by KC Crowne
“Crystal!” Sabrina called. “Come on!”
Gerald flashed me a curious look before I stepped around his big body and opened the office door. Sabrina and Adie rushed in, stopping in their tracks when they saw the large, handsome man in the room with me.
“Well, hey there, Gerald,” Sabrina said with a sly smile.
“Hey,” Adie trilled, a huge grin on her face.
“Evenin’, ladies,” Gerald said with a friendly nod. He looked Sabrina and Adie up and down, noticing their outfits were as dressy as mine. “Now, one beautiful woman in a dress could mean anything. But three of them can only mean one thing – girl’s night out.”
“That’s right,” Adie said. “It’s someone’s birthday.”
Gerald’s eyebrows rose as he jerked his head around to look at me. “Wait a dang minute – it’s your birthday and you didn’t say anything?”
“I don’t like to make a big thing out of birthdays,” I said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “They’re silly.”
“They’re fun,” Sabrina corrected. “We’re headin’ into town to grab some drinks at the Lonestar.” She grinned and added, “Thinkin’ you oughta join us, Gerald.”
“What?” I squeaked, my eyes moving from her to him and back.
“Yeah!” Adie agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “The more the merrier. As long as you don’t mind spendin’ an evening with three gorgeous ladies.”
He grinned. “Can’t think of anything I’d like more. Gals, let’s get to it.”
Chapter 17
GERALD
The Lonestar Saloon was a madhouse. It was Friday night, and the place was packed full of guys and gals in their best shitkickers and hats and belt buckles and all the rest. Wild country music blasted over the speakers, and couples danced in the center on a wooden dance floor covered in sand for easy two-stepping. A mechanical bull tossed off too-drunk-for-their-own-good cowboys left and right. Total insanity.
The ladies were packed around a high-top table, chatting and laughing and glancing at me as I headed to the bar for the next round. I wanted to give them their privacy, but I couldn’t help shooting a look every now and then, catching them staring at me before breaking into laughs and going back to their conversation.
I could only grin. Didn’t take an expert in women to know they were talking about me. And that was fine. Adie and Sabrina were all grins, but Crystal seemed a little more hesitant – made sense, after our conversation. She likely didn’t know what to make of things between us.
Me, on the other hand, I was certain. I wanted her, and that was that.
“Those ladies with you?” the bartender asked. He flashed me a knowing look. “Someone’s got a wild night ahead of him.”
I laughed as he made our drinks. Jason was tall and built strong. He was a part-time rancher in the area, pulling evening shifts at the Lonestar. He and I had known each other back in the day, old friends from high school. I’d left for the military while he’d jumped into the work force.
“If you’re thinkin’ what I think you’re thinkin’, then get your damn mind out of the gutter.”
He laughed. “Just messin’ with you, bud. But seriously, that’s a fine-lookin’ group of women. You got your eye on one of ‘em?”
“The one in the black dress. It’s her birthday,” I yelled, the music muffling our voices.
He let out an impressed whistle I couldn’t completely hear. “Well, good luck. This round’s on me. Wish her a happy birthday, would ya?” He poured four shots of whiskey along with four mugs of beer.
“’Preciate it, Jason.”
He nodded and I grabbed the drinks. Took some doing, but I managed to get them all in my grasp – one of the advantages of having huge hands. I returned to the table and carefully deposited all the drinks on the table.
“Thanks, Gerald!” Adie exclaimed with a smile.
“But you don’t have to pay for drinks all night,” Crystal insisted.
“Hey, it’s your birthday – the one night when you got to let other people treat you. Besides, this round was on the bartender.”
The ladies turned their attention to Jason, who tipped his hat and smiled at them. Crystal lifted a shot and said, “Well, thanks Jason.”
She seemed a little glum, but I chalked it up to the stress from the B&B and made it my goal to make sure she had a hell of a night.
