Page 34 of Forever To Me

The second man, a wiry guy with mean eyes, chuckles as he nudges his buddy. “Feisty one, huh? I like a woman with a little bite.”

My body goes rigid, and I straighten from where I’m wiping down the bar. I can tell Red can handle herself, but the way these guys leer at her has my fists twitching.

Red, however, doesn’t even blink.

She leans forward, planting both hands on the bar, her voice dropping to something low and sharp as a knife’s edge.

“Listen, boys. If you want another drink, I’ll pour it. If you want to keep running your mouths, I’ll shut them for you. Your choice.”

The first man sneers, glancing at his buddy. “Oh yeah? And what’re you gonna do, sweetheart?”

Red smiles. The slow, dangerous smile that makes me even pause.

Oh shit. I really don’t want to go to jail tonight for beating these fuckers’ asses.

“I’m gonna throw your sorry asses out myself,” she says easily.

The first man scoffs. “Like hell, you are?—”

He doesn’t even get the rest of the sentence out before Red grabs his half-full beer bottle and slams it against the bar, shattering the glass right next to his hand.

The entire bar goes silent.

Red doesn’t even flinch as shards of glass skitter across the counter.

“You were saying?” she asks, arching a brow.

The second guy shoots out of his seat, his chair scraping against the floor. “You crazy bi?—”

Red is faster.

Before he can move, she reaches over the bar, grabs him by the collar, and yanks him forward, planting his face flat against the sticky wooden surface.

The bar erupts into cheers and laughter, regulars banging on their tables, hooting as Red keeps the guy pinned with one hand.

“You done?” she asks him, voice dead calm.

He mutters something unintelligible.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

She lets go and steps back, dusting off her hands like she’s just taken out the trash.

“Now, unless you want to get familiar with the floor, I suggest you and your friend get out.”

The burly guy scrambles off his stool, grabbing hisbuddy, and both men stumble toward the door with their tails between their legs.

The second they’re out, the bar erupts in cheers.

Sitting at the corner booth with Poppy, Cami let out a whistle. “Goddamn, Red, I think I just fell in love a little.”

Poppy raised her beer. “To Red, badass bartender of the century. Walker, I hope you took notes.”

Oh, I took notes. I was ready to step in at any moment, but she never needed it. She had it under control just fine.

Red shakes her head, smirking as she reaches under the bar for a broom. “Dumbasses never learn.”

I lean against the back counter, watching her with an amused expression. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

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