by Stone, Piper
“Can it, Mark.” He sneered when I used his real name, a mistake he’d made paying with a credit card one night. His nickname? Savage. The kid was scraggly, tattoos covering his neck and half his face. All gang-related. Why this bar?
“Now, come on. You know what I like,” Mark hissed, making sucking sounds.
“Sweet pussy.” The deep bass vibrated all around me.
The second asshole was even bigger, Ramrod’s arms covered in tattoos. I generally liked the looks of an inked man, kind of sexy if you ask me, but in this case, there was nothing attractive about the Neanderthal. Hence, his nickname. His reputation was a bad as his nasty attitude.
Ignoring them, I tugged the stuffed trash bag from the container, huffing as I dragged it toward the back door, swearing under my breath. Maybe I was just exhausted from working every night for the past ten days, but the flaming asshole was getting on my nerves. I remained outside, trying my hardest to calm my anger, my fingers tapping on the dumpster. Unfortunately, the stench of stale cigarettes and empty liquor bottles assaulted my nose. Mixed with the extreme humidity, the vapid odor made me dry heave for a few seconds.
At least I had tomorrow night off, and I had a date, first one in several months.
Whoopedy-do.
The moment I walked back in, my anger shifted into full blown rage. “Hey, jackass. Get your ass from behind my bar or so help me God, I’ll toss you out permanently.” The asshole had sneaked behind the bar, my bar in an effort to grab another beer. Every customer inside of the Sandpiper Lounge seemed to be waiting to see what I would do, the quiet in the usually jumping joint far too conspicuous. Many of them were terrified, a few regulars staying away. That just pissed me off even more.
A leering sneer crossed Mark’s face as he snapped his head in my direction, the cold brew still in his hand. “Ah, sweetheart, you were busy. Thought I’d help myself. I think you need a lot of help if you ask me. Man style.”
When he groped himself, jutting his hips forward, the others laughed.
Undaunted, I planted my hands on my hips, swaggering closer. “Listen up, bub. I’m not your sweet thang, your sweetheart, or your gal. In fact, no woman in their right mind would bother with the likes of you, given your teeny tiny dick and all.” I didn’t mind pushing certain limits, even though I realized the three amigos, as they liked to call themselves, had certain ‘connections.’ Who the hell didn’t these days? I was far too over their bullshit to worry about the consequences. I’d been warned more than once about the Desperados, the gang the amigos were mixed up in. They were supposedly several hundred strong, ruthless and bloodthirsty.
“Whoa!” the third companion exclaimed, laughing as he slapped the bar top. The skinny blond was usually the logical one of the three, but tonight I could tell they were all sparring for a fight, even with a woman.
“Oh, shit!” This was the exclamation coming from several of my customers.
I’d known Mark and his buddies since arriving in Charleston. I’d been warned about them from almost day one. Gang members. A few of the regulars accused them of being murderers. I’d learned a long time ago not to judge a book, at least at first. My instincts screamed they were all low players, soldiers without a real cause. They enjoyed razzing my customers, including fondling my waitresses, and while they’d never actually accosted me in any manner while they were sober, I knew they had a dark side. However, when they were intoxicated, all bets were off. The second Mark held the bottle out in front of his groin, humping and grunting, I’d had enough.
“Get the fucking hell out of my bar!”
Mark stood to his full height, jerking the bottle over his head as if planning on tossing the chunk of glass into the wall of mirrors and bottles.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Mark. I have no problem calling the police and making certain you spend some quality time behind bars.” I refused to budge, merely lifting an eyebrow. The dude was menacing in his own right, just over six feet of solid muscle, but I refused to be afraid or back down, especially given I’d moved into the enraged state. Once upon a time I’d been a real lady. I’d learned the hard way to take care of myself.
“You. Wouldn’t. Dare,” he hissed. “You don’t know who you’re messin’ with.”
“You threatening me, Mark?” I asked as a few of the customers backed further into the shadows.
