by Piper Stone
And didn’t he deserve to hear my words of sorrow? I laughed bitterly as I tried to concentrate on whatever song was playing. I hadn’t told Caroline a lie. I knew shit about music or bands, especially country music. I’d grown up on heavy metal, the head-banging music the only thing that quieted the demons.
Although I wasn’t entirely certain I could remember the majority of names of the bands I listened to. It had been all about the heady beat, the heart-stopping, numbing effect the screaming music had allowed me.
I flipped off the satellite radio, preferring the quiet, even rolling down the windows. The scent of roses immediately assaulted my senses, the sickening stench overwhelming. Roses. Why did so many people associate roses with death? Why were caskets draped with them, dozens tossed into the grave before the casket was placed six feet under?
The various numbers indicating locations rolled by, one after the other until finally I noticed the sign indicating where I was supposed to go. I pulled the truck under a large tree, sliding the gear into park but allowing the engine to idle. Just the thought of walking the few yards, searching the gravestones was terrifying.
Disheartening.
Real.
Maybe I hadn’t wanted to believe that Snake was really gone. Hell, we’d spent the last night playing cards and drinking, his contract the first to be finished amongst the group of us. Shit. I’d never seen a man so excited to finally go home. I would never forget his words or the way his face lit up when talking about Montana.
“Do you know the first thing I’m gonna do when I get home, Scorp?” Snake asked as he lifted the coffee mug, taking a deep whiff of the whiskey as if it was the finest cognac in the world. When he took a huge gulp, he closed his eyes, savoring the rotgut flavor.
“Get a hooker?”
His reaction was immediate, liquid spewing out of his mouth and all over the front of my shirt.
“Fuck!” I hissed, immediately jerking to my feet.
He burst into laughter, wiping his mouth as he stared at me. “Serves you right, you fuckhead. A freaking hooker. Hell, no!”
I lifted a single eyebrow as I wiped my shirt, threatening to toss my cup into his face.
He shielded his face with his arm, jerking back. “Come on, now. You wouldn’t do that to your best buddy. Would ya?”
“Just try me,” I huffed, easing back into the chair and shaking my head. “So what are you going to do?”
After taking a deep breath, he glanced out the window at the glaring bright sun, the damn heat more intense than usual. “I’m going to take a hike up the mountains near where my parents live. There’s this amazing little lake that no one seems to know about. You remember the place. It’s crystal clear and always the perfect temperature. The location is so damn beautiful with the mountains in the background. What I never told anybody was that I used to hike up there just to get away from the arguments, all the times my dad lost his job. Times were so damn tough. If only I could have helped more.” He had a faraway look, his eyes misting.
I sat watching him, mesmerized by his strong feelings. I’d never felt the same way about Montana, not on any level. In fact, I’d been ecstatic to get the hell away. He’d been close to his parents, something I’d wished for. “Of course, I remember it. You even took me there once to go fishing.”
“Shit! I’d forgotten about that.” He inhaled, trying to offer a smile. “I can still smell the timbers, the rich scent of pine.”
“Yeah, awesome place.”
“Anyway,” he said before reaching for the bottle, forcing me to accept another shot before filling his cup to the rim. “Here’s to the most beautiful freaking place on Earth. I can’t wait to get home.”
Home.
He’d only been two weeks from leaving. Two. Fucking. Weeks. He’d been counting down the days, acting like some kid going to his first baseball game. I leaned over the steering wheel, willing the tears to fall.
I wanted to accept the burden that I knew belonged to me. I’d prayed for months that I could exchange places with him, but no one was up there to listen. After a few minutes, I pulled back, trying to control my ragged breathing. The tears wouldn’t come.
I couldn’t even get that right. Yeah, I was a fuckup all the way. Maybe Jasper had figured that out, trying to provide a reason to live. Or maybe the old coot had figured I couldn’t do any more damage to the place than had already occurred. Either way, I had no business trying to do a damn thing with it but sell.
A rush of anger bulldozed past the sadness. However, I refused to allow the likes of Cashen Kane to get his clutches on it. I’d bury him first.
Grumbling under my breath, I took a look out the window, studying the various stones filtering for as far as I could see. I should have been here for the funeral. I should have...
As I pushed the gear into drive, I decided to take a chance and go for a drive. There was no doubt I needed to clear my head. Even if that was possible, I was forced to realize that I wasn’t the man Snake had been, or any of the others for that matter.
I was a true monster.
* * *
The locks had been changed, extra keys made, and I had an agenda in my head of what the fuck I needed to do. It was all about getting through tonight without bloodshed. Tomorrow was an entirely different day. I’d go through every fucking scrap of paperwork. Then I’d have a meeting with Jasper’s attorney, a pompous asshole who didn’t seem to give a damn. And from the cancelled checks I’d found, Jasper had paid the man a pretty penny too. Where the hell was Jasper getting all this money in the first damn place?
I’d been privy to a single bank account, the one for the business, and it had all of twelve thousand dollars, not enough to fix a damn thing inside the bar. While I’d saved a good amount of money, even investing a respectable amount, it wasn’t nearly enough to get the place ready to sell. That would take a small fortune.
