Read Online Steel 5: Blackthorne MC#5 by Carrie Cox - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carrie Cox
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back to the bar and talk to the barmaid.
I jumped up from my seat again. “Oh, I won’t be a minute. I forgot to ask her something about the menu.”
Before anyone could ask me exactly what I was going to ask her, I headed back to the bar.
The barmaid looked up as she poured a jug of beer. Again, she gave me the same tight smile. After she came closer, I whispered, “Look, I wondered if I could use your phone. I forgot mine, and I really need to call someone.”
The woman hesitated, and a frown puckered her forehead.
“I can pay for it,” I said, desperately, even though that wasn’t true. I didn’t have any money on me.
After a moment’s pause, she reached behind her and pulled a small cell phone out of the back pocket of her denim skirt.
She set it down on the bar. “No need. Any friend of Victor’s…” She trailed off, and I felt awful for trading on my so-called relationship with Victor.
But my overwhelming desire to phone Claire again had me reaching for the phone.
“Thanks very much,” I said.
Now I just had to find a chance to phone Claire. The best opportunity would be now before the food arrived, so I decided to make a trip to the restroom.
The battery had died on the cell phone Jackson had given me, and I didn’t have a charger. Besides, I still wasn’t sure if I trusted Jackson enough to rely on the phone he’d given me.
I knew both Jackson and Nick were watching me as I headed for the restroom. I could only hope they hadn’t seen me take the cell phone.
As neither one of them followed me out into the area behind the bar to where the toilets were, I figured I’d gotten away with it.
The restrooms weren’t exactly luxurious, and they needed a good clean, but I shoved my worries about toilet hygiene to one side and locked myself inside a stall.
I muttered a prayer as I pulled the phone out from my pocket and dialed Claire’s number. I held my breath as it rang and felt that same brief split second of hope as I heard Claire’s voice, before realizing yet again it was her voicemail message.
“It’s Ella,” I said. “I’ve borrowed a phone to try and call you… I hope you’re okay.”
I didn’t know what else to say. After all the effort to get a phone to try and contact Claire, I couldn’t say what I really wanted to.
I was worried someone else might check her messages. As someone had taken my cell phone there was a good chance they’d also taken Claire’s. So I couldn’t give her Victor Blackthorne’s name. I couldn’t even mention my location. I clenched my teeth in frustration.
“I just hope you’re okay,” I said and hung up.
I exhaled a long breath and leaned back against the wall of the toilet stall. I just needed Claire to pick up once. And I had a crazy feeling that if I kept trying, then surely one time she would pick up.
I heard someone else enter the restroom, and the door creaked open.
I shoved the phone back in my pocket and exited the stall. Washing my hands, I glanced in the mirror and winced at my unruly hair.
I ran my still wet hands through the curly strands to try and calm the frizz down a little.
Then I took a deep breath and headed back out. Before I returned to our table, I needed to return the phone. So again, I went to the bar, trying to casually look over my shoulder and make sure I wasn’t observed.
No such luck. Both Jackson and Nick were watching me carefully.
The barmaid noticed the way they were looking at me and raised an eyebrow as she reached for the cell phone. “You don’t want them to know you were calling anyone, do you?”
I didn’t know how to answer.
If I told her the truth, would she go straight over to Nick and the rest of the crew and tell them?
In the end, I decided to tell the truth. “I wanted to keep it secret. Thanks,” I said and gave her a smile, hoping she wouldn’t betray me.
She nodded slowly and her eyes flickered from me to the rest of the Blackthorne crew at
I jumped up from my seat again. “Oh, I won’t be a minute. I forgot to ask her something about the menu.”
Before anyone could ask me exactly what I was going to ask her, I headed back to the bar.
The barmaid looked up as she poured a jug of beer. Again, she gave me the same tight smile. After she came closer, I whispered, “Look, I wondered if I could use your phone. I forgot mine, and I really need to call someone.”
The woman hesitated, and a frown puckered her forehead.
“I can pay for it,” I said, desperately, even though that wasn’t true. I didn’t have any money on me.
After a moment’s pause, she reached behind her and pulled a small cell phone out of the back pocket of her denim skirt.
She set it down on the bar. “No need. Any friend of Victor’s…” She trailed off, and I felt awful for trading on my so-called relationship with Victor.
But my overwhelming desire to phone Claire again had me reaching for the phone.
“Thanks very much,” I said.
Now I just had to find a chance to phone Claire. The best opportunity would be now before the food arrived, so I decided to make a trip to the restroom.
The battery had died on the cell phone Jackson had given me, and I didn’t have a charger. Besides, I still wasn’t sure if I trusted Jackson enough to rely on the phone he’d given me.
I knew both Jackson and Nick were watching me as I headed for the restroom. I could only hope they hadn’t seen me take the cell phone.
As neither one of them followed me out into the area behind the bar to where the toilets were, I figured I’d gotten away with it.
The restrooms weren’t exactly luxurious, and they needed a good clean, but I shoved my worries about toilet hygiene to one side and locked myself inside a stall.
I muttered a prayer as I pulled the phone out from my pocket and dialed Claire’s number. I held my breath as it rang and felt that same brief split second of hope as I heard Claire’s voice, before realizing yet again it was her voicemail message.
“It’s Ella,” I said. “I’ve borrowed a phone to try and call you… I hope you’re okay.”
I didn’t know what else to say. After all the effort to get a phone to try and contact Claire, I couldn’t say what I really wanted to.
I was worried someone else might check her messages. As someone had taken my cell phone there was a good chance they’d also taken Claire’s. So I couldn’t give her Victor Blackthorne’s name. I couldn’t even mention my location. I clenched my teeth in frustration.
“I just hope you’re okay,” I said and hung up.
I exhaled a long breath and leaned back against the wall of the toilet stall. I just needed Claire to pick up once. And I had a crazy feeling that if I kept trying, then surely one time she would pick up.
I heard someone else enter the restroom, and the door creaked open.
I shoved the phone back in my pocket and exited the stall. Washing my hands, I glanced in the mirror and winced at my unruly hair.
I ran my still wet hands through the curly strands to try and calm the frizz down a little.
Then I took a deep breath and headed back out. Before I returned to our table, I needed to return the phone. So again, I went to the bar, trying to casually look over my shoulder and make sure I wasn’t observed.
No such luck. Both Jackson and Nick were watching me carefully.
The barmaid noticed the way they were looking at me and raised an eyebrow as she reached for the cell phone. “You don’t want them to know you were calling anyone, do you?”
I didn’t know how to answer.
If I told her the truth, would she go straight over to Nick and the rest of the crew and tell them?
In the end, I decided to tell the truth. “I wanted to keep it secret. Thanks,” I said and gave her a smile, hoping she wouldn’t betray me.
She nodded slowly and her eyes flickered from me to the rest of the Blackthorne crew at
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