Mending Hearts (The American Soldier Collection 11)

“I think you’re cut off, Sawyer. That’s no way to speak to a beautiful lady,” Gator said, and the guy shot him a look.

Gator squeezed in, knocking Sawyer nearly off the stool. Jeb and another guy joined him. Gator gave her a wink and a smile and then licked his lower lip as he took in the sight of her.

“Bartending now, huh? Be careful, they might make you a manager,” he teased.

“Hi, Gator. Hello, Jeb.”

“This is Geno. You didn’t really get a chance to meet him last week.” Gator introduced them, and Geno stuck out his hand as he leaned closer to the bar.

She locked gazes with his deep mocha-colored eyes and felt her heart begin to race. Seemed these men around here were mighty fine indeed.

“Nice to meet you. What can I get you guys?” she asked.

“We’re still waiting on our beers, sugar,” Sawyer said, interrupting them. “Why don’t you make those first then come on over here and deliver them to me? If ya sit on my lap, maybe you’ll get a nice tip.”

Sawyer’s buddies laughed, but Gator got pissed off. He grabbed the guy by his colla

r and pulled him up off the stool.

“You owe her an apology.”

“For what? She’s the bartender. She’s going to serve me.” He smirked then ran a hand along his crotch. Again his buddies laughed, but Gator, Jeb, and Geno got angry.

She was shocked when Gator lifted the guy by his collar and threatened him.

“It’s time for you and your crew of shit to leave. This is a respectable place. She deserves respect and not your vulgar attitude.”

“Fuck you, Gator,” Sawyer said, and then he pulled back and went to swing.

Alana gasped. “Gator, it’s okay.”

“Take him out, Gator,” someone called out.

“Knock him on his ass,” another guy yelled.

In a flash, Gator, Jeb, and Geno, along with the McCallisters, were tossing Sawyer and his buddies out of the bar.

“Are you okay, Alana?” John Luke, one of Garrett’s dads, asked her as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

She was shaking a little, worried that the guys were going to get into some kind of trouble over helping her. That guy Sawyer was just drunk. She wasn’t worried about him. She was worried about Gator, Geno, and Jeb.

“I’m fine. I’m so sorry that happened.”

“Sorry? It wasn’t your fault. Sometimes these guys get a little rowdy, and sometimes they even get hauled off by the police. They’re just letting off some steam. But it seems you’ve got your own security team there. Good men. They’re heroes, those three. Their whole team is,” John told her, and she wondered what he meant, but before she could ask, Gator, Geno, and Jeb returned.

Men were shaking their hands and smiling and joking with them as they complimented their work, and Alana poured three beers from the tap and placed them down on the counter. She felt a bit strange right now. She didn’t need people thinking she was involved with these men in a romantic way. That sudden thought did something to her as she quickly breathed through the instant tightness in her chest and that feeling of anxiety.

“It’s all good, right, darling?” Geno asked her and gave her a wink.

“You guys didn’t need to do that. I’m sure Sawyer and his buddies were harmless,” she said, and they reached for the beers.

“I think we’re better judges of that, Alana,” Gator said in a very hard tone.

“What’s that supposed to mean? I can take care of myself. I don’t need some jarheads to protect me,” she snapped, and he raised one eyebrow at her as Jeb and Geno just stared at her and smirked.

She wiped down the counter and looked away until she felt the large hand over her wrist and hand, and Gator’s eyes locked onto hers.

“Darling, no need to get pissed. They were being assholes. Any of us would love the opportunity to teach them a lesson.”