First Shot: A Serial (Shot Serial Book 1) Page 5

  “You have to go,” Candice pleaded.

  She chewed her lip. This was a bad idea. Not only would it piss off Crystal, but it would make both Patrick and Eric angry.

  “I’ve got to go, or I’m going to be late.”

  “You are the worst!” Candice groaned. “We are so going.”

  “I’ll text you later.”

  “Whatever.”

  She paused for a moment before going on. “And you should call her.”

  “My grandmother?” she asked.

  Jennifer shook her head. “Your mom.”

  The phone went silent.

  “You first,” she said quietly.

  Jennifer nodded. She was right.

  “Okay,” she said. “Talk to you later.”

  “’Kay. And we are going.”

  Jennifer hung up and grinned. This was one fight she was pretty sure she wouldn’t win.

  * * *

  She guessed there had to be a first time for everything, and the men at the table in the corner were her first time at being ogled with such obviousness, a totally different experience than just getting a better tip because of how she was dressed.

  The blatant interest wasn’t a feeling she was used to, and she didn’t really know how to handle them.

  “You just need to be firm,” Crystal said. “I’m not always going to be around to help you with this stuff.”

  Jennifer nodded. She was right. They were just men. She could deal with them.

  She picked up the tray of beers and winced when one of them called out to her.

  Slowly, she made her way over and set the pitcher and mugs on the table.

  “Well, thank you, sweetheart,” the one seated next to her said. He smelled of cheap aftershave and stale cigars. She silenced the gag that threatened to come out when a breeze wafted toward her.

  “Anything else I can get you all?” she asked sweetly.

  The one on the other side gave a toothy smile.

  “I’m sure we could think of something,” he said.

  Her heart kicked up into her throat as she backed up.

  “Well, you just let me know,” she said and hurried away.

  The men laughed loudly as she moved behind the counter.

  “Good,” Crystal said and smiled at her. It was a rare thing to get a smile from Crystal, and Jennifer would take it.

  The bell on the door chimed open, and they turned. Tommy rounded the corner, and she smiled. Crystal let out a squeak and rushed forward.

  “What are you doing here?” Crystal said and wrapped her arms around him.

  Tommy shrugged. “Little time in between, just thought I would see if you could spare an hour.”

  Crystal looked at the drunk older men, then back to Jennifer.

  “I’m going out,” she said quickly. “Just let Eric know if you need help.”

  Jennifer opened her mouth to protest, but they were already making their way up the stairs.

  Her eyes shifted to the men. She could do this. All she had to do was keep them in line. That was something she could manage.

  Chin up, she walked over to them.

  “You need another pitcher?” she asked and picked up the now empty pitcher.

  She jumped when a hand landed firmly on her ass.

  “I’ll tell you what I need,” the toothy man from before said.

  A chill ran over her. She twisted away, but his hand wrapped around her middle.

  “Oh now, honey,” he said. The other two men at the table laughed like it was some great joke. “You didn’t even hear what I wanted to ask.”

  “Let me go,” she said loudly.

  His hand only squeezed tighter, and she winced at his grip.

  “Mother fucker!”

  Eric’s powerful fist came flying from behind her and connected with the man’s face. He instantly let go, and she moved away.

  “What the fuck, man?” the man said and held his now bleeding nose.

  Eric stepped forward and pulled the man up by the scruff of his shirt.

  “You don’t ever fucking touch her,” he yelled in the man’s face. He shook him so hard Jennifer was sure she could hear his teeth rattling.

  “Okay,” the man said. The man’s voice was pinched and whiny.

  Eric tossed him back onto the table. “Now get out of my bar.”

  The other two men looked from one to the other. For a second, she thought they might try something and was surprised when they moved toward the door without much trouble.

  Still holding his nose, the toothy man stood up and pushed past her.

  “Cunt.”

  Eric moved in front of her like a flash.

  “What?” he asked. His voice was deadly quiet as he spoke, and for a second, Jennifer worried that the other man might be in serious danger.

  The man scrambled away and pushed with the others up the stairs. When they reached the top, the man pulled his hand away from his face and stared at them with hatred. Blood poured down freely.

  He snuffed up the blood and spit it on the floor.

  “Fuck you both,” he said and stormed out the door.

  Eric made a move to the door but stopped when she held out her hand.

  “Please,” she said. Her voice shook as she spoke, but she couldn’t help it.

  Needing something to do, Jennifer led him over to the table and sat him down. His fist was already starting to swell from the punch he’d delivered. She raced over the ice bin and placed a scoop onto a towel. Another she wetted.

  She bundled up the ice and carried it to him. Squatting on the floor, she placed the ice on the table.

