Dark Secrets(5)

Faith's head tilted, looking at the women with his version of the story and more than mildly annoyed when she saw things to indicate he was right.

"Damn," she said when the redhead stood up and moved between her friend and the guy, crossing her arms, and raising her voice until the guy backed off.

"So, what?" Danny asked. "You're some guard dog to all the girls in here?"

"Shouldn't that be part of our jobs? To make sure nothing gets out of hand here?"

"Should, but usually isn't," he said,

She remembered then how livid she had been at the bartender lacing the drinks. "How'd you know the redhead was into the blonde?"

"Please," he snorted, shaking his head. "Anytime the blonde looked away, she looked at her like she fucking hung the moon."



       
         
       
        

"That's, ah, kind of sappy there, Danny-boy," she said, trying to lighten the mood because she maybe liked it too much that he was able to notice such a thing in a woman's eyes.

"Not a fuckuva lot of good in the world, sweetheart," he said easily, shrugging. "Be a real shame to not see the bits and pieces of it like that."

With that, he moved off toward the kitchen to get more rocks glasses out of the washing station.

"Oh, Faith, honey," Eleanor, one of Vin's associate's wives, a tall, leggy, fake-breasted brunette with too heavy eye makeup for a Wednesday night started, "how do you stand it?"

"Stand it?" she repeated, moving to pour her another vodka martini, knowing she wasn't the type to stop until she had a good buzz going.

"Working side by side that man candy," she explained, fanning her face with the drink menu. "I would melt. Have to wring out my panties on my break."

Faith snorted. "El, he's not that good looking."

"Oh, honey... yes, he is. And even if he wasn't, that attitude. And those pet names. If I didn't love Bennie like I do..." she trailed off, wiggling her brows.

She didn't so much love Bennie as she loved his bank account. And while Faith generally didn't like the idea of leaning on a man for, well, anything at all, she figured there was some begrudging respect she had to give a woman who saw what she wanted and fucked a man she truly found disgusting to get that.

"He's cocky."

"The best men are," she said with a smile as Faith saw Danny make his way back behind the bar, hip-checking her so he could slip the juices back into the speed rack. "Danny," she went on, giving him a cougar smile, the kind that said she was predator and he was prey and she was famished.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" he asked, the endearment obviously a knee-jerk one.

"We were just talking about you."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, angling his head to look at faith from his half-bent position, cocky smile in place. "And what was the lovely Faith saying about me?"

"That you're cocky," Eleanor said easily. "And that you're not that good looking. To which I obviously disagreed."

"Not that good looking, huh?" he asked, picking up on the fact that she had obviously agreed that he was at least somewhat good looking. "I'll take that. So, Eleanor," he said, surprising Faith with his name-recalling skills on his first night, "what do you think of Faith here?"

Eleanor pressed her lips together. "I think she needs a man in her life," she said, making Faith's heckles rise.

She didn't and had never needed a man in her life. Enjoyed one? Welcomed one? Sure. But she never needed a man for anything. She took care of her damn self and it bothered her to even imagine that anyone would disagree with her. Nothing about her implied that she couldn't take care of herself financially, physically, or emotionally. Hell, even sexually. She had battery-operated devices that could do the job in a dry spell. 

"Need might be a strong word," Danny surprised her by saying.

"She's wound like a clock," Eleanor insisted.

Danny straightened, looking Faith up and down. "Maybe you mistake strong for sexually frustrated. I think Faith here can get all the sex she wants if she wants it. Though," he said, leaning on the bar toward Eleanor, "between me and you, maybe she might do herself a favor by wanting it soon."

"Oh, you bastard," Faith said, lifting her chin, immediately forgetting that he had defended her at all.

But it was just that moment that Anthony decided to step up to the side of the bar near the opening.

"I think not," she called, turning her head ever-so slightly to raise her brow at him.