As Mike was refilling their waters, the girls were called back to the stage to belt out Aerosmith’s “Crazy.” The intro music started and both girls swayed to the music. Kind of.
“It’s probably time we cut them off,” Eagle observed.
I’d had a difficult enough time introducing water into Monica’s liquid diet. “Sure. You tell ’em.”
“Do I look like I’m fuckin’ crazy?”
While I was trying to think up a witty response, four bikers joined us at the bar. I gave them a brief once-over, but in the dim lighting, they didn’t look familiar. Side rockers announced them as nomads, and a 1%er patch made it clear they didn’t give a shit about laws. From where I was seated, I couldn’t get a look at their backs to see which club they represented.
Although the Copper Penny was owned by the Dead Presidents, it was open to the public. We often saw—and welcomed—bikers from other clubs. We even had several regulars who weren’t associated with any club at all, just guys who liked to ride and shoot the shit at our outdated watering hole. Since I sometimes filled in as a bouncer, I knew most of the regulars, but I’d bet money I’d never seen any of these guys, so I got a better look, checking out their name patches.
The blond had a thick scar over his left eye, and the name on his patch was Steel. Skoal was balding with a thick, dark beard and a lower lip puffed out from chewing tobacco. The tallest of the group—Hyena—had a big dark mole on his cheek. The fourth had a snake tattoo wrapped around his left forearm and was predictably named Snake. Sometimes clubs came up with unique names, but most of them were so damn generic and predictable they seemed almost cliche.
The four ordered drinks before turning their attention to the stage to watch the girls who were swaying and singing, living their best intoxicated lives.
“What do you boys think of the entertainment?” Steel asked, making the girls sound like strippers he’d provided rather than the random karaoke singers they were.
“They’re wearing too many clothes,” Skoal said. “We should have hit up that titty bar down the street.”
“Those bouncers are rude as shit,” Steel replied. “I told you we’re not goin’ back there.” Turning back to the stage, he sucked in his bottom lip and curled his top in appreciation. I don’t know what the fuck he was doing, but he looked like a lecherous piece of shit.
I nudged Eagle.
He nodded. “I see them.”
Hyena leaned forward. “The blonde’s not bad.”
“I’d fuck ’em both,” Snake said.
Hyena laughed, and the annoying sound of it clued me in on how he came by his road name. “Shit. You’d fuck your own sister.”
“Step-sister,” Snake clarified. “And that bitch is hot. Even Steel said she was.”
“I said she had a nice ass, but that nose… she needs to get that shit taken care of. I’d have to fuck her from behind, so I didn’t have to look at her. Both of these bitches look better than your sister. Any of you ever fuck a black bitch before?”
Everything about them was disrespectful, but that set me over the edge. I had to say something. “Do you mind?” I asked.
“Mind what?” Steel fired back. “Me and my brothers are having a conversation that you’re not part of. Seems to me like you need to mind your own damn business.”
Mike set their beers down a little too hard, getting their attention. “Can I get you anything else?”
Steel held my glare, but Skoal piped up. “We’re good for now.”
Mike gave them one last look before answering the call of another patron.
Eagle grabbed my arm. “Easy. You just got off probation.”
He was right. These bastards weren’t worth lengthening my record. It was already proving hard enough to find a job and if I had any chance of a future with Monica, I at least needed a steady paycheck. I broke eye contact with Steel and took a sip from Monica’s water.
“I’d fuck a black bitch,” Snake said. “I haven’t, but I would.”
“Would you fuck that one?” Hyena asked. “She don’t got no arm. I don’t know if I could fuck a one-armed bitch, no matter what the rest of her looked like.”
My blood was boiling. I was trying to ignore them, but the bastards were loud as hell. I should turn my back to them, but instinct wouldn’t let me. Keeping them in my peripheral, I tried to focus on the girls. The song seemed like it was going on forever.
“We should get the ladies out of here as soon as they’re done,” I said to Eagle.
Nodding, he called Mike over so we could settle up.
