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Logan, Liam, and I were a tight bunch. The Red Widow tattoos etched into our skin marked us as brothers and led us straight to hell. I rolled my lips together, tapping my fingers against the sticky bartop.
We had come out here for a break from the constant pressure to deliver. Our lives were hanging in the balance as Samuel, theleader of the Red Widows, had us on the outs as a punishment for Laila.
I shook my head, trying to dump the memory of the night my life became even more fucked up. Laila wasn’t someone I wished to think of—I’d leave that to Liam. After all, she was his girl before she died—his responsibility.
My ears filled with pressure, a low constant buzz keeping time with the music. The bartender, Alice, flitted around the bar with practiced ease. Her ass swayed back and forth, screaming to be released from the tight contraption of her ripped jeans. Her faded black tank top held the Dockside Dive logo, the iconic teal splash of water pulled across her breasts, cracked from wear.
Dockside Dive was positioned on the edge of town, right at the border of Red Widow territory. During the day, they served food—including a kickass burger. Their balcony area allowed unsuspecting tourists to sit outside and enjoy their meals with the ocean waves. But, at night, the scene always changed. Locals would stop by, ranging from the rich snobs wanting to slum it, and those like me—types no one wanted to meet in a dark alley.
I continued watching the crowd and sipping my beer. Despite all the noise and commotion, Alice effortlessly, and rapidly, took orders. Her eyes were keen and focused with quick hands that darted from customer to customer.
A couple plopped next to me, catching my attention.
My hand thrust into my pocket on instinct, wrapping around the cool metal hilt of my knife. I rubbed my fingers against it, letting my heart rate drop down.
The man, with his back toward me, encroached on my space.
I jutted my elbow out, earning a dark sneer from him as he whipped around. No apology fell from his lip, only a single huff as he turned back to his girl.
Asshole, I thought, tightening my hold on my knife.
“What’ll you both be havin’ tonight?” Alice asked, her eyes glancing toward me for a moment. Her gaze kept locking onto the tattoo on my chest, which was partially hidden by my shirt. She knew what I was.
I shrugged off the stare, placing both my hands onto the bartop where she could see them.
Alice let out a soft sigh, her shoulders relaxing.
“Lemon drop, please,” the girl’s voice carried over the clamor with its high-pitched tone.
The man next to her grumbled his order, too preoccupied with his phone to care.
The girl’s blonde curls bounced as she leaned forward, the sweet scent of her fruity shampoo notable even from my distance. Her freckled face glanced up at the man with a sense of innocence that was contradicted by her cropped shirt and short skirt.
I trailed my eyes down her body; her breasts spilling out from the top of the fabric caught my eye, and my heart rate picked up as warmth and desire spread south.
The man next to me absentmindedly clicked through his phone, oblivious to the woman’s attempt at keeping his attention.
I sipped my drink, finishing it off, savoring the last few drops. The condensation of the bottle left a dampness on my palm.
“Another?” Alice asked.
“Please.” I nodded, passing her the empty glass bottle.
She propped another one onto the table as I burned holes into the back of the man’s head. I debated elbowing him again, but as my eye caught a message spread across the man’s phone, I thought better.
Tight Ass from The Escape
Bathroom. Care 2 join?
The Escape was a posh bar on the other side of town known for its club music and high priced drinks. It was a far cry from this dingy hole in the wall.
I waited, posing a bet in my mind on if he was about to take the girl up on his offer. There was no way he did more than entertain the idea, not with the girl he came in with two feet from him.
But my confidence in the human race, and mankind, shattered as I watched the man get up with a grumble.
“Be right back,” he said to his date, disappearing into the sea of people.
I tilted my head as I followed his bulky frame, watching him push through the crowd—a man on a mission. Then, I sipped my beer, running my tongue along my lips.
