Page 35 of The Thief

Robyn turned her attention to the pool tables when the balls clacked together. “I can’t imagine any decent pack taking him in. If they’re a package deal, they’ll probably want her more than him. Did she see you?”

“To be honest, I don’t have any idea. After meeting with Atticus, I was shook up.”

Joy rubbed her arms. “The thought of being alone with a Vampire frightens me. All that power they have is unnatural. Not just physical power, but look what they did to your memories. I’ve met a lot of Vampires in my life, but I always kept my distance. I’ve heard too many stories about how they drink blood, steal life, and erase memories. The only good quality about them is their blood can heal, but they hardly ever give it to others, so what’s the point?”

A man sauntered over to our table and gave Joy a bashful look. “I’ve been looking at you from across the room, and I just couldn’t help myself.”

She regarded him for a second before touching her blond hair. Joy didn’t need to doll herself up. She possessed a natural beauty that caught everyone’s eye. But that didn’t mean she shied away from makeup. Today it was just thin eyeliner, peach blush, and shimmery eye shadow.

He cocked his head to the side. “Do you know who you look like?”

“Audrey Hepburn?” she replied facetiously.

He snorted. “No! Marilyn Monroe. I just love her. Especially in that movie where her dress blew over her head.” He scratched his upper lip. “Would you mind singing the birthday song in her voice?”

Joy looked down at her glass. “I don’t sing.”

“Sure you can. Just one line. It’ll make my day.”

I shot to my feet and took his arm before he made Joy any more uncomfortable. “Come on, Ricky. Let’s get you back to your table before you embarrass yourself. I know your mate wouldn’t want to get the wrong idea that you’re flirting with a mated woman.”

“No, of course not.” He grinned sheepishly over his shoulder at Joy as we walked away. “I think she’s a looker. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.”

“And what am I, chopped liver?”

“No, I don’t mean?—”

“Here we are. You boys keep an eye on Ricky. Did I mention we’ll be opening the kitchen any day now? Be sure to come early so you can be the first ones in line. The food’s so good you’ll think your grandma cooked it.”

Instead of returning to our table, I decided to check on Bear and see if he needed help.

“Mercy?” A pretty woman discreetly waved me over. She and her two friends shared conspiratorial looks as I neared the table.

“What can I get you ladies?”

“Who’s that man in the kitchen? The big guy with the beard.”

“You mean Bear?” I looked toward the kitchen, but Bear wasn’t in sight. They must have seen him earlier.

Her friends giggled fiendishly.

“Bear,” she said, letting the word roll off her tongue like a punch line to a joke. “He’s more like a whole mountain.”

“One I’d like to climb,” her friend with the short bob quipped.

When they erupted with salacious laughter, I left the table.

Bear undoubtedly turned heads when he entered a room. Not only because he filled a doorway, but his quiet nature and loud boots intimidated people who didn’t know him. Though he might be the biggest man in the room, he sure as heckfire wasn’t a carnival ride, and it upset me to hear those women plotting to buy a ticket.

After pushing through the swing doors, I entered the kitchen straight ahead. The storage and inventory rooms were on the left side by the back exit, the dishwashing station on the right. By the looks of the dirt and grease, it had seen better days. The counters ran along both walls with a long island in the middle.

Bear wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so I crossed to the other side of the island and found him halfway inside a cabinet, his rear end sticking out.

I smiled. “Everything okay down there?”

Bang went his head on the roof of the cabinet.

Bear crawled out, rubbing his scalp. “You sure can sneak up on a man.”

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