"Bitch and complain it is."
Scowling, I let him lead me through a series of hallways. We walked through one bar that looked pretty dingy, but he shook his head and continued on. When he finally reached a door with a restroom sign I dug my heels in.
"If crack alleys are out, I'm sure you can guess my opinion on public toilets."
"We're not fucking in the restroom either."
He pushed open the door to reveal a second bar, even more dingy than the last. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. A group of biker looking guys were playing pool in one corner. A trio of skinny punks were drinking in another. A burly man with tattooed arms and a scar on his face stood behind the bar washing mugs while a girl in heavy makeup and a leather corset wiped down the counter.
I edged behind Noah as if he could hide me. "Is this some sort of secret criminal hide out?"
"So judgmental," he said. "How do you know these guys are criminals?"
I peeked out over Noah's shoulder. "I suppose they could be good guys underneath all those tattoos and leather."
Noah raised an eyebrow and gestured to his leather jacket and tattooed chest. "Are you saying that's what makes a guy bad?"
"Well, I sincerely doubt anyone's ever called yougoodin your life."
"I seem to recall you saying I was more than good when you came on my cock last night. In fact, I think you said I was magnificent."
"Shut up!" I hissed. "Don't say stuff like that out loud in public."
"This isn't public. It's an exclusive bar. Only those in the know ever find out about it. It's like a safe haven of sorts. A bunch of rockers and bikers and underground fighters come here to chill away from the media and police."
"Police?" I asked, incredulous.
Noah laughed. "It's a joke. This place is cool. Don't worry." He draped his arm over my shoulder and led me to the bar. As stupid as it was, that small gestured comforted me. "Hey Walt. Hey Jessie. Gotta newbie here for you."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Noah Hart, with a girlfriend?" She clapped her hands together in apparent delight.
Noah removed his arm from my shoulder.
"We're not—" I began to say, before I was cut off by the man behind the bar.
"She a fan?" He gave me a scrutinizing look.
"Who isn't?" I quipped before Noah could make a smart ass comment. "I won't swoon over your bar patrons, I promise."
"You fucking?"
I choked on my own tongue, but recovered quickly. "Noah and I working together temporarily, that's all."
The man, Walt, seemed to relax minutely, his face relaxing. "Musician?"
"Of a sort. I'm not a rock star like Noah. I'm—" I looked to him. "—helping produce Darkest Days' new album."
Walt nodded once and turned to put a glass away on the shelf behind him.
"I take it that's the end of the interview portion of our evening?" I murmured to Noah.
"Walt likes to know who's coming and going."
The hot corset girl, Jessie, came over with two beers, handing one to each of us, tops already off. I took mine with a nod of thanks. If I was going to work with a rock star, I'd supposed have to learn that happy hour apparently started just after lunch time.
"You and Noah are working together?" she asked. I thought she would gush over how cool that was. Instead she wrinkled her nose. "That sounds like the worst job ever."
I couldn't help laughing as he threw her a dark look. "The last few weeks have been a challenge, yes."
