Savannah brings my drink over and looks concerned. “You okay here, honey?” she asks, her blue eyes darting from me then back to the men. I shake my head to tell her it’s fine. She scatters away and I hope she is getting help.
Rage tints the guy’s voice as he speaks. “No, we don’t have a life to go to anymore, thanks to your asshole father, and the best I can tell is that if we can’t enjoy our lives, neither can you. We’re going to send a message to your daddy about laying off people who’ve dedicated their lives to his company.”
Okay, things are about to get way out of hand. I toss back the rest of my drink and slide off my stool to face him. I guess I am a glutton for punishment because instead of just walking away, I open my mouth. “What message do you think you’re going to send using me, huh? I barely talk to him.” And as soon as I ask the question I know the answer and I know it’s going to hurt.
He smiles and punches me in the face hard knocking me completely backward. I knew he was spoiling for a fight, but damn, that was one hell of a punch. I don’t really have time to contemplate anything as I climb to my feet. I work my jaw back and forth, making sure it’s not broken and then take a swing, but I’m not quick enough. Two of the dude’s buddies have stepped forward and grabbed a hold of me, slinging me around trapping me for more punishment.
People are chanting around us most of them not on my side. Savannah screams for them to leave me alone, but it falls on deaf ears. I should have made her meet me when she got off work. I shouldn't go into bars without security guards I know and VIP sections that I can hide in.
Because I know I need to keep my mouth shut but often lack the ability, I pipe up. “If you wanted to dance, all you had to do was ask. You’re not my type but . . .” That’s as far as I get as they hold my arms back and the first guy pummels me again. This time he gets me in the eye. Stars explode around my vision as my neck is snapped back. Thomas is going to kick my ass when he sees my face. He’s scheduled for me to get new headshots this week and I’m sure he was not going for the ground meat look.
I’m getting pissed. Not just because this guy and his lackeys outnumber me, but because they have a valid reason to be pissed at my old man. However, that is not my fault. I’m sick of getting treated like an asshole because of my dickhead father. I’m enough of an asshole in my own life not to need any extra. I stiffen my spine and spit a stream of blood on the floor. “You’re a real big man, gotta fight with your cronies holding me back,” I smirk at him because there’s no way I’m backing down now. Even though this is my dad’s fight.
“He’s right. Let him go,” the guy is really amped up now. “I’ve wanted to hit this dickhead since high school.”
Great more of my past is coming back to haunt me. I wasn’t that big of a dick in high school that I remember. The other guys let me go and I put my hands up ready to defend myself.
“Nope, get the hell out of here now,” a large man is coming from the back of the bar. I assume he’s the owner or an angel. “Doug get in here and get these men out.”
The bouncer comes in and grabs me by my shirt. He laughs as he pulls me towards the door. “I told you to watch your ass, dumbass.”
“Well next time could you be more specific? ?
??I spit out my jaw aching.
“Doug all these men have to go,” I hear the guy screaming at the bouncer behind me.
“He didn’t pay for his drink,” I hear Savannah screech as she points at me. Everyone stops for a fraction of a second to stare at her outburst. I’m the only one who knows what it was really about. She doesn’t care about that or me. She cares that she can’t get her fix if I don’t give her the twenty.
The bouncer pulls me away from the bar and we go by the table of older men and they still sit there just observing. One of the older gentlemen sitting around the table nods his head at me.
I hear Savannah screaming, “Let me go, Vince. He didn’t pay. Let me go get the money.”
He must be holding her back. I don’t care for coke, it’s not my drug of choice. I have no problem getting it for her anytime and letting her have it, and it is a fun time when we get high together. She needs to stop acting like a fool if she doesn’t get her shit together, however, they’re going to catch on. I will her to calm the hell down as the bouncer makes it outside with me.
“Those guys get to stay and drink?” I mutter as I rub my jaw.
“They’re regulars, rich boy, they come in all the time. You’re the outsider here. Whatever you were bringing the bartender, take it with you. She’s a nice girl, and I will call the cops.”
I snort when he says, nice girl. He has no idea how deep in the nose candy she is. The threat of the cops is what stops me from running my mouth. She has never gotten it from me before, and the guy I got it from told me he's seen her hanging around his dealer. She's no stranger to the scene or the high.
The older man from the table walks out into the parking lot. He's smoking a cigarette and flicks it at my feet as he walks towards me. I ignore this disrespectful gesture because I'm curious what he has to say.
"You'll have to forgive my boys. Especially Jimmy. They have a hard time controlling their temper when it comes to your dad."
"Well, I'm not my dad or his keeper. I certainly had nothing to do with you getting fired."
"That's the thing. My daughter isn't my keeper either but if someone did something to her I'd be hurt. It would feel personal, you feel me?"
"I doubt my dad would care, man. We aren't exactly close." I say that with the venom I feel for both my father and this man.
"It's all we got sport. Nothing personal." He lights another cigarette and smiles at me. He's probably in his later forties early fifties. He's taller than me with broad shoulders and salt and pepper hair. He wears a thick mustache and well-trimmed beard. He's still wearing a Maxwell work shirt, jeans, and boots.
"Dude just work this shit out with my father. I'm not involved."
"Watch your back, Charlie. We're coming for you."
He speaks very calmly but in a way that's unnerving. He walks back in the bar and the bouncer grins at me.