“No, stay out of my kitchen.”
My grin stretches and she tries to grab me, but I hop out of reach and go through the door to the little kitchen. They don’t serve big meals, just easy food. I help myself and make a giant sandwich then walk back through and sit at a booth in the corner.
Raven glares, but I smile back until she shakes her head and focuses on her phone call. She loves me really. A couple of the local community college students come in and sit a few tables away. They keep sneaking glances at me. Most likely because of the cut, but I like to think my mug is handsome enough to draw attention.
I’m not in the habit of flirting with girls that young though, so I finish up, then head to the kitchen to wash the dishes. They’re still looking when I come back out, so I throw them a wink and disappear into the back. There is a short hallway through to the clubhouse that only the officers have the code for.
Until we head down to Severna Park tomorrow, there isn’t much for me to do. Beast is just leaving, so I catch up and ask where he’s headed.
“Elegance. There’s an issue with one of the dancers.”
“Sounds like you need a hand.”
“Why are you suddenly so interested in hanging out at the stripclub?”
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been hanging out.” I pull a bemused face at him. “I’m just bored.”
“No blow jobs.”
“Honey, I don’t think you can handle me.”
I get a punch in the gut for that, but laugh as he gets on his bike and rides off. I really am at a loss, and I know he doesn’t mean to be a grump, so I get on my bike and catch up to him. He eyes me but says nothing.
When we arrive, I’m pretty sure he’s glad I came along. Ellie is screaming at one of the other dancers, and three more are standing back watching. It’s not like Ellie to get this angry, so it must be serious.
“You wanted to come with,” Beast looks at me.
I hold up my hands. “Strip club is your business.”
“Fucker.”
“Oh, shit,” I point and laugh.
The woman with the dark hair just tried to sneak attack Ellie with her bright red claw nails, but she bats her away and slaps her face so hard she spins around, loses her balance, and falls on her ass.
“Jesus fucking Christ.”
While I watch him go into the fray, more of the girls come from the back. One of them is the new waitress. She’s dressed in civilian clothes this time and is wide-eyed at the fight. Not in a scared way, more like she can’t believe how stupid they’re being.
She has the kind of face that is hard to look at, but difficult to look away from too. Her figure is slim but stacked, like a pin-up girl.
Damn, another woman who is close to Ellie has jumped in and grabbed the downed woman’s hair. This shit isn’t normal, Beast only hires the best here, and scrapping isn’t something he has had to worry about before. Maybe it isn’t so funny because this isn’t your standard bitch fight, this is claws, feet and punches.
I wade in to help, and he gives me a grateful look.
“Bet you're glad I came now.”
“Shut up, dickhead, just get her out of here.”
“Why do I have to take the hellcat?”
“What’s wrong, you can’t handle it?”
For a second, I study how to go about it, getting in between all the flailing limbs and hair pulling.
Then a loud crash startles everyone. Including Beast. He’s on his feet in seconds, his hand going for the holster under his cut. All the women stop, and I step around them, ready to take on whatever just walked in while we were occupied.
Well, shit.
