Hailey:hehe. Have a good time.
Goldie:Thx. I’ll call u tomorrow.
Hailey::)
Goldie put the phone in his pocket and went over to the window. Down below, he saw Brutus, Jigger, Sangre, Army, Eagle, and Skull walking toward their bikes. The encroaching darkness slowly swallowed the last light of day. The shadows from the oak tree fell over the brothers’ heads and shoulders like a web.I almost canceled going to Rear End to be with Hailey.But he didn’t. He had to prove to himself that he could go out with his brothers and have a good time without her on his mind. She’d been totally cool with it, and he kind of wished she would’ve given him an attitude to prove that she was just like all the women he’d known. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t like anyone he’d ever known. Grabbing his keys, he went down to meet his brothers.
Rear End had been around since the 1960s and had a longtime reputation as a biker’s haven. Framed posters of naked women in leather boots posed in various positions on motorcycles hung on the dirty gray walls. Beer kegs shot up by the patrons in the desert were part of the dive’s decorations. Old neon beer signs blinked intermittently behind the bar and in the small windows facing the street. The back wall was known as the “Memorial Wall” where broken bits and pieces of motorcycles shared space with photos of longtime regulars—both dead and alive. Bullet holes marked the walls, and a canopy of women’s bras decorated the ceiling. Brawling was the norm, and sometimes violence would erupt among the customers over something as simple as a lost pool or dart game. Most nights Rear End was packed with bikers and women who wanted to be near them.
Goldie and his brothers entered the dive, jerking their heads at some of the men in leather standing by the bar. Zito, the owner and bartender, grinned at the Night Rebels, his top gold teeth flashing under the flickering neon signs. “It’s been too fuckin long,” he said as he set down seven shot glasses. Zito inherited the bar after his dad had passed away ten years before. He was built like a linebacker and didn’t put up with shit from anyone. If one of the patrons justly pissed off another, he’d let them fight it out, but if someone started bullshit for no reason, he’d find himself kissing the pavement or staring into Zito’s double-barrel shotgun.
“On the house,” he said as he filled the shot glasses with Jack.
“Thanks, man,” the brothers said as they lifted their glasses and threw them back.
Goldie panned the room and saw a woman he’d hooked up with eight months before. He’d met her at Rear End, and she seemed like a good time. They got drunk and he ended up at her place for a couple of days. All they did was smoke weed, drink, and fuck. When he’d taken off, she’d been madder than hell that he hadn’t wanted her number. He’d been sorry that he hadn’t just given it to her so he could’ve avoided the scene, but he’d been too high and hadn’t thought it through.
Goldie turned his head, but she’d already spotted him and was headed his way. He ordered a double Jack and braced himself. Her long nails dug into his bicep at the same time a nauseatingly sweet citrus scent roped around him.
“It’s been a long time, Goldie. How’ve you been?”
Turning slightly, he lifted his chin. “Been good.”
White, crooked teeth shone between dark lips. With her jet-black hair and pasty complexion, she looked like a vampire.Did she look like that when we hooked up? And what the fuck’s her name?
“I haven’t seen you around here. I hope you weren’t avoiding it because of me.” Her nails dug in deeper.
“Hardly.” He jerked his arm away and gave her a warning glance.
“Not in the mood to be friendly?” She leaned in close but he pushed her away.
“Nah. Go on and circulate.” He turned his back to her.
“What’s the story with Vampirella?” Eagle asked.
Goldie chuckled. “I was drunker than shit the last time I was here and ended up crashing a couple of days with her. We fucked like crazy, and then I left. She got pissed.”
“The usual story. Damn. I was hoping for some real blood sucking, not the hickey shit.”
“She’d probably do it now. I don’t remember her looking like the undead.”
“Was she a good fuck?”
“Yeah. I mean, I stayed for two days, so she must’ve done something right.”
“Whoa, bro. Look at her now. She’s giving you the evil eye, and the dude with her is acting all tough.” Eagle laughed.
“What a couple of losers. If he wants to start shit, I’m right in. It’s been too long since I had a good bar fight.”
“Vampirella would probably love to see you crush him. Bitches like that love to have a man fight for them. Makes ’em feel special. Maybe he’s her Igor.” Goldie and Eagle laughed.
“Some dudes from the Jagged Aces challenged us to a pool game. Are you guys in?” Army asked.
“I’m out, but I’ll watch,” Goldie said.
Army jerked his head back. “I thought you’d be all over this.”
“I’m in,” Eagle said.
