Page 16 of Minotaur Bar (Minotaur Bar #1)

I’ve been dating Havoc for three months. The best three months I’ve ever spent with a significant other. He’s such a good bull for me, submissive and perfect when he begs. But he’s also exceptionally strong and holds me each and every time I need an emotional release too. It’s wild to have someone you can weather the storms with. To not be too much for. He’s seen every part of me. It’s made him love me deeper. And I can absolutely brag that it’s the same for me.

We’re hanging out at the bar together during the early afternoon. He’s working on inventory as I’m cleaning glasses. He sighs, setting the clipboard down, taking a break as I watch his handsome face.

“What’s wrong, cookie?”

I ask him as he smiles warmly at me.

“I’m bored,”

he says flatly as I give him an appraising look.

“Did you need me to entertain you? Take you out back and put that pretty cock to use?”

I tease. He rolls his eyes.

“Tess, please. You know I’ll let you, but we still have fucking Duke here sucking down beers,”

he says waving his hand at the old bull.

“Hey, I’d pay to watch that shit. No reason to go outside,”

Duke jokes as I laugh.

“Fuck off, Duke,”

Havoc says in a stern voice as I grab his hand. He looks back at me, the agitation leaving his eyes.

“What did you mean, baby?”

I ask him seriously.

“I don’t know. I’m bored with the bar. I want to switch things up. Like, have a theme night or something fun here. I just wanna break away from some of the routine,”

he says as I nod.

“I can get behind that,”

I reply.

“Like a Luau or maybe a murder mystery party?”

“No and no, but keep the ideas coming, red. I know that pretty brain of yours can think of something that fits this place,”

Havoc says, clicking his pen in thought. “Sports?”

“Boring. Overdone,”

I deny, as Duke nods.

“Agreed, Tess.”

Havoc rolls his eyes at the bull opposite him.

“Ok, then what did you have in mind then?”

he asks his friend.

“Put that ring to use out back and have a fight night. Set up a bracket, get the bulls to throw in some entry cash and make it the prize for whoever outlasts the entire thing,”

he says with a shrug, like it’s obvious.

“Well, shit. That is good,”

Havoc grumbles as I nod in agreement.

“I like it! We don’t really have to do shit other than advertise. We can have food trucks park outside! Alcohol, obviously, in here! And just make sure to set up the back to handle an influx of bodies!”

I rattle off excitedly.

“This is totally doable, babe!”

“Told ya,”

Duke says with a shit eating grin.

“You’re welcome.”

“Cut him off,”

Havoc replies as he pushes the minotaur, who just laughs in return.

“Don’t worry, Duke. He’ll be thanking you later when he makes bank off this idea,” I say.

“Watch it, red. You may be in charge most of the time, but I’ll make you work the bar alone that night if you keep talking shit,”

my bull warns. I lean over the bar top, pushing my breasts together.

“And if I’m a good girl?”

I ask in a breathy voice, one I know shoots blood right to Havoc’s cock.

“Then you can be the hot ass chick who holds up the signs in a bikini to tell everyone what round it is,”

he growls back. I smirk.

“Wear those sweats I cut, and you can be the hot piece of ass with the sign,”

I joke, making Havoc laugh out loud.

“Are you gonna fight?”

“Fuck yeah,”

he replies as I grin.

“Shit. I can’t wait to see that,”

I say, grabbing his horn and pulling his face to mine for a kiss.

“Fuck, if you’re fighting, my money’s on you,”

Duke says.

“This guy doesn’t quit in the ring.”

“I can’t wait to watch. I guess I have to behave now.”

I mock being upset, pushing my bottom lip out. Havoc nods, looking at my tits.

“That was my plan all along. What’s a relationship without a little bit of extortion, huh?” I shrug.

“Not one I want to be in,”

I say happily, turning to get Duke another beer.

“Thanks, Tess,”

he says sweetly, tipping me a ten-dollar bill. I grab it and stuff it in my jeans, smiling at him kindly. Duke always treats all the bartenders well.

“Thank you, honey. Anyway,”

I turn back to Havoc.

“When are we doing this? We need a little bit of time to advertise and build some excitement for the event.”

“Mmm, like a month? Should be plenty of time to put everything together,”

Havoc replies.

“Hey, Duke. Your son still have that food truck?”

“Yes, sir,”

he answers, cracking a peanut shell and dropping the nuts into his mouth.

“Want me to talk to him?”

“Please. And if he has any other buddies who want in, let them know they can park in the lot too and keep anything they earn. I’m not looking for a cut,”

he says as Duke nods.

