Claiming the Beast (Vegas Immortals: The Beast & the Badass Book 2) by Holly Roberds

Author:Holly Roberds [Roberds, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The Beast

We cleaned ourselves and the bar as best we could, then less than ten minutes later, we walked down the steps to my favorite bar, the Rusty Nail.

Stepping into the dive bar felt like entering another world, one far removed from the supernatural chaos that had become our daily routine.

The air was thick with the scent of aged whiskey and stale cigarette smoke, but the air conditioning from the loud, overworked A/C unit provided a stark contrast to the sweltering desert night. Neon lights buzzed overhead, casting a warm, inviting glow over the well-worn pool tables and battered bar stools. Classic rock hummed softly from a jukebox in the corner, the tunes a comforting backdrop.

Miranda moved beside me, her presence a constant pull on my senses. The way the dim light danced in her dark eyes, the confident measure of her walk, all drew me in like a moth to flame.

Even after fucking each other like the world was ending, the pulse of desire for her beat under my skin. She was everything, and the fact she didn’t know it was frankly fucking insulting.

True to her word, she’d tabled all her reservations as we got dressed so I could bring her here.

“You… uh, like this place?” Miranda asked, giving the place a skeptical once over. “And don’t worry about hepatitis?” She murmured that last bit, and I pretended not to hear.

I grinned at her. “It’s completely off grid from the other immortals. This is an old-fashioned humans-only bar.” There were only about ten other people milling about at the bar and at the high-top tables, making for a subdued environment as Chuck Berry crooned in the background.

The reservation on her face told me she didn’t care for this as much as I did, so I proceeded to take her on a tour of the place. “See there are pool tables, and have you used one of these? It’s a jukebox. I’d heard of them, but never got to use one until recently. And the drinks are...”

“Cheap and watered down,” the bartender interrupted me.

A short man with gelled hair and olive green eyes, wearing a striped shirt smiled even as I leaned over to shake his hand.

“Nice to see you again, Xander. Can I get you the usual?”

“Yes, and whatever the lady would like.”

“I’m Lester,” the man introduced himself as he reached over and shook Miranda’s hand. “What’ll it be, madame?”

“Miranda.” Then she asked me, “The usual?”

“Shirley Temple,” I said, grinning. “Have you tried one?”

She shot a glance to the bartender who gave her a shrug. “You come here to not drink?”

I didn’t exactly go into how drinking wouldn’t help my mental stability so I told her the other half of the truth. “I’m here for the ambiance.”

“I’ll take whatever beer is good on tap,” she said to Lester.

He clutched a cleaning rag over his chest. “A woman after my own heart.”

“Be careful there, Lester,” I laughed, though it was strained in my own ears.

“Don’t put off my new boyfriend,” Miranda mock accused me with a daring look, and set her hand on the countertop.

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