“Okay, I'll be there in ten or so.” Ronin disconnected the call and looked down at his clock on the dashboard. A few extra minutes wasn't going to hurt anyone. Well, maybe just him when Rick got a hold of him. Still, Ro shrugged, and muttered, “He'll get over it.” Ronin needed the night out with his buddies.
Maddox, Zander, and Phoenix were all shifters that Ro had gotten to know well through the army. They'd all left their packs for different reasons—Ronin being the only one still in his—and when they'd bonded, finding people like themselves, they had become firm friends and formed a tight-knit group. The only ones that would be missing tonight were his cousins, Finn and Dax.
They'd all left the army at pretty much the same time, Ro, Finn, and Dax had gone home to Wildwood, while the other three had started their own security company.
Ro didn't catch up with them as often as he liked. Between his work for the pack and them jetting out of the country for jobs… well, their schedules didn't exactly line up.
Still, when opportunities arose, they tried to meet up. Rick couldn't blame him that this just happened to be one of those opportunities.
Nope, it wasn't his fault. Ro pulled over to the side of the road and searched for the name of the bar on his GPS. He found he was literally ten minutes away… serendipity, much?
Okay, five-minute detour, Ro, no more… maybe ten.
* * *
Ronin walkedinto the bar and was immediately hit with the scent of aftershave, whiskey, beer, and body odor. One of the perks of his shifter nose was that he smelledeverything… He immediately glanced around the dimly lit, smoky room, his eyes landing on each table taking everything in until he came upon them. Maddox, Phoenix, and Zander were all sitting round a table at the back of the room nearest to the exit… He wasn't surprised. Even when you weren't working, one thing the army taught you was hypervigilance.
They were all laughing and talking, completely unaware he'd arrived. At least, so he thought.
He made his way towards them as quietly as he could, trying to sneak up on them. He thought he had and was about to give them shit for it, but before he could speak, Phoenix beat him to it.
“And there he is.” Nix smiled and held up his beer bottle in salute before taking a drink. “Nice try,” his friend teased.
“Hey, Nix. How ya doin'?” Ronin rolled his eyes, but there was still a smile on his face.
“Can't much complain.” Nix shrugged. “Trust me, I've tried, and it does absolutely no good.” He winked at him, and Ro couldn't help snorting at his friend’s words.
Ronin took a seat at the table.
“Yeah, but doesn't stop you from bitching now, does it?” Zander shot at Nix.
Ro chuckled at their banter. Man, he missed these guys.
“And how about you?” Ro directed at both Zander and Maddox. “How's the security biz treating y’all?” he asked.
Zander held up his hand. “That shit can wait until you get yourself a beer, man,” he said, then motioned for a waiter to come over to the table.
“You just get me.” Ro batted his eyes at Zander.
His friend shot him the finger right as the waiter got to their table.
“What can I get ya?” the waiter asked.
Ronin noticed that he stood close to the table, perhaps a little too close… certainly close enough for his body to rub against Zander's. Ronin couldn't help the snicker that escaped as he took in the waiter’s blatant flirting—if you could call throwing yourself at someone flirting—but his friend didn't seem to mind because he shot the waiter a flirty grin that had the man almost become a puddle at his feet.
“Hey there again, handsome,” Zander flirted. “This is my very good buddy, Ronin. Robbie, say hi to Ronin.”
Like a puppet on a string, the waiter said, “Hi.”
Ro swallowed the laugh that was trying to get out. Fuck, Zander was a horrible flirt. With his clear green eyes and chiseled cheekbones, the man always had both men and women throwing themselves at him.
“Beers for the whole table,” Zander said, his handsome face split wide with a smile. Ronin shook his head at Zan's antics… not that he was surprised.
When he looked over to Maddox and Phoenix, the two were lost in conversation, not caring one way or the other. They were definitely used to him.
“Is that all I can get ya?” Robbie asked, the innuendo clear as day. Zander's smile deepened.
“Well, since you asked, your number would be nice too.” Zander winked, and Robbie's face reddened.
