The Tiger’s Curvy Mate: Shifter Romance

3. Winter

3

Winter

I blew out a breath, willing my body to cool down. I found him infuriating. At least I wanted to. But I couldn’t stop thinking about him all night. I had been past their table a couple of times. He had been drinking his “expensive wine” all night and never complained. I watched his face, but he seemed to enjoy the “vintage.” I giggled to myself. I’d told the bartender to give him the cheapest wine we had. The man had annoyed me. If he complained, I would just pull out my best bullshit excuses about how his got mixed up with someone else’s and apologize, but he never mentioned anything. Did he not know quality wine from swill and was just trying to impress me? No, probably not.

Tall, lithe men like him did not go after curvy women like me. I’d felt his regard on me earlier, eating me up like chocolate. I saw the desire flare in his eyes at my veiled comments. He was wondering what it was like to be with me, for sure. But he would never stoop so low as to go with the help. Damn he was fun to look at, though, and to mess with. I thought he would start stuttering when I hit him up with some of my lines.

I was glad when the night ended. My feet were sore, and the patrons had gotten a little too friendly. Dominic had called his girlfriend from the dance floor, and the group left together right before closing. Mazy had asked me to stay and help clean up. I didn’t mind; it meant overtime and I could try to get the scoop about her and Lucas. I had no plans to learn more about Quentin. Nope. Not even a little bit.

Okay, maybe a little bit.

Okay, maybe a lot.

I couldn’t get the curt man out of my head. His ice baby blues called to me. And for the first time since him, I was interested in a man. Like interested.

“Winnie, do you mind taking the trash out? Carl is still around if you want to go grab him to help you.” I squinted at the big black bag. It would be easier with his help. Carl, the giant bouncer who worked almost every single night, always offered to walk me home. A couple of other bouncers worked when he didn’t, but he was the constant. I liked him. I always declined his offer for an escort because I lived only a few blocks away.

I’d been happy to accept the job at Lucky’s because I didn’t have money to buy a car and the added expense of insurance, gas, and maintenance quite yet. Close to home trumped most other considerations.

“No, I got it.”

I walked over to the daunting bag and started for the back door, the quickest way to the dumpster. Mazy’s back was turned to me, so she wouldn’t see me drag it and insist I get help. The small cramped hallway behind the door marked employees only led to Derek’s office and the employees’ bathroom and small break room. The black walls made the passage appear even smaller.

The bag scraped along the floor. Once I got to the back door, the fun began. I released the bag. Opening the door, I held onto the edge while I searched for the rock we had used to prop it open. The automatically locking door could only be opened from inside, and I didn’t want to end up locked out in the back alley with the dumpster. Again.

The alley itself wasn’t too terrifying in daylight, but at night the dark brick building next to it seemed taller and more sinister. The chain link fencing blocking one end casted a freaky shadow in the moonlight. The bare bulb over the club exit gave the impression of a prison yard. The opening seemed even farther away than it did in the morning light. I hated it back here. At least few people besides employees of the buildings lining the alley ventured into the slime-ridden back area, making it relatively safe. Searching for the rock shouldn’t take long because the person who’d taken the trash out last usually left it close to the door. In this case, however, I couldn’t find it, even though I could see in the dark like it was day. I should just go inside and grab one the bar kept in Derek’s office for this very purpose. I looked down the hallway toward the far end. I wanted to finish up. My feet ached tonight and my eyelids drooped.

Nope. I would find the rock.

A clank of a bottle rattled the still night air. My head shot up. Scuffling followed the noise. My heart jumped to my throat. Silence reigned again, and I let out a small sigh of relief. Probably just some small animal, but the hairs on the back of my neck disagreed. Something felt off. Opening the door a little wider, I found the rock.

Relief released the pressure on my lungs and I snatched the rock, ready to be home in bed snuggled under the covers. And then the wind kicked up. The bottle that had rattled me earlier came rolling toward me. The wind pushed against the door and I lost my grip on it. The door slammed shut. My heart stopped for a second. The wind had stopped, but the noise in the alley hadn’t died down. The scuffling returned along with quiet muttering. Then a sickening sound of flesh on flesh. I jumped. My skin crawled.

