Page 44 of Embrace the Darkness

My rambling made his eyebrows rise before a slow smile pulled at his lips. “Why was your day shit?” he asked.

I wagged my finger at him. “I’m here to forget, remember? Ask me something better. Like what my favorite color is.”

His smile grew. “What’s your favorite color?”

I smiled. “I don’t know. You weren’t really supposed to ask me that. You’re terrible at this,” I teased.

Amused, he chuckled.

“Do you know if the next band is any good?” I asked, taking charge of the conversation.

“I only book good bands,” he stated with a cocky glint in his eye.

“Smooth. Owner or manager?”

“Owner,” he said proudly.

“So tell me, Mr. Owner, how’d you know who I am?”

He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “I didn’t. I thought Stefan was here, but when I noticed they were all watching over you, I became curious.”

It took a moment for the information to compute in my whiskey-soaked brain. “They?” I tilted my head, confused before the rest of what he said caught up. I spun around, looking back at the bar, finding not only Dean, but Jamie and Louie as well.

I let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to the owner. “Did I piss in someone’s Cheerios by coming here?”

He stared down at me for a moment and then one side of his mouth lifted up in a smirk. “No,” he finally replied. Then his eyes looked past me before a hand came down on my shoulder.

“Sasha,” Jamie said from behind me.

“Jameson.” The owner, who I guessed was named Sasha, greeted. “Tell Stefan his daughter is always welcome here.” Then he looked back to me. “It was nice to meet you, Maura.” He gave me a tight smile before walking away.

I shoved Jamie’s hand off my shoulder and walked back to the bar. I wasn’t ready to deal with him. I caught Louie glancing between us, reading our interaction with questioning eyes.

“How’d you find me?” I asked him as I climbed onto the stool next to him. I shot a glare at Dean over his head.Did he call them?

“We tracked your phone,” Louie answered honestly.

Of course they did. I waved a finger at the bartender, telling him I was ready for another. In the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn’t drink anymore. Having Jamie so close made me not care.

The bartender dropped my drink down in front of me and I tasted nothing as I swallowed half of the amber liquid in the glass.

“How much have you had to drink?” Jamie asked from behind me. I hated how my body reacted to the sound of his voice. We'd kissed, like, twice! Okay, maybe a little more than twice and there had been this morning. Thatwasn’t really the point.Why does he have this effect on me? I never reacted like this with Tom.

“Not enough,” I snapped loud and clear.

It went strangely quiet behind me. Peeking over my shoulder, I found both Louie and Jamie staring at Dean expectantly. The assholes were trying to get an answer from him. He genuinely surprised me by just standing there with a blank face and his arms folded over his chest.

“How much has she had to drink?” Jamie questioned Dean. Despite his calm tone, you could tell he was pissed he even had to ask. Other goons would have thrown me under the bus by now.

Dean shrugged. “I didn’t know I was supposed to keep track.”

Louie’s brows shot up and he smirked a little. I couldn’t tell if he was proud or impressed, both of which I'd never expected. I think my jaw would have dropped to the floor if I hadn’t recovered as quickly as I did.Isn’t he Dean’s boss?Jamie, on the other hand, glared at him. If Dean was intimidated, he didn’t let it show. Now I was impressed.

“Leave him alone,” I ordered. The steel and authority behind my words could rival Stefan and seemed to surprise the men around me. Jamie’s anger traveled to me.“He did his job by keeping me safe. If you punish him, you’ll not only lose his respect but mine, as well.”

Done saying my piece, I turned back toward the bar and waved at the bartender again for one more before I threw the rest of my current drink back. When he placed another glass in front of me, I asked to close my tab. Ignoring everyone, I threw back my last drink, then slammed the glass down on the bar. Louie swiveled around and bumped his shoulder playfully into mine.

“Why are you here?” I grumbled after the bartender handed me my bill.