Chapter
One
Mandy
Straus slung back another shot of vodka and slid the glass to the bartender.
“Fill her up,” she said and tapped her hands on the bar. Tonight was special.
In the last five years since leaving high school, she’d been working for a
lecherous snake of a man who’d done nothing but hit on her and make her
uncomfortable. After all this time, she’d stood up to him in front of his wife
and told him to keep his wandering hands to himself and to stick his job up his
ass.
“You’re
looking a little out of sorts,” Bill, the barman, said.
“Not
at all. I’m out of a job, but I don’t have to deal with sexual harassment
anymore.” She raised her glass and gave him a salute. Mandy intended to get
pissed, maybe do something completely out of character like screw the first man
she saw. At least a man she could stomach first thing in the morning.
“I’ll
get you another one. On the house this time,” Bill said to her. Mandy gave him
a dazzling smile and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. The straight
brown locks were a nightmare to keep tidy but she loved having long hair. When
she sat on her bed brushing out the strands, the motion gave her a sense of
peace not many people could find.
Bill
came back with her drink.
“Thanks.”
She took sips rather than knocking it back. Mandy glanced at the reflection in
the mirror and wondered what the hell she was going to do. Yes, she’d quit her
job and felt liberated for her trouble. What was she going to do about work?
A
commotion behind her made her turn around. Bill cursed. There wasn’t anything
of interest that she could see, and she went back to her drink.
“Tonight’s
going to be a fucking nightmare,” Bill muttered.
Sighing
in frustration, she turned back to the scene. A large man stood just inside the
doorway with his arms folded. Tattoos ran up and down both arms, the muscles
the same size as her legs combined. He looked cocky, arrogant and dangerous.
All three were a combination she despised in a man. Having no interest, she
spun in her seat and drank down her shot. Bill stood near her, glaring at the
man.
“What’s
with you?” she asked.
“He
causes trouble wherever he goes. A biker. A thug and a pain in my fucking ass,”
he growled.
“Never
seen him before.”
“That’s
because you’re a good girl and never come to this part of town on the rowdiest
nights. Give it a few hours and you’ll see. Dan Sawyer is a royal fucking pest.
I hate the summer. Brings all the fucking criminals out.” Bill handed her
another drink and walked away.
He’s
so dramatic .
Intrigued by the man who’d gotten to Bill, Mandy grabbed
her drink and walked over to a booth in the far corner. She wasn’t up for
company, and it gave her a decent view of the room. Men and women danced to a
country tune as other groups played pool or drank beer. Bill had been right.
She didn’t go out on Friday or most of the days that were high-risk for social
interaction.
Growing
up in a family with three older brothers and two prettier sisters, she’d felt
like an outcast. Being the late arrival in the family, she’d never felt a part
of it, as she didn’t achieve as much as the others. Most of her family were
high achievers who craved respectability of the highest order. Even though her
family did everything to include her. She wasn’t designed to crave attention as
they did.
The
only outrageous thing that happened in her family was with her oldest brother,
Rick. He’d disappeared a few years back with one of his friends—she couldn’t
remember his name - only to return and settle down as best as he could. They’d
stayed in touch via letters, and she recalled sending him some pictures to help
him with his travels. That was the extent of her family’s blackened name.
Most
of the time, she was happy to lay back, read a good book, and let the world go
by. The lecherous boss had been the only interesting thing to happen to her.
She sighed and
One
Mandy
Straus slung back another shot of vodka and slid the glass to the bartender.
“Fill her up,” she said and tapped her hands on the bar. Tonight was special.
In the last five years since leaving high school, she’d been working for a
lecherous snake of a man who’d done nothing but hit on her and make her
uncomfortable. After all this time, she’d stood up to him in front of his wife
and told him to keep his wandering hands to himself and to stick his job up his
ass.
“You’re
looking a little out of sorts,” Bill, the barman, said.
“Not
at all. I’m out of a job, but I don’t have to deal with sexual harassment
anymore.” She raised her glass and gave him a salute. Mandy intended to get
pissed, maybe do something completely out of character like screw the first man
she saw. At least a man she could stomach first thing in the morning.
“I’ll
get you another one. On the house this time,” Bill said to her. Mandy gave him
a dazzling smile and flipped her long hair over her shoulder. The straight
brown locks were a nightmare to keep tidy but she loved having long hair. When
she sat on her bed brushing out the strands, the motion gave her a sense of
peace not many people could find.
Bill
came back with her drink.
“Thanks.”
She took sips rather than knocking it back. Mandy glanced at the reflection in
the mirror and wondered what the hell she was going to do. Yes, she’d quit her
job and felt liberated for her trouble. What was she going to do about work?
A
commotion behind her made her turn around. Bill cursed. There wasn’t anything
of interest that she could see, and she went back to her drink.
“Tonight’s
going to be a fucking nightmare,” Bill muttered.
Sighing
in frustration, she turned back to the scene. A large man stood just inside the
doorway with his arms folded. Tattoos ran up and down both arms, the muscles
the same size as her legs combined. He looked cocky, arrogant and dangerous.
All three were a combination she despised in a man. Having no interest, she
spun in her seat and drank down her shot. Bill stood near her, glaring at the
man.
“What’s
with you?” she asked.
“He
causes trouble wherever he goes. A biker. A thug and a pain in my fucking ass,”
he growled.
“Never
seen him before.”
“That’s
because you’re a good girl and never come to this part of town on the rowdiest
nights. Give it a few hours and you’ll see. Dan Sawyer is a royal fucking pest.
I hate the summer. Brings all the fucking criminals out.” Bill handed her
another drink and walked away.
He’s
so dramatic .
Intrigued by the man who’d gotten to Bill, Mandy grabbed
her drink and walked over to a booth in the far corner. She wasn’t up for
company, and it gave her a decent view of the room. Men and women danced to a
country tune as other groups played pool or drank beer. Bill had been right.
She didn’t go out on Friday or most of the days that were high-risk for social
interaction.
Growing
up in a family with three older brothers and two prettier sisters, she’d felt
like an outcast. Being the late arrival in the family, she’d never felt a part
of it, as she didn’t achieve as much as the others. Most of her family were
high achievers who craved respectability of the highest order. Even though her
family did everything to include her. She wasn’t designed to crave attention as
they did.
The
only outrageous thing that happened in her family was with her oldest brother,
Rick. He’d disappeared a few years back with one of his friends—she couldn’t
remember his name - only to return and settle down as best as he could. They’d
stayed in touch via letters, and she recalled sending him some pictures to help
him with his travels. That was the extent of her family’s blackened name.
Most
of the time, she was happy to lay back, read a good book, and let the world go
by. The lecherous boss had been the only interesting thing to happen to her.
She sighed and
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