Money Man (King Maker 1)

Although it wasn’t located too far from her place, it wasn’t a pretentious yuppie bar. It was a little hole-in-the-wall that had stood the test of time. People who frequented the place weren’t usually residents of the area, but rather those who worked nearby.

Not wanting to stand out amongst that crowd, we’d brought a change of clothes with us. Lizzy, a force to be reckoned with, wore tight jeans with knee-length boots over top. To complete the look, she wore a scoop neck “look at my cleavage” sweater, perfect for the chilly weather. She left her blonde hair in the cascading waves she’d worn for the showing.

If I didn’t love Lizzy, I would be intimated in my jeans, ankle boots, and a turtleneck sweater in emerald green that made me think of Kalen’s stunning eyes. A reminder I didn’t need, considering how our conversation had ended.

When we walked into the bar, it was like being transported into another world. The crowd was most certainly not any Wilshire from Park Avenue.

We made our way to the bar, which was ahead on the right, running the length of the wall. Near the front were a few pool tables in use by a rowdy group of guys. Tables filled the middle, and beyond that was the tiny dance floor and a smattering of tables and chairs outlining the place. It was a Friday night, but the place wasn’t that crowded, unlike the clubs in the area.

We found an opening and ordered drinks from a woman behind the bar.

“The usual, Piper,” Lizzy said.

Piper nodded as her hard eyes kept a keen eye on everything that was going on. The bartender didn’t look like she belonged, with a pretty face that could grace the cover of magazines. But it was her eyes that told another story.

Two drinks appeared in front of us. I sipped mine while Lizzy left me in favor of the dance floor as a popular song piped through the speakers.

I might have joined her if not for the melancholy I felt. Too bad I’d become invested in a man who wasn’t invested in me. Lizzy waved me over, but I shook my head. As it turned out, she didn’t need me. Guys had already begun to flock around her, caught by her infectious beauty and personality.

Eventually, she took a break and joined me. I eyed the door, longing for home, but I wouldn’t tell her to stop. We hadn’t hung out in a while.

Lizzy was facing the other end of the bar when a man who checked off every box on her fantasy man list walked in. My eyes must have widened, because she turned her head as he took off his worn leather jacket. When he hung it on the coat rack up front, we got a solid view of the black tee he wore. With his back to us, muscled arms revealed more art than Lizzy’s gallery. My bestie turned back to me and mouthed, holy shit, right before he looked our way. He made his way around the bar to stand next to Lizzy as he hailed Piper. I glanced at the well-worn black jeans and boots he wore.

Clearly lust at first sight, Lizzy gave me a look that asked for my opinion. I nodded imperceptibly just before Piper came over and Lizzy’s fantasy spoke.

“Beer,” was all he said. His voice was gruff and deep. I thought Lizzy would melt right there on the barstool. Smoothly, she turned to him. He gave us a quick look and said, “Ladies,” before taking his beer and heading over to the pool tables.

Another bartender who happened to walk over at the same time laughed. He was Lizzy’s type too. But his longtime girlfriend, who was just as heavily tattooed as he was, was working the tables. She stood nearly as tall as her man and taller than Lizzy, and looked like she could kick both of our asses at the same time. So we didn’t flirt with him. “I see you girls like him.”

“You know him?” Lizzy asked with no shame.

“Not really. He’s only been in a few times,” he answered.

“Do you know his name?” Lizzy pressed.

“I’ve heard some of the guys call him Striker, but I’m not sure if they were just referring to his pool skills.” Before she could ask anything else, he was called over to fill more orders.

After he walked away, I asked, “What about Hans?”

She smiled. “What about him? We aren’t married or exclusive. Besides, there’s no harm in flirting.”

Once Lizzy decided on a guy, he was sure to be hers before the night was over. I pitied him as she tossed her hair over one shoulder with determination in her face. The guy stood no chance at all.

It didn’t take long for a different guy to come over and ask her to dance. She accepted, clearly using it as a way to pull Striker’s attention her way. Glances between the two of them told me that he had, in fact, noticed her with someone else. But he made no move toward her. Instead, he seemed serious about his pool game. Once I saw money exchanging hands, I knew that he was all business.