An Unknown Place Read Online Free Page B

broke his nose and told him to never come back to her bar. That night I decided being a bartender at The Strip wasn’t a good fit for me anymore.
    Lynn had understood and let me go. We’d remained good friends and I’d come to her bar on occasion when she really needed the help. She begged me to become one of her bar managers, but I had declined. It was really good money and I was ready for the position now. My bravado was better than it used to be. However, I didn’t know if the offer was still on the table.
    “That’s the second time in as many hours, my balls have been threatened. I need to start wearing a cup.”
    Lynn laughed. She smacked him on the back.
    “At least you had enough sense to apologize.” Lynn spoke to Kellan but was looking at me.
    I was getting uncomfortable under her scrutiny. She always saw too much. So I turned and went behind the bar. It was my safe place. My solace. I knew my place and what to do when I was behind a bar. Out in the real world? That was scary.
    “What the hell Mac? You got me to stay and meet this guy and you aren’t even going to stick around for the conversation?”
    “I’m sure ya’ll can work it out on your own. I’m right here if you need me to vouch.” As long as they didn’t make me come out from behind the bar. I put my hand out. “Lynn, Kellan. Kellan, Lynn.” Now my work was done. I saw recognition cross Lynn’s face. Ha!
    “Kellan Freemont?” Lynn asked me. I nodded my confirmation and she squinted her eyes at me. “You told him about Michelle didn’t you?” She accused me.
    “Everyone knows about Michelle, Lynn.” I smiled, and then looked over at Kellan. “Except for him.”
    “Would you like to go to my office Kellan?” Lynn asked.
    “After you Michelle ,” Kellan said waiving her in front of him. She winked at me as she walked off to the back of the bar where the stairs to her office were hidden.
    They’d get along just fine.

CHAPTER 4
    Kellan
    I never in a million years would I’ve guessed I’d be spending my day negotiating a huge deal with a company that had refused to even speak with us. Add to that the fact I was unable to stop fantasizing about the most mysterious woman I had ever encountered, well it was a good day. Normally I would’ve imagined Lynn doing very naughty things with Mac. But nope.
    Did I appreciate the way Lynn looked? Of course. She was a knock-out and so was her lesbian partner. I had unintentionally found out Lynn was a lesbian when I asked who the beauty in the frame on her desk was. She had told me it was her lover of ten years. I couldn’t imagine. Ten years. The lesbian part I had no problem with.
    “Tell me Kellan, how’d you come to know my girl?”
    “She saved my life. I was drugged in the airport and just happened upon a stool in her bar. She stayed with me until we got to the hospital.”
    “She stayed with you?” Lynn looked taken aback. I just nodded and shrugged. “Interesting.” She grabbed a pen off her desk and tapped it thoughtfully. “Do you like her?”
    “That’s a dumb question. Who wouldn’t like her?”
    “Most people. She doesn’t make…friends easily.”
    “Neither do I.”
    Which was true. I had three good male friends and I normally just slept around with women. There was something about Mac that made me want to dissect her and find out what was under that mask she put up so often. She wasn’t making that easy and it was yet another thing I appreciated about her. I guess I didn’t want easy anymore.
    “Alright. Go on. I’ll give you a shot since Mac brought you in,” Lynn said, and leaned back.
    She was studying me and I could easily see what a shrewd business mind she had. She had a gaze that would set most men back on their heels. All it told me was that I wanted to do business with her. I started building, not only a business plan in my head but perhaps a joint business venture. But that would have to wait until I had her trust.
    “I’m not connected to the