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“You sing like an angel,” Vin said, and meant it. Her eyes widened in surprise. “We heard you when we were outside the shack.”
“That was rude.” Misty looked away quickly, her cheeks flushing now that she knew they’d been listening to her.
“Rude or not, you can sing.” Bruce walked toward her. “Listen, the bar has been dwindling in customers lately. I honestly don’t even think Billie Ann can afford another waitress and would be doing it out of the goodness of her heart by hiring you on.”
“Bruce!” Billie Ann gasped, glaring at him.
Bruce ignored her. “And after Jag there kicked the shit out of six Crows, I’m sure most of them will be staying away if they know what’s good for them.”
“Wait.” Rafe frowned, looking at Vin. “You did what?”
“I’ll explain later.” Vin didn’t want to bring it up in front of Misty. She looked embarrassed enough.
“Have you ever done karaoke before?” Bruce asked, ignoring Rafe and Vin.
By the look on her face, Vin knew she had. It was crazy how easily he could read her without her saying a word, and when she let out a long sigh, he knew Bruce had won.
“What kind of machine do you have?” Misty walked the rest of the way into the storage room toward the box, then looked at Bruce’s victorious grin. “I know how to set up karaoke contests and such, but I will not be singing.”
Bruce just threw up his paws as if surrendering, but Vin knew better. If Bruce had anything to say about it, Misty would be the star of the show. The thought had Vin grinning as he watched Rafe pull out the machine so Billie Ann and Misty could look at it.
“Davey really loved karaoke.” Billie Ann smiled fondly. “I guess it just got too much for him to do after I left.”
Misty looked over the machine before glancing up at Billie Ann. “It’s a little outdated, but it’s a really good karaoke machine. I can set it up and give it a try to see if it still works.”
“That would be great, but first, come with me to my office.” Billie Ann stood. “We need to talk about hiring you first.”
Misty nodded and started to follow Billie Ann, but stopped when she reached a still victorious-looking Bruce.
“I’m not singing, so get that look off your furry face.” Misty growled and even pointed at Bruce as she passed.
Vin chuckled, shaking his head as he continued to watch Misty follow Billie Ann out of the storage room. His eyes roamed down her body, and his own reacted to what he saw. Damn, he’d been without a woman for a long time, but he knew that wasn’t why he was reacting to her.
She was his.
His Jaguar knew it, and now so did he.
“I’ll be damned,” Rafe said, staring at Vin.
“What?” Vin glanced at Rafe, then quickly looked away, which he knew immediately was a big mistake.
Rafe laughed, shaking his head. “All the shit you gave me about Billie Ann.”
“You been in the booze?” Vin pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning against and headed out of the storage room, knowing Rafe would follow him. The fucker. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The hell you don’t.” Rafe followed, not letting up for a second. “You don’t know whether you’re coming or going with her, do ya? That’s how it always starts. Bet your Jaguar knew before your dumb ass did.”
Figuring the only way to get away from Rafe was to leave the bar, Vin headed outside and, yes, hide for a bit. He wasn’t a coward. He just didn’t want to hear Rafe’s bullshit, and he really didn’t want to punch his friend in the face.
Pushing open the door, he heard Rafe following him out.
“Rafe, you best let it go,” Vin warned, but stopped before hitting the steps.
Standing in front of the bar were the six Crow Shifters from the lake, along with Mac and two other men Vin didn’t know. He had a pretty good idea one of them was Jack Crow.
“You the man who attacked six of my men?” the one he figured to be Jack Crow spoke up. He carried himself with the kind of authority that told Vin he’d guessed right.
The guy next to him was tall and thin with a scowl on his face. He actually had an uncanny resemblance to a crow. Vin wondered if this was Tucker, Misty’s stepbrother.