Page 4 of Memphis

“No, not at the moment. I just stopped in for a drink.”

“Same.” I held up my drink, and her eyes skirted over me with a spark of intrigue. I took that as a good sign and asked, “Mind if I join ya?”

“Sure.”

As I sat down next to her, I asked, “You got a name?”

“Antonia, but my friends call me Toni.”

“Nice to meet you, Toni. I’m Wes.”

“Wes.” Her brow cocked and her smile widened. “Nice name.”

We were off to a good start. I was almost surprised by the fact. “You from around here?”

““I do, at least for the time being. I just got a job at Melbourne and Jones Law downtown, but I’m not that I’ll stay there long term.”

“You’re a lawyer?”

“I am.”

“Oh, wow. What kind? Criminal or defense?”

“What kind of law? Criminal or defense?”

“Civil litigations. I’ll represent clients in lawsuits between individuals or businesses. That sort of thing.” She held my gaze as she asked, “What about you?”

“I help run a family business.”

“That sounds... interesting. Is this business close by?”

“No, it’s over in Arkansas. I grew up around the Berclair area but left as soon as I was able and moved to Little Rock. I’m just here for a quick visit.”

“I see.”

Her eyes never left mine as she lifted her glass and took another drink. Damn. This chick was just as into me as I was her. I had to take my shot, so I asked, “So, Toni. What’s a girl like you get into on weekends like this?”

“Well, that depends.” Mischief flashed through her eyes as she smiled. “Usually, I just head home and spend the night curled up in front of the TV, but there are times when I meet up with friends, and we cut loose a bit.”

“And how do you do that?”

“We drink a little, dance a little, and try not to get too carried away.”

“And how often do you get carried away?”

“Not that often.” A sexy smirk crossed her face. “But with the right motivation, I’m up for just about anything.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Our conversation flowed with ease. We didn’t have to think about what to say or what the other was thinking. We just talked. Toni told me about her childhood and how her mother had passed a few years back. I told her how my folks were never married and that they’d fought for years over where I should grow up.

I couldn’t really tell her how they’d finally decided that I should stay with my mother. It was something that was never shared with me, but I told her that I’d known from day one that I belonged in Little Rock with my father and the brothers of Satan’s Fury. At the mention of the club, she asked, “Satan’s Fury? Aren’t they here in Memphis?”

“Yeah, there’s a Memphis chapter. They’re some really good guys.”

“So, why didn’t you just stay and join their club?”

“It’s a good club, but it’s not my father’s club.”

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