Page 16 of Xavier

The officer looks at the woman cowering in the corner. “Are you alright? Did he hit you?”

David groans as he stands. “Hell no. I didn’t hit the bitch.”

I let out a growl. Is this fucker serious? Did I not get my point across?

Hudson grabs my shoulder and pulls me back. “Relax, X. Let the police deal with him. You don’t need to cause any other problems.”

I turn my angry glare his way. “I don’t tolerate abuse, you know that.”

Hudson holds his hands up in surrender to ease the anger coursing through my veins. “I know, Xavier, but this is above your head. Let it go.”

I give him a curt nod as the police officer lets his gaze roam around the bar before meeting mine. “Go home and prepare for this storm.”

Grabbing my wallet, I leave the bartender several bills to cover the check and the inconvenience of the fight before following Hudson to the front door.

When Hudson and I are standing at our cars, he lets out a loud laugh.

“Man, Haley is going to be so mad she missed this. When’s the last time we were involved in a bar fight?”

It was before the cartel. Before the nightmares. Before my life went FUBAR.

“Probably like seven or eight years ago.”

He paces in front of his car with a grin on his face as the raindrops get bigger. “Where were we? At the tiny bar on the water?”

I let out a light laugh as I remember the good times the two of us had at that bar. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

The tiny bar where she worked.

The smile on Hudson’s face falls as his memories match mine. There were some really great times at that bar, but there were also some terrible times there as well.

We went there to celebrate victorious missions, and we went there to celebrate the lives of friends lost in battle.

It was also the bar where I met the love of my life.

Before she got mixed up with the wrong crowd.

Before she got sick.

Before she-

I shake those memories away. That was a long time ago, and I swore to myself that I would leave the past in the past. That’s where they belong.

Hudson clears his throat. “Well, you better get home. Don’t want the sheriff getting involved. He’s a mean old man.”

Sounds like my dad.

Or the old version of him. The version that I lived with.

“It was good catching up with you. Next time, bring Haley over to the house. It should be safer to drink there.”

I just need to fix the place up before then.

“Or we will invite you over to our house so we can cook for you. We can show you how good civilian life can be. Then Haley can try to persuade you to settle down.”

“That sounds great.” It’s been a while since I’ve had a decent home cooked meal.

We share a hug before going our separate ways.

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