I sat down, and the four of us tossed back our shots and fell into lively conversation. Sabrina and Adie told me a little more about themselves, and I listened, eager to hear more about Crystal’s friends. But as we talked, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a man standing against the bar. He was by himself, sipping his drink and glancing at us every now and then. More specifically, he was glancing at Crystal. I didn’t know what his deal was, but I didn’t care for it one bit.
“So!” Adie chirped, chipper and cheerful and clearly a little tipsy. “What y’all say to a little dancing?”
“Yeah!” Sabrina answered enthusiastically, hopping up out of her seat. “Let’s do it!”
Crystal still seemed a little glum, but it didn’t take too much for her friends to have her out of her seat.
“You can dance with Gerald,” Adie insisted.
I laughed. She spoke as if we were a couple of crushing high schoolers whose friends were trying to set up.
“Hell, that’s fine with me,” I said. “You down?”
Crystal gave in, offering a small smile. “Hell, why not. Come on, Gerald – let’s see what you’ve got.”
I was up to the challenge. A new song started, and I took Crystal’s hand, leading her over to the dance floor. Adie and Sabrina found a couple of guys, not having to try too hard to find some cowboys willing to dance with them.
I put my hands on Crystal’s hips as the lively song played, the two of us finding our rhythm and getting into it. She loosened up as the song continued, and soon she was cutting loose, throwing up her arms and shaking that beautiful body. Eyes watched her, but it was clear she was with me. I glanced at the bar. Sure as shit, the man was still there, still staring. He wore a smirk on his face, his eyes narrowed. I’d been around enough to know that look was nothing but trouble. Likely, he was thinking about what kind of move he’d make.
He wasn’t gonna get a chance.
The song ended, and when I looked over once again and found the man still staring, I spoke up. “I’ll be right back.”
“What is it?” Crystal asked, noticing my tone and facial expression.
“Some business to take care of.”
I left the dance floor, striding over to the man and getting close enough to him to let him know before I spoke that I had words for him.
“Hey, pal,” I said. “Most ladies don’t take too kindly to a man leerin’ at ‘em from across the bar like that.”
He raised his eyebrows, all innocent like. “That what you think I’m doin’?” he asked, scoffing as he looked around the bar. “Just takin’ in the view.”
“Yeah, I bet you are. Lotta nice landscape out here. If takin’ in the view’s what you’re after, how about you get the fuck outta here and go check out the mountains.”
Now he raised his palms. “Friend, I’m here to enjoy a drink and some music, same as you. If your lady has a problem with the fact that I can’t help noticing her in that tight little dress, maybe she can come over and tell me herself.”
“She doesn’t need to waste time with a jackass like you. Now, if I see you gawkin’ like that again, I’m gonna come back. And I’ll have more than words for you.”
“Man, whatever, asshole.” He finished his drink, set the empty glass down on the bar, and wandered off. He vanished into the crowd and was gone.
Good fucking riddance.
When I turned around, Crystal was behind me looking unhappy. “What was that all about?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
“Some leerin’ jackass was starin’ you down. I told him to fuck off.” I smiled at her. “He’s gone now – nothin�
� to worry about.”
“Wait, some guy was lookin’ at me and you just took it upon yourself to, what, threaten him?”
“Don’t know if I’d go that far,” I hedged.
“I caught the last bit of your conversation – you threatened him.”
“Hell, I guess you’re right,” I said with a shrug. “Well, I said what needed to be said.”
“It didn’t need to be said,” she retorted hotly, anger rising off her. “I don’t need you or any man fightin’ my battles for me like that, actin’ like every other damn man’s a threat.”
“But he was a threat,” I argued. “Crystal, I know men, and he was about two drinks away from comin’ over and puttin’ his hands all over you.”
“Then I’d handle it myself if he did.” She shook her head. “I got enough of that from my ex. Always thinkin’ he needed to make sure he was the damn alpha male in the room or some shit. I thought you said you weren’t controlling, Gerald.”
