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she asked as she put a hand on her lower back to stretch it. “It’s like the crazies have come out.”
    Marcus laughed as the other two cooks joined in. Marcus plated a dish of blackened catfish and winked at her. “It’s a full moon, girl. Didn’t you know?”
    “I didn’t.” She knew animals reacted weirdly during full moons. There were more dead animals littering the roads during a full moon than any other time of the month.  
    Marcus motioned her over, his smile dropping. Once she was near, he leaned in and said, “Let one of us walk you home, Addy-girl. It’s not a night to be out by yourself.”
    She looked into his black eyes and saw that he wasn’t teasing her. He was truly worried. And it made her nervous, especially after Minka’s announcement that afternoon. “All right,” she agreed.
    With his smile in place once more, Marcus nodded. “Good, good.”
    She watched as he turned and effortlessly sliced a grilled chicken breast into pieces before putting them in a bowl of pasta and tossing them. Addison pivoted and walked back into the bar. That’s when she saw Riley by herself looking ragged and dead on her feet. Addison quickly went to help.
    “Thank you,” Riley said with a grateful look.
    For the next two hours, Addison went from one person to another filling drinks and getting the waitresses their drink orders. It was after one in the morning before she was able to take a breather and survey the place. Many of the patrons were gone, but there were still a few tables occupied.  
    “Think you can handle them?” Riley asked. “If so, I’ll send two of the waitresses home.”
    “I’ve got them covered,” Addison said as she walked from behind the bar to check on the tables.
    She was clearing dishes from a table of two couples, when one of the women gasped and dropped her glass. Addison looked up to see the customer had gone pale, her gaze beyond Addison.  
    Addison spun to the door to see a woman dressed in all white standing just inside the bar. Her dark skin was in direct contrast to her attire and brought all the attention of the bar to her. The woman’s gaze scanned the bar until she spotted Addison.
    A shiver went through Addison when the woman smiled and then walked to a table. It was only belatedly that Addison realized the woman wasn’t alone. A tall black man, dressed in white pants and white shirt, followed close behind, only sitting once the woman had chosen a chair.
    It was one of those rare times when Addison would have gladly turned the table over to someone else, but she had told Riley she could handle things alone.  
    Her legs were wooden as she walked to the kitchen. She put the dirty plates in the sink and hurried back out to the front to clean up the broken glass, but Riley was already taking care of it. That left Addison with nothing else to do but go to her new table.
    With her best smile, she stopped at the table. “Welcome to Gator Bait. What can I get for y’all this evening?”
    The woman watched her with a half smile, the kind that gave the impression that she knew something Addison didn’t. Her black hair was done in dozens of tiny braids that fell to her waist. With her flawless dark skin and high cheekbones, the woman was spectacularly beautiful.  
    “Things have improved for you since coming to work here, Addison,” the woman said in a rich voice that seemed to fill every inch of the bar.
    Addison swallowed as she gripped her pencil tightly. “Do I know you?”
    “Not as of yet, but I know you.”
    “How?”
    The woman’s smile grew a fraction. “Where are the LaRue brothers?”
    “I don’t know. It’s not my business to keep up with them,” Addison replied stiffly. Her arms began to shake from keeping them locked in place as she waited to take down the order. “Now. What I can get you to eat or drink?”
    “I didn’t come for the food,” the woman said and crossed one leg over the other, her long skirt moving fluidly. “And I can get