Read Blackthorne: Heart of Fame, Book 8 for Free Online Page A

where he stood, bent at the waist and leaned an elbow on the marble counter. “Can I help you?” he asked, his voice a deep timbre, his gaze fixed on Josh’s.
    “I need to speak to Caitlin,” Josh shouted back, the crowd around him a jostling mix of excited women and impatient men waiting to be served. “Can you tell me where she is, please?”
    The massive guy narrowed his eyes and folded arms the size of tree trunks across an equally impressive chest. “Nope.”
    Josh raised his eyebrows. Bloody hell, what was it with this bar? Everyone in here said no to him. “I’m not going to hurt her or do anything horrible,” he pleaded his case, a situation he was far from used to. “She just damn near knocked the breath out of me over by the DJ with a single whack. I get the feeling she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. I just wanted to talk to her, is all. I know her uncle and he told me to look her up. Nothing nefarious. Honest.”
    He didn’t mention his overwhelming urge to bury himself in her body he’d experienced out on the street. The physical reaction had taken him not by surprise, but by storm. Since then however, he’d looked into her eyes and seen something else in there. Something…intriguing. Sure, he still wanted to lose himself in her lush curves, but he also wanted to have a conversation with her that didn’t involve her telling him to, in so many words, fuck off.
    The bartender studied him, his expression contemplative. “You’re not making a deal about who you are then.”
    It was, in Josh’s opinion, an odd thing to say. He frowned. “Nope. Should I? Would that make you tell me where I can find Caitlin?”
    Those on either side of him began to shove and squirm more, like a writhing mass of sweat, their stares fixed on his face. He heard his name whispered with excited awe and amazement more than once. His chest tightened. At some point there was the distinct possibility of the crowd rioting if he didn’t get away soon.
    He really hadn’t thought this night through at all.
    In front on him, on the other side of the marble bar, the bartender chuckled, a deep, relaxed sound Josh could hear quite well despite the pulsing music emanating from the speakers and the horde exclaiming his name. “The opposite actually.” He leaned forward, close enough his forehead almost bumped Josh’s. “Head to the door marked private behind the stage. I’ll buzz you in.”
    “Dude!” Josh held out his hand, a tight ribbon of elation threading through his unease. “Thanks, mate.”
    The massive guy flashed a crooked smile at him and grabbed him around the wrist in a firm shake. “No worries, Blackthorne. But if you do hurt her, I’ll tear you apart limb by limb. Got it?”
    And with that, he released Josh’s wrist and went back to serving customers.
    Josh stared at him for a moment, trying to process the threat. Damn, she must be a great boss to warrant such violent, protective behavior in her staff. Further evidence she wasn’t the icy, uptight woman she’d presented to him.
    With a grin, he pivoted on his heel and headed away from the bar.
    Getting to know Caitlin Reynolds was his new plan, his new mission. He’d just decided. Getting to know her and tasting those sublime lips of hers.
    Approaching the empty stage next to the dance floor, he flicked it a quick look, picturing himself up there, guitar in hand. If Caitlin’s lasagna was as delicious as Liev Reynolds said, maybe he’d give a small, unplugged performance on that stage one night to say thank you for dinner. Just him, his guitar, a mic and an unsuspecting crowd.
    A warm finger of joy shot through him at the notion. It had been a while since he’d performed. Synergy was taking some well-earned time out after their last North American tour. Jax was hard at work writing his next memoires, no doubt driving Natalie crazy while doing so. Noah and Pepper were overseeing the formation of their new foundation, a fund-raising group