“Only so many jobs—”
“You’ll find your place,” Grease said, slapping me on the back as we moved to the side so the waitress could carry her tray to the table. “You come see me on Monday. We’ll talk to Dragon and figure shit out.”
“I wanna go to college,” I blurted out.
Was it just me or had the bar suddenly quieted, making my voice carry?
Gramps laughed. “So, go. Nobody’s stoppin’ ya.”
The conversation turned, and I stood there for a few minutes, bewildered at the fact that we’d had the discussion I’d been dreading for months, in the middle of a crowded bar, and it was suddenly settled. I looked over and made eye contact with Kara and jerked my head toward the bathrooms. I needed a minute.
After she nodded in understanding, I strode away. My skin crawled as I brushed shoulders with people, fighting my way through the crowd. Thankfully, there wasn’t a line when I got there and I stepped right inside and locked the door behind me.
I stared at my fucked up face in the cracked mirror.
Did I want to prospect and ultimately patch in with the Aces MC?
If I was honest with myself, I’d just been delaying the inevitable. I was a convicted felon. There wasn’t a lot of options for me anymore, no matter how I spun it. I had to consider that.
But more than anything, did I really think that I wouldn’t become a member eventually? Grease was right. The club was home. I’d grown up on that property, camping in the big field out back, playing pranks in the garage and learning to ride my bike on the gravel in the forecourt. Hell, you could see the club from the front porch of my childhood home.
As I washed my hands, something inside me settled and the decision was clear.
Walking back out into the crowded bar, I was surprised to find that Kara wasn’t at our table, but halfway to the restrooms. She didn’t see me as I got closer to her, and I realized why when I was only a couple feet away.
“You’re lookin’ real good,” the guy in front of her said, instantly pissing me off. “Where you been?”
“I’ve been around,” Kara replied.
The words were fine, like they were having a friendly conversation, but I’d never heard Kara use that tone before in my life. While Kara had never been one for confrontation, I would’ve never in a million years have called her timid.
“Couple of the guys are home from school,” the douchebag said, reaching for her arm.
I couldn’t get there fast enough.
Kara jerked her arm down to her side, avoiding the touch.
“You should come say hi,” the douche continued, like she wasn’t giving off get-the-fuck-away-from-me vibes.
“I’m here with some people,” Kara said, taking a step back just as I reached her. She startled as she hit the front of me. As she turned to apologize, I got a look at her face.
“You need somethin’?” I asked the douche. I recognized him from school, but I didn’t remember his name.
“Nope,” he said, grinning. “Me and Kara were just catching up.”
“Seems like she doesn’t wanna catch up,” I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was shaking and I hadn’t noticed it until I touched her.
My anger kicked up a notch. What the fuck?
“She always played hard to get,” the guy said, still grinning.
I took a deep breath, trying to control the urge to clock him right in his smug smile as Kara’s trembling got worse. Something wasn’t right.
“Let’s go,” Kara said, turning toward me to push at my belly. “Come on, let’s just go.”
“I’ll see you around,” the guy said to Kara, making her entire body jerk in response.
“The fuck?” I asked, looking at her and then back at him.
“Hey, I remember you,” the guy said, realization dawning. “I didn’t at first. Your face is super fucked up, bro.”
“I want to go now,” Kara said, shoving at me. “Go, Draco.”
“That’s right,” douche said, snapping his fingers. “Draco.”
“Go back to the fucking table,” Kara said, her fingers digging into my stomach. “Go.”
I held the motherfucker’s gaze until he laughed and turned, making his way back through the crowd.
“What the fuck was that?” I asked Kara as she shoved at me.
“Nothing,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. She still looked freaked the fuck out, even with me standing right in front of her.
“It sure as hell wasn’t nothin’,” I shot back as she moved around me, hurrying toward our group. I clenched my jaw and followed her, instead of yelling her name like I wanted to.
By the time I reached the table, Kara had convinced Charlie that it was time to go and they were grabbing their stuff.
“You guys out of here?” Leo asked in surprise. “Thought you’d make it longer than us old folks.”
“Looks like they’re ready to go,” I replied through my teeth. Something was seriously wrong, and if Kara thought I was going to let it go, she was in for a rude awakening.