Mark shook his head, laughing and mumbling under his breath. “You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
From somewhere came a bolt of sirens getting closer to the bar. Not that they were going to stop for any reason. The police seemed to avoid the place, but the jerkoffs didn’t know that.
“Come on, bro. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Chuck jerked to his feet, slapping Ramrod on the arm and reaching for Mark.
“I’d listen to Chuck if I were you,” I stated as firmly as possible. Every eye in the place was on the long wooden bar, folks sitting on the edge of their seat.
Mark slowly lowered the beer, dropping it into the sink full of ice. “You’re a bitch, Crystal. You know that?”
“Whatever it takes, Mark. Get. Out.” As he walked toward me, his eyes roaming down the length of my body, he groped his crotch.
Keeping a snarl planted on my face, I shifted in order to allow him to pass. When he was within inches, he leaned over, giving a suckling sound as he flicked his tongue over his teeth. His stench was almost as disgusting as the basic trash.
“One night, sweetheart. You and me are going to tumble.”
“Come on, Savage,” Chuck encouraged.
The adrenaline was flowing, keeping my entire body rigid as I followed them to the exit, catching the eye of two of my waitresses. Their eyes were huge.
“You’re on fire today, boss lady,” Daphne whispered after breathing what sounded like a sigh of relief.
“You’re going to get yourself killed, Crystal. Jesus Christ. You’ve heard the stories,” Tina mumbled. “They aren’t the kind of assholes you mess with.”
“Yeah? Maybe not but they’re aren’t going to take control over my bar.” Every muscle in my body was tense from the interaction and as soon as the door swung shut, I allowed an elongated breath to escape. Managing a bar was a pain in the ass. At least the clapping and whistling given by the regulars gave me a slight smile. Even the waitresses were thrilled. “Okay, ladies. Get back to work.”
“Sorry you have to take that shit, Crystal. You don’t deserve it.” The rather sultry voice came from a man who always sat in the same spot. Pappy was a gentleman as well as a generous tipper. Rumors surrounded him that he was an extremely wealthy man, but his attire was always disheveled, his shirts frayed around the edges, as if they’d been worn for years.
“It’s okay, Pappy. I can handle myself.” The truth was, everyone who came to the Sandpiper Lounge as well as those in this section of Charleston were afraid of the three amigos as well as their gang. The only reason they’d attached themselves to this bar in particular was because of the off the beaten track location. The Sandpiper certainly wasn’t in the best area of town but it was close to their turf.
Pappy shook his head. “Wish there was something the police could do.”
“They make idle threats. They drink. Like I said, I can handle myself.” The police weren’t interested in the thugs, at least not on a regular basis. Another rumor floating around was that the Desperados had certain officials in their back pockets. I scanned the crowded environment, making certain none of their other friends were lurking in the shadows.
All the drama aside, I actually enjoyed working at the bar, even though the hours were a killer. Fortunately, I’d been able to save up some money. Some. One day, I’d pick up on where the all-American dream had dumped me.
One day.
At least I had a decent job, one that paid the bills.
When the entrance door opened, I bristled, deciding then and there to bring a gun to keep behind the bar. Seeing my best friend’s face, I softened and grabbed the empty be
er bottles and trash the boys had created, clearing a space. “What are you doing here?”
“Can’t a girl have a drink with her best friend, even if said best friend doesn’t ever call her or find any time to be with her best friend? Wait a minute, do I even know you, Crystal Cummings?”
Jessie Tatum wasn’t the kind of girl I ever thought I’d be friends with. Where I was poor, barely making ends meet, Jessie had wealthy parents and a dazzling beach house, complete with sweeping views of the ocean. I often envisioned her with cabana boys she kept locked away, although I’d never seen anyone else at her well-coiffed home. But from day two of my arrival in town, we’d been fast friends.
“Very funny and you know I can’t drink on the job.” I pitched the items in the trash after giving her an evil eye.
“You work all the time, honey. Can’t you get one of your other managers to take a shift?” Jessie asked as she sat down. “I want to play.”
I grabbed a rag, wiping the scarred top of the bar, more in a perfunctory motion. Everything in the joint had seen better days. “I’m a manager down right now. Had to take all the extra shifts. I do have tomorrow night off.”
