Page 1 of Bria and the Tiger

Chapter One

“You look like shit, Bria.”

“Are you always this sweet to your customers, Porter?” Bria asked as she slid onto the bar stool.

Porter winked at her. “Only the lucky ones. What can I get you to drink?”

“Whiskey.”

Bria ignored the wolf shifter’s look of surprise. When he brought her the glass of amber liquid, she drank it all in one gulp.

“Hoo…that burns,” she muttered. “Give me another one.”

Porter studied her for a moment before pouring her another. “Drink this one slower.”

“Yes, Sir.” Her voice was heavy on the sarcasm, but she sipped at the drink. Porter leaned on the bar and crossed his arms.

“So, you going to tell me what’s wrong or just drink all the whiskey in the bar?”

“Is the bar officially yours yet?” Bria asked.

Porter nodded. “Yeah, as of two days ago. Bud’s wife was really good about getting all the paperwork sorted out after his death. But, because it was a homicide and they never found the bank draft I gave Bud, it was complicated.”

A brief flicker of pain crossed Porter’s face and Bria gave him a sympathetic look. She knew Porter felt guilty over the death of the former owner of the bar. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, I know,” Porter said. “It’s just…difficult.”

“You didn’t know that Vaughn would kill Bud just to frame you for the murder. Vaughn was a cop, for God’s sake. He was supposed to uphold the law, not break it.”

“I should have,” Porter said. “I knew Vaughn would do anything to get Maggie, but I didn’t think… Bud died because I didn’t understand just how dangerous Vaughn was.”

“From what Kat told me, no one really did. Besides, all that matters is that Maggie is safe, right?”

“Yes,” Porter said immediately. “My mate is safe.”

“When is the wedding?” Bria asked. In shifter terms, Porter and Maggie were already married. Wolf shifters bit their mates to claim them. Kat had told her that after Vaughn kidnapped Maggie and Porter saved her, he had claimed Maggie later that same night. But Maggie was human, and Bria assumed she would want the traditional human wedding ceremony.

Porter shrugged. “Not sure yet. Maggie wants to go back to school to get her accounting degree. She can get it finished this semester if she takes a few extra math courses online. It would be tough for her to do her classes and plan a wedding.”

“Does that bother you?” Bria sipped at her whiskey.

“Nah, it bothers my mom and my grandpa, but I’m fine with it. Maggie is my mate. I love her, and I don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to know that she loves me too.”

Porter’s face was nearly glowing with happiness and Bria felt a twinge of jealousy. Had Kyle or Raden ever looked at her that way? She couldn’t remember about Kyle, but she knew for certain that Raden hadn’t. More jealousy mixed with guilt and regret coursed through her and she finished the rest of her whiskey.

“Another please, Porter.”

“You sure?” Porter asked.

“Yes.”

He poured her a third one. “Is your guy joining you?”

Bria shook her head and took a sip of whiskey, wincing as it burned its way down her throat.

“What’s his name again?”

“Raden.”

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