Page 12 of White Raven
“Miss Sarah,” Tony smiled, tipping his floppy cap and sliding into the seat next to Decclan. Athan shot her a look, and she responded with one of her own, narrowing her eyes with a devious smile.
Jealous.
Oh, she’d get it later. He’d make sure of that. His fingers pressed suggestively into her hip and she turned into him, a hint of fangs biting down into her bottom lip. Damn it, she’d be his fucking ruin.
I’m gonna relish the sound my palm makes when I thoroughly spank this ass, later.
He moved said palm down, slyly taking a handful of her rear and squeezing it. Devin turned a chair and set it at the end of the table next to where they were standing, lowering himself into it.
“I dunno if Athan told ‘ya doll, but…you start something in front of me, I have a tendency to help finish it.” His excited grin was ridiculous, and he wagged his brows. A toothpick stuck out of the corner of his mouth, and he chewed it happily.
“For God’s sake, Dev…” Decclan spat.
The waitress cleared her throat. “Can I get you gentlemen anything?”
Tony spoke for all of them. “Scotch, please. Three doubles.” She nodded sweetly, and turned away, rushing off while Athan let Sarah into the seat first, and slid in beside her.The table was quiet, and they all stared at each other for an awkward moment before Decclan broke the silence.
“I can see why you chose this place. I bet you came here a lot.”
Athan smirked. “Remind you of somewhere?”
Devin piped up. “Hattie’s. Damn, that lady smelled good. Mean as shit, but sweet as sin in the sack. I don’t think there was anything she wouldn’t let ‘ya do to her.”
“Do you think of anything else, Dev?” Tony asked, shaking his head.
“Not really,” Devin grinned, chewing the hell out of that toothpick.
“First honest thing you’ve said in a century,” Decclan rolled his eyes.
“I’m hurt.” Devin pressed a hand to his chest.
“Here ya go, guys.” The waitress passed out whiskey and laid down a steaming bowl of the same stew Sarah ordered last time, as well as a plate with a massive hunk of Porter cake with bourbon drip sauce. Their guest’s eyes went wide as the waitress left the table.
Sarah stirred her stew around with a spoon and when she looked up to see them staring in awe, she drew her brows together. “Shit, I’m sorry. She took our order right before you came in. Want us to get you a menu?”
Tony looked like he was about to weep. It took about half a second more of dumbfounded silence before Athan finally figured out what was going on.
“You didn’t know, did you?” Athan asked, looking between them all.
“Know what?” Sarah asked, innocently.
Athan forked his cake, lifting it to his mouth, and then chewing it. God…it was…warm. Incredibly sweet. Flavorful. He almost kicked himself for not ordering it last time. It was amonumental effort not to get as emotional as the three of his oldest comrades looked right now. Decclan raised up a hand and started snapping his fingers, wide-eyed.
“E-excuse me! Ma’am? Can we…can we get menus please?” His voice broke slightly, and Athan could swear he heard a sniffle come from Devin. Decclan leaned over the table. “Have we been able to eat this entire time?”
“Do we not need blood anymore?” Tony asked, lip quivering.
Sarah looked wholly moved. Those hazel irises sparkled in the pub light as she looked up at him. She hadn’t even touched her stew yet. He reached down and grabbed the hand she rested in her lap. “You can survive on either, mates.” Athan smiled at them.
None of them hesitated in ordering half the menu. When the food came, there were tears—especially after the first few bites of…well…everything. More whiskey was ordered, and damn near two hours passed before anyone realized that the reason Athan had asked them here hadn’t even been given a second thought. Brent hadn’t called, thankfully, and it seemed there was still plenty of time to get the answers they came for. Athan and Sarah both slipped cigarettes into their mouths, and he reached over to light hers before lighting his own.
“I still can’t believe you of all people are settling down, Athan Kane.” Decclan sipped his whiskey. “Are you planning to stay in Boston?”
Athan pulled an arm around the back of Sarah’s shoulders, and she leaned into him. Again, the normalcy of this new life felt so much easier than he thought it should. If anyone had told him years ago that he’d be sitting around a table with these men, clutching a woman he planned to marry, and eating Porter cake while he chased it with whiskey…he’d have told them they were insane.
Insane.
Wasn’t that the best part of all of this? But with the light of that insanity, also came the dark. Which was why they were here. Athan tapped the end of his cigarette on the rim of the cup they’d been disposing the butts in. “Probably not. But we won’t be leaving quite as quickly as you lot.”
