Pistol by Max Henry Read Free Book Online Page B

rolled it through his mind felt easy on the ear. If it weren’t for the present company, he may have said it out loud; simply to feel the way his tongue caressed the consonants. Would it feel as luscious as it had when his tongue caressed her there ? Or better? Jesus, he better get his arse in line before the crowd poured through the doors. As it was, he’d already caught himself raise his fingers to his nose, and test if any of her musky scent remained after last night—despite the fact he’d washed his hands plenty since then.
    Guilty as charged, he’d sniffed that aroma a dozen or more times on his walk home from her unit. It was all he could do to ease the case of blue-balls he got every time he thought of doing her good and proper. The little girl liked to show-off, huh? Well he had uses for those kinds of talents.
    Janie loaded a fresh roll of paper into the EFTPOS machine, and then opened the register. “Uh, Boss?” He looked over to her as he stuffed the empty dish tray under the bar. “Where’s the float?”
    “Fu ck.” He scrubbed a hand over his head. No way was tonight the kind of evening he could afford to be so out of character. “It’s still in the safe. Would ya mind?”
    Janie shook her head, and headed into the cash room to retrieve the till drawer. Pete glanced about the service area, acutely aware if he had missed such a normal part of his daily routine, that there may be other preparation tasks unfinished. The bar looked in place, so he snatched a shot glass from under the lip of the counter, and poured a bourbon. Ten minutes until service, and he could already make out the dull hum of the mob who waited at the door. He knocked the fiery liquid back, and drew another shot to chase it with. The glass clinked as it slid into the wash basin, and he strode from the bar to the entrance hall where Gary stood with his best off-sider, Trent. The two of them near blocked the hallway with their hulkish frames. Pete called down to them from the beaded curtain.
    “Let ‘em in, boys. Let’s get this shite over with.”
    Gary nodded his agreement with a broad grin, and moved aside while Trent let the first patrons through. The rakish woman who headed the queue looked Pete over, head to toe, as she swung her hips along the hall. He noted her bite her bottom lip, and sighed. He didn’t have any interest in this shit—especially not when a certain brunette burned in his subconscious.
     
    ****
     
    Steph looked at the huge line outside the bar, and cringed. Maybe this wasn’t such a shit-hot idea after all? Cass chatted happily with an old school-friend of hers they had come across in the wait. The two laughed over shared memories, and Steph smiled; happy Cass was happy.
    She took the moment to case out the place properly. Adjoining bars hogged the street-frontage, but without a doubt, it was the crimson doors people waited to pass through. Steph searched for a sign to say what the joint was called, and failed to find one.
    Cass waved goodbye to the woman she had spoken with, and turned back to Steph. “All good, babe?”
    “Lovely,” Steph droned. “Hey, tell me. What’s this place called?”
    “Atonia.”
    “How come there’s no sign? How does anyone know it’s here?”
    Cass smiled wickedly. “That’s the point. You have to dare to go in to find out.”
    “Oh.” Seemed a little strange to her, but whatever.
    The line shuffled forward, and Gary came into sight. He looked frustrated by a couple of young guys he had separated from the rest of the crowd. “Wonder what’s going on there?” Cass commented as she looked in the same direction.
    “Probably under age.”
    Cass nodded, and they waited in relative silence until the line crested the steps. Gary beamed when he saw ‘Miss Cassie’, and beckoned them over.
    “No need for you to wait, baby girl. You should have come straight to the front.”
    “I didn’t want to presume I was anything special,” Cass gushed.
    He grinned. “You