Read Online Amaretto Flame by Sammie Spencer - Free Book Online Page B

thoughts,” he said quietly,
leaning close to my ear so I could hear him above the noise in the
bar. I instantly let my eyes flick toward Paula, who was busy
taking Jenny’s drink order.
    I smiled up at him. “It’s too noisy to think
in here, so I’m afraid your penny would be wasted.”
    He sat on the stool next to me and gave me a
long smile. “I guess your assassin work is much quieter,
usually.”
    I chuckled. “Yeah, unless it’s a particularly
brutal kill,” I said. “You know, the screaming, the pleading…it’s a
drag.”
    “Funny,” he said, as he signaled for Rick.
“Looks can be deceiving I guess. I would have been willing to bet
my favorite guitar that you could never hurt anyone. Goes to show
what I know.” He let his mouth turn up at the corners in that
amused smile again. Rick approached with two shot glasses full of
some honey-colored liquid. I watched as he and Jackson clinked the
glasses together and both drained the liquid from them quickly.
With a wink at me, Jackson turned and headed back toward the
stage.
    It would take me a few more hours to
understand the strange ritual that I’d witnessed. I was throwing
away a handful of empty beer bottles when Rick motioned me toward
him. He handed me a tray with two more of the little shot glasses,
full of whiskey.
    “For Jackson,” he said, leaning close. I
nodded, and hurried off toward the stage. Jackson was finishing up
a song just then, and he pushed a button, turning on some newer
music as I approached him.
    “Nice,” he said, looking at the tray. He
picked up one of the glasses and looked at me expectantly. A tiny
thread of nervousness began in my stomach, and I wished he’d take
the other glass so I could escape back into the crowd of
drinkers.
    “That one’s for you,” he said. “It’s my rule.
If you’re taking a shot with someone else, you’re never drinking
alone.” After a quick smile, he added, “You shouldn’t drink
alone.”
    “Oh,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ve never
tried it.” I rolled my eyes to show that I knew how dumb it was,
and then I said, “I’ll just go get Jenny or Erika.”
    “No, wait,” he said quickly. He bit his lip
and then grinned. “You can’t really die without trying that,
either.” He inclined his head toward the little glass.
    “Does everyone know something about my
impending doom that I don’t?” I smiled, and then shook my head
again. The lights from the dance floor were shining over us, making
every part of him look blue as he held his glass up to me, as if
waiting for a toast. Suddenly, he turned from me and stopped the
music.
    He took the microphone in his left hand, his
right still holding onto the drink.
    “Never in my life have I seen such rudeness,”
he said, his voice cranking out through the multiple speakers in
the place. “Can you guys believe that Olivia here won’t have a
drink with me?” He glanced back at me, his grin pointed in my
direction. “What kind of person won’t toast to your good
health?”
    All the talking in the club had stopped, and
now some in the crowd were laughing and some were booing. Booing
me, I realized with horror. My cheeks burned in embarrassment, and
I glanced toward the bar. Jenny and Erika were standing near the
bar, laughing and giving me thumbs-down signs.
    “Shit,” I hissed quietly.
    “Now she curses me,” Jackson said. “That’s
not a nice word.” He looked at me again, laughing at my obvious
embarrassment. “How many of you think she should have a drink with
me?”
    The crowd suddenly began shouting as one, and
it was obvious that Jackson was charming them. I smiled despite
myself. Humans were so weird. I glanced back down at the little
shot glass of liquid. I really had never tried anything alcoholic
other than a bit of wine during rituals back home. How bad could it
be, though? With the crowd shouting into my ear, I squared my
shoulders and stepped up onto the stage, seizing the tiny
glass.
    “To your good