“I’ve got an informant that might have some info on the missing girl.” Barrett’s voice came over the line slow and steady. His voice, just like his personality, never seemed to waver.
“There’s a bar off the highway that caters to bikers. Do you know the one I’m talking about?”
“I know the one.” It was more than a bar. It was a strip club. It was the last place on earth he wanted to take Ava.
“Figured you did. Be there tonight at ten o’clock. Go to the far end of the bar and order a shot of vodka, Grey Goose. This is the signal for the informant to talk to you.”
“What about Ava?” He gritted his teeth.
“He knows you’ll have company. Unless you find a safe place to leave her, you’re going to have to take her with you. I told him you were with your mate so that should be enough for him to keep his hands off.”
“If it’s not, I’ll be more than happy to rip his hands off for him.” Damon gave Ava a pointed stare. “You make sure to tell him I don’t share. You got that?”
Barrett’s laughter rumbled through the line. “I think he’ll get the message loud and clear when he lays eyes on you, Damon. Besides, I’ve warned him. You know the rules.”
“Yeah. The first time is a warning. The second time is death.” Damon grinned a little. “Because you hate to repeat yourself.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve found a couple of options for a safe house for Ava. They won’t be ready for a couple of days, so you’ll have to keep her a little while longer.”
He said nothing, his stomach tightening at the thought that soon he’d have to let Ava go.
“Damon, you know you’ve got to let her go, right?” It was more of a command than a question. Directions were one thing. It was ultimatums he didn’t respond so well to.
“Damon, you do right by that girl. We clear?”
Damon growled, holding onto his rage by a thread. Without a word, he ended the call.
“You okay?” Ava touched his arm.
“Yeah.” He pulled the helmet off the bike and handed it to her. “We need to get going.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Chapter Eight
Ava clung to Damon as he sped down the interstate on his Harley to their next destination. She hadn’t pressed him about where they were going. Frankly, she didn’t want to know. Wherever their destination, it might be the place he would leave her. She wasn’t ready to tell him goodbye, just yet.
Rubbing her hands across his washboard abs, he shivered under her fingertips. She loved how he responded to her touch. If only they had more time together. The minutes seemed to be siphoning away, their days rushing by with no way to slow down and enjoy the short time they had left.
He pulled into the parking lot of a decrepit-looking building with no windows and steel bars on the door.
“What is this place? It looks condemned.” She wrinkled up her nose.
“It’s a bar that caters to our kind.” He turned and scanned the nearly empty parking lot. There was only one other bike parked near the entrance. She assumed it was someone who worked there.
“A werewolf bar?” Her eyes widened. It still seemed weird to say. “Is it dangerous?”
“Only on a full moon and then hardly anyone comes in unless they are looking for trouble. Humans rarely come here.”
“Sounds like you know from experience.”
“Maybe.”
The closed sign hung limply on its side like a broken arm. Instead of going through the front door, he led her around to the side of the building.
He rapped on the backdoor.
“We’re closed. Can’t you see the damn sign?” A deep voice roared from the other side of the door. She took a cautious step back.
“No shit, you senile old fart. Get off your lazy ass and open this goddamn door,” Damon thundered.
The back door flew open and a man with shoulders as wide as a dump trunk stomped out. His bald head resembled Mr. Clean and was the only part of him that wasn’t covered in hair. He towered over Damon, which was a feat in itself.
“Damon? What the fuck you doing here?” Mr. Clean on steroids looked over at her and blushed. “I mean, what the hell are you doing here?”
“Looking for a favor. Think you can help me out?” Damon’s expression grew serious as he shook hands with the giant of a man.
“Come on in.” He motioned them inside.
Despite the run-down appearance of the outside of the building, the inside was very clean. As they wound their way through the kitchen, her nose was assaulted by the tempting smells. By the time they reached the bar, her mouth was watering.
“Can I get you two something to eat? I was just putting the finishing touches on my crawfish etouffee for tonight’s customers.”
“We just ate.” Damon shook his head.
“That sounds great.” She gave the man a grateful smile.
“I like a girl with an appetite. You better treat her right, Damon. Mates like her don’t come along that often.” He disappeared into the kitchen.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were still hungry?”
“I wasn’t until I walked in here.” She shrugged. When she was nervous she ate a lot.
The guy came back through the kitchen doors in a much better mood. “That’s one fine mate you got there, Damon. If I was twenty years younger I’d fight you for her.” He smiled broadly and set the bowl in front of her.
“Ava, I’d like you to meet Jeff. He’s the owner of Romulus and Remus.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You named your bar after the founders of Rome?”
“Beautiful and smart. I agree with your choice of a mate.” Jeff gave Damon an appreciative nod.
Damon sighed loud enough to irritate her. “We’re not mated.”
“Humph. That’s what you keep saying.” Jeff lifted his eyes to the ceiling.
“Keep saying? Who’ve you been talking to? Jayden?” Damon narrowed his eyes.
“Nope. Granny told me. Ran into her while I was picking up some groceries.” Jeff squeezed his brows together marring his perfectly round head. “She said she was picking up some hors d’oeuvres for some kind of party. Did she say anything to you about having a party?”