I kept still, afraid to catch the attention of the beater. I knew I should involve myself, but there were things in this world I couldn’t fight against. I didn’t stand for any type of bullying, but I knew when to run for help. This was one of those times. Unfortunately, the one way out of the alley was blocked by the scuffling pair. My mouth went dry when someone came stumbling backward from behind the dumpster.

“Dammit, Mac! Watch yourself.”

Mac, the man who had stumbled backward, shook his head, his lips peeled back in a snarl. My heart slammed against my ribs when I saw his teeth. His elongated canines overfilled his mouth. So unnatural.

“Now, you are going to get us our shipment. You were low this last quarter and the boss ain’t too happy.”

“Yeah, none too happy about it,” Mac muttered.

“So what’s you going to do?”

“Bring you more shifters.”

Someone sniffled, the sound stifled and irregular. While my heart pounded in my ears, I still heard everything. And the voice of the hidden man sounded familiar. I took one step closer, my curiosity getting the better of me.

“What kind of shifters?”

I didn’t know what they meant, but my stomach hollowed out. There was a sickening thump, followed by a low groan.

“Rare ones.”

When the raspy voice of another man spoke again it hit me.

Jimmy. The regular bartender most nights. Lucky’s didn’t employ many people, preferring a small crew willing to work overtime when necessary. The pay wasn’t bad and even better with those extra hours.

Mac had resumed his position with his partner, and I could see their backs bulging out behind the dumpster. I was far enough from them I didn’t think they could hear me, although my superior hearing allowed me to understand their words. When my breathing became too erratic, I slipped my hand over my mouth and tried to calm myself. I had to get out of their line of view if they pulled away from Jimmy. I started toward the wall they were pressed against, so I would be hidden by the dumpster. I could get out of this. And go to the police. Or something. But it sounded like they planned a kidnapping to me. Multiple kidnappings.

I lifted my foot, keeping my eyes in the direction of the men in case one of them moved. The tip of my foot caught a bottle.

The sound of the bottle rolling away was deafening. I didn’t breathe for a few seconds. My eyes had followed the movement of the bottle before I returned my gaze to the three men. Mac and the unnamed man watched me with varying expressions. Jimmy’s face had gone pale. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement. Mac seemed puzzled, as if he wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be there or not, but the man next to him looked excited.

“Shit.”

“Wells, what do we have heres?” He was shorter than I expected, but built like a rhino with big shoulders and a thick torso. His tapered waist made him all the more intimidating. His newsboy cap had caught my attention. Could he get anymore cliché?

“Well, Sammie, it seems like we gots a little mouse.”

Sammie’s eyes slanted over to Mac. His lips twisted, and he brought up his hand and whacked Mac on the back of the head.

My gaze moved frantically between them.

Sammie returned his attention to me, and he licked his lips. A dirty feeling filled me again, but this time it was because his eyes promised cruelty and punishment.

I looked to Jimmy for some type of help. Behind the bar he always seemed like such an intimidating man, but standing next to these other two, he appeared tiny, the skin around his eye a darkening purple. My head spun. I had to keep grounded to get out of this. I had to run.

My muscles ached with under use and the desire to get moving. The two men watched me. Sammie tipped his head back a little and pulled in air through his nose. When his nostrils flared, his eyes swirled with the same strange light I had seen in so many of the customers and workers here at Lucky’s.

“Oh, ain’t yous a rare one. You’re too rares to be killin’. Mac, grab her.”

My mouth opened with my protest on the tip of my tongue.

“Run, Winnie! Run!” Jimmy warned as he jumped Sammie. Mac stared at them, and I ducked my head and started for the entrance of the alley. My lungs already burned with fatigue, but a jolt of adrenaline and cold fear shot me forward. My feet slammed against the pavement.

Just keep running. You will be safe. Just keep going.