Page 96 of Raff
I got up, threw on some clothes, then made my way downstairs, grabbing a slice of pizza and heading out the door.
Because I knew Lula.
She’d be at work again already.
And I needed to see her, whether that was smart of me or not. Nearly four days apart was long enough for me.
“There he is!” Hail called when I made my way through the pub doors and out of the oppressive heat outside. “You almost look human again,” he added. “This might help,” he said, passing me a whiskey.
I picked it up and threw it back.
“Is that Rian?” I asked, spotting him walking along the back of the bar, then going through the swinging door. “At work?”
“Yeah, Cillian hasn’t been around,” Syn said.
“Has anyone asked about that?”
“Asked what?” Syn asked.
“What’s going on with Cillian?”
The guys shrugged.
“Alright. I’m gonna go ask. Slash would want to know if something is up in town.”
It was the perfect excuse to get into the back of the bar. And closer to Lula.
“Be right back,” I told them, walking over to the side of the bar.
Casey, the new bartender who might have been of interest to me a few years ago—but she was too young, too green, too bouncy and naive for me—shot me a sideways look. “Casey, you sweet thing, I need to come back there.”
“You know the rules.”
“I’m not touching the booze. I just need to speak to Rian.”
She stiffened as she passed someone their drink then moved over to the gate. “About business?”
“Yeah.” It wasn’t a lie; I was going to ask about Cillian.
“Okay. But don’t touch anything on your way past.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I’d only been in the back of The Bog a handful of times over the years and only once when it was open. People milled around. Glasses clanked. The air was heavy with steam from the dish pit.
I glanced to the left where I knew Lula’s office was located, but turned to the right where I knew I would find Rian.
He was sitting at his big brother’s desk, looking drained.
“It’s weird to work, huh?” I asked, leaning in the doorway.
His gaze flicked up as a deep breath escaped him.
“This shit is for the birds, man.”
“I bet. Is everything alright? Your brother? Business?”
“Far as I know, yeah. Cillian is just… busy with other shit. Not the kind of shit the club needs to worry about, if that’s why you’re here.”
