Page 69 of Lucifer's Hounds

“Hell yeah, Boo Boo. I got this shit handled.”

I get lost in the zone, slinging drinks and cutting up with Mindy and the customers. I scan the crowd constantly, noticing familiar faces of regulars and construction workers amongst the sea of people. There are patch holders scattered throughout the bar, coming out to support their brother in his new business endeavor. Ryan seems to be rocking the cash bar because every time I catch her eye, she gives me a big smile and a thumbs-up.

Ryan’s hair is red with blonde highlights, she’s got light blue eyes and a beautiful smile. She’s loud and straight-forward with an hourglass figure that would make any man’s mouth water. She comes off strong to customers, but it didn’t take me very long to realize that was simply her way.

I give a questioning thumbs up to her when we make eye contact again. She nods and gives me one in return.

Lucy is making her way around behind the bar with ease and between her and Mindy, I don’t think they need me behind the bar anymore. I scan the bar one more time before I slip out into the crowd.

Everyone is either on the dance floor jamming to the band or huddled around one of the many tables on the outer edge of the dance floor.

As my eyes dart from person to person, they stop on a double-headed snake patch in the center of a man’s back.

Shit. He’s talking to Scott, who looks the least bit pleased with the conversation, but it’s hard to tell from across the room.

Whatever Scott says appears to have pissed the guy off because he turns on his heel and stalks toward the bar.

He’s shorter than Scott by a few inches at least with grungy brown hair. His beard is scraggly, tangled, and splotchy. When he hands his money over to Mindy, I notice the bruises in the crease of his arms. Both of them are bruised and full of tracks marks. The front of his cut has multiple patches. One reads ‘MFFM’, some have weird sayings on them, but the one thatstands out is the one that gives his name and rank. Keith, Vice President. So that’s who Cass was talking to.

I watch him closely until he exits the building, my shoulders relaxing with his absence. I scan the bar and my eyes land on Cass. He’s talking to some of the Hounds that I haven’t seen before when a black-haired woman approaches him. He hugs her and his hand lingers a little too long on her hip for my liking. Cass must have felt me staring at him because he looks directly at me and when he makes eye contact, he removes his hand from the woman.

I take in a shallow breath, fighting the jealousy that threatens to rage inside my chest. I look down the bar, making sure Mindy doesn’t need me before I disappear to the lounge area to take a break and have a moment to ease the building tension in my chest.

I stop in front of the walk-in cooler and rest my head against the cold metal doors. I draw in a long, deep breath before exhaling slowly and sitting down at the table. I light a cigarette, lean my head back, and let my eyes close as I exhale smoke.

A hand grazes my stomach, and I nearly jump out of my skin. I whip my head around to find Cass standing behind me, smiling. His smile quickly fades though.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just getting a hold on the jealous bitch inside me.” I offer him an apologetic smile and shrug my shoulders.

“No, no. You have nothing to be jealous of. At all.”

“I know. That’s why I didn’t say anything,” I say, taking another drag from my cigarette.

“Okay. I just want to make sure you know. I may be a lot of things, but disrespectful to my woman ain’t one of ‘em.”

I have this stupid grin on my face again as I stare up at him. “Thank you.”

“You look sexy as hell out there. I bet every man in here wants to take you home.” His calloused finger brushes a loose strand of hair from my forehead.

“You’re crazy.”

“Over you maybe.”

The thought of Cass being a little crazy over me is satisfying. Because maybe I’m not the only one who’s a little crazy in this relationship. I let myself get lost in the thought of the two of us for only a moment before reality snaps its ugly head back into place.

Mindy rounds the corner to the lounger area. “Lilly? I hate to interrupt but I need you out here, and you too boss man.”

We follow her out to the bar where Scott is standing on the stage with a microphone.

“I’d like everyone to meet the person who is responsible for tonight, as well as many more to come in this establishment right here. Miss Lilly Summers.”

Scott motions for me, but my feet are cemented to the ground. Not Lilly. Cass. It’s Cass’s place. He is responsible. And then it dawns on me, slapping me glaringly in the face. Everything was put in my name on purpose, so therefore, to the public, it’s me.

I beckon my feet to move and with a nudge from Cass, I am walking to the center of the bar where Scott is standing. My face turns at least one shade redder with every step that takes me closer to Scott and the full attention of the bar.

I step beside him and turn to face the bar. Scott starts clapping, followed by everyone else in the crowd. My eyes wander over everyone, and I muster that fake bartender smile for show. Evidently, Scott has been talking to the crowd while my mind races impossibly fast. I act like I heard him and face him catching the ass-end of whatever he was saying.

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