“It ain’t a matter of bein’ controlling,” I said. “It—”
She cut me off with a sweep of her hand through the air. “Whatever it is, I don’t like it.” She abruptly turned and left.
“Fuckin’ hell,” I said out loud, turning around to the bar.
Jason was there, a couple shots of whiskey already poured. “Didn’t meant to overhear but can’t really help it when you’re in my line of work.”
I offered a small smirk to let him know I wasn’t bothered by it. “No worries. Just get a little testy with pushy jackasses like that. She might not’ve seen it, but no doubt in my mind if I hadn’t taken care of it, he’d be giving her all kinds of unwanted attention in an hour or so.”
“You might be right. But I doubt that’ll make her any less steamed.”
I spotted Crystal in the crowd, standing near her friends. Adie and Sabrina were happily dancing with a couple of cowboys, and Crystal seemed trying to get back into the swing of it. But I could tell by the look on her face she was likely still thinking about what had just happened.
“Right or not,” I said, turning back to the bar and picking up my whiskey. “Might’ve been a dick move of me to bring that kind of thing into her birthday night.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” Jason said. “Get another shot or two in her and spin her around on the dance floor and she’ll likely be right as rain.”
“Hope so.”
I sipped my whiskey, my mind going back to the conversation with the jackass. I’d done what needed to be done, and I wasn’t in the habit of second guessing myself. Best I could do was, like Jason had said, make sure the fun of the rest of the night outweighed that nonsense.
I downed a shot and gestured to Jason for another. As he filled the glass and pushed it over, I caught sight of someone. Standing near one of the side exits to the bar was Mr. Jackass himself, looking as smug as ever. He stood with his arms crossed over his stout chest, his eyes on me and not bothering to act like he was doing otherwise. He gave me a dead stare, one that suggested an open invitation to finish what we’d started.
“You really wanna make it that kind of night?” Jason asked over my shoulder.
“He’s fuckin’ askin’ for it,” I grumbled. “Shitheads like that, they test you and see what they can get away with. If I don’t settle this now, he’s gonna take it as a sign he can go right on with what he was doin’.”
“Well, that’s the side exit,” Jason said. “Goes right to the alley. Not like there’s gonna be anyone out there. If scrappin’s what you’re fixin’ to do, that’d be the place to do it.”
Half of the whiskey was still in the glass. I pushed it toward Jason. “Save it for when I come back.”
He grinned, taking the whiskey and putting it under the bar. “Go easy on him, bud. Dumbass doesn’t know what he’s gettin’ himself into.”
“You’re damn right about that.”
I started toward the exit, rolling my sleeves up my forearms as I strode through the dance floor. One more glance in Crystal’s direction confirmed she was still with the girls and seemed to be perking up. Good – she didn’t need to know what was about to happen.
I reached the exit, gave the door a yank, and stepped outside. Just like Jason had said, the door led to the alley behind the bar, the area narrow and quiet. The door shut with a clang behind me, and I looked up and down the area. Nothing but a couple of dumpsters and two tall sides of the brick buildings. I stepped down the alley, trying to find where the dumbass had run off to. Soon I was wondering if he was screwing with me.
Just as I reached the end of the alley, I turned the corner and there he was. The man was leaning back against the wall, his head down and his hat tipped in front of it, casting his features in shadow. One boot was propped up behind him, and he took slow drags from a cigarette, the orange tip glowing brightly among the dark.
“Alright, prick,” I said, not wanting to waste a moment getting into it. “You got somethin’ to say to me?”
He said nothing at first, taking one more drag of his cigarette before flicking it onto the ground. Then he raised the brim of his hat and turned to me.
“Gerald Walker,” he said with a grin. “I was hopin’ to get you out here on your own.”
“How the hell do you know my name? Who are you?” My blood began to race – not out of fear, but with the adrenaline pumping through my body.
“Just some guy,” he said.
“Alright then, just some guy. How ‘bout you cut the bullshit and tell me what this is really about?”
