Page 70 of Lucifer's Hounds

“. . . they did. All right y’all. Let’s get this band back started and everybody drink up!”

A roar of cheers surges through the crowd, and Scott starts making his way toward Cass with me in tow. I walk closely behind Scott, tip-toeing so that he can hear me over the roar of the crowd.

“I hate you for that,” I say, hoping it’s loud enough he can hear me.

Scott smirks at me over his shoulder. “You’ll get over it.”

The wide grin on Cass’s face when we stop in front of him tells me that he is fully enjoying this.

“All thanks to Lilly,” Cass says, wrapping his arm around my lower waist.

Scott and Cass share a laugh while my face remains indifferent.

“Lilly! I need some limes, and I may or may not need your help back here. They’re getting crazy,” Mindy calls from behind the bar.

I say a silent thank you as I evade the grip Cass has on me and inch my way back behind the bar, where it’s safe. While I cut limes, I see that Mindy and Lucy are nonstop. People are still pouring in.

The men in the bar that are wearing patches are more respectful to the bartenders than the majority of the bar patrons.

The night goes on to be one of the best experiences behind a bar that I can recall. Mindy and I work so well together in our small space that not once did we collide. Cass is somewhere out in the crowd socializing, last I checked, with Scott nearby, never far from him. I spot a few familiar faces from the club. The two prospects, Leo and Shorty, are in the crowd along with the guy that I confronted at the machine shop, and of course, Scott. Then there are four others wearing a Lucifer’s Hounds patch that I’ve never seen before.

The crowd is slowly thinning out and I’m grateful. Mindy is making a list of the beer that we need to stock while Ryan cleansoff the tables. A few of the Hounds are taking trash cans out and Cass is nowhere to be found. Leo and Shorty approach the bar.

“Cass told us to check and see what you needed done,” Leo says.

“I need beer stocked, and then when we get everyone out, I have to clean the bar.”

“Okay, can we start stocking beer now, or do we need to wait?” Shorty asks.

“Let’s wait until it gets a little bit slower.”

“Fine by us,” Leo calls over his shoulder as he and Shorty disappear back into the crowd.

Mindy rests her head on my shoulder. “My best friend totally fucking rocked it tonight.”

“Oh yeah? That’s funny becausemybest friend totally fucking rocked it tonight,” I reach up and rest my hand on her face.

“We kicked ass. It’s good to have you back, Lil.”

“I wasn’t even gone that long!”

“Well, it felt like forever. How are things with you and boss man?”

“There is not a word in the English language that would do it justice. Amazing sounds so feeble compared to what it’s like with Cass.” I feel my face relax at the thought of he and I.

“I’m so happy for you.”

“Excuse me, can I get a bartender?” I hear Leo’s voice from behind the bar.

Turning around, I see him standing with Shorty on his side. I can’t help the smile that creeps across my lips at the sight of them. They’re becoming almost like family. Not because of anything other than the fact that they treat me as such.

“You two must really be bored.” I sigh. “Come on, I think we can start stocking. Shorty, will you get Ryan to close up her register and come see me please?”

“Yep. I’m on it.”

In the meantime, Mindy begins sweeping behind the bar while I show Leo where the stock room is. It’s nice to have help, especially after the long night we’ve had.

Ryan rounds the corner of the bar into the lounge where I’m hiding out taking a break. She plops down on the couch right next to me.

---