“Shit. Sandy,” the bride-to-be hisses, helping the bitch straighten up.
“Now,” I bark. I tilt my head toward Nickel, one of the prospects at the door, who nods and makes his way toward us, knowing that my voice doesn’t raise without a purpose. Once he reaches us, I state clearly, “Make sure they are safely escorted out.”
Most of them are standing and gathering their things off their seats. I turn to the one nice young lady and apologize. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry. She can be a real piece of work when she’s drunk,” the designated driver says.
“Please be careful.” She’s the only one I address because she’s the only one I have a level of respect for.
Sandy, the bitchy tart, gives me and then my woman a glare before she moves toward the door with Nickel and her friends all around her, who are all making sure she doesn’t act up some more.
“We will, as soon as we get her back to Dallas.”
“Good.” They are escorted out, and I turn my attention back to the beauty in front of me. “Forgive me. I’m Liam Rhoades, but they all call me Boss. You can call me yours,” I inform her because that’s what it is.
“Hey, she’s mine,” Blade chimes in with a smirk on his stupid face that’s going to get him choked to death.
“Don’t get beat,” I warn him, while my eyes remain full of smiles for the woman in my presence.
“I’m supposed to be looking out for her,” Blade continues, edging closer so he gets in my line of sight in a piss-poor attempt to divert my attention to him. He’s lucky I love the boy like a son because anyone else would be on the floor right now.
“She’s safe with me.” There’s no doubt that she would be completely protected with me, and he should know that.
“Yeah, I doubt Emiliano would agree with it.” It’s insane that she has a son who’s an adult because she doesn’t look a day over forty.
“Still, would you do me the honor of introducing me to this beautiful creature?”
“I think you’ve lost it. I’m Esperanza Martin.” I take her hand and bring it to my lips again, kissing the back of it because I’m a greedy bastard and attempting to be a gentleman at the same time. It’s not working out so well because I’m lingering, holding it longer than necessary. Fuck, it’s so soft and I don’t want to release it, but she takes that option away from me, pulling her hand back.
“Hello, Esperanza.” I don’t say her last name because it will be mine one day, so no need to waste it on her by calling her anything else. “Would you like something to drink, my beauty?”
“Yes, please. I’ve had a lot to deal with in the past few days and I’m just ready to forget the world.” She sighs. Knowing what happened to her son and why he’s here, I understand her fear and pain.
As their leader, I’ve watched these men get injured right before my eyes and it breaks me seeing them rise up from near death at times. I swear it only strengthens our bond, but some days I wake up and worry as if something will still happen to one of the guys.
“I’m assuming you’re good, Boss?” Sam asks, tossing a bar towel over his shoulder.
“Yep,” I tell Sam without taking my eyes off my future. It’s hard to look away from her because I’m afraid she’ll disappear.
“What would you like?”
She twists her lips up as she thinks about it. “What do you have there?” She points to the shakers I’ve started that should have been poured since the ice is already diluting the drink.
“Nothing that you’ll want. Just a bunch of watered-down cosmos.”
“I’ll take one for sure. Maybe even two if they’re good.”
Although she deserves the best and not someone’s leftovers, I pour her one of them because I want her as levelheaded as possible when I tell her that she’s mine. Fuck, I’m sweating bullets. I slide over a glass after garnishing it with pink crystal sugar for a little added extra.
Still, I keep my cool and lean my elbows on the bar and wink at my woman as she takes her first sip of the pink drink. “How is it?”
“Not bad. In fact, I might like it watered down. Despite living in Vegas, I don’t drink often and usually it’s at my home when we have a nice family dinner or something of the sort.”
The light from behind the bar shines lightly on her face when she tilts her head slightly, and I’m mad at myself for not having this place lit up like it’s the fucking sun because I can’t see as much of her as I want. Then again, that means other assholes can’t steal looks at her as well.