Seychelle took a deep breath and allowed herself to listen to the music and relax a little now that the Diamondbacks in the back room were leaving. The five in the bar were still seated, although the two near Alena’s table had pushed back their chairs and drained their beers as if they were about to go. She felt eyes on her and saw Shari and her friend Melinda watching. Deliberately, she turned her back. In another minute, Fatei gestured toward the hallway that led to the exit she could take.

It was a huge relief to get out of the crowded bar and into the fresh air. Seychelle felt as if the night air enfolded her like a dark cloak as she went down the three cement stairs leading to the area behind the bar. The grounds opened up wide in several places, allowing for a few scattered picnic tables, but she walked to the narrow section, where she could sit in the deeper shadows along a cement railing where flowers and shrubs were planted.

“Ow. That hurts.” The female voice came out of the darkness to her left.

Seychelle recognized a young woman named Sabelia, who worked in Sea Haven at a shop called the Floating Hat where she bought her lotions and teas.

“Stop being a baby. If you hadn’t come out here with the scum of the earth, you wouldn’t have a black eye already swelling closed. Hold still.” Preacher’s usual easygoing tone shook with repressed anger and frustration. “This is the last time you come to my place and do this, Sabelia. I mean it. I’ve had it with you getting drunk, going off with the worst asshole in the bar and getting beat up. Find another bar.”

“You can’t kick me out of the bar.”

“I can. Sit still. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you. You have more talent in your little finger than most people, and more chances handed to you, but you throw them all away. You’re like some little child constantly throwing tantrums, and it’s getting damn old. If you were my sister, I’d do something about it, but you’re not, so the only thing I can do is kick your ass out.”

“You don’t know anything about me or my life. You don’t have a clue what my life has been like.”

“No, I don’t, Sabelia, and it doesn’t matter, does it? We can’t change what anyone did to us in the past, but we are responsible for what we choose to do with our lives in the future. I would give anything to have your talent.”

“Oh, right, that’s why you already know so much more than I do, and I’ve been working with Hannah longer than you have,” Sabelia said. She sounded sulky.

“Hannah Drake Harrington took you under her wing because she saw your talent,” Preacher snapped, his voice low, furious.

Seychelle wished she could gracefully exit, but it was too late. She just had to sit there and hope neither of them noticed her.

Preacher didn’t stop there. “I study hard. You don’t. You drink. You do anything but work at learning. I even offered to study with you, but you were too good to do anything like that. I was too far beneath you. The truth is, talent-wise, I am. Discipline-wise, you don’t stand a chance. You want to feel sorry for yourself and blame everyone but you. You might have a shit past, baby, but I guarantee you I can match that past any day of the week. The difference is no one is going to fuck with my future. So you want to get drunk and get beat up, do it in someone else’s bar. I’m taking your ass home tonight. My advice: sober up and take what Hannah’s offering you. You’re not going to find a better woman to follow. I’ve got a few things to do before I can leave, so come inside, stay in the back and drink coffee and don’t piss me off any more than you already have.”

Seychelle expected Sabelia to protest, to say something back, but she didn’t say anything at all. She kept her head down as Preacher escorted her back into the bar. He towered over the woman. He still looked furious, and Sabelia looked very subdued. Seychelle caught a glimpse of her face as they walked past her. She definitely had bruises and swelling. Seychelle could see why Preacher was so angry.

That part of her that needed to heal others had her on her feet and trailing slowly after them. She knew Savage wouldn’t be happy if she followed Preacher and Sabelia back into the bar and took on some of Sabelia’s injuries, but it was difficult to resist.

“There you are.” Shari’s strident voice jarred her nerves.

Seychelle turned to face her, aware of Fatei gliding close to her. Shari wasn’t alone. Seychelle hadn’t expected her to be. Melinda was with her, but also the two Diamondbacks who had been seated close at the table. At least, they rounded the corner of the building a few feet behind them. Behind the two Diamondbacks came Brandon, but he stayed right at the corner.

Tags: Christine Feehan Torpedo Ink Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net