Savage gave him a long look before nodding. “Cillian’s shop opens tomorrow. He’ll get you sorted. He went ahead and ordered two new tires, and they will be in bright and early as long as the company he uses has them in stock. Until then, you’re welcome to stay here, free of charge for all your trouble.” Beast didn’t argue. He wasn’t in the mood to test the patience of a man who ran a biker club. He just wanted coffee—and lots of it.
Belle appeared from behind the bar, braid loose today, a few strands framing her face. She set a steaming mug in front of him without a word, but her eyes lingered on him. Beast wrapped his hands around the cup, the warmth grounding him.
“You sleep okay?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Better than I thought I would. I guess I’ve gotten used to sleeping in my rig, as sad as that might sound. I’m sorry that I slept so late. I usually don’t sleep past sunup.”
Her lips curved slightly, and Beast felt that same shift inside him he’d felt last night. He didn’t want to name it—didn’t want to admit that he found the bartender sexy because he was just passing through. He was fine with a one-night deal, but Belle looked like a nice girl, and he usually didn’t get tangled up with them—not even for a night of fun.
Savage’s voice cut through the moment. “You should know, tires don’t get slashed around here without a reason. Could’ve been kids, sure. It could’ve been someone sending a message. Are you sure that you’re just passing through and don’t know anyone around here?”
Beast’s jaw tightened. “Why would anyone want to send a message to me? What about you? Do you know someone who would do this to my truck because it was sitting in your parking lot?”
Savage leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Does it matter? You’re here now, and that makes you part of it, whether you like it or not. Either way, I’ll handle your stay in town, so you won’t be out that money. I’ll find the person who did this to your tires, but I need you to tell me if you know anyone in town. If not, I’ll assume this is a Royal Bastard’s problem and will handle it.”
The words settled heavily in Beast’s chest. He hadn’t come looking for trouble, but trouble had found him anyway. And now, with Belle watching him like she could see past the walls he’d built, he wondered if fate really had a twisted sense of humor—or if it was giving him a chance he didn’t know he wanted.
“I appreciate that, Savage,” he said. “I’ve already said that I don’t know anyone in town, but if I can think of anything, I’ll let you know. And if you need any help with tracking down who did this to my truck, let me know. I have time on my hands, it seems.”
Beast took a long sip of coffee, his eyes on Belle. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be stuck at Savage Hell, but for the first time in years, he didn’t feel like staying in one place for more than twenty-four hours was a bad thing.
Beast had never been good at waiting. Maybe that was why he liked being on the road so much. Unless he hit a traffic jam, he didn’t have to wait on anything or anyone. The road taught him to keep moving, to measure time in miles instead of hours. But now, stuck in Huntsville with his rig crippled, he found himself measuring time in glances—each one from Belle, each one that lingered just long enough to make him wonder if fate wasn’t playing a bigger hand than he wanted to admit in his layover.
Beast picked up his mug again, letting the steam warm his face as he watched Belle move. She wasn’t rushing—Belle never seemed to rush. Every action was deliberate and calm, like she’d long ago learned to move through chaos without letting it touch her. Even now, with a half-dozen bikers scattered around the bar and the low thrum of conversation filling the room, she moved like she had her own rhythm, one he couldn’t help but want to fall into step with.
He hadn’t expected to feel that way as he watched her. Hell, he hadn’t expected any of this since he was only making a quick pitstop at Savage Hell. He didn’t plan on staying in town for longer than an hour or so. Now, there was the possibility of him having to spend days in town. Belle shot him a quick glance over her shoulder, her mouth curving again in that almost-smile she gave him. He wondered if she gifted the other bikers with that same smile that seemed to turn him inside out. Beast’s fingers tightened around his coffee mug.
She wiped down the bar in front of him for the third time in the last few minutes. “How about something to eat?” she asked.
He shrugged, “Do you guys serve breakfast?” he asked.
She giggled and shook her head. “No, but as you’ve already pointed out, you blew right past breakfast. It’s afternoon, and we serve lunch. You hungry?” she asked, handing him a menu. He looked it over, noting that they seemed to like to keep things simple with only a handful of options.
“Um, I’ll take the pulled pork and fries,” he said.
“You want something besides coffee?” she asked.
“Water works,” he admitted. “He never was much of a drinker—especially having to be on the road so much. He liked the idea of never having to take time off due to having too much to drink.
“You sure?” she asked, “Most of the guys around here start drinking by about ten in the morning.”
“Well, if you haven’t been able to tell, I’m not most men,” he said. Maybe he was reading into her sexy smiles and shy glances if she couldn’t tell him apart from the rest of the men in the bar.
“I noticed,” she almost whispered. She took the menu from him and tossed it on the counter behind herself. “I’ll put your order in. Um, I get a break for lunch in a few minutes. You mind if I put in an order for myself and join you?” He wasn’t sure if he had heard her right until Savage cleared his throat. He had almost forgotten that the guy was still sitting next to him.
“Yeah, I’d love some company,” he said, ignoring the big biker next to him. Savage seemed to think that his having lunch with Belle wasn’t a good idea. At least, that was what he was picking up from the way that Savage was mean-mugging him.
Belle disappeared into the kitchen, and Savage cleared his throat again. “I don’t know you,” he started.
“No, you don’t,” Beast intervened. He wasn’t sure that he was going to like where the conversation was going, but the determined look in Savage’s eyes told him that they were going to have it anyway.
“I just don’t want you taking advantage of Belle—she’s a nice girl,” Savage said.
“See now, you really don’t know me, Savage, because I’d never take advantage of any woman—nice or not. We’re just having lunch, man, nothing for you to worry about,” Beast assured. He wasn’t sure if he believed his own words, and from the look on Savage’s face, he didn’t trust anything Beast was saying. Savage nodded and stood from the bar, mumbling something about not needing to lose another bartender to a crazy alpha asshole, and disappeared down the hallway into the darkness. Beast wondered what all that was about, but he didn’t have time to try to figure it out right now. Because right now, he had a date with a sexy bartender, and he didn’t want to fuck things up with her.
It didn’t take long for Belle to bring out their food, pointing to the booth in the back of the bar, and telling him to meet her there. He grabbed the two waters that she had set on the bar and followed her to the booth. It was cozy back there—just the two of them, and he wondered if she had done that on purpose or not. He couldn’t seem to figure her out, but he wanted to try to.
“You got the same thing as I did,” he said, noticing their meals.
