Page 28 of The Devil's Revelation
THIRTEEN
IZZY
I’m glad I came out tonight. Especially if it means I kick Torque’s ass at pool. I’m competitive that way.
The bar is far from what I expected. First it’s larger, and a lot busier than I thought.. There are pool tables, dart boards, and even a dance floor that has a few couples taking advantage. The guy at the door checked my ID when I came in, gave me a knowing smile, and wished me a good night. Not sure what that was about, but I’m not going to worry about it.
I look around and immediately spot Torque. He’s standing with his brother and a few other men, some wearing cuts and one that isn’t. Is it a hottness requirement to be allowed in the bar? There is not one ugly man here, and I’m starting to worry I’m overdressed.
When Torque catches my eye, I wave and head his way. I’d rather talk to someone I know than try and fumble my way to the bar. He’s wearing the same outfit as earlier, but now with a beer in his hand, there’s something a little less tame about him. Or maybe it’s the look in his eyes as I head towards him.
“You made it,” he says when I reach him.
I nod and smile up at him. “Thanks for the easy to follow directions.” I look around. “This place is great. You said the club owns it?”
Torque nods. “Since before I was born. I think the club got it up and running a few months before Stone was born, so well over thirty years now.”
“It definitely doesn’t look that old.”
Torque smirks. “My mother will be glad to hear that. She’s been pretty instrumental in making sure this place didn’t fall back into the seventies.” He glances over to the booth full of women and then back at me. “How about a drink and we’ll try to avoid the coven?”
I chuckle. “Sure. But only one since I’m driving.”
Torque leads me over to the bar, his hand resting lightly on my lower back. I can feel the heat of his palm through my shirt and I have to fight a shiver at the heat that spreads up my spine. The bartender comes over, and the jealous light in her eyes immediately lets me know she is not pleased I’m with the man she obviously wants for herself. Great, just what I need tonight. “What would you like?” Torque asks me with a smile.
“Just a beer, please,” I answer, looking at Brandi. “A bottle if you have it.”
“Too good for draft, huh?” Brandi sneers, even as she moves to get me a beer from the cooler and pops the top.
“Doesn’t matter, Brandi,” Torque interrupts, giving her a warning look.
She glares at me as she slides it across the bar at me with a little more force than normal. “Starting a tab?”
“She’s on mine, Brandi,” Torque interrupts again.
“Oh no, I can pay,” I protest, reaching for my wallet.
“Nope,” Torque retorts, pushing my hand away. “I invited you, so you’re not paying. Now, how about I kick your ass at some pool?”
I arch a brow at him. “You think you’re going to beat me? You’re on.”
He leads me over to a vacant table, and before too long, we’re waged in a battle of wills to best the other. By the time we’re on our third game, we’re tied, and we’ve started to draw a bit of a crowd. Including the women Torque has been complaining about since they joined us. One of whom is his mother, who has been cheering me on nonstop. To the point that Torque warns her he’ll disown her. Her response? “I had no idea I raised a complete baby. Where the hell did I go wrong?”
The woman to her right, a tall Amazonian looking woman with dark hair and amber colored eyes snorts out a laugh. “He has a dick, Rose. What the hell did you think was going to happen?”
There’s a chorus of scoffs and laughs, and a few retorts called out, making me grin. Torque rolls his eyes. “I told you,” he says as he lines up his shot. I stand directly across from him, leaning my hip against the table. I don’t miss the way his eyes trace over the curve before he focuses back on his shot. “They’re all crazy,” he declares as he hits the ball and we watch it roll towards the far right corner pocket, but lands about an inch away. “Damn it,” he curses.
I smirk at him. “I’m thinking that you were bluffing about winning, Torque,” I taunt as I swagger around to the other side, sliding past him.
He narrows his eyes at me. “I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work,” he tells me, his voice low so only I can hear him while everyone is talking amongst themselves.
“And just what do you think I’m doing?” I ask, side-eyeing him.
“You’re strutting that hot little body around, trying to distract me. Not going to happen,” he murmurs in my ear, making me shiver at the breath on my skin.
I tilt my head to look up at him. His blue eyes hold mine and I see the heat in them, and feel a similar stirring in my blood. It’s not fair that the man is so damn good looking. “I don’t know what you think I was doing, but it definitely wasn’t that,” I reply softly, not looking away. “I have little to tempt a man anyway,” I add as I move away to line up my shot.
“What?” he asks, looking confused as I take my shot and then look back up at him.
