Page 12 of Dark Alleys

The girls were pounding the shit out of each other right beside my booth when Lila brought my fish and chips, and she couldn’t get close enough to give me the fuckin’ plate and cutlery.

“Get those bitches away from me so I can eat,” I hollered.

“I’ve got this, Lukas.” Ready, the sometimes bouncer, grabbed both girls by the hair and dragged them kicking and screaming to the back door.

The door slammed and the bar went quiet.

Ready came back and took a stance next to my table. “You have to work them up like that, Lukas?” He gave me the finger. “Fuck off, man. You make my job harder, and I’ll have to toss you out too.”

“Piss off, Ready. You had nothing to fuckin’ do until that fight started. Your thumb was up your fuckin’ ass.” I pointed my fork at him. “I saved your fuckin’ job.”

The bikers laughed and at that moment, I was one of them. That was the whole point of me being there.

Fit in.

Become part of the furniture.

Be there so often, they don’t see you as a threat.

While I ate my fish and chips, one of the Blast sent me over a pitcher and I gave him a thumbs up.

I drank all my beer and ate what I could of the fish and chips, then decided it was time to sleep again. Got nothing useful from this visit, but I did provide some entertainment for the boys.

I walked out to the parking lot and saw somebody I didn’t want to see. Brandy was leaning on my truck. Her hair was a mess, her mascara had run down her face and she had a huge scratch down her cheek and another red one on her neck.

I guess Crissy was the winner of that one.

“I want to come to your place.”

I shook my head. “Nope. I have to sleep. Doctor’s orders.”

“What doctor?”

“The one who sewed up my arm.”

“Take me back, please, Lukas. I need you. You know I love you.”

“You don’t love me, Brandy. I was your meal ticket and now you don’t have one. That’s what it amounts to.”

“Fuck you, Lukas.” She blocked my way so I couldn’t get in the driver’s door of my truck.

“Don’t make me move you out of the way, Brandy. I don’t hurt girls.”

She stepped to the side, and I let go of the breath I was holding as I climbed in.

“I’m not giving up, Lukas. You’re mine and I’ll fight to the death for you.”

“Don’t talk crazy, Brandy. I’m not worth the trouble.”

Riverside District. Austin.

I was so glad to get home. I slammed the door and locked it and let out a huge groan as I flopped down into the only easy chair.

The place came furnished and I couldn’t complain. I hadn’t done one goddamned thing to fix it up since the day I’d moved in.

Dead tired, and the pain in my fuckin’ arm was killing me. Never should’ve gone out. Beyond fuckin’ stupid.

Why didn’t I drink the beer in the fridge? That would’ve been the smart thing to do.

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