Ava almost choked on her etouffee. Damon’s face turned bright red and he quickly shrugged. “Nope, not a word.”
“This is the best etouffee I’ve ever tasted.” She pointed to the bowl with her spoon.
Jeff’s face broke into a large smile. “Thank you, Ava.”
“No, really.” She spooned another bite into her mouth and sighed. “I’ve already had a burger for lunch, but for some reason I can’t stop eating your food.”
“You said she’s not mated.” Jeff looked at Damon as his lips curled into a wicked grin.
“If you want to keep your arms attached to your body, I’d squash that idea right now.”
She glanced between the two men. Although Damon seemed offended when everyone assumed they were mated, he didn’t hesitate when it came to keeping other men away from her. Just like a man. Damon didn’t want her, but didn’t want anyone else to have her either.
He was really starting to piss her off.
“Tell me, since I’m new to the whole werewolf thing, does the female ever get a voice in this whole mating thing? Because it sounds to me like a bunch of testosterone bullshit.” She shoved a bite into her mouth and glared.
Jeff grinned. “Are you kidding? The female has all the power in the relationship.”
She raised a doubtful eyebrow at him. “Doesn’t sound like it to me.”
“Oh, believe me. The female holds more power in the relationship than the male, especially when it comes to mating.” Jeff gave her a wink.
“Really?”
Damon shook his head and looked at Jeff. “Look, we’re not here to have a lesson in mating. We’re here looking for information on a kidnapper.”
Jeff propped his elbows on the table. “A kidnapper?�
��
“One of the Louisiana females was kidnapped. Right after Ava was kidnapped.”
Jeff turned concern eyes on her. “Darling, did some asshole hurt you?”
She averted her eyes. “You mean assholes; there was more than one.”
Jeff’s face went red with rage.
“No one hurt me.” She gave Jeff a reassuring smile. “Damon got there in time and rescued me.”
“You killed them?” Jeff‘s question seemed more like a statement than a question, his back arched in a protective gesture. Ava’s heart warmed. Jeff didn’t even know her and he was actually genuinely concerned. How many human men had she been around who would have been worried about her? Jeff, like Damon, saw her as something more than just a pair of boobs.
Wolves may be animals, but they certainly took care of their kind, more than humans did.
“I thought you might have some Intel on David Jenkins who kidnapped the second girl.” Damon’s deep timbre drew her attention. She couldn’t help the fact that every time he spoke, or looked at her, or touched her hand, it had her heart spinning in her chest.
Desire heated her face as he turned and met her eyes. She reached for the bottled water on the wooden table to quench her sudden thirst. With just one look at him, all her years of being in control of her life and not taking shit from any man sent her steel resolve flying out the window. For him, she would almost relinquish complete control.
Almost.
The consequences shook her to the core.
“You okay?” He reached for her hand. She fought against the urge to place his fingertips into her mouth and suck.
“Yeah. Etouffee’s just a little spicy.” She sipped her water, pulling out of his reach and out from under his spell.
“I wish I could help, but I haven’t heard of the guy.” Jeff shook his head, obviously frustrated. “You might try the Beaver Tail. They get lots of wolves, especially near the full moon.”
“What’s the Beaver Tail?” She pushed away her empty bowl.
“It’s a strip club,” Damon answered without looking at her. “It’s the reason I need a favor from you, Jeff.”
“We get to take a field trip. Nice.” She rubbed her hands together. “I’ve never seen the inside of a strip club before.”
“You’re not starting today.” Damon narrowed his eyes on her.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll be staying here with Jeff while I check it out.” He cut his gaze to Jeff.
Jeff grinned. “Is this where you ask if she can stay here? Or were you just planning on telling me?”
“Nope, no way.” Ava sat up in her chair. “You sure as hell aren’t leaving me out of this now, Damon. If you go, I go.”
“Ava, it’s too dangerous. You’re not going to a strip club. Do you know how many guys would be on your ass the second you walked through the door?” He glared at her.
“Then I guess you’re just going to have to watch my ass.” She shrugged.
“You sure you’re not mated?” Jeff arched a hairy brow.
“I’m sure.” They both answered in unison.
“You know she’s probably right, Damon.” Jeff’s smirk disappeared. “I’m short on bouncers since Jayden went to work full-time at the casino. With the full moon coming up, having her here would not be a good idea. She needs someone covering her all the time.”
She shot Jeff an encouraging smile before looking back at Damon, whose face was buried in a scowl so deep she thought it would leave permanent lines.
Damon cursed as he ran his fingers through his hair, his muscles ripping under his tight T-shirt. She licked her lips and swallowed hard. Suddenly, she was struck with the image of him, naked in bed, with his huge strong body covering hers as he pounded himself into her body.
“You okay?” Damon’s scowl was gone, replaced with concerned.
“Yes, why?” She looked away and swiped her hand across her brow.
“You’re flushed and your eyes are glossy. Do you have fever?” He pressed his palm to her forehead. “You feel hot.”
Hell yeah, she was hot, and wet too. How could she not be all hot and frustrated with him touching her?
