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I turn to face the man behind the bar. He’s missing at least five teeth, his hair a disheveled mess of dark strands on top of his head, but he doesn’t pay Carleah any attention aside from what he’s given to everyone else since we walked in.
“Two ales,” she orders. “And two bowls of whatever you have cooking.”
“Done.”
She offers him coin, and he shoves it into his pocket before moving through a double door that leads back into the kitchen. “See anything?” she asks, turning on her stool so she can overlook the rest of the bar, too.
My gaze lands on two men who’d sized us up the second we walked in. They’re still eyeing me, but Carleah might as well be invisible. “Not anything I can’t handle should it come down to it,” I assure her.
She turns back as the bartender sets two mugs on the bar top before walking away and taking another order. Carleah lifts a mug and offers it to me then takes one herself. “To a successful journey,” she says then clinks her mug to mine.
We drink, all while I keep my gaze firmly trained on the two men who have been joined by a third. Being the size that I am—in both height and brawn—I’m used to men challenging me when I go places. Used to being thrown in a training ring and fought for fun.
After all, what better way to prove your strength than by challenging the biggest, baddest motherfucker in the room?
A challenge I would happily accept if it weren’t for the fact that it would put Carleah at risk. Knowing that, I do what I never do—I turn my back to them and face her. My way of hopefully diffusing a situation. Unfortunately, given the fact that I can see them all stand out of the corner of my eye, it doesn’t work.
“You all right?” she asks.
“Fine. How’s your ale?”
“Good,” she replies. “Though after drinking nothing but water for the past few days, the flavor change is nice.” She hiccups, and I grin when her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She opens her mouth to respond, but before anything comes out, her eyes grow wide, the laughter from moments ago disappearing in an instance.
I feel their presence less than a heartbeat later. Plastering the least interested look I can possibly conjure onto my face, I turn to face them. There’s five of them now, all of them at least a good foot shorter than me. Which means this is about to be a fight of five on one. Little do they know, they’re still outnumbered.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
“Why are you here?” The one closest to me demands. His red hair is long and matted, his beard braided down to his belly. The closer he gets, the more prominent the stench of piss and vomit becomes.
“Dinner and a drink,” I tell him. “Why are you here?”
“We live here,” a man with two golden teeth spits back at me.
“It’s a great pub,” I tell them. “Have a good evening.” I offer them a nod, perfectly ready to let them walk away. That is until red decides to turn his attention to Carleah.
“What have we here, boys? A woman in trousers.” He looks her up and down, so I shove my way between them.
“You’re going to want to keep your eyes on me,” I warn him. “That is if you want to keep them.”
Challenge in his gaze, he grins up at me. “Is that a threat, boy?”
“It’s a promise. I’m giving you a chance to walk away from this with your dignity.” I lean in closer. “Take it.”
Unfortunately, it seems the man is as stupid as he looks. “I ain’t afraid of no one,” he snaps. “And this is our pub. You share your lady friend here or we’ll take her.” He grins around me at Carleah. “She’ll be ruined for ye then.”
“I—”
“Go ahead and fucking try,” I snarl, interrupting Carleah.
“Hey! Take it outside, Lowe! You know the rules,” the barkeep orders.
“What do you say, boy? Take this outside?”
“We walk out of here and you won’t walk back in until you wake up in a puddle of your own piss tomorrow.”
The man looks over his shoulder, and the group of them begin laughing like the village idiots they fucking are.
“Then let’s go get this over with, huh, men? Teach this boy a lesson.” He hisses at me through clenched teeth then turns and leaves. And because I’m not leaving Carleah alone for a second, I take her hand and pull her outside with me.
