It was another busy night, but I needed the distraction.
Kelly was working again; so was Justin. I’d not been back to the house, having gone straight to Katya from my mother’s house, but I was guessing from the hooded looks each of them was giving the other that they’d spent the day together.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about the two of them together, but I just hoped if and when they ended, that it was amicable and that Kelly wasn’t the one who needed to quit here. But, knowing Kelly, knowing her entire history of relationships, they never ended well, and she would be the one who’d quit or get fired. Thinking on that, I waited until we had a small break between customers before going over to Justin.
He was filling a drink but paused, seeing me.
I stepped in, turning so my back was to the bar. “If you hurt her—” He turned to look at me squarely. I kept going: “—I’ll do something to make you stand before a judge. You hear me? Do not fuck with her.”
I didn’t wait for a response as I returned to my section.
And Anthony was there, giving me a fixed look.
I frowned. “What?”
He had his arms crossed over his chest and slowly shook his head.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know what’s going on between you and West, but I’m stating it here that I do not like it.”
I frowned, my whole body tensing. “What are you talking about?”
A hard look entered his gaze. “I like you. You’re tough. You don’t take shit. Customers back off from you, and you show up every day. So here’s the one time I’m giving you unsolicited advice that does not benefit me at all: Walk. Quit. Leave your shift right now and never come back here. Whatever dance you and West are doing will not end well. He has connections you will not like. Trust me.”
A cold feeling replaced the tension.
He added, a grim look on his face, “Trust me on this one, Montell.”
Justin moved over, eyeing the two of us. “You guys okay?”
Anthony’s jaw clenched, giving him a hard look too. “We’re good. This ain’t none of your business.” One last searing look my way. “When things go off, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that, he stomped away. Justin was giving me an assessing look, drying his hands with a towel. “I’m aware I’m new here, new in your roommate’s life, but I’m here. My brother’s a cop—”
“A cop?”
A more guarded look came over his face, hardening it before he gave me a tight nod. “Detective Worthing. He’s at the 116th.”
I didn’t know his brother, but the 116th was a good district. “I’ve known Anthony for a long time, that’s all. History. I can take care of myself.”
“Kelly told me what you do for a living. You gotta be tough to do that job.”
I gave him a look. “I’m good.”
But he didn’t look convinced. He lifted his chin up, moving back to his section, and I caught the measured look he gave in the direction Anthony had gone. The rest of the night passed with less drama, which said a lot considering I saw two parolees violating their parole, right in front of me. One caught me looking, looked like he shit his pants, and took off. The other one came over and bellied up to my bar, thinking we’d be “friends” about this. The crowd around me enjoyed the stern warning I gave him, which went like this: “Get out of here. Sober up. Expect a call from your parole officer.”
His chest puffed up the same time he was reaching over the bar for me. “Now, come on, you bi—”
Then he wasn’t talking anymore because I was around the bar, his hand twisted behind his back, and I was marching him out of the club myself. The security guards saw me coming, saw the guy red in the face because even though he had a good seventy pounds on me, I was still handling him. They opened the door. I shoved the guy out, and when he started arguing, I was in his face. “Walk! I don’t have time for this. Not tonight. Not here.”
He came at me again, and this time he swung.
I ducked, grabbed him, twisted his arm, and pushed him to his knees. By the time that happened, a nearby patrol squad hit their lights. I knew the cops. They knew me. They arrested the guy, but he’d be out within an hour.
So yeah. I still considered Anthony’s earlier warning the most drama of the night.
The rest of the night was me filling orders, getting hit on by a few guys and a couple girls, and also being called “bitch” six times because I didn’t take someone’s order fast enough. The whole time I was trying not to think about whether he was upstairs. If he was watching me. If someone else was sent up to serve him and his friend.
Then it was closing time.
I did the usual. Closed out my drawer, counted up the tips, cleaned my section, and went over the inventory list. Kelly came over, giggling and half all over Justin, who gave me a rueful look back.
“I’m heading to Justin’s for the night. Want to come over? We can unwind with a drink?”
Tempting, because I was still wired. A drink wouldn’t help this “wired” feeling in me. Only one thing would work it out of me.
“I’m going to head home.”
Kelly’s face got somber, and she came over to give me a hug. She said in my ear, “You okay? I saw Anthony at your bar earlier. It looked tense.”
I hugged her back, giving an extra squeeze. “I’m good. Stay safe, all right?”
She was back to her giggling and sighing self as she drew back, but she rested her forehead to mine. “He’s nice, huh?”
Some of the tension in me eased, just a little. Kelly sounded scared in that one question, but I nodded slowly against her forehead. “He does seem like a nice guy.”
“Can you look him up for me?”
I barked out a laugh. “I don’t need to. Anthony put him in the section next to mine—that says he’s solid. Anthony wouldn’t have done that if he had something I’d find in the system. My guess is that he’s fallen a bit too quick for you.”
She jerked her head back, her eyes wide. “He’s fallen for me?”
Ooh. I winced. “I’m guessing.” Maybe I shouldn’t have shared?
But it didn’t matter. Kelly was back to swooning, and the ever romantic in her was falling as well.
They took off after that, Justin giving me a wave as they left, his other arm around Kelly’s shoulders.
Once I was done, I headed out, and it was the first time I checked my phone.
I saw the text when I was almost to my car.
Leo: Call me asap. Your aunt’s call earlier was a big deal.
I didn’t react, not outwardly, but inwardly, a whole ball of dread filled me. I had known earlier that it was a big deal, a really big deal, but I’d tried telling myself to leave it alone.
I called once I was inside my car.
He picked up on the first ring. “There’s a situation.”
I prepared myself, hardening. “What is it?”
“You know where your aunt lives?”
“My aunt? Yeah . . .”
“Can you go and get her?”
“What?” I bit out, alarm filling my chest. “What’s happened?”
“A domestic situation happened. Your aunt is leaving him. Her and the kids. They’re at a local shelter, but I talked to a guy I know up there, one I trust. Your uncle has a reputation, and he’s not one to stay away from the shelter. Your aunt’s best bet is to get out of town ASAP. I volunteered to go up, but your mom overheard and started howling about it. She’s not receptive to taking care of your aunt here.”
“Shit, Leo. You’ve been there all night long?”
His voice came out gruff. “I don’t mind. Don’t have much else going on today anyways.”
Right. Because taking care of a drunk, especially the drunk of your best friend’s wife, who wasn’t quiet on the attitude side when she was liquored up, was totally something I’d be up for handling on my day off. But Leo asked.
“I know where she lives, but there’s basically no relationship with her. I’ll head up, see what I can do, though.”
“You good to drive?”
“Wired for a fight, to be honest.”
He chuckled, relaxing a little. “Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that.”
I laughed, starting the engine and noting I’d need another tank of gas and a couple big drinks of straight caffeine. I had a two-hour drive ahead of me.