“Sounds good! I know he’s got a circle of friends that he’s met doing all the festivals and other shit around the city,”

Duke replies.

“I’ll call him tonight. Let you know by tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan,”

Havoc says. I squeal, making him growl.

“Minotaur fight night!!!”

I scream loudly. The two bulls shake their horns at me, rolling their eyes, but with smirks on their faces.

“You better bring me a trophy home, bossman.”

“I’ve got your trophy right here, red,”

Havoc retorts, grabbing his dick. I bite my lower lip. The minotaur has a fucking point.

*****

We spend any free time we have the next few weeks prepping for the fight. My dad helps me design a flyer to advertise and distributes them around town on his beer deliveries. I make sure to have stacks around the bar and direct anyone looking to sign up to Cash who is putting together the bracket. Havoc finalizes the details with Duke’s son, Ranger, and the rest of the vendors he hooks him up with. And every day after work, Havoc trains for the fight before we fuck each other to sleep.

I’m so proud of him. He’s been looking even hotter in his slutty crop tops as he bulks up a bit. It’s amazing how quickly the damn beast can pack on muscle. It makes me want to jump his bones that much more. At the rate he’s got me going, he barely has time for himself. But he doesn’t seem to mind.

We have so many bulls signed up that we have to narrow down the list. We didn’t anticipate the enthusiasm. But we start another list of those we have to cut to be the first ones to fight at the second event we’ll need to start planning due to the popularity of this one. Thanks to Duke, we seem to have struck gold.

“I got guys all over town telling me they’re coming to the fight night,”

my dad says to Havoc and I when he drops off beer three days before the event.

“I think you’ll be packing way more than just minotaurs!”

“Damn, really? Should I be worried?”

Havoc asks as my father shrugs.

“I’d definitely hire some extra security. Maybe have them sign a liability waver or something. But no one is guaranteed entry if you’re at max capacity. Just try to keep the fighting to the ring and I think you’ll be ok!”

he says happily. I smile. I love that my dad is always so supportive. He and Havoc have grown even closer since I started dating my boss. Dad claps him on the shoulder, looking at me next.

“You ready to tend bar, baby girl?”

“No,”

Havoc answers for me.

“I want her in my line of sight the entire time. No one is touching her,”

he growls.

“I’m not having a repeat of the night she got injured.”

“Havoc,”

I say with an edge.

“You can’t just put me in a cage to protect me.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice, though? I mean, as a parent, I had always wished it was that easy to make sure she was safe,”

my dad says with a sigh.

“Justin, am I being unreasonable here? If she helps judge the fights or at least sits at the table, then she’s out of harm’s way,”

Havoc says, as if it’s that easy.

“I just… I can still smell her blood sometimes. The way it got trapped in my nose when I saw the entire thing happen. It plagues me. It sits at the back of my mind and just gnaws away me when it’s quiet.”

“It’s not like you could have prevented it!”

I cry incredulously.

“Stop punishing yourself!”

“You tell my brain that, Tess! Make it go away, and I’ll let you tend bar!”

I scoff in disbelief, not sure how to handle this. I throw the towel in my hand down and walk away through the kitchen, out the back door.

I had no idea Havoc was still stuck on that night, one foot held in the trauma of our past. It makes me feel like I’ve failed him. Just like he feels internally as well. We’re both mad we can’t get the other to see it from our perspective. I sigh heavily, walking around in a circle with my hands clasped behind my head.

I hear the back door open and watch as my dad exits the building.

“Baby girl. Cut the guy some slack. He’s trying to protect a human he loves in a bar full of monsters, ok? He’s scared,”

he says gently.

“I know,”

I reply, my fight gone.

“I didn’t understand this was something that’s bugged him for so long. He tells me everything. But he didn’t tell me this. Did I do something wrong? Why did he hide this from me?”

“Because he’s trying to let you live your life, honey. But maybe you need to trust him. This is going to be a busy night, with a ton of bulls and other folks. The air is gonna be amped up. Just let him take care of you if that’s what his instinct is saying. He’s asking you sit out one night. And you’ll still be part of everything.”

I look up into his face as I consider what he’s saying.

“You trust him?”

“Of fucking course, dad,”

I say urgently.

“Then let him watch over you. You’ll get to take the night off and have some fun. Judge some fights it sounds like,”

he says gently, pulling me in for a hug.

“I gotta go. But talk to Havoc. Keep an open mind.”

“I promise I will.”

I wave as he drives off. When I turn around to go inside, my minotaur is blocking the door.