Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1)(47)
Author: Joanna Wylde

Just keeping up with their shit was a full-time job. I had to watch them constantly. That’s why I noticed that when the scary-looking one strolled outside the bar for a smoke, Puck followed him.

“You see that?” I asked Danielle quietly as we passed each other at the service bar. “Puck went after that guy. You think there’s something going on there?”

“Nope,” she said firmly. “And if there was, you wouldn’t want to know about it anyway so let it go.”

Good point.

Unfortunately, the rest of the students were still thirsty and when I hit their table again, a guy with muddy brown hair tried to cop a feel. I dodged him, my smile hardening. He offered a drunken smirk, which pissed off the very tipsy redheaded girl sitting next to him.

“Could you move any slower?” she sniped.

“Sorry,” I managed to grit out, but when I hit the service bar again I leaned across toward Danielle, who had taken a break serving drinks to wash glasses.

“I’ve had it with those fuckers,” I hissed. “One just went for my ass.”

“Let me handle it. What did they order?”

“Couple more pitchers.”

With a wink, she grabbed a pitcher and dunked it quickly in the soapy water, capturing about three inches of the liquid. Then she started filling it with beer.

“You’re gonna get fired!” I hissed, looking around to see if anyone noticed. Nobody was paying attention except for Blake, who raised a brow but said nothing.

“I’m not even officially on the clock,” she replied, grabbing a second pitcher and doing the same. “Just doing my part to help some friends. Not my fault if Teresa hasn’t taught me the proper procedure for washing dishes yet. Go bring those assholes their beer—it’s your job to provide excellent service, regardless of whether you like them.”

I grinned at her.

“I love you.”

“I know,” she replied, using her best Han Solo voice.

Two minutes later I was setting the pitchers in the center of their table, biting my lip to keep from giggling. Did this make me a bad person? Absolutely, but when the asshole caught my leg again and groped the inside of my thigh, any lingering guilt disappeared. That douche deserved whatever he got and then some. Fucker.

Ten minutes later Puck and his new friend came back inside. He spoke to Boonie, then caught my eye. We stared at each other across the bar, and I’d have given my sewing machine to know what he was thinking.

He shook his head and walked out again.

That’s when I caught a break, because the alpha-type student waved at me. I walked over to him, startled to realize how big he was. He wasn’t quite as young as I’d thought, either. Probably my age.

“Can you close everyone out?” he asked. “We’re headed back to the school for a party.”

Like I cared what they were doing? I just wanted them gone.

“Sure thing.” I ran the credit cards and brought their checks, forcing myself to smile even though I wanted to flip all of them off. Then I grabbed their empties in a not-so-subtle move designed to hint that they should get the fuck out. Hopefully they wouldn’t short me on the tip but I wasn’t willing to stick around to see.

That’s when Handsy Boy snapped his fingers at me like a dog.

I spun on him, fully intending to hit his head with my tray, dirty glasses and all.

“Let me handle this,” Danielle said, her voice grim. “Take a minute to calm down out back—if Teresa has a problem, I’ll let her know. Now give me the tray and get your ass out of here.”

Handing it over, I made tracks for the back, passing by the bathrooms and through the “Staff Only” door to the porch. As soon as the door swung shut behind me, my chest loosened. God, I hated jerks like that. The sounds of the bar were muffled out here. I sat on the steps, wrapping my arms around my knees and breathing deep, trying to settle myself down.

The world was full of assholes. Pissed me off.

I heard a motorcycle engine roar to life out front—sounded like Puck’s. I couldn’t tell for sure from here . . . Maybe not—he was probably gone already. Why did I feel so weak around him, yet some stranger groping me in a bar just made me mad?

Probably because the little prick inside couldn’t have been a real threat if he tried. He wasn’t a biker or a badass or even a real man. Just a spoiled brat who thought having rich parents made him better than other people. Five minutes later I’d managed to calm down, so I stood and dusted off my butt before stepping back inside. I passed Teresa’s office and then pushed back through the “Staff Only” door into the bathroom hallway.

Prince Handsy was waiting for me, a shit-eating grin splitting his face.

“How about a kiss?”

Oh, no fucking way.

No. Fucking. Way.

He lunged for me and I lifted my knee, catching him in the balls with the fury of an avenging angel. He screamed like a baby. Darcy burst out of the women’s bathroom, eyes wide.

“You okay?” she demanded, taking in the scene.

“I’m great,” I announced, wishing I’d taken him down an hour earlier. Prick.

“What the fuck is going on back here?” Teresa demanded, crowding into the hallway. Behind her were Danielle and Blake and a whole bunch of other people, including the drunken redhead. She squealed and dropped to her knees next to her writhing boyfriend.

“She attacked him! Call the cops—have that little bitch arrested!”

That’s when the black-haired alpha-type student pushed his way through and grabbed her arm, jerking her back.

“Go wait by the car,” he ordered. She started to protest, but a death glare from him silenced her like a switch. Damn.

“We’ll talk in my office,” Teresa said to me firmly. “I’ll handle this.”

“Sure,” I said, the adrenaline of the attack fading just enough that I realized what I’d done. I was about to lose my second job in a week for fighting. How was that even possible? Every day for the last five years, I’d asked myself the same question—what would my mom do? Then I’d do the opposite . . . yet here I was. Fighting. Again.

“Everyone back off,” Darcy announced, her voice loud and full of authority. “This is none of your business, so get back to drinking.”

“He’s drunk and he’s been eyeing her all night,” the black-haired guy said to Teresa. “He’s already groped her at least once. I’m sure she was just defending herself.”