Page 8 of Red, White, and BearCat Blue

“Hell no,” he said, closing the menu as he patted his belly. “I’m still stuffed from dinner.”

“Ya right, but we should order an appetizer,” I said, feeling slightly guilty that we were taking a table, rather than trying to vie for two barstools at the crowded bar.

Mickey pointed toward the back. “There’s some pool tables in there.”

“Even better.” When Gilroy came back, we paid the check and went back to the billiard room. We played for a couple of hours before I caught Mickey yawning. “We should probably get going, mate. I want to be at the auction early enough to preview what’s on offer.”

“Yeah. I’m beat. I know you like all that driving but it wears me out.”

He was unlike me in so many ways. How anyone could be worn out from sitting in a car for four hours, was beyond me. We set down our pool cues and headed for the front door. As we passed a bright Restrooms sign, I pointed to it. “Gonna stop at the gents.”

He nodded, and we walked down a hallway. As we got close, the door to the men’s room suddenly slammed open and a small guy with wide eyes charged through, smashing into my shoulder as he ran past me. I spun around just in time to see him darting down the hall. He looked back over his shoulder and then charged at full speed away from us.

It took me a few seconds to realize he was the same arsehole we’d chased through the casino, long, black, leather jacket and all. As I turned to say something to Mickey who’d stopped beside me, a massive bear wearing tight, leather pants and an open vest came barreling out of the same door, nearly slamming into us. I reached out just in time to stop the big guy, landing both palms on his hairy chest, and bringing the biker wannabe up short.

He let out an almost imperceptible growl before his face bunched up in an angry sneer. Before I could stop him, he grabbed both my wrists, bending them backward, trying to break them. I twisted out of his grip on instinct, sidestepping him, and grabbing him by a meaty forearm. In seconds, he was plastered face first against the wall with his arm twisted up behind his back, my knee firmly planted in his arse. He let out a loud grunt of pain.

“What the fuck you doing?” he growled. I could tell by the garbled words, that his kisser was smashed against the wall.

I leaned in. “Play nice,” I said, close to his ear.

“My arm…you’re gonna break it, asshole.”

“Are ya gonna be nice?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, just let go.” I released his arm, stepping back. He spun around to glare at me, taking hold of his elbow and rubbing it. “What was that all about?”

“Ya nearly ran me over, mate. Watch where you’re going next time.”

“Hey!” The shout from behind us, made us all turn around to see a big guy wearing a T-shirt with the bar’s logo coming toward us. “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing,” Mickey said, holding up both hands in a placating manner. “This guy just charged out of the bathroom chasing a guy. When he came at my friend, he put him against the wall.”

I was relieved Mickey hadn’t rabbited on about my skills, knowing full well I could’ve easily put the guy on the ground instead of against a wall. But then…we’d be having an entirely different conversation.

“That so?” the bouncer said, glaring at me.

“Is right, mate, and ‘e’s lucky I didn’t break ‘is arm after ‘e tried to break my wrists.”

The bouncer eyed up the bear who’d turned red and was panting hard. He narrowed his eyes as recognition flared. “Clay? What have I told you about chasing twinks in this bar? Arnie very nearly banned you from this place the last time you tried that.” He didn’t let the biker wannabe reply before grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and shoving him past us. “You’re out of here!” He pushed him, making the man stumble forward.

The guy turned and flipped him off, spitting out some choice words that would make a sailor blush before grabbing both sides of his vest and pulling them down. He lifted his bearded chin defiantly and sauntered away from us.

“You two okay?” the bouncer asked.

“We’re fine,” I said, “though, I’m worried about the twink he was chasing.” I looked past the bouncer, out to the busy bar, sure it had been the same guy we’d chased through the Flamingo only a few hours before.

“Let’s go make sure he’s not cornered in the parking lot,” Mickey said, grabbing my sleeve.

I nodded, knowing the young guy might be in trouble if he stuck around. “That’s best. Thanks.”

He smiled and clapped me on the shoulder as we walked out. As soon as we were outside, I stopped Mickey with a tug on his sleeve.

“What?”

“Ya didn’t ‘appen to notice that the twink that guy chased out of the bathroom was the same guy we chased through the casino?”

Mickey frowned. “It was?”