Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
I recognize the accent and the woman it belongs to. “Hey, Shelby. How’ve you been?”
She whips her head my way, then beams. “Howdy, Griff! I’ve been lookin’ for ya.” Her lips quirk with amusement. “Rooster said you came this way. I shoulda been lookin’ for Molly, knowin’ you wouldn’t be strayin’ far.”
Molly’s waiting on the other side of the bar with a frozen deer-in-the-headlights expression. I can’t tell if it’s because she doesn’t know how to make a Paloma or she’s starstruck from being face-to-face with her favorite country singer. Probably a little of both.
“Did she ask for a Paloma?” Another girl with long black and rainbow-colored hair slips behind the bar. “I can show you how to make it,” she says to Molly.
“Griff,” Shelby says to me. “This is Jiggy’s sister, Jezzie. Have you met—”
“We’ve met.” I nod once. “How are you?”
“Fine,” she answers in a perpetually bored tone.
Like her brother, she’s not much of a talker. But unlike Jigsaw, Jezzie’s kind and patient, as she shows Molly how to blend the tequila and grapefruit juice cocktail.
Molly’s scrunched expression seems torn between thankful for the help and wanting this strange woman off her turf, but she listens to Jezzie’s instructions and finally passes the drink to Shelby with a shaking hand.
“Thank you much.” Shelby takes a quick sip and sets the glass down. “Perfect.”
“So, why were you looking for me?” I ask Shelby.
“Oh! Ha! Vegas. I’m supposed to ask you about Vegas.” She takes another sip of her drink.
Before she elaborates, Jigsaw and Rooster approach us. Rooster rests his hands on Shelby’s shoulders and she tips her head back to smile at him.
Jigsaw scowls at his sister. “Why are you back there?”
“I was helping.” She rolls her eyes. “I’ve tended bar. I know what I’m doing.”
Jiggy huffs an annoyed breath but doesn’t argue. The two of them never seem to get along.
“She taught me how to make a Paloma,” Molly says.
“Anyone bother you tonight, Molly?” he asks.
“No.”
He pats the knife at his side. “Just let me know.”
Her eyes widen and then she bursts into laughter. “Will do.”
“I’m afraid to ask,” I mutter.
“While you were off frolicking with ring bunnies, your girl was gettin’ groped by customers,” Jigsaw says.
“For fuck’s sake,” Rooster mutters.
“What?” Jigsaw’s eyes widen until he looks like a cartoon of an overgrown, innocent child. “He asked.”
“Actually, I said I was afraid to ask,” I point out.
“Which is code for tell me more.” He flashes a serial killer smile at me.
“Lord.” Jezzie tips her head back and raises her hands toward the ceiling. “I can not with him. So rude.”
“I’m blunt,” Jigsaw insists. “There’s a difference.”
“Not really,” Jezzie says.
Molly shakes with laughter. “Have you met my brother? That’s why they don’t like each other. They’re too similar.”
“I take offense to that,” Jigsaw says.
Jezzie leans close to Molly. “If you need help, holler. I’ll go work the other end.”
“Thank you.”
Molly moves to the center of the bar to help someone else. Jigsaw and Rooster move in closer, boxing me in, which I can’t say I’m thrilled about.
“How’s this Vegas thing going down?” Jigsaw asks.
I stare at him, surprised he gives a fuck since he basically just called me an asshole. “Why do you care?”
“Don’t get twisted because I busted your nuts.” He casts a look Shelby’s way. “We all know you’ve been exonerated from cheating on your sweet little girlfriend.”
Shelby’s grave face peeks around Rooster’s side. “I wish you woulda come an’ talked to me before you did that show. I coulda warned you those maggots are devious as all get-out.”
One corner of my mouth hikes up. I appreciate the sentiment, but even with the warning, I still probably would’ve done the show. “Molly likes to refer to them as demon clowns.”
She hoots with laughter. “Damn straight they are. Bloodsucking demon clowns. All of ’em. Seriously, though, it musta been rough.” She holds out her fist and I tap my knuckles against hers. “Reality survivor club.”
“Thanks. Don’t tell me you watched it?”
“Hell naw. But I caught some of your fights.”
I shrug. “Only parts worth watching.”
She nods and swivels toward the bar to talk to Molly again.
“So,” Jigsaw says. “I take it you’re going to need an entourage with you in Vegas.”
I stare at him. “What?”
He lifts his shoulders in an isn’t-it-obvious shrug. “All those fight guys travel in packs.”
“Because you’re so knowledgeable on this topic?” Rooster says, side-eyeing his friend.
“I know things. What’re you gonna do, Griff? Show up to fight week with just Remy scowling by your side? You need more people around you.” Jigsaw slaps his friend’s chest but focuses his attention on me. “We’ve handled security for Shelby’s last two tours. We know what we’re doing.”
“Security.” I slide my gaze between the two of them. “I can’t afford that.”
“That’s where the whole brotherhood thing comes in,” Rooster says, as if I’m dense.