Break the Day - Lara Adrian Page 0,45
curve and crevice.
She met his gaze across the tavern and he felt it as powerfully as if she’d wrapped her hand around his cock.
A private smile tilted her lips before she abruptly glanced away from him—and not before he glimpsed the faint flicker of amber sparks dancing in her eyes.
His own gaze crackled with heat too. He masked it with bravado, swaggering past the tables of bar patrons and ignoring the flirty feminine stares and whispers that followed in his wake. He didn’t give a shit about any of the would-be blood Hosts or other women who tried to catch his attention.
There was only one female in the place who stirred his interest. The one doing her best to pretend he didn’t exist as he walked up and knocked fists with the guys standing around the pool table.
Fish was sporting a flashy new watch on his wrist. Ocho and Axel were both garbed in gaudy designer shirts that Rafe guessed must have come from the Fall Collection for douchebags. Cruz had opted for a less overt display of his recent windfall, but Rafe didn’t miss the diamond pinky ring sparkling on his left hand.
“Someone’s been doing a little shopping, I see.”
Fish grinned, holding his arm up to show off the new hardware. “Set me back twenty-five large, but ain’t it sharp?”
Rafe played along, nodding as if he were impressed. “Nice.”
“Already got my eye on an upgrade once we collect on our next job.”
“Yeah?” His curiosity piqued, he glanced at Cruz. “Sounds like something big.”
“It is,” Fish further volunteered, keeping his voice to a conspiratorial level in spite of the music drowning out most of the conversation in the place. “We’ve been sitting on this one for weeks, just waiting on a go-time. Right, Cruz?”
Rafe had hoped it wouldn’t take long to hear something about the job Devony had alerted him to. Based on the gang leader’s cautious gaze as it cut away from Fish, it seemed he was in luck.
“I’m intrigued,” he told Cruz. “However you can use me on this, count me in.”
A tight nod. “We gonna finish this game, or what?”
They returned to their places around the pool table. Rafe hung back, watching as Axel took his shot. He sank a couple of stripes for Fish and himself before losing his turn to Devony on the opposing team with Ocho.
Thank fuck for loud sound systems and poor human hearing, because there was no curbing the low, possessive animal growl that boiled out of Rafe’s throat as he watched her grip the long cue and bend over the edge of the table in front of him to take her shot.
She was all business about the game, not doing anything designed to make him squirm, but damn if he could keep his cock from standing at attention. Behind the flat line of his lips, he clenched his molars together and struggled to keep his fangs from erupting out of his gums. Sparks danced in his field of vision as she shifted her stance on those spike-heeled boots, then struck with her cue.
Balls nicked against each other, followed by the clean thump of the red solid dropping into the pocket she’d called. Axel and Fish groaned, realizing they were all but beaten now that she had control of the table.
“Impressive,” Rafe murmured as she walked past him on her way to set up her next move. And he wasn’t talking about her precision-perfect shot.
She gave him a private little smile. “You game to try me? Once I clean up here, I’ll be happy to take a turn running you around the table too.”
He arched a brow. “That could be interesting.”
“Very.” She kept walking, smoothly heading to the other side of the table.
With his erection straining behind his zipper, Rafe tugged his jacket down, and leaned his back against the wall to watch the final rounds of play.
Cruz flagged a waitress and ordered another round of beer for the group. Then he sauntered over with his near-empty mug in hand. He glanced toward the pool table for a moment before settling in beside Rafe.
“Looks like Brinks is starting to warm up to you.”
“Think so?” Rafe shrugged. He knew their conversation had been well out of earshot of the man, but he couldn’t feign indifference when it came to a knockout like Devony and expect to be believed. “She’s not hard to look at, is she? I mean, despite all the razor-wire in her attitude.”
Cruz chuckled. “When a bitch looks as good as