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“Uh. A Shirley Temple,” I said, trying to speak over the booming music that had my teeth chattering. The bartender looked at me while trying not to laugh. His neatly faded brown-black hair shook with the movement of his head.
“Nah. that’s for kids.” He was grinning at me. “You need something like a Dirty Russian or a Sex-On-The-Beach?”
I snorted derisively, knowing the truth was that I probably needed both. He looked at me, and his eyes were kind. I sighed and plastered on a smile to match his.
“Okay,” I said. “And a water, please.”
I wasn’t going to drink the liquor, but if it made this guy happy to give me a cocktail, fine. I’d just dump it on one of the plants when he wasn’t looking. I turned my head to hear the men next to me. I couldn’t see them clearly because of how their bodies were positioned, but I could hear them just fine, even over the music.
Facing a random person, I started to mouth different song lyrics to look like I was in a conversation if one of the men glanced my way. It probably looked like I was talking to myself, but whatever. I just needed to keep up the illusion.
“Rocky ain’t been back for a week now,” one of them said, slamming his glass back on the bar.
“You think they got him?” Another said, his voice had a wheezy tone.
“That or the popos got him.” The one closest to me agreed.
“I don’t know. It’s all a bit weird. Rocky was meeting with a newbie from Syracuse. He was supposed to carry our shipment and start up a chain there.”
The group contemplated that, their silence stretching for a beat.
“Does the Butcher know about this shit?” the wheezy guy spoke up.
The tallest shadowy figure of the bunch sighed. “Who the fuck knows. I think it’s worldwide news at this point that a fucking serial killer is picking us off like flies. They got Dez, too. Saw it on a damn newspaper.”
Wheezy gasped. “No shit? Well, hell, we need to find this Snow White bitch and repay them for what they’ve been doing to our crew.”
“I ain’t looking for no serial killer, Ed.”
“Shut the fuck up, both of you dumbasses.” The gruff voice guy, who seemed to be the leader, clapped a meaty hand on the bar. “We’re not gonna look for that psycho, but we ain’t gonna let them keep mowing us down either.”
I smirked, pretending to drink my water.
“Yeah, boss, that’s smart.” His wheezy breath was unsettling as he agreed.
A new voice spoke up. “I think the best thing we can do is lay low. Slow the supplies for a bit or relocate outside of Roch.”
I blinked. This guy wasn’t an idiot. His crew would be wise to listen.
“You’re afraid of a storybook princess, but you’re gonna know fear when the Butcher gets you for talking like that,” the smart guy said.
“Not to mention the Ripper,” another said, a shiver in his voice.
I knew of the Butcher, but this Ripper character…I would need to do more investigating.
I felt a heat on the back of my neck and whipped around to find a man in the corner. His head was down, but his eyes were focused on me through his black wavy hair.
I glared back. I didn’t need some pervert staring at me. More than likely, plenty of girls would jump at the opportunity to be with this guy. His fancy suit and that dark midnight hair with thick curly waves falling into his face announced danger like a neon sign.
“Meet me out in the alley, boys. We need to have a meeting.” The guy, who I now would guess to be the leader, got up and walked in the direction where I knew a side door to the alley sat.
I decided to ignore the leering ‘neon sign’ for now and followed after the guys at the bar.
Stepping outside the door, still feeling the vibration of the thumping music, I walked forward, only to feel myself being lifted off the ground, my shoulders pinched in a bruising grip.
“Well, well, well, boys.” The leader laughed, and I could feel his eyes studying me while my heels fell off my feet, clacking to the ground with a patheticclick. “Looks like we have ourselves a shiny new toy,” he continued, showing me off to his friends.
My dress was riding up, and I knew my bare ass was exposed now. Anger engulfed me, and its burn awakened every muscle in my body.
