Chapter Two #2
“Leave me alone!” Peyton’s frantic voice had Rhys turning to see what was going on.
While he had been distracted ogling his mate, the wolf beta Glenn had come in and was harassing Peyton.
He was seated at a booth and had a hand wrapped around Peyton’s upper arm.
Gina and Cecelia looked scared. Rhys bit back a growl.
“Rhys, darlin’, can I get a cup of boiling water for some tea?” Rian asked, his usually playful eyes, serious.
Grinning evilly, he went over to the hot water dispenser and filled an entire water glass full of extremely hot water.
“Here you go, Rian.”
“Thank you, darlin’.” Rian stood with the glass and walked over to the booth.
Damian slid off the barstool and quietly walked the long way about the bar so that he was standing behind the booth unseen by the wolf.
Rian, however, made no efforts to hide. He swaggered right up to where Glenn was shaking Peyton around like a puppet.
“Come on, you little slut. I know you must have missed me.” Glenn growled.
“Hey, Peyton, when are you coming by to take my order? Oops!” Rian acted like he tripped over one of the chairs and the tall glass of scalding hot water was flung into the beta’s face and completely saturated the man from eyebrow to groin.
The beta immediately released Peyton who ducked behind Rian and roared out his anger. He cocked his arm back to punch Rian, when Damian shoved the long wooden booth, forward pinning the beta between the booth and the table.
“Oh. Sorry, didn’t see you there. I dropped a quarter and thought it would be under this booth, I didn’t realize you were sitting here.” Damian even managed to sound sorry.
Glenn shoved the seat back and squared off against Rian and Damian.
“I’m going to kill you!” he yelled.
Rian turned to Damian. “That sounds like a death threat to me. Does that sound like a death threat to you?”
“Why yes it does. Ms. Tully, did that sound like a death threat to you ladies?” Damian asked, raising his voice.
“Yes, it did, Damian dear.” Ms. Tully and the entire sewing circle glared daggers at the beta.
“I don’t need to call the Sheriff, do I?” Moe asked, moving to stand directly between Glenn and Rian and Damian.
“No, I’m leaving. We can catch up later, Peyton,” he sneered. He pushed past Moe and left.
“What a D-bag!” Ms. Tully exclaimed.
“You can say that again Ms. Tully,” Rian agreed.
Rhys came from behind the bar to check on Peyton.
“Are you okay, Peyton?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine thanks to Rian and Damian.” He turned to the two lions. “You guys were so badass!” he said excitedly. Peyton was staring at them with stars in his eyes.
Rian grinned and high-fived Damian.
“Come on, little man, we’ll tell you some of our college escapades.” Damian wrapped a brotherly arm around Peyton.
“When are they going to leave us alone?” Rhys asked turning to his mate.
“As soon as Salsiby realizes he doesn’t have a case.” Moe leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.
“How are you doing?” Moe frowned his concern.
“Tonight has been a good night, despite that asshole making a scene. I feel comfortable in my own skin for the first time in a long time.”
“See, Fate knew what she was doing. I own a bar and you’re a bartender. Perfect fit.”
“I don’t know what I did to earn her favor but I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” Rhys stood on tiptoe to whisper into his mate’s ear.
“What time does the bar close?”
“Two a.m.,” was the whimpered response.
“See you a minute after two.” Rhys kissed the side of Moe’s neck and went back to the bar. When he looked back over to where his mate stood he could almost see the wheels turning. Rhys smiled, wondering how his mate would get them to close early.
Game on.
“I can’t believe you said we were doing a fire drill!
” Rhys laughed as he helped close out the tills.
It had taken his mate all of about two minutes to announce loudly that they would be closing early for the night.
Ms. Tully and the ladies had been extremely understanding and giggled as they filed out.
Gina and Cecelia waved good-bye, blushing.
He and Moe managed to close the bar down in record time.
Rhys looked over at his mate who was wiping down the bar with the biggest smile on his face. He pushed down a rising sense of panic. He could do this. He would do anything to make his mate happy. Moe finished up and threw the washcloth into the sink. When he looked up and saw Rhys’s face he froze.
“Baby?”
“I’m good, just nervous I guess. Which is crazy right? I mean it’s not like I’m a blushing virgin and we’re mates.” Rhys knew he was babbling but couldn’t help it.
“First, I don’t want to hear about you with anyone else. To me you’re as pure as the newly driven snow.”
Rhys snorted. Moe ignored him.
“Second, yes we’re mates, but that doesn’t mean instant intimacy. It’s something we’re going to have to build together.” Moe walked over and simply took his hands.
“Let’s go to bed.”
Rhys nodded.
“Let’s go.”