Page 104 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

“As if people in our town don’t gossip? Hell, the Lyons family practically runs on gossip. Sure, most of it involves gossip about whose investments are clearing hundreds of millions this year, or whose company is acquiring whose, but it’s the same shit.”

Dom hummed, looking around the Hard Spot. “Maybe. But I still feel like I’m back in the 1950s or something, being here.” Hedropped his voice lower. “Lily’s brother is veryaw-shucks, isn’t he?”

“He’s not as naive as you’d think.”

“Come on, Drave. You’re going soft.”

“Say another word about him and I’ll connect your skull with this bar top,” I warned him, a quiet rage coming from somewhere deep.

“Whoa, whoa,” Dom said, smiling wide and holding up his hands. “Damn. Didn’t realize youlikedyour little plaything so much.”

I glanced over at Max, who was still out of earshot, reaching to rearrange rum bottles behind the bar.

I felt a surge of affection for him, stronger than ever.

“Come on. Show me your littleTennesseehouse,” Dom said, pulling out a crisp hundred and laying it on the bar. He stood up, stretching.

I gazed around the bar.

It seemed safe here. Kane was a good guard dog, too. Maybe, finally, for the first time in 24 hours, I could leave Max on his own.

“Fine,” I said. “But I don’t have a guest room, so I hope you have somewhere to go afterward.”

“Trust me, the closest hotel that I could stand was 45 minutes away, but I booked their best suite. I just want to see your little bungalow.”

“Quit calling itlittle,” I said. “It is little. But you sound like a fucking prick.”

“I am a prick, Drave. We both are.”

I added another fifty to Dom’s hundred, because in my mind, Max definitely did deserve a multi-hundred percent tip.

“Pull up your rental car,” I said. “I’ll meet you outside in a minute. Got to piss.”

“Have fun,” Dom said. “Going to have your plaything hold your cock for you and aim it while you piss?”

I made a mental note to murder Dominic in his sleep as he grinned, walking out the front doors of the bar.

Once he was gone, I went over to the end of the bar where Max was working and I opened the little gate that went behind the bar.

I walked over to him, glancing around at all of the inventory he had near him in small cardboard boxes on the floor mats.

“Hey,” Max said, looking down at me from his step stool. “Didn’t realize you’re a bartender now here, too.”

“Very funny. Listen. I’m going to show Dom my house. But I want you to come straight home after your shift. Take my truck, because I’m riding back with Dom now.”

I handed Max my keys and he nodded.

“I’m sure the security cameras are more than enough. I’ll be fine.”

“No. Not straight home to your place. Straight home to mine.”

Max gave me a look like he was about to start arguing with me, but I tossed one right back that made him rethink it.

“How long are you going to be worrying about me like this?”

“You need a little more time,” I said. “We don’t know if the guy is still in town. Just let things settle, okay? Tell me you’ll come straight home.”

“Yes,sir,” he said in a playful voice, but my cock perked up despite it.

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