She pushed his hand away. “I’m fine. It just got kind of warm in here.” She rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans-clad thighs. “When does the strip club open?”
“It opened hours ago.” He cocked his head as he looked into her face, still searching for some signs of illness.
“I thought they only opened at night.”
“Nope. They open before noon, for the lunch crowd.” Jeff stood and picked up her empty bowl.
“They serve food?” She wrinkled her nose. “Wouldn’t that be a health violation or something? How the hell could you eat with all that in your face?”
Jeff barked out a laugh. “Damon, I like your girl! I think she’s got some Alpha in her.” He disappeared through the swinging door into the kitchen
“What?” She cocked her head. “Don’t tell me you haven’t thought the same thing. Would you be eating while some girl is shaking her naked ass over your BLT?”
He leaned in close, his eyes darkening and his breath grazing her cheek. “Only if the naked girl was you. And I wouldn’t be eating a BLT. I’d be eating you.”
***
Damon pulled up to the Beaver Tail, careful to park away from the front door. It was just getting dark and the security lights were blinking awake, illuminating the quickly approaching darkness.
Securing her helmet to the bike, he took the opportunity to assess for danger. Inhaling deeply, he scanned the parking lot, relaxing only when he didn’t sense a threat. Grabbing Ava’s hand, he walked toward the front door. As much as he hadn’t wanted to, he’d brought her along.
“Will they even let me in?” Ava whispered as they drew near the entrance.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t they?” He glanced down at her. Damn, she was fucking beautiful. If he lived for eternity, he would never get tired of looking at her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. What if I’m some irate wife looking for her husband? I could be dangerous, you know.”
He grinned. Hell yeah, she could be dangerous. It’s what he liked about her, that and her stubbornness. And the way she looked at him. And the way her body fit under him. And the way…
“I’m telling you right now, you go in there and let some tramp touch you, there’s going to be trouble. For her and you.”
His chest swelled with pride. He especially loved how possessive she was.
“Just letting you know before we walk in.” She batted her eyes and smiled sweetly.
He grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. Burying his face in her neck, he inhaled deeply and rubbed his scent across her body. He let his hands run down her back until they rested on her tight little ass.
When he finally let go, she looked up into his eyes.
“What was that for?”
“Insurance.” He was making sure the other males knew she wasn’t available. He didn’t give her time to ask any more questions as he herded her through the entrance. He nodded at the bouncer, making a mental note that he, too, was a Were. The bouncer nodded back as they walked farther into the club. The stench of drug store perfume and the smog of cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air.
“Would you two like to be seated at the bar or a table?”
He jerked his head toward the deep feminine voice, a result from years of cigarette abuse.
“Do you have a table that is non-smoking?” Ava spoke up before he could answer.
“We do have a non-smoking section, but it’s not going to be completely free of smoke.” The waitress pointed to the location across the room. He noticed there weren’t as many men sitting in that area.
“That’s fine.” He followed the waitress, making sure to keep Ava in front of him. The men in the club were too busy watching a blond stripper wrap her legs around a pole to notice Ava.
Good. He hated having to kill someone this early i
n the day.
They settled into a corner table. He reached over and pulled Ava’s chair closer until she was nestled against his side.
“Damon, I don’t think someone is going to jump up and try to take me right here.”
“You’re right. I’d kill them first.”
Absently, he ran his fingers up and down her arm as he looked around. Men in suits sitting at tables near the stage, while blue-collar men huddled around the stage itself. The stripper finished her performance, and a brunette entered the stage wearing nothing but cowboy boots and a G-string. She was pretty enough, but she didn’t do a thing for him.
“I bet I could do that.” Ava nodded as the dancer gripped the stripper pole with both legs and let gravity spin her downward to the ground. The stripper ended in the splits.
“You’re not going to find out.” Letting Ava get on a stripper pole would be like igniting World War III.
“Why not?”
“Can I get you something to drink?” The waitress’s name badge read Sherry Pie and she was dressed in a yellow apron with cherries splashed across the material. Her brilliant red hair was bumped up high on her head like a Jersey girl. Her eye makeup was black and heavy, making her resemble a raccoon that had lost a fight. What amazed Damon the most was the fact that her lipstick matched her blazing red hair to perfection.
“Can I ask you something?” Ava nodded toward the stage. “Do you have to go to school to do that?”
The waitress followed her gaze to the stage and grinned. “No, honey. All you need is core strength.”
“Are you a dancer too?”
“Yes, but I don’t dance until the ten o’clock crowd comes in. That’s where the money is.”
“Is that when the CEO types come in, after work?” Ava propped her chin on her hand.
“Don’t I wish? The CEOs are tight with their money, although they don’t mind spending on themselves.” Sherry laughed. “The big money is those rough-looking bikers, like that guy over there at the bar.”
They both turned. Perched on a barstool and wearing a scarred leather jacket was a huge guy. The second the dude glanced in their direction, Damon caught his scent and knew he was a Were.
His nostrils flared as he picked up the scent of danger. The Were’s eyes landed on Ava.
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