One to Keep (One to Hold 2)

“Yeah, you’re too young and shiny to be married.”

Little did she know I almost was. “Ever heard of someone named Durango?”

“Oh, sure.” She said it so casually, my stomach clenched. “Toni came back a month ago. Got sick of following Ron around.”

She exhaled another long puff as my brow creased. I knew a Ron, but if it was the same guy, I was still stumped. I’d never done anything to him.

“Well, my break’s over,” she said, scooting out of the booth. “If you’re not a cop, I won’t charge you for the intel.”

“I’m not a cop,” I said, my hand resting on the short glass, which was now empty.

“Want me to freshen that?”

I glanced up at her then. “Sure. Thanks.”

She took the tumbler and headed back to the bar in the center of the place. The crowd seemed as big as it was going to get on this Thursday night, and Lylah returned much quicker this time with my refill.

“I’m almost done for tonight, but I’ve got some good news for you.” She leaned forward as she set the glass on the table.

“Yeah?” I only glanced briefly at the cleavage shot she was giving me. I’d be with Elaine tomorrow.

“Toni’s on the schedule for tonight. She’ll be in at nine.”

Adrenaline kicked in. The Budweiser clock hanging on the wall behind her said eight-fifteen. “Thanks,” I said, putting an extra twenty on her tray. “Keep it.”

Her eyebrow went up and she smiled. White teeth behind red lips. “Thanks…?”

She waited, and I thought about my answer. If she told Toni I was here, that might not help me.

“Brian,” I said, giving her a wink. Elaine’s ex was the first name that popped into my head.

“Thanks, Brian. I’ll tell her you’re looking for her.”

I nodded, opting not to do anything suspicious like tell her not to say anything. There was no reason to think a Brian looking for Toni would make her run.

* * *

Half-way through nursing my second vodka, I saw a new waitress enter behind the bar. I couldn’t see her face, but her hair was long and now dark brown, similar to Lylah’s, only this one wore hers in a side ponytail. She had on silver hotpants with silver heels, and I recognized both the shoes and that ass. Anger tightened in my stomach at the memory, but I kept my cool. She’d done a job, and I needed to know why and for whom. If it was Ron, I hoped she’d at least point me to him.

I waited, watching as she tied on a little black pocketed apron and picked up a small round tray. I didn’t see Lylah, and figured Toni had no idea I was here—or Brian was here—looking for her. She stopped and talked to the big guys still sitting at the bar. They’d been here longer than me and seemed to be regulars from the way they laughed and joked. Her hair was different, but I also knew that smile. She still wore beige glossy lipgloss, and her bangs hung in her black-lined brown eyes. It was all too familiar.

After another five minutes, she said something to the men at the bar and turned to make a pass through the room. She started at the pool area, gave the guys there a brief wave before turning around and facing me. Our eyes met and she froze on the spot.

Hers widened and then quickly narrowed, and she slowly walked to where I sat. The fact that she wasn’t even afraid to approach me after what happened spoke volumes about who I was dealing with. This female was a pro. She stopped at the wooden booth right in front of me and put a hand on her hip.

“What do you want, Mr. Knight?” Her voice was that same low purr I remembered.

“Have a seat?” I said, motioning to the empty spot across from me. A glance flickered to it, and she stowed the tray on the top of the booth, sliding across the glossy wooden bench.

For a moment, I only looked at her. She obviously dabbled in the business, and I must’ve been one fucked up shithead not to see it. Vodka would do that to a person. My eyes went to the half-full glass in front of me.

“I’d offer to buy you a drink, but I guess you’re on the clock.” I couldn’t resist being familiar. She’d had my dick in her mouth after all.

Her lips curled slightly. “You went through a lot of trouble to find me. Is this your way of saying you want more?”

“No.” I tilted the glass, deciding just to say it. “Who hired you and why.”

She leaned back, studying me. “What makes you think I’d just tell you something like that?”