Gypsy king

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DASH

“ANOTHER ONE, DASH?”

I swirled the last swallow of beer around the bottom of my pint glass. “Yeah. Thanks, Paul.”

As he went to get my Gui

Emmett caught my eye and motioned me over to play. There was a third woman roaming by the pool table who’d been eye-fucking me all night.

I shook my head and faced forward, staring at the wall of liquor bottles across from me as Paul set down my fresh beer. One gulp and it was half gone because drunk was good. The only way I was going to enjoy tonight was if I got hammered.

Goddamn it, Bryce. This was her fault. She’d ruined Saturdays for me.

She’d been on my mind often over the past couple of weeks. At the garage, I’d be working on an oil change and wonder what she was doing. I’d fall asleep at night, missing the touch of her skin. I came to town early on Sundays and Wednesdays to grab a paper from the grocery store the minute they opened.

Her articles were the only ones I read. Each time, I expected to see something about me, Dad or the Gypsies on the front page, but I guess we weren’t big news anymore. Still, I’d read every word she’d written, needing that co

Last night, I’d been so hungry after work, I’d almost gone to her house. I’d been tempted to wait on her porch until she got home. Flash her a smile and beg her to cook me di

I’d forget about her soon enough, right? It was better for us to go our separate ways.

Or it should have been.

Until she’d ruined Saturdays. Until she’d ruined The Betsy.

The only comfortable stool in the bar was this stool, the same one she’d been on the day I’d found her here. The Betsy was normally a place I’d come to hang out with other people. Be social. Only everyone here irritated me. They weren’t as much fun to talk to as I’d remembered, not when compared to talking with Bryce. And there wasn’t a woman in the room who held any allure.

I chugged the rest of my beer and waved at Paul for a refill. One swift nod and thirty seconds later, I had a fresh Gui

“What are you doing over here?” Leo slapped his hand over my shoulder, pushing himself between me and the guy sitting on my right. He turned backward, a smile on his face as he sca

That used to be me. The king of this bar. This was my happy place.

Then Bryce ruined it all with her sexy smile and shiny hair. She’d ruined me.

I slugged down my entire beer with three huge gulps and let out a burp. “Paul.” I smacked my hand on the bar. “Whiskey this time.”

“You’re in a shit mood,” Leo muttered. “Come on over and play a game. I’ll let you beat me.”

“Pass.”

“Brother.” Leo angled his shoulder into me to speak low. “Cheer up. Take home the blond in the corner. She’ll make you feel better. Or at least let her suck you off in the bathroom.”

“Not interested.” The only woman whose lips belonged wrapped around my cock was a beautiful reporter.

“I give up on you.” Leo frowned, then waved Paul over. “Don’t cut him off. I’ll make sure he gets home.”

The beer was going right to my head, thank fuck, and I nodded to Leo. “Thanks.”

“Hey, Dash.” A delicate hand slid up my thigh and I spun away from Leo to see the blond who’d been in the corner. “How’s it going? Haven’t seen you around for a couple weeks.”

“It’s good.” I dropped a hand over hers before it could reach my zipper. “You?”

The blond didn’t get a chance to answer.

A hand fisted the back of my T-shirt, pulling it tight across my neck. Before I could turn and see who it was, that hand gave a hard yank and I flew backward off the stool. If not for Leo’s quick reflexes, I’d be sprawled on my ass on the dirty bar floor.

I found my balance, righting myself, and stood to face the person who was about to get his ass kicked. But the face I met was not one I’d be punching. “Bryce, what—”

“Goddamn you.” Her hands slammed into my chest, shoving me back against the stool.

Leo kept his grip on my arm so I wouldn’t fall. Or maybe he’d thought I’d go after her.

I wasn’t a fan of being pushed around, but damn, I was glad to see her. Bryce’s face was full of rage, her cheeks red and eyes blazing. She was a furious knockout.

Surging forward, I ignored the anger rolling off her in waves and wrapped my arms around her, crushing her to my chest.

“Get your damn hands off me.” She pushed and squirmed, trying to break free.

But I held her tighter, burying my nose in her hair. It smelled like sugar, overpowering the stale beer on the floor and secondhand smoke wafting in from the front door.

“Dash,” she snapped, the sound muffled in my chest. “Let me go, you asshole.”

“Miss me?” I chuckled. The smile on my face hurt from not using it lately. “I gotta say, babe, I really like that you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” She froze in my arms. “You think I care about the blond? Fuck her brains out for all I care.”

“Huh?” I let her go. “Fuck her brains out?”

I’d given her just enough space for her to wind up and slap me across the face. Smack.

What the fuck was happening right now?

“You’re a lying bastard,” she seethed. “You might have fooled me twice but it will never happen again. I’m not playing your game anymore. No matter what it takes, I’m going to do everything in my power to bring you all to your knees.” With that, she spun and stormed out of the bar.

I blinked twice, dazed as the eyes around the room all landed on me. Bringing a hand up, I rubbed at the cheek she’d likely turned red. Then I looked over my shoulder at Leo. “Did that just happen?”

“Damn.” He was staring at the door, a huge grin spread over his face. “She’s a firecracker, that one. If you don’t marry her, I will.”

“Go to hell.” I flipped him off, then bolted for the door. “Bryce!”

The parking lot was packed. There were cars and bikes everywhere. And no sign of Bryce, until the flash of headlights caught my eye in the distance.

I took off, sprinting for the one and only exit from the lot. It wasn’t easy after the beer, but I pushed my legs hard, my boots pounding on the cracked asphalt. I made it just in time to stand in the middle of the road as Bryce’s Audi came skidding to a halt inches from my knees.

She rolled down her window. “Move.”

“No.” I planted both hands on the hood. “What was that about?”

“Seriously? Don’t play dumb.”

“Help me out here, babe. I’m drunk. You came in there and I was just so happy to see you. Then you tossed out a bunch of shit that made my head spin. I just did a dead sprint and I’m pretty sure my heart might explode. If I collapse, don’t run me over.”

“This isn’t a joke!” she screamed. Her frustration filled the night air. When she swiped at a tear, my heart clenched. “You lied to me. Again. And I fucking fell for it.”

My stomach knotted. Something bad had happened. Something serious. And I hadn’t a clue what it could be other than the yearbook picture. But that wasn’t a big enough deal for this reaction, was it?