12. Meri
CHAPTER 12
MERI
I should be afraid of the darkness in his expression, but I’m only turned on.
“Is it a full moon or something?”
I laugh and shake my head at Grady. The bar has been packed since we opened, and we’ve had our fair share of asshole customers. The latest caused his question when she propped her giant fake tits on the bar and told him to reach into her cleavage for his tip.
“I wish,” I say. “At least then we’d have an explanation for the insanity.”
“What I wouldn’t give to have a few of the Soulless Kings in here tonight,” he comments. “At least when they’re here, people try to keep their crazy to themselves a bit.”
At the mention of the club, my stomach flip-flops. It’s been a week since I’ve seen Poker, a week since that night at my house. I haven’t stopped thinking about him or that kiss. I’ve been hoping he’d come to Ballinger’s, but so far, he hasn’t shown his face.
He has called me, though, but it was only to ask if I would send an invitation to one of the poker games to a man named Esteban. More specifically, he asked me to make it for the night that Mr. Neero would be permitted to return. I questioned him as to why, but all he said was something about being able to tell a lot about a person based on how they play cards.
Whatever that means.
Of course, I agreed. I’m learning that I’d do anything for Poker. Not because I feel like I have to or because he scares me into submission, but because I want to. I fucking like him, and it’s messing with my brain.
“Speak of the devil,” Grady says, pulling me out of my head, and I follow his gaze toward the entrance.
Poker’s eyes immediately find me, and a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. Smiling back, I track his movement as he stalks across the bar until he stops across from me.
“Hey,” he says as he glances around. “Busy night.”
“Hopefully, people will tuck their crazy away now that you’re here,” Grady says with a laugh.
“That bad?” Poker asks, a brow arched.
I grin. “It’s been an interesting night.”
“Yeah, if you think the fact that I’m going to have to burn this bar top after we close is interesting, sure, it’s been interesting,” my boss grumbles as he moves away from us to take care of customers at the other end of the counter.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so annoyed,” Poker comments with a grin.
“Me either.” I shrug. “So, what can I get ya?”
“Surprise me.”
I smirk. “You sure you want me to do that after last time?”
He narrows his eyes. “How about a beer, and you can surprise me with a shot?”
“You got it.”
I grab a bottle of his favorite brew from the cooler and uncap it before setting it in front of him. Then I go about making him a shot that I know he’ll like. When I slide it across to him, he eyes it warily.
“What is it?”
“Just toss it back,” I instruct. “Promise you’ll like it.”
He does as instructed, and his eyes light up. “Damn, that is good. What’s it called?” he asks as he lifts his beer to his lips.
I smirk. “Blowjob.”
Poker chokes on his booze, coughing so hard his eyes water. “Fucking hell, babe,” he says when he catches his breath.
“I’ll have one of those.”
Both Poker and I turn to face the man who just stepped up to the bar.
“You want a Blowjob?” I ask, not even realizing how that sounds until the guy opens his mouth again.
“You offering, sweet cheeks?”
Poker’s eyes narrow to slits, and I can see his body vibrating with rage, but when he only stares at me and doesn’t move, I realize he’s giving me a chance to handle this before he does.
“I’m offering the drink, not the act,” I tell the customer as I grab a clean shot glass from beneath the bar.
“Aw, c’mon, sweet cheeks,” the guy cajoles as he grabs his junk. “You can take a big drink of my cu?—”
The next thing I know, the guy’s on his ass, and Poker’s standing over him, his chest heaving. I lean across the bar to take in the man’s face, and he’s holding his nose as blood seeps from beneath his fingers.
“What the fuck, man?” he cries.
“The only cock going between her pretty lips is the one swinging between my legs,” Poker seethes.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to protest, but the fire that roars straight to my core keeps me from saying anything.
“Whatever,” the guy huffs. “No bitch is worth this shit.”
He tries to get to his feet, but Poker stomps a booted foot into his chest, slamming him backward. “Her name is Meri, not bitch. Now, get the fuck outta here before I decide you are worth the effort it takes to kill you.”
Poker lifts his foot, and the man scrambles to his feet. Grady has made his way around the bar and escorts the prick out, ordering him never to show his face again.
“Meri is mine,” Poker barks at no one in particular, and everyone within hearing distance. “Consider this a preview of what happens when my woman is disrespected.”
It’s quiet for a few seconds, but then the chatter starts back up like nothing happened. Poker turns to me, and I should be afraid of the darkness in his expression, but I’m only turned on.
“Your woman?” I ask.
“Got a problem with that?” he counters as he sits on his vacated stool.
Vigorously, I shake my head. “Nope.”
“Good.” Poker sips his beer while I take care of a few customers who, shocker, don’t order Blowjobs. “Hey, do you work on Friday?” he asks when I return my attention to him.
“I don’t think so, why?”
“I wanna take you somewhere.”
“Where?”
He grins, and my panties melt. “It’s a surprise.”
I groan. “I’m not a huge fan of surprises.”
“You’ll like this one, I promise.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Consider it payback for getting me all hot and bothered in public,” he states, lowering his hand to adjust himself.