The group outside closed in, and someone behind me shoved forward. I gasped as I stumbled into the back of a muscular man. He whipped around, glaring above my head at whoever stood behind me. “We got a problem?”
“Depends on the next ten seconds,” a drunken drawl came from the person.
Hands reached over me and shoved the large man harshly. I ducked in time to miss the punch that swung next, my body getting caught in the throngs of people as they tried to move away from the fight, but there was nowhere to go.
The heel of my boot got caught on someone’s foot, sending me flying forward and onto the dirty bar floor. I scrambled on allfours under patrons. Shouts of pain and delight broke over the music. A hand yanked the back of my shirt and dragged me up until my ass was planted on the slick surface of the bar. I gasped, lungs burning for air I couldn’t catch in the wave of people. My eyes were trained on where I had just been, watching closely as the crowd trampled the area to get a glimpse of the brawl.
A firm grip caught my chin and tilted my face up, straight into piercing green eyes.
“Starting fights in my bar? What am I to do with you, kitten?”
CHAPTER TEN
kaius
The bar fightblurred into meaningless noise. All I could focus on was the woman in front of me.
Acelynn’s chest heaved up and down, shallow breaths slipping through her lips as she fought to calm her racing heart. I released her chin, my fingers brushing gently against her skin as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. A hitched breath broke through her lips at the movement, eyes glazing over as she focused in on me. But the trance only lasted a second longer before she flinched away with a snarl.
“Don’t touch me,” Acelynn snapped as her upper body leaned away from me.
I took the movement as a challenge, gripping the underside of her hips, and with one hard tug, I slid her until she was almost hanging off the bar. She tried to squirm away, but it only made her hips drive against mine, the movement causing my cock to harden in my jeans. Our eyes were locked in an intense stareneither of us was willing to break. My mouth twitched into a smile, but the thought I was about to vocalize was cut off by the smashing of glass behind the bar.
“Come on, Karli,” my sister’s voice snapped. There was an edge to it now, half pleading, half furious.
I turned, my gaze leaving Acelynn just long enough to catch the scene unfolding behind her. Karli stood frozen in a pool of shattered glass and liquor, crimson trickling from shallow cuts along her left hand. But it didn’t seem to faze the girl. Her eyes burned with fury instead of pain as they locked on where my hands gripped on to Acelynn’s hips.
Karli’s red hair seemed to glow under the neon lights, making her anger more palpable to everyone surrounding us. I released Acelynn from my hold, letting her slide back just an inch so she didn’t fall forward. My touch didn’t stay away for long as I rested my palm against her upper thigh.
My little kitten turned her gaze over her shoulder and stared Karli down. For a moment, the redhead had the good sense to look scared, but then her eyes filled with the rage that had just been there moments before. She whirled around toward Astoria, shoulder slamming into my sister as she walked past her.
“No, fuck this, Astoria,” she shouted, loud enough to cut through the music blaring from the speakers above. “I am done. Mail me my last check!”
Astoria sighed, dragging a hand over her face as she scanned the rowdy patrons. The fight had ended, but now the regulars were impatient, demanding drinks and attention. Chaos wrapped in cheap cologne, flashing lights, and drunken slurs was where the night was at already.
My sister looked back in my direction and stalked over, fuming. When she reached me, she leaned over the bar top and slammed her fist into my arm. “This is your fault, Kaius.”
“My fault?” I grinned at her, my hand unconsciously tightening on Acelynn’s thigh.
She hissed through her teeth, but I could tell that it wasn’t one of pain. Astoria gaped at me, but I continued to taunt her.
“How was Karli quitting mid-shift my fault?”
“Because you’re a man whore!” Astoria screeched, throwing her hands up to get her point across.
I chuckled. “I didn’t fuck that bartender, if that is what you are insinuating. And if she had a problem with me pulling your little stray up before someone made her roadkill on my bar floor, then that is her issue.”
“I don’t believe you,” she grumbled, and paused, her eyes lighting up like she’d just had an idea that would most likely cause me another headache. “Ace, you’re here. I know you weren’t supposed to start until next week, but I could really use a hand tonight.”
“Umm…” Acelynn’s eyes flickered between Astoria and the crowd. “I feel like this is a lot for a first night.”
“It’ll be fine. As long as you can identify the alcohol tonight, then you can do it. Just tell everyone we aren’t doing anything fancy, and if they give you trouble, Josie will handle it,” Astoria said with a lack of confidence that had me covering a laugh with a cough.
Acelynn threw me a withering look, but before she could respond, my sister cut her off with a pleading stare.
“Please, Acelynn. I will get on my hands and knees if I have to.”
Astoria dropped to the ground, causing Acelynn to slip from my grasp and jump toward her. She caught my sister by the arm.
