Page 37 of Dark Alleys

Slept for three hours.

After a solid three hours of drugged sleep, I did not feel like getting up and dealing with the sewer side of my life. But it was work and what I got paid to do.

A hot shower helped.

Clean clothes and one nuked-up mug of coffee and I was ready to go.

Back to work.

Riverside Bar and Grille. Austin.

Thought about taking my bike, but if I happened to get into any kind of altercation and my arm got hurt, I wouldn’t be able to get home.

I drove my truck.

Late when I got there, and I was surprised my booth was empty. Lila had gone home and the girl who worked nights was slinging trays of pitchers and moving her cute butt pretty fast to keep up the pace. The bar was busy.

Bailey.

Long honey-colored hair and big brown eyes. I’d taken her out once, but it hadn’t gone anywhere. Should I try again? Probably not.

She whizzed by my table and took my order on the run. “Shiner’s, Lukas?”

“Yeah, thanks, Bailey.”

“Be right back.”

The Tango Blast guys filled up three of the booths on the other side of the aisle and I tried my best to hear what they were talking about. I needed something for Blacky to sink his teeth into.

Since I got cut I hadn’t been too productive, and I wasn’t in the business of dogging it.

More Tangos filtered in and there seemed to be some kind of buzz going on.

Were they getting ready to do something?

Hope so.

Bailey brought my beer and sat down across from me. “I’m on my break, but the boss said to take a short one. We’re busy tonight.”

“Yeah, y’all are busy. Lots of Tangos here. Something going on with them?”

“Yeah, I think they’re pissed about the Bandidos trying to take Festival Beach from them.”

“Jeeze. Bandidos have a huge club. A lot of support if they want to call in backup.”

“I don’t know the numbers, Lukas. Only the numbers on the bills they tip me.” She laughed.

Cute girl. I might’ve forgotten how cute she was.

Is Bailey worth another try?

I finished my pitcher and left the bar. Sat in my truck in the parking lot behind the building and called Blacky.

He sounded sleepy when he answered, and I figured I woke him up. “Lukas?”

“Might be a rumble at Festival Beach tonight, boss. The Tangos think the Bandidos are going to try to take their turf.”

“Shit. That could be huge.” I heard the click of Blacky’s lighter as he lit up a smoke. “Two big, strong clubs. Won’t be pretty.”

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