“Then we’re going out and I’m thirsty.” Going out to her meant bar hopping, trying to pick up guys, something I wasn’t into.
“Unfortunately, I can’t.” I knew exactly what Jessie would order, the same thing she ordered no matter what bar or time of year. Merlot poured to the rim. I grabbed a wineglass and the special bottle I’d purchased for Jessie’s infrequent but always interesting visits.
“Don’t you give me that shit. Hey, Pappy. How are things?” Jessie grinned.
“You just missed the ruckus. Our girl here is tough.” Pappy lifted his beer in a request for another.
Jessie lifted her eyebrow. “Should I ask?”
“No. Don’t.” I placed the wineglass on a cocktail napkin before yanking a bottle of Bud from the chiller, sliding the beer down the length of the bar.
“Why don’t you call the police on those guys?” Jessie demanded.
“And what good will that do? Nothing. I’m fine.” Jessie knew better than to second-guess me, especially when I was in one of these moods. I played it tough while working, but my bestie knew the other side, the scared little girl who had no idea what she was doing in her life. At least Jessie had never judged me, never made fun of my little house.
“Then at least tell me why you can’t go out with me tomorrow night.”
The tenacious wench wasn’t going to let this go. I glowered at her before leaning over the bar, whispering, “I have a date. Okay? Don’t make a big deal about it. I mean it.”
“You have a date?” Jessie’s booming voice carried across half the bar. She wanted everyone else to know I wasn’t the wallflower of the year.
“Shut your mouth or I swear to God.” Heat rose from the base of my neck, crowding across my jaw. No matter my rambunctious actions with nasty customers, I was very private, loathing anyone who tried to weasel their way into my mind.
Or my body.
Or my heart.
Jessie snaked her hand over the bar, grabbing my wrist. “I’m just so happy for you. That gives me a huge smile.”
“This is one date, nothing more. I doubt I’ll have a second one.” Snatching my arm away, I absently dragged a strand of hair from my face, smoothing it behind my ear. I wasn’t the dating kind and had never been. I wasn’t the gorgeous blonde like Jessie, a Barbie doll with long legs and the perfect hourglass figure. I’d come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t stunning, just a plain Jane. Normally I was fine with that. For some reason, I was bothered more today. Maybe thinking about the reason I’d accepted the date in the first place was the culprit. The man had been rather insistent, trying his best for almost two weeks to get me to say yes.
“Would you stop doing that? I’m serious. You’re beautiful and sexy. Any man would want to have you. Obviously, the assholes who continue to frequent this sad little place do.” Jessie gave a wicked grin as she swirled the tip of her finger around the rim of her glass.
“You’re hilarious today. Did you get a promotion at work? Did you win the lottery?”
“Let’s just say that Randy and I are getting along very well.” She fanned her face.
I shook my head in response. Jessie was with a different man at least every six weeks. On my end, I hadn’t met that many handsome men in Charleston, at least up to this point. Not that I was looking. The guy who’d convinced me to say yes was sweet and kind of cute, but certainly no stud muffin. Still, Carter Garris seemed like a gentleman. “I’m glad. Just leave my date alone.”
“Only if you promise to allow me to bring you that red dress you like so much.”
The last thing I wanted to do was borrow a dress for my date; however, Jessie was well aware I was a jeans and tee shirt kind of girl. I owned three dresses and not a one of them were right for anything but church or a funeral. And I certainly hadn’t been to church in years. The hallowed building would burn down if I walked inside.
“I won’t stop bugging you until you agree,” Jessie said, humming as she looked from side to side.
“You’re a ball buster. Did you know that?” I asked between clenched teeth. Secretly, I was glad to have one friend with excellent tastes.
“That’s why you love your best friend to death. I’ll drop the dress by in the morning. Oh, and some gorgeous pumps I have. Deal?”
“Fine. As long as you shut up about this.” A dress and shoes. Wonderful. I hadn’t walked in heels in years. I had a terrible feeling the date was going to be a disaster.
