She also had a clear view of him discreetly pressing some kind of button beneath the bar.
Beth kept her eyes averted and proceeded to mind her own business. Well, she tried to, at least.
The drunk guy swayed and looked at his watch, seeming oblivious to the fact that Sawyer wasn’t going to serve him. He was one of those jerks who thought money could buy them anything.
“Fuck,” he cursed. “We’re running out of time. The fat cow will be here any moment. Me and the guys already fobbed her off yesterday.”
Beth felt all the color leach out of her face. Dear god, no! Please tell her this ass-wipe was not one of the men who had been picked out to partner her tonight. Jeez! He wasn’t even a man; he was a kid. A spoiled, disrespectful, and obnoxious kid. And there was no way on God’s green earth that she was ever going to scene with the likes of him or anyone who called him a friend. There wasn’t even enough money to pay her to do it.
Beth attempted to surreptitiously swing her bar stool around a little further, so she had her back to him completely. But it looked like her luck had run out.
“Oi! you, lady…” She ignored the slurred shout and opened her purse, so it looked like she was preoccupied, praying he would let it go.
The next thing she knew, a mean hand was pinching her bicep and she let out a surprised squeak and hurriedly tried to maintain her balance as he spun her around to face him.
“Hey!” Sawyer shouted from the other side of the bar, as Beth swayed in her seat and her purse fell to the floor, spilling the contents.
“What the heck?” she demanded, instinctively yanking her arm away from the guy. She could smell the strong stench of sour whisky on his breath and screwed up her face as she flinched backwards.
“Are you Beth?” the lad demanded. Was he even old enough to drink?
“Let go of the lady’s arm, mate,” Sawyer warned from the other side of the bar, where he’d hurried to stay parallel to them. She registered his concern, even though she never took her eyes off the dude who still held her far too tight. His skinny fingers dug into her flesh, and she would undoubtedly be left with bruises.
It was sweet that he rushed to her aid, but Beth could handle herself.
“Nah man. I reckon this is our whore for the night. She’s all signed up and we can do what we like with the old girl.”
Beth’s fury sparked, and her eyes turned lethal as she turned over scenarios in her mind. Sawyer noticed and went still, even if the asshole was too stupid to notice.
No onegot to speak to her like that. Not ever! It was a promise she’d made to herself a long time ago. She just needed to consider the best way to deal with the little jerk.
Right now, he was leering at her, still gripping her arm too tight. “I guess you’re pretty enough to suck my cock, even if I haven’t got my beer goggles on yet. But you’ll have to be careful you don’t crush Billy when you sit on him.” He laughed hysterically, like he’d just made the funniest of jokes instead of spouting insulting, vitriolic bile.
And just like that Beth placed him.
This was the same guy who’d choked that poor girl last night in the menage scene that had been stopped.