Jared (33 page)

Sid watched Adam closely. “So she left your sorry ass?”

When Adam didn’t answer
;
Steve, who was never at a loss for words
,
piped in. “No he broke it off with her.”

“Ah, well
,
I’m sure you’ll find a nice piece of ass tonight and forget all about her.” Sid tried to hide his grin
by lifting his beer and taking a swig
. “
Though I’m surprised you let that nice looking female go. Hell
,
if you’re done with her maybe I could take a shot. I like them young and with a body like hers she could make a man real….”

Adam was in his face before he could finish. “You go anywhere near her I will kill you.”

Sid didn’t even flinch, just stood ready
,
nose to nose with Adam
. “You sure you want to ride that train
son
?”

“Ah
,
shit!” Stev
e stood wide eyed shifting nerv
ously from foot to foot. “Ah, guys…”

“All aboard
….
motherfucker.” Adam answered
cocking his head
,
his golden eye black as night
staring straight into Sid's
.

“Oh my God!” Steve dropped his face in his hands not wanting to watch
t
he
massacre
that was coming.

Sid’s head fell back
,
his
laughter banging off the wall
s.
“I will say one thing, you got balls.” Sid shook his head. “You
may have
shit for brains, but you got balls.”

“No one talks about Angelina.” Adam backed up slightly, but still stood threateningly close.

“Cage some of the aggression
,
lover boy.” Sid grinned. “I don’t want your woman, but she is a looker and if you don’t get your head out of your ass somebody is going to step up on your territory.”

“Yeah, well she can do better than me.” Adam frowned rem
ember
ing
the conversation he’d had with her friend
.

“You’re training to be a
W
arrior breed, respect that or no one else will.” Sid turned serious. “We don’t bow down to anyone. I don’t know what happened between you and your lady, but you better fix it and fix it soon.”

“I seriously don’t know what to do.” Adam finally calmed down. “I just want her to be happy.”

“They always say if you love something let it go and if it comes back to you…..” Steve added, but stopped when
he noticed
Adam and Sid glaring at him. “What?”

“Do you have a vagina son?” Sid ask
ed
,
his face full of disgust.

“Ah, no.” Steve’s eyes widened slightly
.
“I was just repeating that saying…”

“Yeah…well stop it.” Sid rolled his eyes. “Warriors don’t let their women go…ever.”

“Ah guys, are we going or
not?” Jill walked in, her spik
y black hair tipped with red highlights. “Dillon and Matt are ready to leave you here.”

“Yeah, we’re coming.” Adam answered. “Thanks Sid.”

“Anytime my brother.” Sid knuckle bumped him. “You need wom
a
n advice co
me to me…please.” He shot Steve a look.

“Seriously
.
” Steve said as
they
walked out the door leaving Sid behind. “Haven’t you heard that saying?”

“What saying
?
” Jill ask
ed
,
following them out
.

“If you love something let it go…” Steve started.

“And if
it
come
s
back you know its love.” Jill sighed. “I love that saying. It’s so romantic.”

“See
,
she knows it.” Steve pointed at Jill
,
glancing back at Sid.

“And
….
she has a vagina.” Sid didn’t pull any punches. “My point has been made.”

Steve frowned at Jill as if her having a vagina was her fault. Adam laughed for the first time in a while, slapp
ing
his arm around Steve. “
Let’s go before Dillon and Matt do leave us.” Adam chuckled. “We can talk about vaginas and lost love on the way.”

Levi opened the door to the heavily secured room
,
closing
it
behind him. “The plan is in motion.”

Chad Evans sat up on his small uncomfortable bed.
“About fucking time.”

“Perfection takes time.” Levi stuck his hands in his pockets, a half grin curving his lips. “And this plan is perfection.”

“Yeah, well it better be.” Chad replied not sharing in Levi’s confidence. “When?”

“
Tonight
.” Levi turned to go.

“I
finally get to leave this shithole
?” Chad’s whinny voice echoed in the small room.

“Just be ready.” Levi demanded opening the door.

“Remember our deal.” Chad hissed before the door shut. “Damon
DeMasters
is mine.”

********

By the time Tessa got back to the bar she was a mess. She had made arrangements for her grandfather at another assisted living place, which had been easier than she had though
t
. Jared had texted her repeatedly and every time it vibrated in her pocket she felt like she was going to throw up. She wasn’t ready to face
that situation
yet. Her emotions were on a
roller
coaster ride and until
her
bitch
mode kicked in fully she really didn’t need to see him because she would cave.

The bar was pulsing with activity
taking her mind off
everything, at least for the moment. Grabbing three beers
,
she placed them on the bar ringing up the total on the register.

“It’s good to see you back Tessa.” Jason Reynolds handed her the cash for the beers.

