Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“I’ll be back shortly. It’s time for a drink,” I said over the noise and turned to head down the stairs.
Pepper came walking through the crowd, looking thrilled.
I hadn’t let her down, and it felt really good.
When she reached me, she put her arm around my shoulders. “Dear God, woman, you can sing. You were good when you sang for me last week, but seeing you work a crowd like that? You held back on me. Just wow. Come on. Drinks on me,” she said, leading me through the crowd and shoving at a few arms of men who tried to come close enough to talk to me. They all obeyed her too.
“What’s your poison?” she asked me as we reached the bar.
I normally only drank water since I had to drive, but it was early, and just one wouldn’t hurt. I felt like celebrating. “Jack Daniel’s,” I told her.
“On the rocks?”
I nodded.
She turned to the bartender. “Fix her up.”
Then, she looked back at me. “That hip thing you do and the way you walk around the stage, batting those lashes of yours, is a talent I want. You are a complete package up there.”
I laughed at her description. I’d never really had female friends in my life. Or any friends really. I moved too much. Dovie was my only friend and family.
“Thanks,” I replied. “I guess I don’t see myself that way.”
Pepper raised her eyebrows. “What way?”
I shrugged. “Like you’re describing.”
“Have you looked in a mirror? Should we go do that now?”
I laughed again, feeling embarrassed. “No. I … I’m aware of how I look. I just haven’t ever thought about the other stuff being … that impressive. I love music. Singing, playing the guitar. Writing songs. But that doesn’t make me good at it. I mean, I can carry a tune but …”
Pepper picked up our drinks from the bar and handed me one. “I’m going to have someone video it. You need to see yourself. You are too good to be singing at my little bar, but I’ll keep you! I might have a riot from this bunch if I talk you into going somewhere else. And as for those songs you write, why don’t you sing them here?”
“Hey, Pep, we expecting problems?” a burly man with a leather vest, tattoos, and long hair in a ponytail asked as he stepped up in front of us, stopping me from having to answer that question.
I wasn’t ready to sing my original stuff here just yet. I wanted to get the feel of things first.
Pepper set her drink down and straightened. “No. Why?”
He nodded his head toward the door. “Couple of Hughes men just walked in.”
Pepper visibly relaxed, and she let out a sigh. “Probably here for a drink,” she replied. “Must have business in town.”
She took my arm. “I don’t want to leave you here to get proposed to and mauled. Come with me. I need to go greet our honored guests,” she said the latter with sarcasm.
I walked with her over to the three men who were taking a seat at a table toward the middle of the room. It was as if the rest of the crowd had backed away to give them plenty of space. Were they cops? I studied them. One was huge. Tall with wide shoulders. The other two weren’t as large, but one of them was covered in tattoos and looked more like the bikers here, where the other two stood out.
“Huck Kingston,” she said, and my ears instantly perked up. “Didn’t know you were in town. Hope it’s for pleasure and you’re not about to do something that’ll make a mess in my bar.”
The massive man turned. His eyes went from Pepper to me, and then they narrowed before he looked back at Pepper. “Not today,” he replied. “Stopped by as a favor to my cousin. We were in town, and he asked me to check out things here.” His eyes swung back to me.
Cousin. He was Storm’s cousin. Kingston. But how had he known I was here? Fucking Mafia.
I stepped forward and smiled a little too brightly. “Y’all are just everywhere, aren’t you? I can’t seem to get free of you. Tell Storm that I am just fine, but thanks for stalking me so efficiently.”
Huck cocked an eyebrow as he studied me for a moment. “Huh,” he said, then shook his head before looking back at Pepper. “Seems I misunderstood the reason I was asked to stop by. I wasn’t given all the details. We’ll have a round and whatever special you have tonight in the kitchen.”
Pepper looked at me, then nodded. “All right then. Kye, Six, good to see you both. How’s that baby boy of yours, Kye?”
The blond guy grinned. “He’s fucking awesome.”
Pepper chuckled. “Glad to hear it. I’ll fix y’all up with the best we got in the back tonight.”