Page 84 of Wicked Temptation

“This is Lisbeth.” Samson smiled wide, and it warmed Lisbeth’s heart.

“Classy name for a classy lady.” Red motioned to the barstools. “Sit yourselves down and get comfortable.

Red went back behind the bar and bellowed. “Josie, get your sweet ass out here.”

“What the fuck are you yelling about, old man?” A woman in her fifties emerged from the back with platinum hair piled high on her head, a skin-tight tank top advertising the River Saloon, and lycra jeans. “Holy shit, Samson.”

She also came around the bar, crushed her arms around Samson, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek. “Did you finally come to rescue me from this shit hole?”

“Sorry, sweetheart, not today.” They both broke out in laughter. “Josie, this is Lisbeth.”

Red set two beers in front of them as Josie’s gaze traveled over Lisbeth from head to toe. “Damn pretty—and tall. She would’ve been a headliner when Red and me owned that strip club in Barstow back in the day.”

“Funny you should say that 'cause—”

Lisbeth’s swift kick and bugged eyes stopped Samson mid-sentence.

“Ahhh, hun, you don’t have to be shy around us. Shit, I was fuckin’ for money when Red and I first met, but I looked into those big brown eyes of his, and I gave up the life. Just like that.” Then she leaned in and stage whispered, “Of course, it helped that his dick was as thick as a beer can.”

Lisbeth huffed out a gusty laugh, happy she hadn’t sipped her beer yet.

“Enough talking. Let me get in the kitchen and get you some food 'cause I know you didn’t come all the way from Vegas to look at his ugly puss.”

Josie sashayed around the bar, and Lisbeth could easily picture her as an old-time saloon girl with a heart of gold.

“Well, Samson, how the hell are you?” A tall, thin man strode up the back hall, and they did the male backslap thing. “Heard good things about that Vegas club.”

“We’re getting it together.”

Then he turned to Lisbeth. “I’m Cage, and the first time I met this fucker was in a roadhouse even worse than this dump.”

“True story,” Samson confirmed.

“He was scouting fighters down here, surrounded by a bunch of guys who looked like they walked off theGoodfellasset.”

“All right, don’t give away all my secrets.” Samson took a long pull on his beer.

“You ever see this bastard fight?” Cage asked her.

“No.” Lisbeth shook her head. Even back in Brooklyn, she refused to go with him. Bad enough, she had to see the damage afterward.

“He’s a fucking warrior in the cage. Only one equal to you is that Serpent from Vegas, Mamba.”

“Okay, here you go.” Josie returned, her arms laden with food. “Eat up, and there’s plenty more.”

Lisbeth’s mouth watered at the array: burgers with melted cheese and strips of bacon on thick rolls, crispy french fries, a platter of hot wings, and a bowl of steaming mac and cheese.

“We must look hungry.” Lisbeth popped a fry in her mouth.

“Sex starved is more like it.” Samson dug into the burger. “You gotta taste the burger first. Best fuckin’ thing you’ll ever eat.”

Lisbeth bit into the heavenly combination of meat, cheddar cheese, and thick bacon. “Mmmm, it’s delicious.”

Unbelievably, they polished off most of the food, had another beer, then picked at a chocolate brownie smothered in vanilla ice cream.

A few more men and women came in, and they all knew Samson too. He’d certainly made an impression on the small town.

“Seems like everybody knows you down here.”

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