Page 16 of Clash of Kings

“You’re ridiculous,” Bas muttered.

“No. I am merely a male in his prime.” Anthony lifted his glass, saluted Bas with it, then drank half of it in one go.

Sebastian wanted to get Noah alone and ask him about Dakota, but he didn’t think it would be wise. While he was trying to figure out how to get information about the female who was possibly his mate, Anthony was tapping his fingers against the bar. It was something he did often, most times when he was hatching a plan. Anthony downed his ale and signaled for another.

When Noah placed it in front of him, Anthony closed his fingers around the glass. “Thanks, man. This place is great. Have you worked here long?”

“A few years. Vernon, the owner, is a good boss, the customers are family, and it’s good money.”

“Are you the only bartender?”

“No. Well, I wasn’t until earlier. The other bartender decided to take off for a while. Excuse me.” Noah walked down the bar to refill someone’s beer, and Sebastian glanced at his cousin who had his head turned, no doubt watching Jolee. Bas didn’t say anything. If Anthony had a plan, it was most likely a good one. His mind was sharp, and it made him an excellent investigator.

When Jolee returned with another order, Anthony leaned closer and whispered, “Is everyone here like us?”

“You mean hot?”

Anthony barked out a laugh, and Jolee grinned. “No. Other.”

“I knew what you meant, and yes. If you haven’t noticed, Panther isn’t exactly a tourist mecca. Other than the three of you, I can’t remember the last time we had outsiders. Like Noah said, everyone here is family. Since your meeting with King was cut short, are you all hanging around for a while or…?”

“If I received an offer from a pretty female, I could be persuaded to stick around. If not, our hotel is about an hour away, and we’ll be headed back there until King reschedules our meeting.”

Jolee propped her elbow on the bar. “You’d ditch your Alpha for a date?”

Sebastian leaned over so he could see the waitress. “Anthony would ditch me for a cheeseburger. He has no shame.”

Anthony shrugged. “He’s not wrong. I’m a growing Gar— uh garbage disposal. What can I say?”

The door opened, and Jolee straightened, taking a step away from Anthony. Sloane marched up to her and grabbed her arm. “We need to talk.”

“I’m working, Sloane.”

“I don’t give a shit. If you know where Dakota is, you need to tell me now.”

Bas leaned around Lydia and put a hand on Anthony’s arm when he growled. They were in someone else’s territory, and it wouldn’t help their cause for getting King to agree to sitting on the council if Anthony got in a fight with the Alpha’s second.

Sloane was a large male, but when he looked over at Anthony, he must have sensed the warning signs of a pissed off alpha male because he let go of Jolee’s arm and stepped back.

Jolee glared at Sloane. “She wouldn’t tell me where she’s going. Plausible deniability and all that.”

Sloane nodded once, then turned and motioned for Noah. When the bartender walked up, Sloane asked, “What about you? Did you know she was running?”

“Not until I got here today. She asked if I wanted her shifts, and I said yes. You know I need the money.”

“Fuck.” Sloane ran his hands through his hair. “I can’t believe the bitch ran.”

“Hey,” Jolee and Bas complained at the same time.

It was Sebastian who Sloane focused on. “You got something to say?”

“Yes. I think it’s disrespectful to call Dakota a bitch even if she is a wolf.”

“Yeah, well, if you ever met her, you’d call her one too. Thinking she’s so much better than everybody. I told King he was making a mistake.” Sloane pointed a finger at Jolee. “If you talk to her, tell her to get her ass back to Panther. Alpha’s orders.” Then he stormed back out the front door.

Anthony placed his hand on Jolee’s where she was white-knuckling the bar. “Are you okay?”

She slipped her hand out from under Anthony’s. “I’m fine. And Sloane’s wrong about Kody. She’s not a bitch, just a female who knows what she wants. Or doesn’t.”

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