  When she pulled his hand out it was bloodied, and she worried that he might have cut himself. She slowly wiped off all the blood. His knuckles were red and swollen, but it didn’t seem like there was any bleeding.

  Gently, she ran her fingers over the swollen part and turned it over to check the other side. They were rough from labor and scraped against her skin. She looked up to him and found he was watching her with interest. Jennifer grabbed the towel with the ice and placed it on his hand. He hissed at the contact, and she winced. If it hurt that much now, it was likely going to really hurt later.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly. Her voice cracked as she spoke, and tears choked her.

  “Hey,” he said and placed the ice back on the table.

  He placed his hands on the shoulders. She tipped her head up to look at him.

  “Did they hurt you?” he asked.

  She shook her head, afraid she wouldn’t be able to get the words out.

  The air rushed out of her as he pulled her hard to his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered against her ear. “You go ahead and let it out.”

  As if she needed the permission, the tears fell freely, and she sucked in shuddered sobs.

  His hands moved up and down her back in a comforting motion and, in the end, helped to ease the tension.

  “You were so brave,” he said and pulled her back to look at him.

  It was the first time she’d looked at him, and all she saw was the gentle man she had previously glimpsed.

  Jennifer shook her head. “I’m not brave,” she said quietly. “I’m weak, and I should have done something.”

  “No,” Eric said. His nostrils flared. “Those asswipes shouldn’t have done that to begin with,” he said. “And you shouldn’t ever think that way. You kept it together and didn’t let them see you rattled. You are so strong.”

  She stared at him for a moment before slowly moving in. Her lips brushed his in a gentle kiss. Eric seemed surprised and almost unsure of what to do.

  Jennifer scooted in closer between his legs. Gently, she cupped his cheek and ran her fingers into his hair. She smiled when she felt his hands wrap around her again and pull her even further in. She licked the seam of his mouth and moaned when he opened. Their tongues met, but it was a slow kiss, neither wanting it to end.

  She pulle
d back for air and gasped when he trailed kisses along her mouth and down the side of her neck. His stubble scraped the tender skin there, and she reveled in the feeling. Eric reached her collar bone and traced the line of it with his tongue.

  Her hands gripped his shoulders as he moved lower, just above the line of her tank top. She opened her eyes and pulled back.

  There was no question. She wanted him. Good, bad, ugly. It didn’t matter how long they had known each other. She needed him. Needed to feel his skin against her own.

  Holding his eyes, she reached down to the hem of her shirt.

  “Jennifer?”

  She froze and turned from where she was.

  “Mom?”

  She stared at her mother’s horror-stricken face.

  “Maybe you should get up off the floor, Jennifer,” her father said. “I think you have some explaining to do.”

  A Note from Madison

  Thank you for reading First Shot. If you enjoyed this serial episode, please consider reviewing it. We authors live and die by reviews.

  The next episode of the serial will be out soon.

  You can join my release mailing list at http://eepurl.com/OX9r5

  ALSO BY MADISON STEVENS

  Novels

  Allen Securities (Romantic Suspense)

  Reed (Allen Securities #1)

  Kace (Allen Securities #2)

  Liam (Allen Securities #3)

  Ryder (Allen Securities #4)

  Kelly Clan (Romantic Suspense)

  Finn (Kelly Clan #1)

  Conor (Kelly Clan #2)

  Luna Lodge (Paranormal Romance)

  Sol (Luna Lodge #1)

  Titus (Luna Lodge #2)

  Lucius (Luna Lodge #3)

  Marius (Luna Lodge #4)

  Privileged (New Adult Romance)

  Privileged (Privileged #1)

  Elite (Privileged #2)

  Short Stories

  Road House (Contemporary Short Stories)

  Letting Go (Road House #1)

  Holding On (Road House #2)

  Standing By (Road House #3)

  Author Bio

  Madison currently lives with her husband and two children in the Valley of the Sun in Arizona. After leaving the frozen tundra of the north, she was more surprised than anyone with how much she has enjoyed living in the desert. Seeing as she stated on more than one occasion before moving to Arizona how much she hated heat, it was an odd move, but it seems her hatred for sub-zero temperatures and ice has won out in the end.

  When she’s not writing, she’s enjoying time with her family. Madison and her family frequent festivals in the area, as well as local cultural events, and spend time with family in the area. In the summer, she is most likely to be found in the pool with the family and in the winter by the fireplace. Since both her children are autistic, days can be a little chaotic, but with her husband beside her, there’s nothing she can’t handle.

  Madison has a full schedule of releases planned for 2014 listed and updated on her blog: http://madisonstevensauthor.com/

  She can be contacted at madisonstevensauthor@gmail.com