Page 99 of Lost Lyrebird

When Hodge turns to help the customer, Bethany rests her hands on the bar and leans forward.She lowers her voice.“That’s not all Medda got from his DNA.He also gave her a little pig nose.”

Somehow he manages to hear her or read her lips, because he whips a towel at her ass.She shrieks and swats at the weapon.“Woman!”He growls.“How many times do I got to set you straight?It’s not a fuckin’ pig nose.Just because it tilts up doesn’t mean it’s the snout of a goddamn hog.”He scowls, but the corner of his mouth is lifted as he saunters away.“Be-fuckin’-have yourself.”

“I never said I didn’t like it,” she yells after him.

He waves her off and starts talking with the guy down the bar.

Raven elbows me.“They’re strange.It takes some getting used to.But honestly, she’s one of the only old ladies I can stand.Her and Spice—err Kendra.Septic’s old lady.”She turns on her stool and looks around for a bit before pointing to the back where most of the HOCs are gathered around the pool tables.“She’s the short, hot Latina with the kickin’ curves and dark, curly hair.”

I spot Kendra right away and nod.I already knew what she looked like, but putting a face to the name and picture helps too.She’s precisely as Raven described her, and I note that her smile is wide and beautiful, something a photograph just doesn’t capture completely.I can’t hear her laugh over the music, but can see it’s boisterous.

“That’s not much of a compliment,” Bethany retorts.The disgust on her face at the mention of other old ladies speaks volumes.“I still hate you for switching teams on me.I was hoping you’d let a brother claim you and be one of the few old ladies at the club gigs I can stand to hang out with.”She looks at me.A cunning grin builds on her face.“Speaking of…”

“Don’t even think about it,” Raven admonishes.“You’re not coaxing her to the dark side.Not yet.”

Bethany’s gaze swings to me.“Oh, no, no, no.Please tell me you don’t bat for her team, too?Fuck!”

Raven mock glares at her.She turns to me.A twinkle sparks in her eyes.“Baby, should I tell her or just let her enjoy the show?”I read her intentions as if they are words floating up on a teleprompter.I grin and follow her lead.Time to give Bethany a taste of her own medicine.

Raven’s hand sweeps my hair away from my shoulder and cradles my cheek.She brings my face close to hers.Her other hand slides up my thigh, and she yanks me forward, nearly pulling me off my stool.

Chaos explodes behind us, and cheers drown out The Black Keys song playing overhead as Raven’s mouth descends.Our lips are a breath away from connecting when she stops.Our eyes open, meet, and laughter bubbles up between us as we break apart.

Bethany slaps the bar top.“Ya’ll suck!”

The boos behind us drown out the song.

Then a voice I’ve come to know well shouts, “Holy Fuck!What is happening here?Why’d you stop?Thought I’d died and gone to heaven.Resume please, or rewind or what-the-fuck-ever, because that was hot as fuck.”Bodie comes up behind us, and his gaze bounces back and forth between me and Raven.His black ball cap is turned backwards, and his blond curls stick out the sides above his ears.His sinful grin and dimples are on full display.A white T-shirt with black graffiti art sits under his cut, and he’s sporting faded, dark-gray jeans that hang low on his hips.

“Sorry, no can do,” Raven fires back.

“Come on!One more time, but this time there needs to be actual lip lockin’ and a hell lotta tongue action.”

Raven turns and pushes him.“Get outta here.You sick bastard.It was a joke.”He comes close again and tries to put his arm over her shoulder.She facepalms him out of her space.Bodie knocks away her hand, unaffected, and stands behind our stools, his arms over the top of both.

The pleading look he levels on me is full of promised misery if I don’t give in.“Lil’, you’re my girl.Surely you wouldn’t leave a man hangin’ like that.”

“Actually.”Raven points at me.“That’s kind of her specialty.”

“True.”We laugh and tap the tops of our beers together.

A sour expression fills his face.He shouts out to Hodge.“You see this shit?They get a brother all charged up and then nothin’.”

Hodge lets out a chuckle and says, “Climbin’ the wrong tree with those three, man.Doesn’t take more than two brain cells to see that.”

Bodie hollers at him, “Maybe you should cut ’em off, then.New rule.No tongue action, no alcohol.”

Bethany interjects, “My bar.My rules.And I say they can drink whatever they like.”

“Hodge!Talk to you fuckin’ woman.She’s talkin’ back.”

Striding toward us, Hodge says, “Brother, you ain’t had it good in the sack until you got a sassy bitch in your bed.”

“Amen!”someone hollers behind us.

“How about we welcome Lily to our place properly and get this night off to a good start?What do ya say?”Bethany grins and passes him the Naked Diablo.

He picks it up, and his features scrunch with distaste.“Fuck, really?”