I grabbed a rag from under the bar and wiped down an area to the left of Rafferty.After a beat, I locked eyes with my sister.“Nope, Lark will be forty-nine next week.That puts twenty-eight years between them.”
Mickayla stepped closer to the bar.“Okay, but why do you sound angrier?”
I dipped my chin.“What he does in his free time is his business, but he loves attention from younger women.She said the reason she wanted to see him was ‘private’.What else am I supposed to make of that?”
Rafferty shook his head.“That seems like a stretch, Ry.”
Mickayla spoke before I could respond.“He doesn’t act on most of the attention he gets from younger women, Ryan.But you said it yourself, it’s ‘his business,’ so maybe you shouldn’t jump to conclusions here.”
I took a deep breath, then leaned toward Mickayla.“I’ll do that.But like you said to her, if she comes back, she’s still gotta tell one of us what she wants before she’ll get to Lark.”
“Why are you three his keeper?”Alexandra asked.
Mickayla hurried down the length of the bar, came around to my side of the bar, and sidled up beside me.“It’s part of proving ourselves to him.”
I shot Rafferty a dry look.“I thought it was bullshit until now.”
“Maybe she was a plant,” Alexandra suggested.
Mickayla laughed.“Honey, Lark doesn’t have the time to plan something like that.”
I stared into space for a beat.“No, but I could see another brother doing that to fuck with us.”
Mickayla shrugged.“Whatever.Time will tell.If she even comes back.”
Alexandra’s head bobbed in a couple of short nods, then she looked at me.“Yeah, and maybe you won’t be here when she does.”
“Fat chance.We get no days off here if we want part-ownership,” I said.
“Really?”Alexandra asked.
“As Lark pointed out, small business owners don’t get vacations in their first year,” Mickayla said.
Alexandra tilted her head.“But not evenoneday off?”
“His terms,” I said, looking between the two of them.“I’ll see you when you leave.Have a good time.”
Technically, the bar was in the midst of a soft launch, and this was our first Saturday night crowd.As much as I wanted to say the crowd was a mix that mirrored the surrounding neighborhoods, I couldn’t deny what Alexandra had said.One glance through the patrons, and most people would say this was a biker bar.
Last night, a local band had played from nine until midnight.Killian and I had to run interference between a couple bikers and a group of three extremely loud and rowdy men.They weren’t exactly rednecks, but they were similar.Those same men came in tonight.Fortunately for them, the bikers they riled up last night hadn’t come back.
At least, notyet.
Tonight, Lark had a different band scheduled.The Muzzle Kings had shown up over an hour ago and were planning to play until one in the morning.Based on their first set, they featured a decent mix of rock covers and original songs.They were on a break, and a few of the older patrons left for the night.
Rafferty and Alexandra wandered out, and we said our goodbyes.
Through the glass doors, I watched them swing onto Rafferty’s Harley.A stab of jealousy ripped through me.Not that I had a thing for Alexandra, but I wanted something like what they had.They’d been best friends growing up, until they weren’t, and recently they got their heads out of their asses and were giving it a shot.
But I’d never find something like that.My parents loved each other so much and were so vocal and visible about it that I knew I’d never find that kind of love for myself.To be honest, I wouldn’t want it if it came with the amount of pain and suffering they’d gone through.
The door opened and Blood, Volt, and Tundra trudged into the room.
Fifteen minutes later, the two bikers from last night followed them inside, giving me chin lifts as they passed me.
Killian was wandering the room collecting empties during the band’s break.He snuck over to me while carrying a stack of pint glasses almost as long as his arm.“That ain’t good.You should have told them—”
I shook my head.“No fuckin’ way I’m gonna deny two bikers entry for those assholes.Hell, it might force Lark to take a stand.”