“It’s simple,” he said, dusting his hands and stepping slowly toward me. “It’s about you being a dumbass who doesn’t know he shouldn’t stick his nose where it doesn’t belong.”
I let out an amused snort. “You think I was gonna let you act like a fuckin’ creep in there and not say anything?”
He shrugged. “Who says that’s what I’m talkin’ about?”
Before I could say anything, bootsteps behind me drew my attention. I turned, and was nearly face-to-face with another pair of cowboys, both tall and built and mean.
“What the fuck’s goin’ on here?”
“Hopefully for your sake,” the first man said. “It’s you learnin’ a lesson.”
I didn’t need to hear another word. I turned, rushing toward him, pulling my fist back and swinging it toward his face. My knuckles connected hard, hard enough to break his nose. Blood streamed down his face as he staggered backward. But as I’d made my move, so had the two men behind me. They closed the distance between us, each grabbing me by my shoulders, turning me where I stood. Once I was facing them, the one on the right jabbed me hard in the face.
It didn’t hurt all that much, but there were few things on Earth quite like a punch to the face. Whatever the pain, it was disorienting as all hell.
Before I had a chance to recover, the other man drove his fist into my stomach. I’d taken more than a few punches in my day, but this one landed exceptionally fucking hard. As it connected, blasting the air from my lungs in a hard rush, I could tell it was the sort of punch a man who deals them out for a living would throw.
I dropped to my knees, sucking in slow and deep breaths to offset the wind getting knocked out of me. A hand fell on my shoulder, and I whipped around, swinging my first through the air along with it and connecting again with the first man, this time hitting him hard enough to send him staggering into the nearby brick wall.
I rose and raised my fists like I was some damn prizefighter or something, the two men bearing down on me with narrowed eyes and vicious little smirks on their faces. They both reached into their pockets and at the same time withdrew brass knuckles, slipping them onto their fists.
Bad sign. Brass knuckles were a quick way to take a fight from a stupid scrap to something fatal.
The one on the left lunged at me and I ducked to the side, letting his momentum throw me off balance as I rushed toward the other guy. One of my fists connected with his ribs. As I readied myself for a
nother blow, something came down hard on the back of my head. The pain was so intense, I dropped to my knees again.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the air. “Hey! What the hell’s goin’ on back here?”
I could barely turn my head, dropping to a heap as soon as the words carried through the air.
Chapter 18
Crystal
CRYSTAL
Jason and I hurried to Gerald. The three men saw us coming, and before we could catch up, they took off, racing down the alley and disappearing around the corner the moment we reached Gerald. I watched them vanish, part of me wanting to chase after them.
“Don’t worry about them,” Jason said, dropping next to Gerald. “We’ve got cameras back here. They won’t get far.”
Gerald was the more pressing matter anyway. I fell to my knees and got a look at him, noting a trickle of blood on the side of his head from a gash near his hairline. He was still sitting upright, but his eyes were closed like he was in a daze.
“Yo, Gerald!” Jason said, giving the side of his face a soft tap with the back of his hand. “You there, buddy?”
Fear raced through me. I’d come out just in time to see one of the men slam his fist down hard on the back of Gerald’s head. I didn’t know much about fighting, but a blow like that likely wasn’t something you just walked off.
Gerald opened his eyes slowly. “I…I’m here.” Jason gave his face another soft tap. “But if you keep hittin’ me like that you’re gonna be the one we need to worry about.”
Jason laughed, and I smiled too – smartass comments meant he was likely in alright, for the most part. I took the bar cloth from Jason’s pocket and dabbed the blood from Gerald’s face.
“Can you walk?” I asked.
“I can fuckin’ walk,” he grouched hoarsely. “I’m fine.”
Jason tried to help him up, but Gerald shrugged him off. Leaning forward, he pushed himself off the ground and heaved his big body up to his feet. He stood unsteadily at first, but as the seconds passed, he regained his balance.