Page 31 of Choices

"Who's the pretty lady on your arm, boss?" The hot 20-something bartender asks.

"Hi! I'm Hannah!" I say brightly, holding out my hand for him. He finishes up the cocktail he's working on, and hands it to a waiting patron, before shaking my hand.

"You'll get your hands off my girl if you want to keep your job, Benjamin." Matty growls, his voice surprisingly low and menacing. It takes me off guard. Matty's always been bright, bubbly, and playful. But the murder in his eyes backs up his tone.

Benjamin lets the threat roll off his shoulders. "Bossman, you know I'm gay. I've hit on you enough that you should know I don't play for the same team."

I can't help but like Benjamin, and I can't help but laugh at the awkward tension.

Just then a warm hand finds my lower back. I go to move away from it and towards Matty when I smell him. Cedar and fresh rain.

"Hello, mami. Did you like your gift?"

I turn, excitedly, towards Rico. Amelia may have been Matty's cousin and he may have paid her, but I instinctively know that the gift of a babysitter came from all three of them.

I jump up and wrap my arms around him. "Yes!"

I pull back, suddenly shy, and tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear. "I was nervous at first, but most people have babysitters, and I thought I deserved a night out. I really do appreciate it all. It'll take me a minute to be fully comfortable, but I appreciate the gesture."

"What can I get you to drink? Matty doesn't drink, so he's your DD."

"Are you sure?"

"Ofcourse," he says, waving a hand in the air to get Benjamin's attention. "One whiskey on the rocks for me, and a..."

"Rum and coke?"

"... for the lady."

"Yessir," Ben says before spinning around, shooting us an incredible view of his backside, before making us our drinks.

Rico's hand never leaves the small of my back.

Another man, smaller and younger, comes up to Matty and whispers in his ear something urgent. Matty rolls his eyes and groans.

"Can you take care of her for a minute? There's a payment dispute with a vendor that needs management." He says as if he couldn't be more annoyed.

"Of course."

Matty kisses my cheek before following the new guy past the safety deposit box room and into a door labeled "staff".

I take a sip of my drink and revel in the sweet and strong feel of it.

Rico presses against my lower back, having picked up his own drink, and directs me towards the back. Behind the horseshoe bar is a small opening covered with a thick red velvet curtain.

Rico leans towards me. "I don't dance. Matty does, but I don't. However, Santiago's fighting downstairs. Want to go watch?"

Fighting? Why is he fighting? Suddenly, I'm overcome with nerves. I want to protect Santiago. If someone's hurting him, I want to protect him and hurt them back, but Rico's vibe is utterly calm.

Rico presses me through the curtain and to the right where a small stairwell exists. Two bouncers stand on either side, their large arms foldedover their chest. They nod as we approach and we walk down it together, sipping on our drinks.

At the bottom of the stairs, the room opens up and I can see the round opening where the vault was. The vault door is open, though, and inside I can hear shouting. As we approach I can see a boxing ring, elevated in the middle of the room. There's a small crowd standing around the ring and several tables and chairs on the outskirts for people who want to casually watch fights.

In the ring are two men, glistening with sweat. One I recognize immediately as Santiago. My tongue catches in my throat. I thought he was devastatingly handsome before, but shirtless, with every inch of broad muscle on display, slick with sweat? It's better than porn. I'm mesmerized by the way his muscles bunch and flex, the command he has of his body is impressive. He's clearly a lethal athlete.

His opponent goes to swipe his legs out from underneath him and I can't stop my reaction.

"Santi!" I scream, trying to warn him. Except it has the opposite effect. His wide eyes find mine immediately, distracting him and leaving him vulnerable to the leg sweep. Santiago goes down hard and his opponent takes advantage, surging forward and straddling him, laying punch after punch. Santiago raises his arms to cover his face and I rush forward, ready to throw myself into the match.

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