The Rivals [Settler's Mine 1] [NOOK Book]

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Balt sauntered into the bar and sat down after making sure she was the only waitress working. Time to make contact with her and to do that, she had to be his server. The bar must work one waitress and bartender at a time.

She shot him a slight smile and sashayed over from the bar with a clear glass filled with amber liquid. "Here you go. Tequila."

He leaned back in his chair, widening his legs. "You remembered me." He took a quick sip of his drink.

Her eyes shuttered, blocking eye contact. "You're an Amador. Not easy to forget any of them, especially you." She purred the name of his race.

His breath quickened at the seductive sound dripping from her lips. Warmth filled him as his chest expanded, though he had no illusions. She'd complimented him to pad out her tip, and it had worked. The instinctual puffing out of his chest proved that. She was a conniving wench. Just the kind he liked. Too fucking bad he had to sacrifice her to the fish to make his bounty. But he'd be a pussy not to take advantage of Orion's interest in her. Baltazar was no pussy. He'd do what needed doing to get the job done.

"Nice to know I'm not forgettable to you. Actually, I'm glad you were working. I wanted to speak with you about something. That's why I came in."

Her eyes widened slightly. "What about?" She took a little step back from his table. Her hands went to her side, drawing his gaze to those ample hips.

"What's your name?"

"Besela." Her voice sounded hesitant.

A good little Coronian name, which he'd already known from asking around the mine. Must be her ancestry, judging by most of her looks and that piece of information. She'd arrived at the mine only a fewdays before, putting her on a short list for Layla. But her appearance ruled her out as the woman he sought. Layla hadn't had a lot of resources to change herself so radically. "Besela. I have a business proposition for you. Can we talk about it? Maybe on your break? I'll wait around."

She licked her lips.

He widened his legs as his cock engorged. Fuck, that small tongue would be heaven rolling down him. He'd fill that small mouth to the brim. Fill her pussy up, too. His gaze drifted to her neck.

No heartstone.

No matter, she'd probably find it before he had to leave. Maybe he'd help her find it.

"I break in five."

"I'll wait."

He watched her ass sway as she walked to another table. After this was over, he would be plowing her one way or another. Didn't matter to him how she wanted it. He'd do her the way she liked it best. He took another sip, blowing out a breath. This wasn't an unusual reaction for him; he liked women and fucking. Hell, he liked men and fucking, too. But he'd not reacted this strongly to someone before.

It still puzzled him why Orion had reacted the way he did to Besela. Orion had never seemed to care for women all that much. Did Orion want to fuck her? Shouldn't that bother him as he wanted to, too? But it didn't.

Curious.

He'd had threesomes in his life. Orion, Besela, and him ... No. Not just no but fuck no. No matter how good the Kurlan was supposed to be.

In five minutes, Besela came over and sat gracefully in the chair across from him. "Make it quick. I don't have much time." She carried a cup of water, which she quickly downed during his first sentence.

"I have this friend named Orion. We were in here earlier. You waited on us. I need him distracted. So I can conduct my own business here." Something struck him about her face, but he couldn't be sure what. Too angular? Her chin looked so sharp. Shouldn't it be more round to go with the rest of her?

"What does this have to do with me?" She folded her arms in front of ample tits. Were they crooked?

He lowered his head to get a better look.

"And keep your eyes on my face when I'm talking to you."

He straightened up at her comment. So, he'd been caught staring. Not the first time or the last. He must have been seeing things. No way could the right boob have been that far down. Not many would call an Amador on anything, especially when they were so little in comparison. His mouth twisted up into a grin at her feistiness. "It has to do with you, because I want you to spend some time with him. I want you to keep him out of my way."

Her eyes blinked as she sat quietly for a second. "You want me to spend time with Orion."

"Yep."

She scratched her cheek. "What's in it for me?"

His grin grew wider. She didn't disappoint him on any count. He'd known she'd want some form of payment, and he'd come prepared. "A ream of platinum." No way would she say no to that.

"You'll pay me that much, just for spending enough time with him to distract him?"

He nodded. "Nothing else is required of you." He didn't pay women to fuck anyone, not even him. A woman had to be willing. And, so far, even with his intimidating size, women didn't turn him down.

"Pay me, and I'll do it."

"Half now. Half later."

She stood up by her chair. Her face didn't change expression "All of it now."

"You get it all when you do the job." He shook his head. The woman drove a hard negotiation. Tough woman. He liked his bedmates tough. "No other deal."

"Then, I don't do the job for you. Nice talking with you, Balt." She moved away from him to the bar.

Enjoying his name rolling melodically from her lips, he watched her walk away, enjoying the show of her rolling hips.

Fuck. His head came up. How had she known his name? He hadn't mentioned it to her. Had she heard it from Zelda earlier? Did the whole fucking mine know he and Orion were there? Being that well known would make things more difficult finding Layla. She would already be in hiding. Their presence would drive her deeper in. He'd done some sweeps of the mine already, and come up with squat.

He sucked down the rest of his tequila and approached Besela. "Fine." Not his usual method, but as desperate as Layla probably was, he needed any leg up he could get over Orion. It would be worth it, especially after he was paid for the bounty. Course, if she kept the pissant out of his way, it would be worth it even without the money. "Here's the payment." He stuck it in her hand.

Their fingers met in a caress. His lingered over hers. Her skin was soft under his fingertips.

She jerked her hand away with the platinum almost as though his touch had burned her.

Her touched had seared him. "We have a deal?"

She rubbed her hand near where he'd touched. Maybe he had burned her. "Sure we do. I'll spend time with Orion as I can. I'll make reports in to you, too, about his ... activities."

A bonus. He'd now know what Orion was up to. He couldn't have asked for better. "Great. Later then."

He strode off to the door of the bar to exit. Time to talk to a few more people about anyone new to the mine. Before walking through the door, he turned to watch her as she carried a tray of drinks balanced precariously on her hip. Such grace mixed with such fire. With her temperament, she'd be a hellion in bed. He couldn't wait to give her some hell back.