Page 6 of Vicious Savage

The waitress returns with two more of what we’re having and sets them on the table in front of us. A quick glance passes between us before Attila casts his eyes toward the bar.

The girl is standing smirking in our direction, holding her own glass aloft as though saluting us. I didn’t think she’d seen us come in, but I should have known better.

“Compliments of the bartender,” the waitress announces, before she turns and walks away.

6

LUNA

Isaw them come in. Of course I did. How could I not? It’s part of my job description to notice everything that goes on in my bar, down to the color of the fly on the wall. But more than that… much more than that… was the buzz that radiated through the room as soon as they walked in. Of course, they were oblivious to it, but I watched as they walked through the crowds, easing their way toward the bar. I saw the way others looked at them, saw the way the girls nearly lost their drenched panties and rolled my eyes at the predictability of it all.

“Mama mia,” Nadia said, twirling in her stool then coming back full circle until she faced me. “Hottie and McHottie just walked in. Pinch me and prove I’ve died and gone to Heaven.”

“Whatever you do, don’t look again. Don’t make it obvious we’ve seen them.”

I busy myself with someone’s drink, then another and a third, sliding them against the highly polished aged wood to their owners.

“Why would I do that?” Nadia hisses, leaning forward in her seat.

“Not even two seconds ago, you were reminding me that you’re in a relationship. What happened to that, huh?”

“And you were reminding me that my boyfriend is a dud while suggesting I should leave him.

“As you should,” I reiterate. “But don’t look at them.”

I knew she wouldn’t be able to help herself. She chances a glance in their direction as they take their seat at a table in the middle of the floor. They’ve picked the exact spot to blend seamlessly and not get noticed…except, with their looks there’s no hiding, no matter where they sit.

“I’d so tap that,” she mumbles, turning back to me in resignation. I don’t know which one she means, but I toss her an irritated glare then swipe a cloth across the bar.

“You’d tap anything that has two legs and breathes.”

“That was before Dwayne,” she huffs.

“Yes. Dwayne with the bad habits and lazy lifestyle,” I say, distaste curling around my words like a glove.

“You really need to get to know him better.”

I drop the cloth in a nearby tub and fix my best friend with a glacial stare. Sometimes she could be the daftest person this side of the aisle. There was something rotten about Dwayne and I wasn’t entirely sure why she couldn’t see that.

I’ve known Nadia since I moved to Phoenix eight months ago. We met through work at this very bar. And even though she’d moved on, finally putting her vocation to work and becoming a kindergarten teacher, we were still close and made an effort to see one another a few times a week.

I can’t say I’m impressed with her choice of men — she is a sucker for bad boys — but this latest find was definitely no catch. He sat around all day doing nothing and mooching off Nadia. “Until I get on my feet”, he’d explained. And four months into their relationship, he’d moved in with her and still hadn’t found a job.

“You really need to dump his ass,” I tell her. “You deserve so much better than that."

* * *

I sendthem a round of drinks. If for no other reason but to let them know that I’ve noticed them. No point pretending when it’s hard not to notice them. I toast them then throw back my shot — which is actually water, but they don’t need to know that. I don’t need to fall on my drunk ass trying to save myself from them if I need to. But I decide to turn the tables on them and play their game; maybe then I’ll find out who they are and what they want.

They haven’t made a move toward me on the three separate occasions I’ve seen them, which sends my curiosity shooting through the roof. And I know if I ask them why they’re following me, they’ll probably deny it. They’d be hiding, right, if they were following me? Would anyone really make bad intentions that obvious?

When I turn back to Nadia, a man is sitting on the stool beside her. He has his hand on her knee. Nadia shifts away and turns in her stool to look in the opposite direction. The man doesn’t get the point though, and continues to harass her.

Nadia’s beautiful in an Elizabeth Taylor sort of way. With her jet black hair that falls in loose waves against her shoulders and violet slits that sit against creamy skin, she possesses an other-worldly presence that never fails to enchant wherever she goes.

She’s older than I, but I love and take care of her as though I am the older one between us. She’s the most remarkable woman with the best heart, but she’s flawed. Yes, definitely flawed. She doesn’t know how to say no, even when faced with situations she doesn’t want to be in. She avoids. Hoping that problems will disappear or fade away. I’ve tried my hardest to break her out of that trait and mold her into being a stronger woman, but she’s just not built that way.

I stand a few feet away, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch her turn her back to the man. I just want to see how she’s going to get out of this one. I’ve rescued her too many times to count, but sometimes I wonder — what if one day I’m the one that needs rescuing?

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