Blood & Bones: Judge (Blood Fury MC 3)

“Yes. That was me.”

“Girl’s real cute. Just like her momma. What can I get you?” He threw a paper coaster on the bar top in front of her and it was hard to miss some of his tattoos. Heavy silver rings donned a few fingers and wide black leather cuffs circled each wrist. She also couldn’t miss the huge bulky belt buckle that consisted of two letters: HD.

“The owner.”

He pulled his chin into his neck and just about looked down his nose at her. “There an issue?”

“No, I... I saw the ad. I’m looking for a job.”

He loosened a bit as he repeated, “What can I get you?”

“I... I don’t... Water?”

Dodge shook his head and tapped a ringed finger on the shellacked bar top. “Nah. It’s a bar. Beer?”

“I don’t drink beer.”

“Whiskey?” he suggested, his dark eyes twinkling.

“I don’t,” the rest of the words spilled out from her quickly, “have any money.” Heat slid up her throat and into her cheeks. “Dodge, right? I just need to speak to whoever’s in charge.”

“Yeah. Dodge.” He jerked his chin to the black-haired woman who was wearing a long-sleeved tee advertising Crazy’s Pete’s Bar. “Stel’s half owner.”

“Who owns the other half?”

“Our club. Blood Fury.”

Blood Fury was what the patches said on the back of Judge’s vest. “Then who is Crazy Pete?” Was that Stella’s husband?

“Stella’s pop. Died from cancer a coupla years ago.”

Shit. She might not get this job if the owner figured out what Dennis had done.

“So, she does the hiring?”

“For the most part. Or Trip.”

Good lord, she just needed to talk to someone about a job. “Who’s Trip?”

“Her ol’ man. Prez of the club.”

This was all information she wasn’t sure she needed to know, especially since one of the owners was on the premises. “Can I speak with her?”

“Dunno. Can you?” His lips twitched. He turned and bellowed, “Stella!” He then moved away, grabbing a bottle of Captain Morgan and pouring a healthy amount into a glass before filling it with soda the rest of the way. He set it down in front of her, one side of his mouth pulling up slightly as he gave her a wink. He was really handsome, and he knew it. Unlike Judge’s long bushy beard, Dodge’s didn’t hide his face. It was trimmed close. “On my tab. I’ll get ‘er.”

“Thank you.” Cassie lifted the glass and took a sip, doing her best not to cough. It was stronger than she normally drank. She was more of a wine drinker, anyway.

“Hey,” came a deep voice from next to her.

To her right sat a man staring at her. “Hi.”

“You from around here?” The dark-haired man, wearing a very worn flannel shirt, leaned closer, the whiskey on his breath smelling stronger than her drink.

“I—”

“Hey,” came out on a breath from the black-haired woman as she stopped in front of her on the other side of the bar. She glanced at the patron sitting next to Cassie. “She’s here for a job interview, not to be picked up, Lenny.”

Lenny shrugged and grinned, showing off his dozen remaining teeth. “Can’t hurt to be friendly.”

The woman jutted out her hand over the bar. “I’m Stella. Dodge said you saw the ad.”

“Yes. I—” Cassie noticed Lenny still staring at her. Leering, more like it.

Stella pressed her lips together and then jerked her head. “C’mon. We’ll find an empty table to talk. Bring your drink.”

Cassie grabbed the glass, climbed off the stool and waited for the slender woman to make her way out around the bar. Then she followed Stella to a table in the back by the stage, where less people were.

“Sit.”

Cassie sat.

“Business is picking up and we need help. But to be upfront, I own half this bar, my ol’ man’s club owns the other half. So, you’d be basically working for an MC. Do you have a problem with that?”

“An MC?”

“Motorcycle club.”

Ah, yes. There had been a square “MC” patch on the back of Judge’s vest, too. “Should I?”

Stella smiled and it reached her light blue eyes, which were stunning, especially in contrast with her long black hair. “No. We run a tight ship, doing our best to make it successful. It’s not a biker bar, just owned by a bunch of bikers. So, it’s safe. It’s getting to be more successful and I’m starting to need more help. Which is why I ran the ad, of course.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “Dodge is a member of the MC, lives upstairs and helps me manage the bar. So, you’d have to listen to him, too.”

Cassie’s eyes slid back to the bar where Dodge was still hustling, keeping everyone’s drink full. “He lives upstairs?”

“Yes, so if you ever need help, he can be down here in a flash. Have you ever been a server before?”

“No.”

Stella frowned. “Well, this isn’t a fancy place, so it’s really not hard. You just need to get everyone’s drink order right and get it to them quickly. They aren’t the biggest tippers in here, but it’s something. Do you know how to bartend?”