Page 6 of Goose

I whip open the front door and run down the steps. I could hear Bambi slam the door behind me as I ducked into the strip club. That woman is going to be the death of me one of these days. Ever since that day with the tourist, Bambi has treated me so differently.

So I push her buttons every chance I get, hoping to break her into fighting with me. To scream how she really feels.

Bambi is the only one who can get under my skin and that drives me up the fucking wall. She’s the only one who knows that dark side of me, and I don’t want to lose the only person who knows the real me...

But fuck that and fuck her. I don’t have to give a reason or explain shit to her. Bambi broke my heart once and I’ll never give her that chance again...

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TWO HOURS HAVE PASSEDsince my fight with Bambi. I’m already on my sixth beer at the bar in Studio Forty-Eight. The more I drink, the more upset I become with her. How dare she treat me like I was nothing to her? After all those years of me watching out for her and everything I did, how could she just turn those feelings off?

I scoff at myself. Fuck feelings. I didn’t have any for her anymore...

“Hey! Whatever the fuck your name is. Get me another beer.”

The little redheaded bartender gives me a dirty look as she shoves another beer in my hands. “Mad Dog is gonna be pissed. We’re trying to get ready for tonight and you’re over here drinking all my fucking beer.”

“Whatever, Red. Get me another beer, then get the fuck out of my face. Don’t forget who you really work for.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket as she slams the beer down and walks away. I take it out and press ignore. Striker has been up my ass lately, and I don’t want to deal with him right now.

I finish both beers and turn to watch the girls’ practice before tonight’s show. The big black door opens and that fucker, Joker, walks in.

He struts over to me and sits down on the barstool. In his stupid Spanish accent, he turns to me. “What’s up with you,amigo?”

“Fuck off, Joker. I don’t have time for you today. Got shit to do. Why are you still here, anyway?”

He leans back and laughs. “Why so salty,niñita? Is it your time of the month? I’m sure the girls would share their tampons with you.”

I growl and turn back to the bar. Leaning over, I grab a shot glass and a bottle of whiskey.

“Get lost, fucker.”

Pouring myself a shot, I take it and turn back to watch the girls. Joker grabs a glass and fills it with water like the fucking pussy he is.

“Just here to check onmi pequeño ciervo. Have you seen Bambi around?”

Quickly getting up from the barstool, I get right in Joker’s face. I’m the enforcer of The Devil’s Highwaymen for a fucking reason; I never back down from a fight.

“What the fuck do you want with her? Are you the guy she’s seeing?”

Joker shakes his head and backs away. “Whoa, Goose. We’re just good friends, that’s all. Nothing more, okay?”

“She’s not yours. Fucking stop calling her your little deer. Yeah, she fucking told me about your little nickname for her. Just stay the fuck away from her, Joker.”

He sits back down and takes a sip of his water, turning back to me. “I understand, Brother. Not trying to step on any toes here. I’m here to see you.”

I nod toward the girls on the stage as they twist around the pole. “Oh yeah? What do you want from me?”

“Nothing. I wanted to warn you about thatperra loca. The redhead from the bakery. She’s tearing up the town looking for you.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah, Brother. She looks pissed. I know she and Bambi have had it out, so I figured I would warn her. There’s just something off about her. Not right in the head at all. I got Bambi a Ruger LC9s to defend herself. I just worry about her, man.”

I nod as I watch the girls flip upside down and do splits on those poles. “Ah, that’s where she got that gun. She threatened to shoot me with it when I wouldn’t get out of her apartment.”

Joker burst out laughing. “Good for her. Knew she had it in her. What did you do to deserve that?”

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