Serving the Wolf's Den (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (14 page)

“That was them, not us, and we’re talking about Maura. She’s different. She can handle it. I can sense it. Her love is strong enough to overcome it.”

“If only you were right.” Max ran his hand through his hair. “But if you’re not, what then? Do we watch while we either lose her all at once or in bits and pieces as she comes to grip with a world where her own children would be alien to her? If we let her go now, maybe we can all find a life for ourselves in our own worlds, where we belong.”

Toby said softly, “She wouldn’t be afraid of us or think we were freaks of nature. I know it.”

“You don’t know anything, and do you really want to find out? We don’t have the power to make her forget. I can’t do that to her. It’s not a risk I’m not willing to take.”

“Our uncles didn’t prepare the woman they loved, not the way we can and will. You can’t just walk away from love. It’s not fair to any of us.”

“All I know is that our uncles were never the same again, according to Mother. They went into seclusion until Uncle Frederick bought this place. They had to live with the guilt of knowing they caused that woman unbearable pain.”

“I love Maura too much to let her go, Max.”

“You think I don’t love her every bit as much? The difference is that I love her enough to let her go, and if you weren’t being so damn fucking selfish, you would, too. She deserves better than us.”

Toby had never wanted to hit his brother, but at that moment nothing would have pleased him more. What he hated most was that Max was always right. Just this once, he wished his brother could be wrong. Max made him swear to never break their bond of trust concerning Maura’s welfare.

All he could do now was pretend he didn’t care deeply for the only woman he had ever loved. It was killing him to watch her move gracefully from table to table, making sure the candles were lit, when all he wanted was to hold her and kiss away her unhappiness. If she knew he was watching her, she didn’t show it. A few minutes later Max emerged from his office and took his place at the bar to start setting up. Without a word, they worked together to prepare for the night ahead.

Joanie, Max’s number-one admirer, was early. She slid onto her favorite stool at the bar. They both greeted her with a smile.

“What’ll it be tonight?” Max asked.

“Think I’ll try one of those European drinks I’ve heard about, you know, with wine and lemonade.” She slipped out of her jacket, which she draped over the back of her chair. She was wearing a bright pink cocktail dress that exposed her thin arms and ample breasts, which were pushed practically up to her neck.

“What’s with you, Max? You look like hell,” she observed. Turning to Toby, she added, “You look like hell, too. Didn’t you boys get any sleep since I saw you last?”

“We’ve been busy,” Max answered from his kneeling position behind the bar.

“Where the fuck’s the port wine, Toby?”

“I think we’re out. I didn’t see any in the storeroom either.”

“How the fuck did that happen?” Max glared up at his brother.

“Shit happens. You want me to piss some?”

“What I want,” Max said pointedly, drawing himself up to stand in front of his brother, “is for you to do your job and keep track of our stock. That’s what I want.”

“Holy shit, you two,” Joanie said in surprise. “Just give me a vodka and tonic. I never was a big fan of red wine anyway.”

“Sorry, Joanie,” Max apologized, still glaring at Toby. “But when I’m given a job, I do it. I expect the same from my employees.”

“Well, you need to get over it, or it’s going to be a long…” she said and then smiled, taking the edge off of her words, “fucking night.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Toby said under his breath as he turned away from his brother to walk down to the other end of the bar.

The line had been drawn and Toby did his best to stay out of Max’s way for the rest of the night. When Maura walked up to the bar with an order for drinks, they both pretended they didn’t see her. Finally, realizing Max wasn’t going to do it, Toby went over and took her order. He felt the heat of his brother’s stare when he came back to make the drinks. He ignored him. Right now, he couldn’t stand the sight of Max.

Toby watched Maura while she checked the drinks he had made her. She was so damn beautiful. He felt his cock begin to stiffen against his will. He had to control his urges, at least for a while longer. He noticed Joanie giving Maura the eye before she spoke.

She leaned into Maura. “What’s up with you tonight? I hope you’re in a better mood than those two.” She nodded toward Toby and Max.

Toby saw the look of dread cross Maura’s face. He knew she had been hoping to get away from the bar without having words with the woman. It was no secret that Joanie found Maura an easy target for her stinging brand of humor.

Maura’s eyes went first to Max and then Toby. “They seem fine to me.”

Her lips trembled slightly, summoning his protective instincts. All he wanted was to feel her body against his own as he whispered words of love in her hair and to hear the same from her. That’s all he had ever wanted. Only when he was Bo had he been free to hear her purr loving words into his ear while she stroked him. She loved Bo, so why couldn’t she love their wolf nature? He shook his head to clear his thoughts. It didn’t matter. She was never going to be given the opportunity.

To his knowledge, Max had not been able to bring himself to turn into wolf form around her. He knew Max held himself apart from others and always had, even when they were children. Max was the leader, the one everyone went to when they needed advice. It was no secret Toby idolized his brother. Although Max had seemed oblivious to the adoration, he was without a doubt his brother’s best friend. The bond they shared went deep.

When Max had suggested they share a woman’s bed, Toby had been happy. It was the nature of their beast to want to share a woman and it was an honor that Max had wanted to share their passion for women with him. Women may have thought Max was cold and aloof, but that had never stopped them from wanting him in their bed.

Max had introduced him to the erotic pleasures of fucking a woman together. Max had taken him to more than one bar that catered to their tastes. So it had surprised him when he found the Bitches at the Wolf’s Den off limits. Max had said he had no intention of bedding the women that worked for him or frequented the bar. Maura had been the only one to make him break that rule. Joanie’s sharp voice brought him back to the present.

“I thought maybe there was trouble in paradise,” Joanie said, staring at Maura.

