Page 86 of A New Era

“Listen to your Yank wife.”

Maybe I would have until he insulted my old lady.

“Leo,” she warns.

“You should find somewhere else to drink tonight,” the barman says and slyly starts moving glasses away from the front of the bar and I know I don’t have long till this kicks off.

Digging the burner phone Ben gave me out of my pocket, I hand it to Holly, instructing her, “Call Ben, tell him where we are, and that I’d appreciate his or Hayward's presence.”

It irritates the shit out of me. I can't fight the lot of these assholes. The barman clears his throat and asks, “The Haywards?”

“Yeah. Why? What’s it to you?”

He holds his hand up to the guys closing in on me and tells them, “Sit down, lads.” He looks at me and says, “Please, sit and I’ll get your drinks. I apologise for the misunderstanding.”

Holly finishes the call and passes me the phone. I tuck it away and slide onto a stool next to Holly. I know she’s uncomfortable and wants to leave, but we’re going nowhere till Ben or one of the brothers gets here.

The barman places our drinks in front of us and is quick to tell us, “They’re on the house.”

“Thanks?”

It’s not long before the door slams open, and Ben walks in with Jamie Boy behind him. The entire pub goes eerily quiet.

“Mr. Hayward, I apologise for you having to come down here. It was a misunderstanding that’s been let go now.”

Frowning, I spit, “Who the fuck said I let it go?”

“What’s going on, Leo?” Jamie Boy asks.

“Me and Holly got lost and decided to get a drink before tracking down a fuckin’ cab and we were refused service and then these assholes insulted my wife.” I add, “And since I can’t carry my gun here, I was outnumbered when they came for me.”

Jamie Boy looks at the barman. “This true?”

He nods.

“Who?”

The barman is quick to point out the two instigators and they are physically pale.

“Everyone else, leave.”

The pub empties faster than a landslide and Ben suggests, “Holly, why don’t I take you back to the hotel?”

“I’m okay here, thanks.”

That’s my girl.

“Please, let me get you away from here.”

She points her gaze at him and sternly says, “I’m well aware of who my husband is. I’ll stay and finish my drink.”

I catch Jamie Boy smirk and then it’s back to business.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Jamie Boy starts. “First, you’re going to make reparations for this slight toward our guests. Your monthly payment has been doubled for the next year,” he says to the barman.

“I didn’t know who he was. I just thought they were tourists stumbling into the wrong pub.”

“Regardless, turns out you were wrong.” He looks at the two pricks and walks up to them. “Who the fuck thinks it’s a good idea to insult women? Apologise to the lady and hope she accepts it.”

---