Lynn bent down and picked up Maizy’s white jacket from the floor, placing it on the back of one of the barstools. “We can probably push two of those chairs together for Maizy. Izzy can sleep on one couch and someone else on the other. I don’t mind sleeping on the floor with one of the blankets we brought.”
Trevor tossed down our bags by the door. “Not bad,” he said, checking out the room.
“I’ll go back for the rest,” Reno said. “Asshole is by the door,” he muttered, leaving the room.
“What was that about?” Lexi said.
Trevor lightly kicked one of the bags. “Some dickhead knows me.”
“So?”
He gave her the look.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, that shit pisses me off. He needs to just let it go.”
“Break his heart?” April asked with a wink as she took a seat on the barstool.
“What heart?” he said with a snort. “That’s not what I was after.”
“Oh, I forgot. You’re Mr. I Don’t Get Serious With Anyone,” she said, lowering her voice to a baritone.
He raised an eyebrow. “Babe, I have yet to meet a loyal male in my world. No one lets things get serious for a reason. Most of these asshats aren’t ready to move into the twenty-first century. Anyhow, I’m not wasting my time with anyone who can’t support my habits.”
“That model-airplane thing is something you need to see a professional about,” she said playfully.
He shook his head and tried to look annoyed, but the corners of his mouth twitched and gave him away. April and Trevor had great banter between them, having been friends for a long time.
Ben had shifted in the parking lot to heal and put on a pair of pants from his bag. As he entered the room, he dragged his feet across the floor in a sluggish manner. Just as soon as he sat down, he shifted back to his wolf.
Wheeler walked over and ran his fingers through his fur, checking out his shoulder. “Looks like just a few nasty bites. He’ll live, but let’s let the big baby sleep for a few hours since he shifted twice already.”
Austin leaned against the bar and I caught Lexi checking him out with a secretive smile. “Here’s how it’s gonna go down,” he began. “There’s no back door in this hall, so there’s only one way in. I want Reno stationed at the front of the club, scoping out everyone who walks through that door. Wheeler, you sit near the entrance to the hall. Trevor, mingle and keep your ears alert. Assume there are Vampires on the floor, so if I have to call one of you, I’ll be indirect and speaking in code. I expect you to do the same. The rest of us will stay here. I’m taking position behind the door, and Jericho, you just keep an eye on that lovely lady of yours.”
“No problemo,” he said, running his hand down the back of Izzy’s hair. She had the kind of wavy red hair that looked amazingly soft.
Lynn sat behind the bar and propped a shotgun beside her that we’d concealed in one of our bags. She reached in the fridge and pulled out a small container of cranberry juice.
“What should I do?” I asked, feeling as useless as a winter coat on a beach.
“Get some rest, Ivy,” Austin said, brooking no argument. “Tired wolves make impulsive mistakes. We’ll sleep in rotating shifts for the night and figure out a new plan tomorrow. Fox’s men know what Reno looks like, so we’ll move him to the back hall tomorrow and switch things up. I don’t anticipate they’ll come here tonight. They’re probably trying to get a hold of Fox and figure out their next move.”
“What about bathroom breaks?” I asked.
Austin pointed to the right of the television. “We have our own. Wheeler, does the owner know why we’re here?”
Wheeler pinched the short beard on his chin. “Yeah, he knows we’re seeking sanctuary.”
“Does he know that means there could be trouble in his bar?”
Wheeler arched his brows indifferently. “Marco’s never been a big fan of Shifters, but he owes me a favor. He’s probably looking for a reason to ban our kind from his club. Anyhow, he’s holding us liable for any damages—that’s a given.”
“I’m fine with that,” Austin said gruffly. “None of his staff know?”
Wheeler sniffed and lingered by the door, his hand on the knob. “No, but he gave them instructions not to kick us out under any circumstances. If they have an issue, they have to take it to Marco. I used to manage his money years ago, but he started behaving erratically so I cut ties. He’s a businessman, so he’ll stick to the arrangement. He’s giving us a week. Anything after that we’ll have to negotiate.”
Chapter 16