Page 13 of Absolution

“Hey there, sugar,” she coos, with a slight southern accent. “You eating or drinking tonight?”

“Both,” I coarsely answer. It’s been a long day on the road, and I need to eat and relax, before I try to find a place to crash for the night.

“Well then, let’s get you settled at a table and get you whatever you need,” she flirts back while looking me up and down.

Big Tits leads me to an empty booth, and slaps down the plastic covered menu on the tabletop as I sit down.

“Now, my name’s Brenda sugar, and I will be serving you whatever your heart desires tonight,” she says, while popping her hand onto her hip. “You go on and take a look at that menu. If you don’t see anything you like, you just let me know. I’m sure I can find something to satisfy a guy like you.”

I force a smirk to my face, but it’s as fake as her tits. Don’t get me wrong. She’s got a nice rack, but a quick fuck on the side isn’t what revs my engine anymore. If this had been any other time before Ricca fucked with my head, I’d have already shoved her to her knees and given her what she seems to be dying for. Unfortunately, strange pussy was permanently off my menu and no matter how hard she tries, it’s never going to fucking happen. Ricca had invaded my mind and with her invasion, it had put me off other women, until I knew where we stood. Even my dick settled for my hand without her there. It was a one-pussy man on principle, until Ricca told me otherwise. Call it pussy whipped or being soft, but the time she was with me opened my eyes to the possibility that one-night stands weren’t all that special. The excitement fades and so does the impulse.

“Hey, Brenda,” someone from the bar top calls out. “Order’s up.”

“Shit,” she mutters. “I’ll be right back.”

As she walks away, I almost audibly sigh in relief that the one-sided flirting is over for now. I briefly look at the menu in front of me and randomly pick out the greasy spoon meal that will be filling my belly tonight.

Brenda roams the room with a tray in her hand, before coming back over to me.

“You find something that will tickle your fancy, sugar?” she smiles.

“Cheeseburger with everything on it, fries, and two bottles of Budweiser,” I stoically respond.

“That it?” she hopefully questions.

“That’s about all I see in front of me that I want,” I retort. “Make it to-go on the food.”

“Okay,” she stutters, before walking away stunned at my crassness, but her hurt feelings don’t matter one lick to me. I’m here for food, a cold beer, and maybe some hints about Ricca’s whereabouts.

Brenda stops back by with my beers, but she ignores my presence completely, reading my lack of interest in her loud and clear.

I take a swig of my brew, and the cool liquid hits the spot. It’s been a long couple of days on the road, and this is the first time that I’ve stopped for more than a piss or quick meal. A few more swigs later, and a commotion damn near silences the room as a glass shatters followed by shouting. I see people sitting around sliding out of their booths towards the noise. I crane my neck around the corner of the booth to see the fight happening near the bar top, but there’s a crowd gathered around them.

“I said hands off, motherfucker,” a woman’s voice cuts through the room. “No means fucking no.”

“Come on doll face, I’s was just playing around,” a man’s voice slurs, noticeably drunk by the sound of his voice. “I’s just wanting to see what she’s got hiding under that shirt of hers.”

“And I’d like to see what’s inside that brain of yours, Johnny. You’ve been warned before to keep your damn hands to yourself. Didn’t your mama teach you any manners?”

“Willie!” the woman screams. “Get your fucking ass out here, and get this piece of shit off my bar stool.”

Heavy footsteps, belonging to a large man, move past me and towards the crowd that parts for him. He emerges with a man horse-collared under his arm who struggles to break free.

“I’s not drunk, Willie,” he chortles. “That bitch made it all up. Her momma was a whore and so is she. You can’t fault a man for trying to get a free sample.”

Willie growls and cuts off the man’s air even more.

“Johnny Monroe,” he bellows. “If you show your damn hide in this bar again, I’ll let her have a shot at you. Pretty face or not, she’ll knock your ass into next Tuesday.”

He protests as a siren wails from outside the building.

“Deputy McDaniel is waiting for you outside. Time for you to sober up, son.”

Johnny struggles as Willie releases him and shoves him out the door. The flashing blue and red lights of the local police reflect off the front door glass as they barrel into the parking.

The bar owner watches as the officer takes Johnny into custody then stomps back up to the bar as the crowd begins to disperse. My eyes follow Willie as he approaches a brunette from behind the bar. I watch as his arm slides around her shoulders, and I instantly tense from the sight of him touching the woman.

Why the fuck am I reacting this way to a man comforting one of his employees?

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