Mystic Militia Read Online Free PDF Page A

option.”
    “Fine.” Jillian harrumphed and hooked elbows with Tori. “You’re my best friend, so I’ll support your decisions—even when I adamantly disagree with them.”
    Tori squeezed Jillian’s forearm. “I can always count on you.”
    It was early evening, so the lounge wasn’t crowded. After determining that Ryan had yet to arrive, they chose a table easily visible from the main entrance. A doorway on the other side of the room allowed customers to enter from a different section of the casino, but anyone arriving from outside would enter through the main door.
    “Hey, Tori. Jillian.” Jeff came out from behind the bar and approached their table. “It’s always nice to see two lovely ladies.” With the obligatory greetings out of the way, annoyance made his dark eyes flash. “Any clue where your sister is? She’s been MIA for the past three days.”
    “Really?” Tori tried not to let her frustration show. This was the fourth job she’d gotten for Angie in the past three years. If Ang screwed this up too, she’d… She’d probably find her another job. Angie was her baby sister. She couldn’t help being protective of the little scamp. “I’ll text her and see if I can find out what’s going on. I didn’t realize there was a problem.”
    “Summer’s ending. Everyone’s getting restless. She’s probably just blowing off steam. I don’t want to replace her if something legitimate has gone wrong, but she’s leaving me no other choice.”
    “I appreciate that. Let me see what I can find out.”
    “Thanks.” He shifted into server mode again and smiled. “What can I get you?” They both ordered diet cola and he laughed. “If you’re not in this for the booze, why come to a bar?”
    “We’re meeting her useless ex,” Jillian volunteered. “We wanted home-field advantage.”
    Jeff winked at Tori “I’ll watch for flying glasses.”
    It wasn’t much of an exaggeration. Ryan had eroded her calm to the brink of violence before she’d finally kicked him out and she hated being that out of control.
    Using another irritant to distract her for a moment, she dug her phone out of her purse and sent a quick text to her sister. For some reason Angie would often answer a text when she’d ignore a call. A few minutes passed and she didn’t respond to the text, so Tori activated the call. It went directly to voice mail. “ Ang , it’s Tori. Call me or text. I know you haven’t been to work for three days. You’re feaking everyone out. I’m not pissed. I’m worried. Call me.”
    “Do you think something’s wrong or is she just being Angie?”
    Tori had been friends with Jillian ever since the sisters came to Las Vegas nine years ago. Jillian had watched Angie’s cycle repeat more than once, so she understood Tori’s frustration. “I don’t know. The first time this happened, I called hospitals and police dispatchers. Made a complete fool of myself. Now I’m afraid I’ll shrug it off and she’d be in real trouble.”
    Jillian reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
    “I’m not sure there’s anything I can do. Angie’s not a child anymore. She needs to feel the consequences of her decisions or she’ll never learn from her mistakes.” It was a concept Tori compromised each time she rushed in for the rescue. She knew that and yet she couldn’t stand by and watch her baby sister suffer.
    Angie had been fifteen when their mother died, leaving Tori to finish raising a rebellious teenager. Everywhere they went in San Diego reminded them of their mother. And Angie had developed a circle of friends as rebellious as she was, so Tori convinced her that they both needed a fresh start. New York was too damn cold, so they agreed on Las Vegas.
    “What if Ryan blows you off?” Jillian fiddled with the cardboard coasters as they waited for Jeff to bring their drinks.
    Tori shook off the past with a sigh, focusing instead on the