“Nope. You just think too much.”

“Is that right? Well obviously if you think everything is fine, you’re not thinking enough.”

Maura picked up her tray, ignoring the woman. Toby’s eyes lingered on the curve of her hips as she walked away from the bar. He could see Joanie watching him from the corner of his eye.

“Put your dick back in your pants, Toby. I’m sure she’ll give you what those eyes of yours are lusting after when her shift’s over.”

“Best not to go there, Joanie,” he said, trying to keep himself from insulting the woman.

Turning to Max, who was nearby, Joanie ignored Toby’s warning. “So, what did she do this time to get you two all riled up?”

“I can’t talk about the staff with you, Joanie. Wouldn’t be very professional.”

“Guess any excuse is a good excuse not to tell me. But I’ll tell you this, even though she might not be my favorite Bitch, damned if I didn’t think she was yours.”

“How about a refill on the pretzels?” Max asked, picking up the half-empty bowl sitting in front of her. “And if you promise to let the subject drop, your next drink’s on the house.”

“Whatever you say, Max. But if you really want to shut me up, tell me you’re coming home with me tonight so that I can help you forget all about that girl.”

Grinning, Max just shook his head in exasperation. “If nothing else, Joanie, you’re persistent. You really are. Now, why don’t you tell me again how that third husband of yours got you to marry him when you had turned him down five times.”

“That’s not fair. You know how much I like telling that story. But if you’re willing to hear it, I’m willing to tell it.”

Toby knew that Joanie hadn’t been kidding about Max coming home with her. He also knew that she was smart enough not to push Max about Maura. However, what he didn’t know was that Joanie could be relentless when it came to her pursuit of the truth, even if it meant letting her own interests take a backseat. If he had, he wouldn’t have dismissed her so easily.

Maura wasn’t surprised when she saw Bart at table ten. She smiled when he looked her way. It took her a couple minutes, but she finally made her way to his table.

Bart had become a regular customer of hers. He liked to talk about general things most of the time when he wasn’t feeding her ego by telling her that he thought she was terrific at her job. Lately she found herself looking forward to seeing him. It was nice having someone stroke her bruised ego. She was, after all, only human. She was thankful that his sister never came in with him. That could have been awkward.

If Toby and Max noticed the attention Bart was giving her, they kept it to themselves. She knew she should have never told Max she loved him. It was a mistake she wouldn’t repeat. And when the time came, she prayed she could leave them without making a fool of herself. She had to salvage some of her pride.

“You’re looking more beautiful than ever.” Bart eyed her up and down with appreciation.

“Thank you. I’m glad I’m not too worse for wear since I feel like I haven’t slept in ages.”

“You do look tired. Beautiful, but tired. You okay?”

She thought she heard genuine concern in his voice. “I’ll be fine.”

“I know you make good money here, but I think you could do even better if you wanted to make enough to quit your day job.”

“Really? And where would that be?”

They were interrupted by one of her more vocal customers who wanted another drink. She smiled at Bart. “I’ll be right back.”

This time when she went up to the bar, it was Max that took her order. At one point she lost her train of thought and stumbled over a few of the drinks. Max waited patiently without comment. She felt the intensity of his gaze, but thankfully he didn’t say anything about her lack of focus or the way she looked. She knew at this point her eyes had to be bloodshot from lack of sleep.

Bart was waiting for her with a smile when she made her way back to his table. “You know, while you were gone I was thinking about you.”

“I wasn’t gone that long,” she said, laughing.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said, pulling out a card from his wallet. “I was thinking about that job I mentioned.”

“I don’t think you said where it was?”

“A buddy of mine works at a place called the Pink Petunia. It’s an after-hours club like this except, I have to honest, it’s a bit more risqué. But then again, the money is unreal. I bet that you could make twice as much as you make here.”

“I wouldn’t have to walk around with less clothes on than I do now, would I?”

“They have a couple openings for waiting tables. The dress code for the servers isn’t that different from what you’re wearing now. However, they do have exotic dancers.”

“You mean strippers?”

Bart smiled. “I bet you’d make an exceptional stripper, but I don’t think that’s your scene.”

“You’re right. That’s not my scene. I would think the clients could be a bit rough there, too. Not that we don’t have our share here, but I would imagine a strip club caters to a different clientele.”

“They can be, but my buddy’s one of the bouncers, and from what he says, they watch closely to make sure no one gets out of hand. And again, the tips are phenomenal.” He handed her a business card with the name and phone number of the manager on it.

Maura looked at it. “I’m not sure that’s for me, but I want to thank you for thinking of me.”

“If you decide to give it a try, just tell him you’re a friend of Bart Romano’s. It will at least get you an interview.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh, and on the other side of the card is my cell phone number. I won’t ask you for yours because I doubt that you would give it to me. If you ever want to go for something to eat or a movie or just to talk, call me, okay?”

Maura slipped the card in the pocket of her skirt. She liked Bart, but she had no interest in dating him. She wasn’t sure she’d call what she had with Toby and Max dating. She wished they weren’t constantly in her thoughts. “Thanks, Bart.”

It was getting close to the end of her shift when a couple of guys she had never seen before came into the bar and sat at the table that Bart had recently vacated. They looked like bad-ass bikers with their studded black leather jackets, long hair, tattoos, and black boots. She groaned.

Sensing they were going to be a challenge, she looked around, but all the other servers were busy. Maybe it was time to prove she could handle herself without asking for help. Max and Toby needed to see that regardless of the fact they didn’t love her, she was at least good at her job. Poor logic, she knew, but she was too tired to argue with herself.