“Good to be back
,
Jason.” Her
friendly
smile
didn’t quite reach
her eyes. “Tell Susan I’ll try to talk to her in a few.”

“Will do.” He slipped her a tip in the
tip
jar before grabbing up his beers.

Hav
ing
a second she grabbed her phone out of her back pocket. It had been
silent
the last hour and that worried her. She didn’t know what was worse, the constant vibrations from texts and calls or the stillness. She hadn’t even read any of the missed messages.
Clicking the last text she received from Jared she frowned, her whole body trembl
ed
…. “Shit.”

“I DON’T KNO
W WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT IF YOU’
RE OKAY YOU NEED TO ANSWER ME OR I W
ILL TEAR THIS FUCKING TOWN APART LOOKING FOR YOU
!”

Tessa stared at the message for a few more seconds
,
before snapping it shut with shaking hands.
“Shit.”
She repeated.

“I see you got my last message.”

Jerking her head up her eyes met Jared’s black narrowed
glare and
he was pissed. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his, but she knew standing next to him were Damon, Sid and Nicole. “How did you find me?”

He totally ignored her question. “See you got your job back.”

Tessa shrugged her shoulder. “Listen
,
I’m busy.”
She finally
glanced at the rest of them, but Nicole’
s eyes snagged her
s
and she was surprised to see understanding. “Can I get you guys anything?”
Her years of bartending kicked in, she couldn’t be rude and if they were in her bar, they were customers.

“Yeah, four beers.” Damon spoke up
,
pulling a barstool out for Nicole. Sid and Jared both took a seat. The area around the bar quickly emptied when the
W
arriors walked up.

Turning
,
Tessa reached in
to
the long cooler and pulled out the beers. Setting them on the counter she glanced in the mirror and again met Jared’s eyes which were turning back to their beautiful golden color. Looking away
she quickly
finished opening
beers. Grabbing all four
,
she turned and set them down in front of each of them. “It’s on the house.” Tessa nodded at Damon who was handing her a fifty. Instead of putting it back in his pocket he dropped it in her tip jar.

“Thank you.”

Damon nodded. Tessa continued down the bar taking and filling orders. Damon, Sid and Nicole talked amongst the
mselves, but Jared sat silent
watching her every move.

“Hey Tessa!”
An
older man yelled from the pool tables. “Can you be a doll and round us up a couple of beers.

“Sure thing Doug.” Tessa yelled back already on the move to fill the order. Taking the beers over
,
she sat them on the table
before
picking
up the money.

“Keep the change doll.” Doug smiled picking up his fresh beer
saluting her with it
. “Sure is good to have you back. That new bartender don’t take care of us like you do.”

“Flattery
won’t
stop me from cutting you off Doug.” Tessa teased. Everyone around the pool table laughed.

“Can’t blame an old guy f
or
trying.” He yelled after her.

Tessa smiled
,
walking back to the bar
. Her eyes met Jared’s, who had turned completely around to watch her.
He sat in a relaxed pose, both elbow
s
propped on the bar behind him
.
Stopping in front of him she sighed.
“What are you doing here Jared?”

Surprise flashed across his face before he hid it behind a cool mask. “Guess I could ask you the same question.”

“I have bills to pay and was able to get my job back.” Tessa replied
,
refusing to look away.

“At what cost?” His question
came out in a growl
.

Tessa’s face turned bright red, but she
managed a bitter laugh
. “What does that matter to you?” She so

wasn’t going to go
t
here, but for him to say something like that totally pissed her off.

“What in the hell does that mean?” He grabbed her arm as she tried to pass.

“
Nothing Jared. It means nothing.
”
From past experience she knew how this conversation
was
going to go and she honestly didn’t want a repeat of what she went through with Otis. She tried to jerk her arm away, but he wasn’t having it.

“If you need money I have plenty.” Jared glared down at her. “I am the reason you lost your job.”

Tessa shook her head. “I don’t want your money.”

“How much do you need?” His glare didn’t lessen as he dug into his back pocket.

“I said I don’t want your money.” She
hissed,
hating that he was not hearing her. “I’m not your whore.”

That stopped him cold, his eyes narrowed. “I never said you were.” His voice lowered dangerously. “You wanting to pick a fight?”

“Yeah, maybe I am.” She replied in her best bitchy tone. “I mean how much am I worth Jared…hum? Is two hundred too much? Let’
s see
,
we slept
together for what
,
a week
,
so yeah I think that would be fair.”

Jared turned to look at Sid. “Cover
the bar
.” He pulled her toward the front door
,
his face a mask of pissed off
vampire
. Once outside
,
he walked her around the side of the bar. “
You are not a whore and I don’t ever want to hear that come out of your mouth ever again. Understand?
”

“
I’m not
supposed to
leave the bar.
” Tessa replied
,
shivering from the cool air and his intense stare.