A cursory look in the large envelope hadn’t indicated any plans for the bar’s future, but as crazy as it sounded to me, I had a gut feeling that they existed. My uncle was certainly a different man than I’d been led to believe.
As I walked inside, I eyed the huge, hulking bull taking up a significant amount of space. A chuckle rose from my throat, images of Caroline attempting to master the beast entering into my mind. At least she’d looked damn hot on the cheap piece of shit. Maybe that was the first thing I’d get rid of.
At least there’d been no sign of unwanted visitors during the night Raunchy Ride was closed, although I suspected that would come soon enough. I’d be forced to try to hire security, another money drainer.
I tossed the keys onto the bar, glancing around once again. When I walked toward the stage, I realized that the chicken wire-style protection had obviously been put up quickly, the heavy-duty staples used already coming out of the wall. I was still angry about Cashen’s remarks, as well as everything else, including his offhanded comment about Billy serving his purpose. Something smelled about the entire situation.
When I tugged on one portion of the cage and it gave way, I couldn’t stop, yanking at strip after strip. Within minutes, the entire side and front section had been ripped away, exposing the shabby stage in all its glory.
“Jesus.”
I finished the job, dragging the crap toward the service door and kicking it open. The second I pulled an armful of metal outside, I heard the rumble of an engine. There was no doubt that someone was on their way to the bar. And I didn’t think they had drinks in mind. Dropping the chicken wire, I pulled my gun from my waistband, leaning against the building as the sound drew closer.
The second the souped-up Ford with tinted windows pulled into the parking lot, I walked several feet, holding the weapon in both hands. I made certain the barrel was pointed at the driver’s side windshield.
The driver jerked to a stop, keeping the engine revving as if daring me to fire a shot. I walked closer, my grip tightening, narrowing my eyes as I cocked my head. “I suggest you get the fuck out of he
re or I won’t hesitate to shoot.”
I had no doubt the motherfuckers could hear me over the big block engine. When there was no initial response, I walked closer. Only then did the engine shut down, the driver’s door opening. Growling, I knew this was going to be some kind of shit trouble.
“What. The. Fuck?” I asked, laughing as Hawk stepped onto the cracked pavement, shaking his head.
“It’s not even five o’clock and you’re ready to shoot someone?” Hawk asked as he glared up at the building, slowly removing his sunglasses. “What kind of place you runnin’ here, Scorpion?”
“A shithole. That’s the kind of place.”
He grinned, walking closer. “I thought you could use a little muscle, just until you can get your head wrapped around the place.”
“More like my gun and I can use all the help I can get.”
“Good, cause I brought someone else that might come in handy.” Hawk grinned as he tipped his head toward the truck.
I eyed the silhouette and even before he could step out of the truck, I cracked up. “Mustang. What the hell?”
He swaggered forward as only he could do, his happy-go-lucky grin the same lopsided look I’d remembered. “I decided to stay after...” He looked toward the bar, keeping his sunglasses planted firmly on his face. “After accompanying Snake back home.”
The moment of silence was more about reverence than anything else.
“You know, you could have killed us,” Hawk chided, breaking the tension.
I gave him a hard look. “Yeah, I could have. But what fun would that be? The two of you really staying to beat down the riffraff tonight?”
Mustang flexed his muscles. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Then I suggest you park that fifty-thousand-dollar truck somewhere else,” I stated matter-of-factly.
Hawk narrowed his eyes. “Why? Parking that tight?”
“You don’t get how rough the crowd is.” I couldn’t help but grin. “Been through six tires already.”
“Then I guess I’ll be stashing this somewhere safe. I doubt Bryce would be thrilled if I came home with a busted-up vehicle.” Hawk gave the bar another hard glare. “You’ve really got your hands full, buddy.”
“You have no idea.”
* * *
I’d checked the manager’s officer, realizing that Billy had spent almost no time actually attempting to be an employee. Maybe he was providing information to Cashen for some reason.
“Why do you think Jasper would hire a man like Billy?” I asked absently, still trying to find some kind of angle.
“It’s possible Cashen threatened him. I told you, he’s got powerful friends,” Hawk answered.
“Just seems odd.” I thought about asking Brant, although I didn’t want to tip my hand in case he wasn’t on the up and up. I needed to follow my gut on this one.
I leaned against the bar as the various employees floated in, the majority late, which I suspected happened all the time. I gazed at my watch as the two bouncers walked in last, laughing until they saw the main lights still on. They both snarled when they turned their heads in my direction.
“Interesting employees,” Mustang said under his breath. Both he and Hawk remained close to the bar, doing nothing more than studying the various men and women, only the waitresses in any kind of decent uniforms, if you could call what they were wearing decent. Maybe I was getting too old for playing games in the middle of dark bar.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” one of the bouncers growled.
“Which one are you, Crusher or Bruiser?” I asked, merely grabbing the employee roster, trying my best not to laugh.
“Crusher. And you’re the asshole from the night before,” the large man huffed, puffing out as if he was partial owner.
“I wouldn’t challenge him if I were you, Daniel,” Brant stated with a grin on his face.
