“A beer is fine,” I mumble, glancing back at the girl as she wipes her hands on her jeans before cleaning the counter in front of her between customers.
Carson and I grab our drinks and head toward a booth along the wall as we wait for Susie to appear. We only have a blurry photo to go off of—she’s tall but not too tall, thin, older, maybe early to mid-forties, and brown hair that looks like it’s usually tied up.
As if on cue, Susie walks out of the door I assumed was her office. She looks nervous, her eyes scanning the room as if looking for someone, until she sees the raven-haired girl behind the bar, the one who’s chatting it up with her coworker.
I drive my elbow up into Carson’s stomach to get his attention away from the blonde as I tip my chin toward Susie.
“That’s her.”
We watch her approach the bar and start talking to the girls. I glance at my watch—it’s already past midnight.
I push to my feet and head toward the crowd, grabbing a spot at the bar and ordering another beer close enough to pick something up. But the laughter, music, and clinking glasses make it nearly impossible.
I planned on cornering one of them, but before I get the chance, Susie’s voice cuts through.
“Another one?” She raises her eyebrow and waits for my answer.
Usually, I play it cool. I don’t let the people we’re supposed to take get a good look at me. But this time, it doesn’t matter. Once we’re done questioning her, Killian will come and collect her, and he can decide what happens next.
I tip my head at her. She grabs a cold beer bottle from a cooler and slides it over. I toss down a few bills, noting her still watching me. The side of my mouth quirks upward, and that alone makes the color drain from her face. Getting the information from her might be easy with how she’s already reacting to me.
Before I get far away, she tells the girls that she’s taking the trash out while it’s slow.
I chug the beer and set the empty bottle on the table where Carson is still sitting, nursing his own.
Casting one last look back at the girl, I see her brows knitting together in concern as she talks with Susie. I wish I knew what they were saying.
“Let’s go,” I tell Carson. He nods, pushing to his feet, his gaze lingering on the blonde as if he’s leaving something unfinished.
“Killian owes me one for not being able to take that gorgeous blonde home tonight,” he grumbles, but I ignore him and head for the door.
5
BRIELLE
It’s about halfpast midnight, and I’m sweating like a fucking dog. Susie said she was taking the trash out, but before she could make it outside, a man with a motorcycle cut on slams his hand on the double doors, halting her steps. She stands still, and the man leans down to whisper in her ear. Susie only nods before turning around and heading to her office, the man in tow. I’ve seen him before, and the cut he’s wearing tells me he’s part of the MC that’s here tonight.
It’s not odd that Susie’s talking to him, but the way the color drained from her face when he whispered in her ear is. I tip my chin toward Bexley, then toward Susie and the biker slipping through her office. She follows my look but only shrugs, going back to making a drink.
Pulling my attention away from whatever the hell that was, I look back at the waiting customers, and my eyes land on the one person I don’t want to see right now.
“Chase, what the fuck are you doing here?” I ask, my tone harsh.
“I’m here for the rent money you owe us,” he states as Morgan walks up behind him and grips his bicep. Chase’s eyes roam down my body even when his face is plastered with a lookof disdain. If there wasn’t a countertop separating us right now, my knife would be buried in his gut.
“Hurry up, Chase. I want to leave this nasty place,” Morgan pouts, her grip tightening around his arm.
“Pay up, Brielle.”
“Do you really think I’d be carrying that much cash on me at work, you fucking imbecile? You’ll have to wait until I get off.” I cross my arms over my chest, my heart pounding. Of course, they’d show up here. It isn’t the first time, and I should’ve known better.
Bexley catches my eye as I wait to see if Chase is going to throw a fit or not. She doesn’t interfere, but she will if she thinks I need her to.
“Well then, if you can’t give me the money right now, I guess you’ll have to see if you still have a place to live when you get off.” He glares at me before turning and taking Morgan with him. She doesn’t waste the opportunity to look over her shoulder, a smirk on her face as if this is what she wanted.
I let out a deep breath when they disappear from view and try not to panic. They don’t need the money. Chase is probably full of shit and trying to scare me.
It’ll be fine.
