s attention their way.

The Ravage Motorcycle Club was everything in Sumner, and two of its members had just taken center stage. A path moving like a body of water parting let them through with ease, even though there was still a crush of people. It didn’t matter. They were considered gods around here.

Sexy. Check.

Leather. Check.

Bad boys. Check.

Don’t give a fuck attitude. Check.

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