Read Online Steel 5: Blackthorne MC#5 by Carrie Cox - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carrie Cox
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smile at him. But I had to admit that the whole atmosphere set me on edge, and my hands were shaking.
A tired -looking barmaid walked over to us at the bar. She smiled at us, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “If you guys want to go ahead and get a table, I’ll come over to serve you.”
Nick nodded, and Jackson led the way to a table at the back of the room.
I couldn’t help noticing they chose a table where there was no one behind them, and they had a good view of the entrance.
Were they expecting trouble?
I slipped into the seat beside Nick, and shifted my chair a little closer to him.
The waitress was as good as her word and quickly came over to serve us.
Now that she was out from behind the bar, I could see her clearly. And her appearance was shocking. She wore a short denim skirt and a halter neck top, baring her midriff. But she was so skinny I could count every single one of her ribs. She had to be wearing a size zero, but her clothes were still loose on her.
She had an air of desperation about her.
“What can I get you guys?”
Everyone, including me, ordered beers. It seemed the safest bet. I needed a hit of alcohol, but I was also pretty thirsty.
She looked at me in a speculative way. I guess she didn’t understand what I was doing with them. The Blackthorne bikers wouldn’t usually take someone out on their collection rounds, especially not a female.
There were a few women in the bar. It surprised me that there were so many people here at lunchtime, but it seemed as if this was one of those all-day bars.
As we waited for our drinks, I took the opportunity to look around the bar. It looked old and tired. Definitely not a thriving enterprise, despite the number of customers they had.
I noticed the waitress behind the bar had picked up the telephone before seeing to our drinks. I wondered who she was calling. Perhaps she was ringing the owner, telling them that the Blackthorne gang were here for their pound of flesh.
I felt Nick’s warm hand on my leg, and then his thumb gently rubbed a small circle just above my knee. I knew he was aware that I was stressing out. I guessed he was used to this kind of thing. This was what he did for a living after all.
After the waitress had brought the beers over and we had all quenched our thirsts, Chad leaned back in his chair and rubbed his belly. “When are we eating? I’m starving.”
I stood up quickly, and Nick looked up surprised as his hand fell from my leg.
“I’ll go and see what they’ve got on the menu,” I said.
Before anyone could stop me, I was heading towards the bar.
The waitress saw me and headed me off, deciding to serve me before the other customers who’d been waiting at the bar. I doubted they would be happy about that. I guessed as I was with the Blackthorne crew, I got to jump the queue.
Her suspicious eyes fixed on me, and she gave me a small, tight smile.
“Can I help you?”
I nodded and asked, unnecessarily loudly, “What food are you serving at the moment?”
As she listed today’s specials, she passed me a wedge of laminated menus. I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see if any of the crew were watching me.
Unfortunately, they were.
Nick’s eyes were burning into me from across the room, and Jackson wasn’t much better, although his gaze was cooler and less intense.
“That’s great,” I said to the waitress. “Thanks very much. I’ll be back over to give you our order in a minute.”
“That’s not necessary. I’ll come and take your order,” she said dismissively.
That wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to ask her a favor without anyone else hearing.
But she was already distracted by another customer and was walking over to the other side of the bar, so I collected the laminated menus and carried them back to the table.
As Chad and Tom debated the merits of chicken wings vs chicken strips, I gazed down miserably at the menu. I needed to think of another excuse to go
A tired -looking barmaid walked over to us at the bar. She smiled at us, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “If you guys want to go ahead and get a table, I’ll come over to serve you.”
Nick nodded, and Jackson led the way to a table at the back of the room.
I couldn’t help noticing they chose a table where there was no one behind them, and they had a good view of the entrance.
Were they expecting trouble?
I slipped into the seat beside Nick, and shifted my chair a little closer to him.
The waitress was as good as her word and quickly came over to serve us.
Now that she was out from behind the bar, I could see her clearly. And her appearance was shocking. She wore a short denim skirt and a halter neck top, baring her midriff. But she was so skinny I could count every single one of her ribs. She had to be wearing a size zero, but her clothes were still loose on her.
She had an air of desperation about her.
“What can I get you guys?”
Everyone, including me, ordered beers. It seemed the safest bet. I needed a hit of alcohol, but I was also pretty thirsty.
She looked at me in a speculative way. I guess she didn’t understand what I was doing with them. The Blackthorne bikers wouldn’t usually take someone out on their collection rounds, especially not a female.
There were a few women in the bar. It surprised me that there were so many people here at lunchtime, but it seemed as if this was one of those all-day bars.
As we waited for our drinks, I took the opportunity to look around the bar. It looked old and tired. Definitely not a thriving enterprise, despite the number of customers they had.
I noticed the waitress behind the bar had picked up the telephone before seeing to our drinks. I wondered who she was calling. Perhaps she was ringing the owner, telling them that the Blackthorne gang were here for their pound of flesh.
I felt Nick’s warm hand on my leg, and then his thumb gently rubbed a small circle just above my knee. I knew he was aware that I was stressing out. I guessed he was used to this kind of thing. This was what he did for a living after all.
After the waitress had brought the beers over and we had all quenched our thirsts, Chad leaned back in his chair and rubbed his belly. “When are we eating? I’m starving.”
I stood up quickly, and Nick looked up surprised as his hand fell from my leg.
“I’ll go and see what they’ve got on the menu,” I said.
Before anyone could stop me, I was heading towards the bar.
The waitress saw me and headed me off, deciding to serve me before the other customers who’d been waiting at the bar. I doubted they would be happy about that. I guessed as I was with the Blackthorne crew, I got to jump the queue.
Her suspicious eyes fixed on me, and she gave me a small, tight smile.
“Can I help you?”
I nodded and asked, unnecessarily loudly, “What food are you serving at the moment?”
As she listed today’s specials, she passed me a wedge of laminated menus. I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see if any of the crew were watching me.
Unfortunately, they were.
Nick’s eyes were burning into me from across the room, and Jackson wasn’t much better, although his gaze was cooler and less intense.
“That’s great,” I said to the waitress. “Thanks very much. I’ll be back over to give you our order in a minute.”
“That’s not necessary. I’ll come and take your order,” she said dismissively.
That wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to ask her a favor without anyone else hearing.
But she was already distracted by another customer and was walking over to the other side of the bar, so I collected the laminated menus and carried them back to the table.
As Chad and Tom debated the merits of chicken wings vs chicken strips, I gazed down miserably at the menu. I needed to think of another excuse to go
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