“She’s dancing with him.” Carlos motioned with his hand to Mick. “Not you. Been with him since she arrived.”
“Long story,” Mitch said, slamming his glass down. “The point is the same. GO.”
Carlos slapped his friend across the face a couple of times. It wasn’t until he poured some beer over his cheeks that his eyes blinked. Johnny saw me, teetered up, and then he and Carlos melted into the sea of people and right out the front door.
Yeah, I had gone easy on him.
“Brando,” Mitch said, attempting to ease my temper. “You can’t go around saying shit like that, man. That’s a serious fucking threat.”
I gave him a look. I wasn’t two, and it wasn’t a threat. It was a vow if the assholes kept mouthing off about my wife. Or even looked at her again.
“This isn’t Italy,” he went on. “And even though they were assholes, they’re just having fun. I know—” he held a hand up “—they were probably saying shit to provoke it. It’s not hard to tell their type, but man—you need to save that shit for the real assholes. What the fuck’s up with you anyway? You talk to Rocco?”
He picked up his beer, turning his back to the bar, and watched the band, waiting for me to speak. I was on edge—not that I minded Aeden, but I minded owing, and I had an issue with other men dancing with my wife. Sharing, it seemed, was a weak spot for me. That was why it rarely happened. Another issue was other men thinking it was all right to talk about my wife and what she might be like in bed.
I rolled my shoulders, feeling the tension stuck there. “Rocco said the football players are under the grid, but he has men watching out for them. They’re going to fuck with them a bit before they close in.” I didn’t bother adding that it would be me who ended it.
“Yeah,” he said, putting his beer down. He belched. “I’m serious, Brando. You came here to have fun with your wife. This is a pub. It’s what people do. I know you have a load of shit on your back right now, but that’s all the more reason to lighten up and show your woman a good time. She has fucking giants chasing her. Let the war rest a while. Even soldiers do. I remember a time whenyouenticed a few women.”
I took another shot. “Yeah, and I guess this is pay back.”
Mitch looked around, opened his eyes wide, and then lowered them. “Nah, you still have your girl. She’s just dancing and having fun. Can’t steal what’s not on the shelf.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “I’m going to take a turn with Violet. Oh—” he pointed his beer at me, walking backwards toward the dance floor “—word on the street is that your wife beat all the male regulars up in here at pool and darts. She made some wagers that were successful. Maggie Beautiful made her mark! She’d be proud!”
The bartender brought another Guinness, sliding it my way. “On the house,” he said. I lifted my brows. “Those two clowns that were standin’ next to you. Been harassin’ the women in here since last night. Pinchin’ arses and bein’ fucktards. Doubt they’ll be back. Cheers.”
“Saluti,” I lifted my glass toward him and downed it.
I turned to watch Scarlett finish the dance, face flushed and eyes alive. She was having fun. After a few songs, she met me at the bar, smiling and smelling of exertion and sweet rose perfume. One look at Jameson and Guinness waiting for her and she took a step back, shaking her head.
“Cap the devil up,” she said, and then bumped into Mitch.
He put his arms behind her, pushing her toward me again.
“Oh no,wee dancer, we have to see this! We hear you’re quite the big fishy in this pond.”
“Back off, Mitch!” she snapped.
He wasn’t daunted, and seeing as he had reinforcements, he continued forward. Romeo, Michael, Gabriel, Guido, and Aeden huddled around her chanting “ire.” Donato and Dario were laughing, watching the scene unfold.
I lifted the bottle, swinging it a bit. She mouthedassat me and then swiped it from my fingers. My wife was quite the fishy, though it didn’t take her long to start giggling and teetering into me. To keep her out of trouble, I decided to take Mick on in pool. It had been a while since the last time I’d played.
All of the men refused to play pool with my wife, so she sat in the corner watching me. Still, they watched her warily, some of them believing the story the Good Captain and his crew had told—she was some sort of enchantress that had called on the lightning and thunder in Fiji.
Mitch, in favor of this, had the DJ play “Maneater” in honor of her reputation. I had to stop her from jumping on his back and putting him in a headlock.
Romeo stood with his back against the wall, in a dimly lit area, right next to her, nursing a beer. He had just played me and lost. Gabriel decided to take me on. Maggie Beautiful had taught me how to play.
“Scarlett Poésy?”
Gabriel and I both paused with our pool sticks, watching as the woman walked up closer, narrowing her eyes to make sure Scarlett was in fact the Scarlett she thought she was. Eva stood next to the woman. Side by side, they resembled each other—same thick, dark auburn hair and fair skin. Her eyes were hazel instead of the teal of Eva’s though.
“That’s my wife’s cousin,” Gabriel said, leaning in toward me. “She came here with her girlies for a trip.”
“She looks familiar,” I said.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes and held on to the wall so she wouldn’t fall off the stool trying to get a better look at the woman. Violet walked up and called the woman Beauchene. Beauchene threw herself at Violet, and Scarlett threw herself into the mix. The three of them rocked and held each other close.
“They went to school together,” I said. I remembered her then, but barely. I didn’t even know her first name, and never would have remembered her if Violet hadn’t called her by her last.
