Page 31 of Lucifer's Hounds

“Really?” Scott chuckles.

“Yep!”

“I’m not leaving you until you get done and walk out too. There’s all kinds of crazy fuckers out there.”

I sigh. “Okay.”

I finish my paperwork and count down the register. Scott finished wiping the tables while I finished everything else.

“Hey, I forgot that I have some paperwork to do in the office. It’ll probably take me a while, and once I get done, I’m just going to crash on the couch in the back,” I say.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Scout’s honor. I’ll be right here in the morning when your crew comes in to finish up the remodel.”

Without another word, Scott shakes his head and walks out the door. I walk out behind him to grab my bathroom bag from the car. Once I’m back in the bar, I make sure all the doors are locked and find my place on the couch in the back. I close my eyes and the events of the day play through my mind. I woke up hungover and on a manhunt for Cass, found him, gave him a piece of my…mind…and other things, then he rushes out, I come to work, and here I am, alone again and thinking of a man who disappears all the fucking time. At least this time I have his number.

I look over at the clock on the wall. 11:45 p.m. I dig into my pocket and retrieve Cass’s business card, dialing the number in my phone and sending a text.

Lilly: Hey boss man. It’s Lilly. Are you busy?

I sit my phone down on my chest so that I would know if it went off, but I fall asleep in ten seconds flat without ever hearing a sound.

Chapter Six

Iwake the next morning to my phone buzzing on my chest. I pick it up and stare at it through very sleepy eyes. An incoming call from Cass.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Miss Summers,” Cass says cheerfully.

“Good morning. What time is it?”

“Seven o’clock.”

“Really Cass?”

“Yes ma’am. Really.” His laughter makes me smile.

“Why are you calling me so early? Don’t you know I’m a bartender?” I hope he can’t hear the grumpy expression on my face.

“Yes, I do know. And I’m calling you so early because it has been brought to my attention that you’re sleeping on the couch of my bar again. Did you get drunk last night?” he asks, and about that time he steps around the corner of the door that leads to the front of the bar.

I hang up the phone, staring at him. The smile that creeps onto my face is one I can’t control nor hide, even if I wanted to. Seeingthis man does something to me. My smile fades quickly, though, as thoughts from yesterday cross my mind. Reasons why he may have left and ran off.

“What?” he asks, noticing the change in my face.

“Nothing.”

“No, something’s on your mind. What is it?”

“You keep leaving, disappearing without a trace or an explanation for that matter. What am I supposed to think? Because right now, I can tell you what I think.”

“What do you think?” he asks.

“I think you’re married. That you have a wife at home who probably has no idea what you’re out doing, or who you’re out doing things with.” I figure now is as good of a time as any to be honest.

“Lilly, I’m not married. I don’t have a wife at home. I’m the President of a fucking MC that needs my attention ninety percent of the time. I have a role to fill, and my club comes first.”

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