Page 35 of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Chapter 14

Liza

Tango and the rest of the guys packed up and rode out early in the morning before the sun even came up. In spite of the fact that I thought they would ask me to go eventually, they never did. I couldn’t help thinking that my family’s mess was the only reason they had to ride out at all, let alone en mass the way they had. I worried, and when I glanced around the commons and saw the serious faces on the few men that were left behind I felt even worse. This was all my doing. Well, not mine, but my brother’s. That was basically the same thing at this point.

“You doing all right, Liza?” Rage asked me in that gruff voice of his. I nodded my head, but he obviously didn’t believe me. Instead, he patted the stool next to him at the bar. “Come on, have a seat. Charlie will be back in just a minute, and she’s gonna need the company while I’m busy with other stuff today.”

“I’m worried,” I finally admitted after a few moments of silence passed between us.

“I know you are, sweetheart. That’s normal. You shouldn’t be though, because my boys won’t let anything happen to T.”

“I’m not just worried for Tango,” I explained as I turned to look Rage in the eye. “I’m worried for all of them. This is my family’s drama, and all of your guys are out there putting their necks on the chopping block.” My hands were flying as I spoke, as if the movement would get my point across about how serious this was.

The smile that passed over Rage’s lips was genuine as he spoke. “Trust me when I say, they’ve got this, and not a single man isn’t exactly where he wants to be right now. Those guys are there because you’re ours now too. You belong to this family as much as you belonged to the family you and your brother grew up in. He fucked up, it affected you, that means it affects us now too, and we fix it.”

My lower lip quivered a bit at that, because it had been a while since I felt like I was part of a family. My own had been pretty dysfunctional, and then with everything that happened when I was 19, and my brother’s craziness screwed me over before making it impossible to have a decent relationship with him. “Thanks,” I managed to mutter out as Charlie wandered up, and planted herself behind the bar.

“What the hell are you doing, woman?”

“I’m going to get Liza drunk, because she looks like she needs it.”

“It’s not even noon,” Rage insisted.

Charlie narrowed her eyes on him. “Are you telling me with all the day drinking that goes on here from time to time that Liza, of all people, shouldn’t partake in the tradition? Damn, she’s worried, frightened, and completely on edge. I know this, because it’s exactly how I felt not that long ago when my own shit was going down.”

I gulped down a ball of all of those emotions, as Rage seemed to take in what she was saying. “Fine, but not too much, and I don’t want either of you leaving this space. I have to do some shit in the office, but Ashton and Cricket will be out here with you two for the time being. If you need anything just tell them, and they’ll make it happen.” Charlie’s eyes lit up, and she started rubbing her palms together as if she had just the greedy little demand lined up for such an occasion.

“Within reason, babe.”

Her bottom lip poked out in a mock pout. “You’re no fun!”

Rage leaned in across the bar and planted a searing hot kiss on his woman’s mouth and then winked at her as he walked away. “I’m plenty of fun, sweet cheeks, now just isn’t the time for the kind of fun you like. Later though!”

“You better believe it!”

“You two are hilarious,” I stated as Charlie set a glass down in front of me and then lifted a finger up to her chin as if it would help her think.

“We should probably start off with something that has juice of some kind in it. That way you can say you had a healthy lunch.”

I just shook my head and laughed at the woman as she made me a fruity concoction that included way more rum than juice. She was doing what she set out to do. My mind was officially taken off of all the things I couldn’t control as I found myself sipping the drink Charlie had made for me. It was quite tasty and after another I was finally able to relax and let loose a little.

It was after three drinks that Charlie ended up ducking into the back room with Rage for a bit. Clearly, he had been ready for some of that fun he teased her about earlier. Sherry-Baby sat down beside me and smiled warmly.

“You’re good for him, you know?”

“I’m sorry?” I asked, not quite understanding what she was getting at.

“Tango, you’re good for him. He’s been smiling, and he’s been more available to the club members since you came around. I think he avoided everyone before, because that psycho Amy wanted everyone to think he belonged to her too. It made him miserable.”

“Yeah, I gathered that much for myself.”

“But he’s not miserable anymore. It’s almost like he has this glow now that wasn’t there before. Even before Amy, he didn’t have it. You gave it to him.” Sherry Baby nodded her head as if deciding something. “I like that about you, because Tango is a good guy, and he deserves someone who makes him light up like that.”

“Well, thank you, I hope I can continue to make him happy.” I took a sip of my drink and eyed the woman again. Her blond hair curled beautifully over her shoulders and while she wore a lot more makeup on a normal day than I would on a special night out, it was obvious she was just as naturally beautiful underneath.

“Do you have a favorite?” I found myself asking, and the question caused Sherry to blush profusely.

“I don’t think I’m supposed to,” she admitted finally.

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