Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 168 of 619

Tucker locked the back door and hung his vest on a peg. The house was clean and quiet. Six new men were riding north to the cliff with a note for Ajax in Marco's hand. The work was done. Tucker poured three cups from a bottle behind the bar and set them on the wood. "Sit," he said. "You earned it." Chalam sat. Marco leaned against the bar and drank half his cup in one pull. Tucker watched them both a moment, then walked to the foot of the stairs and whistled once. Two men came down. Chalam had seen them upstairs on the sweep. Marco had not. The first was broad in the shoulder with a short black beard and a shirt open to the belt. The second was leaner, blond, with a quiet mouth and a chain thin as wire at his throat. They stopped on the last step and waited. "These two work the rooms upstairs," Tucker said. "They are the best I have. Clean, kind, no debt to anyone but me." He tipped his cup at Chalam and Marco. "Tonight is on the house. My thanks for the ride. Yours to choose or leave." The blond met Marco's eye and did not look away. The bearded one smiled at Chalam like a man who already knew the answer. Chalam set his cup down. His hand stayed on the wood. Marco smiled and finished his drink. "It won’t bother you?" Chalam said. Tucker shook his head and Chalam went up the stairs with the man. The blond looked at Marco on the way, and Marco followed him up the stairs. As Tucker drank alone, he smiled at the sounds from the floor above him until it stopped