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Levi:Call me now…Send
Levi leaned a shoulder against the wall next to the bathroom. His eyes were saucers as he looked at Lana, who was repeatedly rapping, urging Rakell to open the door.
The tall blonde, a friend of Lana’s who was there doing a TikTok video on Austin's newest bar, said, “Lana, I’m going to talk to the manager. I know the owner. I want those guys kicked out of here. She was pretty impressive with that swing. God, that guy deserved it, his phone in her face. I’d like to slap a couple more of them.”
Lana stepped forward. “Thanks, Sietske. I can’t believe how this night fell apart so quickly…sorry we probably ruined your promotional video.”
“It’s fine. I feel so bad for her. It was like a small mob. It was so intense. I’m going to talk to the manager and then head out…but call me. If those guys post anything, I’ll see what I can do to deflect it all.”
“Thanks…” Lana said.
Lana waved a couple of people past the bathroom Rakell was in toward the others down the hall. “Levi, she’s not coming out...” Lowering her voice, she added, “and I’m worried…”
Jake heard his phone buzzing as he slowly tried to back his truck into a street parking spot in front of the sushi restaurant Lucky Robot. He parked and ran in to get the order. Just as he grabbed the takeout bag, he heard the Dolly Parton ringtone. “Shit,” he grumbled as he fished the phone from his pocket. While he scanned the text messages, it rang again. “Levi, what the hell…” he halted, listening to Levi’s voice rapidly spouting the events of the night.
“Jake, I didn’t know who else to call. Lana called Matt twenty minutes ago. He’s on his way from Houston, but, hell, he’s two hours out. She won’t open the door. We aren’t even knocking anymore because…Lana is afraid that she’s breaking down and doesn’t want to…” Levi was unusually rattled.
“Matt’s driving from Houston,” Jake repeated, almost to himself.
Levi:(Levi shared a video of Rakell with fists clenched, mascara streaking down her face, madly swinging at the camera)That’s what one of the asses just posted…Send
“Ahh shit! Levi, send me an address. I’m on South Congress…Actually, isn’t that the new bar?−I know where it is. I’m coming,” he said, dropping the phone on the passenger seat. He threw the truck into drive, his heart racing as he drove the short distance to Cock and Puss. He screeched into the parking lot, slamming the truck door as he jumped out.
“Hey, Jake Skyler,” the young guy at the door said.
“Sorry, dude, I’m not here to hang, my friend…needs me. I just need to go in. Where’s your restrooms?” he asked, stepping into the dark space.
“Go through this front room, then turn past the pool tables toward the left. Hey, I’d love to buy you a drink.”
“Not tonight, I gotta…” He rambled as he jogged toward the back of the large, dark space. He saw Levi and Lana standing outside a bathroom door as he turned the corner to the hallway. Lana pulled at her lips as she stared at her phone, shaking her head.
“Jake,” Lana whispered as he approached. “I’m not sure what to do…”
“Thanks for getting here so fast,” Levi said, his hand briefly cupping Jake’s upper arm.
Jake angled his eyes toward the closed door, raising his eyebrows in question. Levi nodded. The acute memory of their recent blowout filtered into his head, and he knew he might not be the right person to help in this situation. Was he the reason for this fierce girl breaking down?
Jake put his forehead against the door; he could hear her sobs mixed with gasp-like breathing. “Rae-kale, hey, you,” he murmured through the door. “Jake here…” He let a moment pass but was sure the sobs had subsided into sniffles. “Remember me? Jake, boring eye candy…?” From behind the other side, he heard rustling, then a sucking sound that devolved into soft whimpering. He rasped his knuckles gently against the door. “Rae-kale, Jake here, I’m wearing a really hot sweater, new color, periwinkle, pretty sure you won’t be able to resist.”
A snot-filled snort came from behind the door, and he heard her move.
Lana looked at him with her hands out, palms up, whispering, “What the hell are you doing?”
Levi shook his head at Lana as Jake put his finger to his mouth.
Jake rapped his knuckles against the door lightly. “Can you open…”
“Go away,” came her choked voice from the bathroom. “I’m fucking fine.”
He heard the remnants offightlingering in her broken whisper. “Mmm…I know you are, beautiful.” Jake smirked, knowing he’d use her knee-jerk reaction to swat back to get her out of that fucking bathroom. Turning away from the door, he whispered, “Levi, is there a back door we can go out?”
“Yeah, let me get Jess, the manager. He’ll open it. He’s had a guy blocking folks from taking pictures since the incident…he’s worried…” Levi murmured, looking toward the bar.
Jake could hear water running inside the bathroom. “Hey, you…” He rapped against the door again, then wiggled the handle.
“Yeah, you…go away,” she mumbled from behind the door.
“Nah…not going anywhere without you.”
