Page 34 of The Princess and Her Mercenary

"Okay, I'm convinced." Ndari went up on her toes and tugged his head down for a kiss. He laid one on her while the other bar patrons jostled them.

“Gotta take a piss first," Keane said, pulling away. “You stay here. Don’t move and don’t speak to anyone.”

She smiled as he walked away. Even his crudeness was becoming endearing. What was happening to her? She usually hated guys that were vulgar, avoided them like the plague. She liked to be wined and dined, treated like a… well, a Princess. But Keane was different. Maybe it was because she knew that he was really quite intelligent underneath all the brashness and muscles.

She finished her drink while he was gone and just as she turned to scan the crowd for him a fight broke out. At first, she was amused. Ndari had never seen a bar fight before. Then she realized what was at the center of the fight. Or who was at the center of the fight. Keane.

Men were throwing punches at him all over the place. He was taking them on blow for blow. Only the punches he threw had a lot more impact, sending men flying this way and that.

"You think you can come into my town, come into my bar, after not saying a word for 20 fucking years?" some guy yelled. “I don’t think so, boy.”

Yup, this was definitely about Keane. Ndari stood chewing on the inside of her cheek, wondering if she should step in or if she should allow the very big, very well armed mercenary take care of himself.

She turned to the bartender. "Another drink please."

She really did have a good view for the fight. It became quickly obvious that no one was very serious; they were mostly interested in throwing each other around and tipping tables over. Ndari glanced at the bartender who stood behind her watching as well.

"You don't break this sort of thing up?" She took a healthy sip of her drink.

"Not worth it," the bartender assured her. "They always pay for the damages and it's easier to leave them to fight it out."

"Did you know Keane?" she asked curiously.

"A little," he admitted.

"What was he like?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow at her. "You really want to know what that hellraiser was like 20 years ago?"

She thought about it. "On second thought don't tell me."

The boys looked like they were about to wrap up the fight so Ndari turned back to the bar and handed the bartender a roll of bills. "This round’s on me. A Guinness for everyone."

He gave her a wink and took the cash. An arm slid around her waist and dragged her into a big sweaty body. She tipped her face up, a grin teasing her lips as she prepared to accept Keene's kiss and an apology for leaving her alone while he played with his boys. Only the big sweaty man holding her was not Keane.

"Scream and I'll cut you.”

The man slipped a knife inside her jacket and pressed the sharp edge beneath her breast. She sucked air into her lungs trying to pull her rib cage away from the sharp blade. This couldn’t possibly be a palace guard? She gazed at the man. Nope, he definitely had an Irish look about him. He was big, he was hairy, he wore jeans and a stained T-shirt. But the thing that really tipped the scales was his accent. Dammit, how could she manage to get herself in trouble after only one day in a brand-new country?

As the man ushered her through the bar, weaving around the patrons, she threw a glance over her shoulder just in time to see Keane's big red head twisting this way and that searching for her. Everything inside her wanted to shout for him but the knife against her breast stopped her.

"I hope your affairs are in order, buddy," she said seriously. "Because my boyfriend is definitely going to kill you for this.”

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