Page 5 of Shame

“No thank you,” the man says, smiling at the woman across from him. “We’re good.”

I smile politely, then look back at Fia, who seems frustrated. With a heavy sigh, I mentally pull up my panties and walk over to the bikers. I was really hoping Fia would take them since we share the bar, but it doesn’t look like it’ll happen. That table is giving her a hard time, and it isn’t fair to make the guys wait just because I’m overwhelmed by their looks.

“Afternoon, guys. What can I get you?” I ask, smiling and holding my pen to my pad and trying not to faint.

The house cat looks over the menu, even though I already know what he’s going to get. He orders the same thing every time he’s here. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the other guy call him Snapper, but I don’t know. The names they come up with for each other are strange, so I could be very wrong. Also, that could be a totally different person because I see so many of them here.

The other one though, the lion, he looks up at me, his blue eyes sparkling with humor. Good god, he’s handsome.

“How about your number?” he says, and my knees get all jelly-like.

“I-I’m sorry?” I say, a weird and anxious laugh slipping through my lips.

“My brother wants your number,” the house cat says, eyes still on the menu, tone bored.

“Oh, uh… what?” My brain clearly isn’t working. I heard what he asked me for. Heard what the other one said. I understand that he’s asking for my number, but I guess what’s tripping me up is…why?

“I told you this was a bad idea,” the house cat says. But the other one just keeps staring at me, those eyes still full of humor, his full lips turned up in a slight smile.

Wait, did he say brother? They are brothers? I knew it.

“I’d like your number,” he says. “You know, so I can call you. Maybe we can go out on a date.”

“A date?” I blurt, my fingers trembling. “I don’t think—um. Areyou sure?”

He laughs now, a deep and rich sound that has my chest warming.

“He’s only been talking about it for weeks,” the other guy mutters, eyes still on the menu.

The lion frowns, turning to his brother. “Can you ever shut your mouth?”

He shrugs. “When I’m sleeping.”

The rugged guy looks at me, shaking his head. “Sorry about him. So, is that a no?”

“Order up!” I flinch at the sound of Christian’s voice and turn to look in the window to see plates and a slip that belong to my table.

“Give me one minute,” I say, grabbing the plates and hurrying to drop them off.

“Can I get some hot sauce?” the teenager at the table asks, his grandmother smiling happily. I look around, grabbing it from the nearest table and handing it to him.

“And the saltshaker is empty,” he adds, offering it to me.

I grit my teeth and snatch one from the table beside him and hand it over, ignoring the one he tried giving me.

“Here, you can share with this table. I’ll be right back.”

I hurry back to the bar to find the rugged one whispering harshly to the other guy, who seems to not care he’s being chastised for something.

“I’m back,” I say, forcing a smile. Doesn’t take long to realize how stupid that sounds, so I mentally slap myself. God, what is wrong with me?

Chapter Three

Kaison

“Why you gotta be like that?” I growl at my brother, digging my elbow into his ribs. “You’re scaring her.”

He shoves me off. “IfI’mscaring her, what do you think you’ll do?”

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