It was done quietly, effectively, and it had worked for eight years. Since the day Ethan Cooper had reopened the Broken Bar and brought the proposal to the captain, after he’d learned about the clientele he wouldn’t be able to keep out of it.
Since that day, the bar had reigned as the only alcoholic establishment allowed within the county limits. The Broken Bar was a favorite among the locals as well as the criminal element. And Ethan Cooper ran the establishment with an iron hand.
No dealing, drugs or otherwise, was the rule, though they’d recorded it happening often enough.
The bouncers watched out for the women first, innocent men second, and they were all friends of Cooper’s. Tough, hard-eyed bastards who had been discharged from the army for one reason or another.
Some honorably.
Some not so honorably.
Smoothing the skirt of her short dress, Sheila made her way from the parking spot she’d managed to snag at the side of the building and stepped up to the wood walkway that stretched around the bar.
The entrance was manned that night by Turk.
One of those hard-eyed bastards who had been not so honorably discharged.
“Miss Rutledge.” He nodded as he opened the door for her.
“Thanks, Turk.” She threw him a quick smile as she moved past him.
“Casey will be out in a bit, he’s in a meeting with Coop.”
She almost paused at the bouncer’s announcement. She almost turned around and asked him why she should care. But she knew these men.
Number one, he wouldn’t tell her what he knew, and there was no doubt he knew something; otherwise, he’d never have said anything.
Holding her irritation for Casey until later, she moved into the building and headed for the long, gleaming teak bar at the side of the room.
A band was belting a country-western tune on the other end. The sound of the steel guitar, the lazy sensuality in the singer’s voice, and the sight of the customers swaying on the dance floor was enough to assure her she’d arrived late.
Everyone had had just enough booze to loosen inhibitions, if any existed, and lead them to the dance floor where they could rub and grind and in some cases even complete the sexual act in the dimmer areas as the sexually charged music seemed to infect them.
Her father had always warned her to beware of alcohol and slow dancing.
And he was right.
She almost grinned at the thought.
The first night she and Casey had been together, they had danced to a slow, lazy tune after the bar had closed and after they had shared more than one drink.
Her stomach clenched at the memory of that night.
There on the bar. He’d turned the cameras off and he’d taken her like a man starved for a woman.
“Hey, Sheila, you’re blushing.” Sarah Cooper’s brows were arched as she made the accusation teasingly. “What are you thinking about that has your face all red?”
Hell.
She was half tempted to turn around and walk out rather than face the warmhearted teasing. She hoped that Casey wasn’t around.
“Secrets,” Sheila informed her as she took the bar stool one of the bouncers vacated.
The new guy, Morgan Keane.
Six feet four and a half inches of power and well-honed muscles. Dark blue eyes and black hair, sun-bronzed skin, and a hardened expression.
Wearing jeans and a black “Broken Bar” T-shirt, he looked like a man most men would be scared to run into in a back alley, let alone a woman.
The background check her father had done on him had pretty much confirmed that impression. He wasn’t a criminal, and never had been, as far as Captain Rutledge could tell. He was just a man that had treaded a thin line a little close to that element.
Even worse, and a bigger sin in the captain’s eyes, Morgan Keane hadn’t joined one of the military forces and served his country either.
He was a hell of a bouncer, and one Sheila knew Cooper was coming to depend upon after less than six months.
“You are not answering me.” Sarah leaned forward, a shy dimple peeking out from her rounded cheeks as she brushed back the incredibly long curls that fell around her.
“That’s because I don’t want to,” Sheila answered as she leaned forward as well, ignoring the other girl’s playful pout. “Where’s Cooper? He’s supposed to be keeping you out of trouble.”
“In a meeting with your bed warmer,” Sarah all but whispered as her grin widened. “Tell me, Sheila, how long did you think you would keep it quiet if you dared to challenge Casey as you did?”
Sheila’s brows lifted. What in the world had Casey told Sarah? It wasn’t like him to tell anyone anything about his private life.
To say she was shocked he had even let on that they were sleeping together was an understatement.
Sarah rolled her eyes, almost laughing back at her.
“His truck has been parked at your house the past two mornings and several of the bar’s customers just happen to be working on your father’s landscaping.”
Sheila grimaced. She had forgotten about that. She should have thought. There were very few members of the community who hadn’t been in the Broken Bar at one time or another.
“Oh well, he can deal with it then.” She shrugged as though it didn’t matter when she knew very well it did. She detested being gossiped about. But even worse, she knew for a fact that Casey had broken off relationships with other women for no more reason than the fact that his personal business with them had become public knowledge.
She didn’t need this.
She didn’t need to be forced to grapple with her own emotions and fears while wondering who in her father’s employ would dare to gossip
