Page 9 of Gravity

“Not in a while.”

“That boy is a bloody nightmare. Totally takes after his mother. Drink?”

My gut is telling me no, but I nod in agreement, this time changing my choice. “Beer, please.”

Lacy is back the second Asher signals for service, and her eyes dart from his to Mark. The look in her emerald eyes is just as dreamy as it was when she was eye-fucking me earlier. If she knew of Mark’s wife, she would be running. Years of being a CIA operative, Charlie is not a woman to mess with. The guy next to me is no different. With my father’s work background and Mark being a former SEAL himself, our paths have crossed numerous times over the years, and I’ve grown to respect this man as if he was my blood brother. Both he and Charlie have been there for me when I’ve needed support. The experience and drive that the Dixons have in terms of work ethic and the strength in their personalities, means the pair bring an explosive force to their marriage and relationship, and it’s one I admire greatly.

“So wanna talk about it?” Mark questions. The concern in his voice is enough to make me want to get my shit together yet get wasted at the same time.

I shake my head, staring down at the bar that goes full circle in the center of the room.

“Nothing to talk about. It’s just that time of year where I’ve jumped on the pity party bus waiting for the right stop to get off.” Losing someone at any age is hard, but you would think that, being thirty-seven, I’d understand how life works a little more. However, the death of my mother has left me with nothing but a big fucking hole in my heart and guilt that I’m constantly drowning in.

“It would have been Mom’s birthday today,” I say, knocking back a mouthful of beer that’s just been placed in front of me.

“Shit. I’m sorry, Gray. I didn’t realize.”

“It’s all right. I don’t really talk about her much anymore.” I don’t talk about her because there’s nothing to say.

“So, your pity party involves trying to drink it out of your system?”

“That’s Asher’s theory.” I shrug. “Not so sure it’s working, though.”

“It does get easier,” Mark says, trying to provide me some reassurance.

“Then I can’t fucking wait for when it does.”

As silence falls between us, the roar of the bar picks up. Guys and girls cheer as the faces of the band members that entertain us light up in amusement. Two girls in the center of the makeshift dance floor are grinding so hard and kissing the shit out of each other it’s like a fucking porn movie taking place.

Just a regular Friday night.

“My God, I’d forgotten how much I love this place,” Mark sighs, grinning. “I’ve missed it.”

“This place is a fucking honey trap.”

“I get hard just walking through the door,” Asher says.

“You get hard looking at your own hand.” Mark chuckles, drinking his beer.

“Fuck you, Twilight.”

Another roar takes place along with whistles and chanting as the girls turn around and find the next victim they want to rub against, throwing their heads back and laughing while guys gather close as if they are waiting in line.

Anyone who may have looked in and ordinarily been offended about this sort of thing have now learned to carry on walking. There is not a night that goes by where something like this is not going on. What the girls are doing is harmless, and if it has people screaming the place down and wanting more while the cash collects nicely, then what more can I ask for?

“You pretty boys still okay here?” Lacy’s voice cuts through my thoughts. Her cleavage seems to be more exposed than it was thirty minutes ago as she leans across the bar pouting her ruby reds.

“We’re good, Lace. Thanks.”

She keeps her attention on Mark. “And you, sexy, are—”

“Married,” I add.

Like the word has made her ears bleed, Lacy’s expression changes and she steps back, only to take one toward me. I inwardly curse when she leans across the bar, those dreamy eyes looking at me. “Gray, you seem a little agitated tonight. Is everything all right?”

“Reckon he could do with a little help to ease his tension, sweet girl.”

I glare at Asher. “I’m fine, thanks.”