Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 149209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Clint.”
With that, Andy dismisses us. Ash and I file down the hall.
My buddy laughs. “You in the role of Bethany’s protector. Oh, the irony…”
“Hey, I’m not out to hurt her. I just want justice. I have no doubt she helped to swindle those people, so she deserves to pay as the law provides.”
“Fair enough. But, um…she clearly flips your switch. How are you going to keep your paws off her?”
Bethany Banks turning me on visually is fucking inconvenient. I’m sure that once I start talking to the woman, her personality will quickly turn me off. “I’ll work it out.”
I follow Ash behind the bar, where he claps Terry on the back in greeting. The guy turns, looking pale and clammy, mumbles that he feels like death warmed over, then drags his ass out of the place.
“I don’t think that’s a hangover,” I mutter.
“Nope. If Terry is down for the count, the next few days are going to be insane.” Ash sighs. “Ready for the madhouse?”
“Let’s do it.”
It takes me less than ten minutes to learn how the bar is set up, where the spare supplies are kept, and who’s responsible for what. Since Ash and I have also bartended together before, this won’t be hard. Then he introduces me to the other waitress on duty, Montana. She’s a sultry brunette with dark eyes, golden skin, and big tits. Honestly, she’s usually my speed in women.
And yet as we’re chatting and she’s flirting, my gaze keeps straying to Bethany. What is it about her? She’s beautiful, but what else? Is it her aloofness? Maybe. I want to figure her out so I can understand why a brilliant woman, surely capable of making her own fortune, would help her father fleece people. The angry part of me wants to grasp how she managed not to get caught. Mostly, I fear the attraction is chemical and, regardless of what logic tells me, I want to nail her.
Fuck.
When a customer calls for a refill, Montana jaunts off with a wink. Ash pulls me to the front of the bar. “Are you that rusty? Montana would totally do you, and you blew her off.”
I know, and the fact I’m not interested annoys me. “I’m not here for sex. Introduce me to ‘Beth’ and let’s get this farce going.”
As we approach, she sets a beer down in front of a guy who’s fortyish in a Hawaiian shirt—like a lot of the tourists here. He eyes her with excruciating intensity. She meets his gaze with an arched brow raised.
Since I know Bethany’s vitals, I know she’s already thirty—now five years older than me—so this guy might be her thing. He’s in great shape. The little bit of graying at his temples makes him look distinguished, rather than old. My gut tells me, however, she’s not only not interested, but she’s silently rebuffing him.
Now I’m glad I told Andy that I would make her customer interactions my business.
Mug delivered, Bethany turns to leave. The man grips her wrist hard, his muscles flexing, veins popping, knuckles white. When she winces and tries to wriggle free, he clamps tighter and stands, jerking her toward him.
Fuck that. Even if Bethany Banks is guilty of a multitude of sins, she doesn’t deserve to be manhandled by this jerk against her will.
I barge my way between them, shoving her behind me. “Do we have a problem here, sir?”
Fury pinches his mouth. He narrows his eyes. “This has nothing to do with you. Butt out.”
“You don’t have permission to maul the staff. I’m going to have to ask you to keep your hands to yourself or leave.”
Beside me, I see Ash ready to jump in. I’m not surprised since he’s never backed down from a fight.
“Do you have your head so far up her twat that you don’t see she’s a fucking bitch?” The guy scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, and you deserve everything you get when she chews you up and spits you out.”
With that, the asshole tosses down some money and starts to walk away.
I’m furious. In part because he accused me of wanting her when I do. But mostly I’m pissed on Bethany’s behalf. “That was uncalled for. You’re not welcome back here unless you apologize to her.”
“Fuck you.”
“I’m serious. Just because you pay for your drinks doesn’t give you the right to abuse any member of the staff.”
He grits his teeth, upper lip curling up with contempt as he turns to Bethany. “Fine. A thousand apologies.”
The douche doesn’t mean a word of that, and I want to pound his face. No, I’m not looking to become Bethany’s knight in shining armor. But this kind of guy always grates on my nerves because he thinks he can treat all women like trash, and the only thing that matters less than them are their feelings. I hate pricks like him.