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The woman has a stranglehold on me. I shake my head, trying to clear my mind, but the image of her face and body lingers. Sukie is like a drug, addictive and all-consuming, and I can’t seem to shake her no matter how hard I try.
I end the day at The Fallen, hanging with my brothers. The music is loud, and the dancers are on stage, gyrating to the beat. I down another shot of whiskey, trying to forget the woman haunting me. My brothers sit at the table with me, but even their company can’t shake my mood.
I focus on our blond dancer, Tiffany. She’s new to our lineup of entertainers and performs her routine to the song, “Bad Girlfriend”. I take a long drag from my cigarette. As I watch the dancer work the pole, I can’t help but compare Tiffany toher. Her hair isn’t the perfect shade of brown, and her eyes are not pools of sapphire that can see into the deepest depths of someone’s soul. I take another drag from the cigarette, the smoke filling my lungs, and try to push Sukie out of my mind, but it’s useless. She lingers in every breath I take.
“What’s eatin’ ya?” Baja says, then takes a drink of his beer.
“Nothin’.” My tone is low and heavy.
“Bullshit,” Salem barks. “You’ve been broodin’ over somethin’ all night.”
I continue to watch the dancer on the stage. Even Tiffany’s provocative moves can’t distract me from my problems. I say nothing to Salem, who is trying to call me out. Instead, I drop my eyes and watch the cigarette between my fingers burn to the filter.
“Does this mood of yours have anything to do with a shy shop owner?” Mystic chimes in.
I cut my eyes at him, which only amuses him and my brothers more.
“Fuck off,” I growl.
Juneau chuckles. “Man, you got it bad. Not that I blame you. Sukie is a sweetheart.” He takes a drink of whiskey. “She’s just what a grumpy bastard like you needs.”
My brothers usually mean well, but in this instance, they need to back off.
“Not gonna happen.” I down another shot.
“Why the fuck not?” Salem counters.
“This.” I spread my arms wide, then fist my cut. “And this,” I proclaim.
My brothers stare at me.
After a beat, Salem lights a cigarette, then crosses his arms over his chest, blowing ringlets of smoke over his head. “I’m callin’ bullshit.”
“Her skin isn’t thick enough for this lifestyle, brother.” I allow myself to be honest with him for a moment, only because the liquor is taking effect.
“How do you know?” Laredo asks. “Have you allowed her to express her views on our lifestyle?”
My skin crawls with irritation. “I don’t know,” I mutter through gritted teeth, my voice low. “And I have no intention of finding out.” Before my anger grows, I push away from the table, stand, and walk away. I step outside and take a deep breath, feeling the crisp air fill my lungs. I lean against the side of the building and fire up another cigarette.
The thump of “Pour Some Sugar on Me” filters outside as an older gentleman exits the club with a woman on his arm and a phone to his ear. I can’t help but overhear his conversation. He’s lying about his whereabouts, saying he was working late at the office and will be home soon. He then ends the call by saying, “I love you too.”
I shake my head in disgust and pull more nicotine into my lungs. Just another sign telling me I’m making the right decision in not pursuing Sukie. Nothing good comes of locking yourself down to one person. It only leads to deception and betrayal.
“Hey!” a man calls. “Hey, asshole!”
His antagonistic tone catches my attention enough to turn my head. A heavy-set man with a long beard and bald head, along with two other men, approaches me.
“I’m talking to you, big man. You the one they call Harlem?” He and his sidekicks stop a few feet away.
I take a second to answer, sizing the sons of bitches up. The one running his mouth is stout, built like a linebacker. The other two are of average build and are a few inches shorter than their ringleader.
I exhale, blowing smoke in their direction. “Who’s asking?”
“My brother is lying in a hospital bed because of you,” the big guy sneers, his fists clenching at his sides. “And now I’m about to do the same to you.”
Shit. The other Jones brother. I smirk. I’m not going to say this is how I wanted my night to end, but I can’t say I’m mad about it either. These motherfuckers are poking a sleeping bear. I’m like a volcano waiting to erupt.
My eyes dance between his friends. They have their arms crossed over their puffed-out chests, trying like hell to come off as serious threats. I focus on the asshole looking for trouble and finding it.
