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Chapter 1
“Hurricane Roy has been upgraded to a category three as it continues to veer off its projected path to Florida and curves toward the Louisiana coastline Meteorologists are scrae in direction”
Storm shutters rattled as another clap of thunder announced the co storm
Nothing good can coh def TV to take in the patrons jammed practically shoulder to shoulder in his bar as they danced to the zydeco band raising the roof
It wasn’t that New Orleans couldn’t take another beating She’d survived and coer But store tracks like this Not withoutoutside intervention The whole thing made Mick twitchy
He covered his unease by sliding a pint of Bass down the bar, where it slapped into the waiting hand of a custolass in salute and took a sip Mick nodded and turned to scan the crowded tables of his bar, noting the mix of Mirus and human patrons as he filled orders on autopilot The fiddle was hot and fast, and across the room feet tapped, hands clapped, and couples swirled in i It was a full house, locals mostly, who’d decided to settle in for a last-minute hurricane party in the event the stor pool on where Roy would hit and what category it would be when it did Le Loup Garou was on the high ground and was buttoned down tight, so even if things went bad, everybody inside would be safe That was exactly the way Mick liked it
He continued tosure to send a tray of the band’s preferred beers over to their table with one of his waitresses It was best to keep their vocal chords lubricated They were earning every penny of their fee with this gig The last hurricane party he’d hosted had lasted ’til dawn, and the one out, keeping the fear and worry at bay with their instruments and voices
Mick’s attention shifted to a group of frat boys on the far side, and his sense of dread ratcheted up a couple of notches They weren’t being rowdy, but they looked annoyed One haed a waitress as she walked by Charlotte covered her irritation, listened to the complaint: where was the service? She calmly took out her pad and scribbled down their orders Not until she was on her way back to the bar did she absently rub her wrist Mick’s eyes narrowed
Charlotte set her tray down on the bar “One Jack and Coke, two Bud Selects, a G and T, one Bond-style martini, and a bloody Mary for Table Six”
Mick listened as she continued to rattle off orders, part of his brain filing and categorizing as he waited for her to finish “You okay, chère?” His eyes flicked to her wrist
His waitress rolled her eyes “Fine Just a little overactive, underfed testosterone It’s Liza’s station Apparently they’ve been waiting a while”
He flicked his eyes around the other tables in Liza’s section, noting the waiting patrons, and frowned “Liza isn’t in yet?”
Tracy, one of the other waitresses, sidled up, orders for the kitchen in hand “No, she’s late Helluva night to do it, too We’re jumpin”
“Either of you hear from her?” he asked Both woot delayed from the storm, but she’d have called
Mick loaded Charlotte’s tray “Keep your eyes peeled Divide her tables a yourselves I’ll see what I can find out”
It took a while to process all the orders, but eventually he squeezed into his s fiddle licks chased hi out the bulk of the noise so he could call Liza’s cell phone It went straight to voicee for her to call on the bar line and hung up
It didn’t necessarilydie, or she hadn’t answered the last call But he didn’t like it
As he stepped back into the bar, the band finished a rousing rendition of Hot Tamale Baby The moment of silence before the audience burst into applause and cheers was interrupted by a sharp crack! up near the front
Mick’s eyes went to the s first, thinking one of the storainst the brick Then he saw her standing in the doorway, hair whipping around her heart shaped face as the wind and rain poured in at her back
Trouble
That’s all Mick could think as he stared at her,dry If she’d lifted her hands to send walls of water crashing over his customers, he wouldn’t have been at all surprised And he wasn’t sure he could move to stop her For that moment he was absolutely at her mercy