Page 23 of Street of Dreams
Besides music, pool was Mac’s forte, and he relished in showing off his skill. The first shot he took was lined up perfectly and required little effort, which is why he took it. Normally, he’d go for something that challenged him, but he wanted to toy with Jake. When the nine ball dropped into the pocket, he pounded his fist in the air and whisper-shouted, “Yes!”
“Nice shot,” Jake commented.
Mac glanced at Jake with a gloating smile on his lips.
The moment they made eye contact, Jake knew he was being played and exhaled with resignation. “Go ahead. Let’s see what ya got.”
A cushion shot glided number 10 into the corner pocket. A combination sunk the 12 and 14 balls into the side pocket with ease. But when he tried to put a spin on the white with a fancy draw shot, so that it returned to practically where it started, the 13 ball missed the cup.
Jake slowly clapped his hands. “Not bad. You got skills, Mackenzie. I’ll give ya that.” There was no sarcasm or hostility in his voice. No tension in his posture. This was a different Jake, more like the one that sat and listened to Mac play a song in his apartment with genuine interest.
Mac gave a short bow in thanks and stepped back from the table.
Jake wore his signature cocky grin while he chalked his cue. As he leaned over the pool table, his leather jacket, worn and cracked in places, rode up revealing the white T-shirt that was barely tucked into his jeans. He stretched his arms over the felt, and the T-shirt sprung free, exposing a beautiful strip of pale skin on Jake’s lower back.
Mac couldn’t look away. He bit his lower lip and inhaled sharply, careful not to make a sound. His gaze dropped lower, to the tight jeans that caressed the round globes of Jake’s ass perfectly. The stance was insanely erotic, and Mac felt himself growing hard.Watch it,he told himself. They were in a public place, and he was sure eyes were on them because of their known rivalry.
Jake completed the shot, which must have been a direct line into one of the pockets by the way he was strutting around the table. Mac missed it, though, because he’d been focusing his gaze elsewhere. Jake tried to execute a fancy bank shot next, but it backfired and caused the cue ball to bounce on the table. He stood up straight, shocked, and stared at it for a moment before a surprised laugh left his throat. “Did you see that?”
“I already posted it on Instagram,” Mac replied, with a smile.
“I’ll kick your ass if you did.” Jake’s smile widened. It reached the corners of his eyes, and those dark orbs took on a light that probably very few people had ever seen.
Mac wished Jake would let the world see this side of him, instead of the hard, cold exterior he always hid behind, and he gazed at this complicated man with empathy.
Jake suddenly grew self-conscious and toughened his features. “Get us another round of beers.” Even though his voice now boomed with a hard edge, it still contained a gentle tone and there was no anger behind his words.
Mac playfully tapped Jake on the arm with his cue stick as he passed.
Jake jumped a little, then chuckled softly and shook his head. “You’re pushing’ my limits today, Mackenzie.”
“Is he hustling you?” John Fleming, the owner and bartender of Pockets, asked Mac when he ordered another round.
“No. We’re just playing pool.”
Mr. Fleming leaned over the bar, his brows drawn together. “I don’t want any trouble in here with the King brothers.”
“They’re not here,” Mac pointed out. “Jake’s alone.”
“Not for long. You know those other two are never far from their brother. If shit goes down, they’ll be here in 10 seconds flat. You got trouble with one, you got trouble with all three of them. I don’t want to see you get rolled over by them, Mac.”
“I can handle Jake King.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Mr. Fleming warned, as he placed two fresh mugs of beer on the counter. “Why are you playing pool with him? You’re one of the best players in here. Don’t piss him off. Just let him win. Pay him and let him leave.”
Mac opened his mouth to respond, but Mr. Fleming cut him off.
“Why are you looking for trouble? You shouldn’t be associating with him. No good is gonna come of it.”
Mac lowered his brows and pressed his lips together while his defenses kicked in. He hated the perception people had of Jake but understood that it’s all they knew about him. He didn’t pretend to know everything about Jake. Actually, he knew very little. But he wanted to find out more. Ignoring Mr. Fleming’s warning, he picked up the two mugs, returned to the pool table and handed Jake his beer. Before he brought the mug to his lips, he extended it toward Jake in a friendly gesture.
Jake rolled his eyes. “We’re not frat buddies. Just drink your beer.”
Mac struggled to hide his smile as he took a swig from his mug.
They resumed the game, but only took one more shot each before the younger King brothers disrupted the bar with their presence. Talking too loudly and roughhousing, they came in like a tornado and wanted drinks. The twins looked every bit of their 16 years, and it was too much of a stretch from the legal age for Mr. Fleming to bend the rules. When they were refused service, the brothers became unruly. Danny argued loudly with Mr. Fleming, and Henry cursed and flipped over the snack bowl, sending peanuts sprawling across the floor like marbles and causing patrons to scatter.
Mr. Fleming didn’t put up with any shit and had zero patience. He pulled a baseball bat from under the bar and waived it threateningly at the twins.