“And why the fuck is that, pretty boy?” Crusher retorted.
“Looks like some kind of pussy to me,” Bruiser added, snarling like some vicious animal.
Hawk chuckled from behind me.
I gave Brant a look, lifting one of my eyebrows.
Brant grabbed one of the chairs, straddling the seat and leaning over the back. “Be-cause, boys, Cooper McKenzie is the new owner of this bar.”
The various whispers and shocked expressions weren’t surprising.
“Well, ya didn’t think Jasper was going to let Billy run the damn place into the ground, did ya?” Brant added, snorting as he shook his head.
“Just who the hell are you?” one of the girls asked.
I glanced at the files, studying the various pictures Jasper had kept with the files. “Well, Adeline, I happen to be Jasper’s nephew and for all of you, my name’s Scorpion.” I allowed the name to sink in as I gazed from one employee to the other, keeping my glare stern. “So, here’s how we’re going to play this.”
“Here it comes,” Crusher snarked, folding his massive arms.
I walked closer to the two bouncers, taking my time. “This is a shithole. It stinks in here. The place is dingy. The crowd is allowed to take control, even though we have two perfectly beefy bouncers who seem to have a penchant for violence.”
I heard several snickers from the background and moved toward two men I hadn’t seen before, although they looked vaguely like their pictures. “The drinks are heavy on the pour and everything served is pure garbage.”
When at least one of the waitresses giggled, I shifted toward the group of them lounging all over one of the tables. “The hospitality is crap, the customers encouraged to touch, and the outfits are pure trash.” When one of the girls gave me a nasty look as she chomped her gum, I took two long strides in her direction, sticking out my hand and beckoning with my fingers.
“What the fuck?” Adeline threw out.
I simply cocked my head, waiting until the other waitress understood my demand. Then she eased halfway out of her chair, leaning forward until the low-cut tee shirt she was wearing shifted, providing a bird’s-eye view of her cleavage. The second she spit out the gum in an exaggerated fashion, almost everyone laughed.
Turning away, I winked at Hawk, who had difficulty keeping a grin off his face. Now I walked slowly, grabbing one of the bar napkins. After depositing the wad of gum and wiping my hands on one of the bar towels, I shifted back in their direction. “Notice the cage surrounding the band is gone. We’re not going to allow bottles to be tossed any longer. Period. If anyone starts a fight, they are out of here, banned from returning and it’s your job as bouncers to ensure that you do so without additional provocation. Is that understood?”
When Bruiser flared his nostrils, both men remaining quiet, I continued.
“And to help with that endeavor for a couple of days, my buddies are here to make certain not a single fight occurs within the bar. Meet Hawk and Mustang.”
“What kind of shit names are those?” a bartender asked.
Mustang took the opportunity to move forward, giving the same kind of hard, cold glare that I’d issued before. “The kind that could kick any of your asses without hesitation. I suggest you listen to your boss because he’s not going to take a single line of shit. And neither are we.”
It was good to have friends, especially when they had no regard for rules.
There was no conversation, barely anything but nasty looks. That I could live with.
For now.
“However, you will maintain civility. If it gets too much to handle, you come to me. Customers are to remain hands off at all times.” I hesitated one last time before dropping the bombshell. “And one last thing. Billy Kane is no longer an employee with this establishment.” I made certain to look every single employee in the eye, curious as to which ones would flinch the most.
“What. The. Fuck?” the gruffest bartender asked, daring to walk closer, his fists clenched. Before he had a chance to get within two feet of me, Hawk grabbed him around the collar, tossing him against the b
ar.
“You don’t like it, you can get the fuck out,” Hawk hissed.
“You ain’t running this bar, asshole,” the bartender growled.
I walked closer, shaking my head. “Dude, you’re out of here.”
“Fuck you!”
“You should be careful, Scorpion,” Brant said quietly.
“Yeah, I heard all the fucking warnings,” I retorted. “But I appreciate it.”
“Somebody’s gonna die,” a waitress purred, as if she was looking forward to seeing that happen. Well, the girl could take a damn number.
Chuckling, I nodded toward Hawk to let him go. “Anyone else wanna walk out that door? I assure you that I’m not going to shed a tear. This is a business I’m running and it’s going to happen my way. Period. What Hawk and Mustang say goes. And Brant is the new assistant manager of this place. You got it?”
Brant’s eyes opened wide, a slight smile crossing his face. He gave me a respectful nod and moved immediately behind the bar, planting his hands on the surface.
Hawk let the asshole go, even giving him a hard shove.
“You’re going to regret this,” the man barked, his expression nothing but a sneer.
Maybe I would.
When I said nothing, he pushed hard against the few others who were in his way, knocking over two chairs then kicking open the front door in his effort to leave.
“One more chance to get out with no questions asked. But if you decide to stay, you’re going to help me change this damn place into something respectable. Do you understand me?”
I’d see how long their loyalty lasted but when Crusher walked from around the others, offering a handshake, I accepted.
“You got it, boss. It’s been a long time coming,” Crusher said. “You heard the man. Let’s get this place ready to open for business. And ladies, we will have your backs.”