Jessie held up her hand. “Honest Injun.”
“You’re such a bad liar.”
* * *
By the time I’d finished double-checking the receipts, the rest of the staff were already gone, and it was after two-thirty in the morning. All I wanted was a hot bath, a tall glass of vodka, and hours of peaceful sleep. Everything locked, I hit the alarm and closed the back door, refusing to breathe in the nasty stench as I walked to my truck, keys already in hand.
Plink!
I’d just inserted the key into the driver’s side lock when I heard the sound. I was always on edge, mindful of the any lurkers hanging around on the fringe. The bar was off the beaten track, more of a local hangout than anything else. Hair stood up on the back of my neck as I twisted my head to the side. There were several ancient lights surrounding the area, even a streetlight illuminating the now empty parking lot, but the ominous shadows created several nasty connotations in my mind. Swallowing hard, I opened the truck door as quietly as possible, tossing my things inside.
Ping!
The sound was closer, raising my hackles. An odd outline passed over one of the lights, forcing my attention back to the parking lot. I could swear I noticed the silhouette of someone running at full speed and headed in my direction. Refusing to become a victim, I jumped into the cab, jamming the key into the ignition. “Don’t fail me now, baby girl. I need you.” My old Toyota had seen better days and when the engine chugged, acting as if it wasn’t going to turn over, I thought of every ridiculous horror movie I’d ever seen. Come on, you bitch. Start.
Trying to keep my wits, I made certain both doors were locked and counted to ten, my eyes sweeping the entire area. A glint caught my attention and I noticed that something was rolling in my direction. Now, near panic almost settled in. “One. Two. Three. Start.” As the engine roared to life, I jammed the gear into drive, yanking the steering wheel then hitting the accelerator. Tires squealing, I floored the old girl as I neared the exit, able to glance in both directions at an empty street. The truck jumped over one side of the curb as I rolled out, speeding off.
Every inch of my body was shaking, my heart racing as I glared into the rearview mirror every few seconds. If the mother fuckers believed they were going to scare me... I couldn’t even allow the thought to finish. If their reputation proved to be true, the amigos would be revenge-seeking assholes and I had
a terrible feeling I hadn’t seen the last of their wrath. The streets were almost empty, and I surpassed the speed limit by a significant amount on my way home. At least I’d left several lights on.
As soon as I opened my truck door, I heard the wonderful sounds of my dog barking. The very first thing I’d done after finding a house was rescue a puppy. Relief flooded through every muscle in my body as I grabbed my bags, racing toward the front door. Zorro greeted me as he always did, his paws on my shoulders, his tongue licking every inch of my face.
“Baby boy. I’m so happy to see you too.” My huge black lab had no idea just how much I was glad to be home, especially tonight. He was the most loving creature I’d ever known, but given his aggressive bark and his size, he was intimidating as hell. Any would-be attackers would think twice if Zorro was on the loose.
I was still shaking as I let him out the back, standing with my arms folded, scanning the perimeter as if I expected the boogeyman to jump out of the darkness. Why did the assholes bother me so much tonight? I honestly didn’t have the answer and had never really felt fearful of the neighborhood. I adored the little house, no matter that the appliances were old and the siding needed to be replaced. This was mine alone. Well, a rental, but one day I’d be able to afford a house. I had to admit, at least tonight that I wished I had closer neighbors. The street was on a dead end, a juggernaut of older houses in a less fashionable neighborhood. The majority of folks were in their sixties, certainly in bed long before three in the morning. If I screamed, it was likely that no one would hear my cries of despair.
Or come to my rescue.
“Let’s get back inside, big boy. Both you and Mommy need a treat.” As he scampered back inside, I kept my hand on the screen door, listening for any wayward sounds. I felt certain that no one had followed me. I also doubted the amigos had any idea of where I lived. There wasn’t any listing in the phonebook since I didn’t have a landline and Jessie and Carter were the only two people, at least up to this point, who’d been to my house. The only reason Carter had been allowed inside was to perform various maintenance duties as allowed by my lease.