The Gravedigger's Brawl by Abigail Roux Read Free Book Online Page A

stomach revolt. He knew instinctively that he didn’t have to waste his breath calling out for Wyatt Case. Wyatt had covered Ash with a blanket before he’d left, but he was long gone.
    Ash pushed himself up and winced at sore muscles and a crick in his neck. “At least it was a good time,” he grumbled.
    Despite his attempt at a cavalier attitude, he couldn’t help but be disappointed. And pissed off. He knew better than to bring someone home from the bar. For some reason, a sweet museum curator who had spent the entire night talking to him hadn’t struck him as the type to fuck and duck.
    Ash sighed and shuffled into the bathroom. He stood in front of the toilet and looked out at the street through the bathroom’s window. It was the last week of September, but the house next to his building was already flying a Halloween flag at its stoop. A ghost with goggle eyes grinned stupidly at him as orange and red leaves fluttered across the road behind it.
    October at Gravedigger’s meant big business, and Ash would need to go in soon to help with prep. He had no time to mope about being left alone in bed by a virtual stranger. He huffed and looked down, muttering as he flushed the used condom left in the bowl.

“So, tell me about the hot doctor,” Delilah said as she and Ash prepared the tavern for a busy Friday.
    Ash looked up from the napkin he was folding. An unpleasant mixture of embarrassment, anger, and lust settled in him. “Maybe later.”
    â€œOh, come on! Please? I’ll tell you all the details of my night,” she bargained, waggling her pierced eyebrows.
    â€œIf I wanted to hear about what Ryan does in bed, I’d ask him.”
    â€œHey!”
    â€œI’m sorry, was that still a secret?”
    â€œShut up,” Delilah said, blushing. “Did you take him home?”
    Ash rolled his eyes and looked up again. She was smiling, looking at him expectantly.
    â€œYeah, I did.”
    â€œAnd? Museum curator: untapped source of impressive lovemaking, or deserving of the dusty shelves?”
    Ash couldn’t help but smile, though he tried to hide it as he looked down at the napkin again. “Definitely the former.”
    â€œStellar. Are you seeing him again?”
    â€œNo,” Ash answered immediately, losing the smile.
    â€œWhat? Why? You two were really cute last night. I thought you liked him.”
    â€œI did.” Ash picked up the stack of silverware he’d just prepared and met Delilah’s eyes as he rounded the bar. He was about to tell her what had happened when a loud thump from upstairs interrupted him.
    Delilah jumped, and Ash almost dropped his carefully rolled bundles of silverware as he looked up.
    â€œWhat the hell was that?” Delilah asked.
    Ash shook his head, and there came another thump from above, followed by a rattling and skittering that sounded like something scurrying across the floor.
    â€œIf we have mice up there, Caleb is going to hit critical mass,” Delilah said.
    â€œThat’s a really big-ass mouse.”
    Delilah propped her broom against the nearest table and headed for the door to the upstairs. “I’m going to go check it out.”
    â€œHold on! What are you doing?” Ash hurried to unload the silverware and follow. “You don’t know what’s up there, it might be dangerous. Hold on.”
    â€œAsh, I don’t need a big bad man to protect me, okay?”
    â€œDo I look like a big bad anything? ” Ash asked, laughing as he put a hand on his chest. “Seriously, though, hold on.” He went behind the bar and knelt to pull out the locked box that Caleb kept under there. It held an old .22 Colt revolver. Ash took it out and checked to see that it was loaded, then stood again.
    â€œMaybe it’s a ghost,” Delilah said with relish.
    â€œYeah, that’s the most logical explanation,” Ash muttered as he walked back over to