Abandon Ship (Anchored 4)

And I am alone.

Chapter 4

Maddox

“Where’s Piper tonight?” I ask June. It’s been a week since we talked at the bar. An entire week, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. Not that I could stop thinking about her before. With Piper, she’s never not on my mind.

June shrugs and starts making a drink. She turns around, but her shoulders and back are stiff. What the hell?

“Excuse me,” I move swiftly to get behind the bar, and I stand next to her.

“You aren’t supposed to be back here,” June says, surprised, but she doesn’t stop mixing the drink. I reach for it, taking over, and now she looks surprised. “You’re a mixologist?”

“We all have our secrets, June.”

“What do you want, Maddox?”

“First, I want to address the fact that you just completely disrespected me as a Dom.”

“I’m no sub, Maddox.”

“We both know that’s a lie,” I lower my voice. “And don’t think that because you’re the owner I won’t pull you over my knee, June. I will, and you know it.”

“And I’ll have you kicked out of here faster than you can say ‘red,’ Maddox.”

“Why so feisty, June?”

I finish the drink, turn around, and hand it to the Dom who ordered it. He thanks me, pays, and leaves. Now June and I are alone, and I turn back to her once more. She’s more tense than I’ve ever seen her, which is a shock. June does a great job pretending to be laid back and relaxed while she works the bar, but the truth is that she’s always watching.

She’s like Piper in that sense, only June isn’t running from anything but herself, as far as I can tell.

“June,” I lower my voice. “Do we need to go talk?”

“I’m not interested in sex, Maddox.”

“I’m not asking you to sleep with me, darling, and not to be crude, but my heart belongs to another.”

Fuck.

Did I really just fucking admit that out loud?

A slow smile spreads over June’s face and she shakes her head.

“Damn, I’m going to owe Thorn twenty bucks.”

“Called it, did he?”

“Awhile ago.”

“So we gonna talk here or do I need to have someone come man the bar?”

I have no problem taking June to the office where we can speak privately. We’ve known each other only a short while, but I’m one of her best guys, as far as I can tell. I’ve always been straight with her and now I’m asking the same of her.

She looks around the room slowly, her eyes floating from one person to another. Finally, they land on Macie and Anthony. She catches Macie’s eye and motions her over.

“What’s up?” Macie asks, smiling brightly.

“Can the two of you take over the bar for the next hour or so?” She asks. “I’ll pay you, of course, and the tips are yours. I just need to go take care of something.”