Annoyance and frustration well up inside of me.
Looking down at the heap that is the intruder, I pull my leg back and kick him in the side. Once, twice, three times, then finally a fourth. He groans weakly, red-stained drool slides out of his mouth onto the floor. Pointing towards the door, I glower down at his face and say, “Now look at what you did!”
Happy chuckles and I throw him a glare, warning him not to f**k with me.
Sighing, I run a hand through my hair.
Damage control at one AM.
This should be fun.
Chapter Twenty Two
Reaching for my shot, I down it in one. I’m not a big drinker, but Nikki, Dave, and I have had some doozies together. I remember all those times as fun. I suddenly wonder why this time doesn’t feel so fun to me.
“Here I am, enjoying a night in with one of my girls…”
Without thinking, I reach for the next shot and attempt to drown out the man who poisons my usually-clear-thinking mind.
Catching a taxi at this time of night to a bar to drink myself stupid seemed like a good idea at the time.
But like my mama always said:
Nothing good happens after two a.m.
Using the GPS tracking system I installed on Lexi’s phone, I’m surprised to find her at a sleazy bar I used to attend frequently in the city at this time of night. That is, until I realize the reason I used to frequent this bar was because Lexi would come here with her friends.
It’s so easy to keep an eye on someone when they’re by your side most of the time. I haven’t needed to watch Lexi much anymore. Besides, Lexi up-close beats far-away Lexi any day of the week.
Sitting at the bar, looking at the empty shot glasses in front of her, she cloaks her emotions as she seems to speak robotically to the man next to her. I pull in my anger at the sight of the man placing his hand on her arm, and make my way over until I’m standing behind her.
“Stand up, Lexi. We’re going,” I tell her, as I curl my fingers around her wrist.
Looking up, her face betrays her hurt. Struggling to get out of my grip, she slurs, “No. I’m not going with you. I’m staying here. Staying with—” She drifts off before looking at the man with pleading eyes. He chuckles, “Brad.” She announces, “Staying with Brad!”
Tightening my grip on her, I put my lips to her ear, “You’re not staying. You’re coming home.”
You’re coming home? I meant to say ‘to my place’. That’s… I don’t even want to analyze that right now. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.
Snatching her wrist out of my hand, her eyes void and her voice becomes bleak. “Don’t want to go with you. You’re poison.”
My chest pangs.
Well shit. That f**kin’ stings. Like a bitch.
It’s not a lie, but it stings still.
I’ve never begged before. Never in my life. I sure as f**k am not gonna start now. Playing it cool, I chuckle. “Babe, what do you think you’re doing here anyways? This place…it’s not for the likes of you.”
What I don’t say is ‘You’re too good to be in a place like this. A place like this pulls at your good and dulls your sparkle. And I like your sparkle.’
Staring down at my chest, she takes a step closer to me and whispers miserably, “I’m here to let Brad f**k me.” My cheek ticks and my head implodes. She steps closer to me to add, “He’s going to f**k me. Fuck me ‘til I forget you. ‘Til I forget I ever met you. He’s helping me drown you out, and I like when I’m not thinkin’ about you.” She looks into my eyes and repeats on a whisper, “You’re poison.”
I’ve officially had enough of this conversation.
Taking her elbow, I pull her towards me, when Brad the ass**le stands and starts, “Hey! Let go of her! She doesn’t want to go with you. You heard—”
Reaching into the back of my jeans, I pull out my .32 semi and point it right in the middle of his brows. Stepping away so quickly with his arms raised, he stumbles backward into a stool.
But I can’t walk away yet. His humiliation is something I need right now. I need him to learn. What, exactly? I’m not sure. But I want to see his fear.
Lexi pulls on my elbow and quietly says a defeated, “Okay, Twitch. You win. I’ll go with you. Leave him alone and we’ll leave, babe. Just me and you.”
It’s my turn to snatch my elbow from her alcohol-weakened grip. Taking two large steps, I push the barrel of the pistol into his forehead, hard. Listening to him whimper brings me a rush. Warmth spreads through me. Leaning closer to him, I grit my teeth and say quietly, “You got something to say to me, wise guy? Fuckin’ say it.”
Brad starts to shake, and I can feel eyes on me. Most likely from everyone in the bar. Lucky, I know the bartender. Well. Jimmy and I had business dealings. I know he knows I’m doing what I think I have to.
I give Brad a full thirty seconds to answer before I whisper, “Yeah, I thought so,” and move away from him. Placing the Colt back in my waistband, I move to stand by Lexi, wrap my arm around her shoulders, and tuck her into my side. Her hand slides up to the middle of my chest, and she fists my shirt. “Let’s go, babe. Let’s go,” she whispers.
Lifting my finger, I point hard at the quivering mess that is Brad and announce loudly, “No one plays with my things. No one touches what’s mine. This…” Sliding my hand down to Lexi’s ass, I make a show of cupping it and squeezing. Hard. “…this is mine. Got it?”
Brad – still with his hands raised in surrender – nods vigorously, and I know I’ve made my point.
To Brad. And to Lexi.
It’s selfish to keep her around when I know she wants time alone. I know it is. But I can’t let her go.
You need her.
I don’t need anyone. I’m just selfish.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
“You left.”
Driving Lexi back to her place, I know we have to talk about what happened. This whole having a girlfriend thing blows so far. I repeat myself, “You left after you said you wouldn’t.”
Looking out of the window, she mutters miserably, “Yeah, well, I figured if you couldn’t keep your promise, then I shouldn’t have to keep mine either.”
It’s times like this that I wish my brain worked like everyone else’s.
Breathing deeply, I try in vain to calm my racing heart. “I’m not… It’s not like… I didn’t mean it, Angel. I swear. There is no one else. Just you.”