Page 2 of Sprite

“Sure,” he said, “I guess it would be a moot point to ask you for your phone number again.” Sprite had to hand it to the guy, he was nothing if not persistent.

“You would be correct,” she said. “It’s nothing personal, Chains. If you were a member at any other club, I’d be happy to give you my number, but I have rules in place for my own peace of mind.”

“Understood,” he said. She slid the beer across the bar to him and Chains stood from the barstool. “Have a good night, Sprite,” he said.

“You too,” she shouted back to him over the music as he walked away. Sprite wasn’t sure if he had heard her or not, but what did it matter? She was going to leave the bar tonight alone, just as she did every night. Going back to her mom’s place wasn’t something that she ever looked forward to, and telling Chains yes, and going home with him for the night would be so much easier for her. But in the long run, she was sure that it would be a huge mistake—one that would cost her a job and the dream of finally getting out of her mother’s house and away from her mom’s scummy boyfriend.

Sprite got home late from the bar and hurried into the house from her pickup truck. She hated getting home this late. It was scary in the trailer park, and she knew that creeps were out just waiting to get into trouble.

Her mom’s trailer was dark, and she breathed a sigh of relief that she was going to get to shower and go to bed without having to deal with her mother’s scummy boyfriend.

She used her key to let herself in and found Jake sitting on the sofa in the dark. He was smoking a cigarette and every time he took a drag off it, she could see his face. He was drunk—she could smell it on him from across the room. Jake was a meandrunk and all Sprite wanted to do was slip past him and into her room, but it was too late for that.

“You’re home late,” he slurred.

“Yeah, the bar was busy tonight. Where is Mom?” she asked. Her mother was usually a buffer between the two of them.

“She went to bed hours ago,” he said.

“I see, well, I’m tired and need a shower. I’ll see you in the morning, Jake,” she said, trying to drop the hint that she didn’t want to stand around and chat with him.

“How about I join you?” Jake said, standing from the sofa. He swayed a bit, and she wondered how he stood up at all.

“In the shower?” she asked.

“Sure,” he stuttered. He put his cigarette out on the arm of her mother’s sofa, and she wanted to shout at him to cut it out, but she knew better. Standing up to Jake never ended well for her or her mother.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she insisted, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible. “I’m really tired,” she reminded.

“You don’t look tired to me,” he slurred. Jake made his way across the small room and before she could think of running back to her bedroom and locking herself in, he had his arms around her waist, holding her tight. For a drunk guy, he was incredibly strong. “Come on, honey. I see the way you look at me.” The thought of wanting Jake made her want to laugh.

“I do not look at you, Jake. You are my mother’s boyfriend. Now, let me go so I can go to bed,” she shouted.

“That’s a good idea, let’s go to your bed,” he insisted. He started to pull her back to her room, and she panicked. Sprite tried to pull free from him, instead slamming them both into a wall. Her right shoulder felt as though it was on fire, but Jake didn’t seem any worse for wear.

“You bitch,” he spat. He pushed her up against the wall, trapping her in the hallway. “You’ve always been a stuck-up little bitch. You think you’re better than any of us.”

“I do not think that,” she insisted. If she could keep him talking, she might be able to get free and make it back to her room. “Please, just let me go, Jake, and my mom will never have to know about any of this.”

“What’s the fun in that?” he asked. Jake ran his hands down her chest, and she felt as though she might physically get sick. She was done playing nice.

“Get your fucking hands off of me,” she shouted. She could see in his eyes that she had made a mistake. She had challenged him, and Jake never backed down from one of those.

“You little cunt,” he spat. She struggled to get free, and he slapped her left cheek. Sprite grabbed her cheek and stared him down as if daring him to do it again.

“I’m going to teach you a lesson,” he insisted. He punched her in the right eye, and she thought for sure that she was going to pass out. She needed to keep it together if she wanted to get out of there alive.

He landed a few more blows before she kicked him in the balls, mustering all her strength to take him down. It worked. Jake was on the ground, rolling around, holding his groin and groaning. Sprite knew that this was probably her only shot at getting out of that place alive, and she took it. She grabbed her purse and keys, which she had dropped at the front door when she walked in and ran out to her car. She was going to leave her entire life behind, and that worked for her because she would never let Jake lay a hand on her ever again.

Chains

Asking the chick behind the bar out and failing made him want a redo. Maybe he’d find a bar fly hanging out in the back of the room and get her to go home with him. For some reason, Sprite had him feeling as though he needed to prove his masculinity.

“Saw you talking to Sprite last night,” Savage said. “I take it she turned you down?”

“Yeah, she said that she doesn’t date guys in the club, and I respect her decision,” Chains lied. He didn’t respect one damn thing about Sprite turning him down. His inner caveman wanted to grab her, hoist her over his shoulder, and carry her out of that bar, but he was sure that wouldn’t go over well. He knew Savage and Bowie well enough to know that they wouldn’t allow him to do that.

“Good,” Savage said, “because Sprite is like family to us, and I’d hate to have to beat your ass for not respecting her.” The last thing he wanted was to go up against a guy like Savage. Not only was he the club’s Prez, but he was also a big guy and would probably be able to take him out with a few well-placed punches.

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