Retrace

Chapter 7

Reeves

"I heard you turned down The Russian. . .again. " Jake sends his arm forward, straight, landing a dart in the very center of the red pierced dot. "It's a shitload of money. . ." he mutters, admiring his precise hit. "And you know he doesn't like hearing no. "

I take a sip of my water, studying the target board from a distance. "I know, " I say.

Jake pivots to look at me. "What's come over you, man? "

I pull the darts from the board.

"Nothing, " I say low with my back to him, launching a dart at the target.

"Reeves. " His voice is harsh, but even without looking directly at him, I know his eyes hold concern.

"I don't know, " I relinquish. "The s**t with Katie, and. . .the usual. " I finally turn to look at him with a tapered stare. "It will be the three-year anniversary in a few days. " Jake's hard face breaks for a moment. He composes fast enough that an untrained eye wouldn't have even noticed. The pain, however, stays on his face in the form of a clenched jaw muscle. Jake and I don't share a long history, but the one we do share is by far more intimate than any extended one.

"There have been some rumours, " he says under his breath, nonetheless it still reaches me and it's enough to draw my attention.

"What rumours? " I ask solemnly. He snaps out of a short reverie and just shakes his head. "Which rumours, Jake? " My voice is as cold as the expression my face has taken. "Is it about A.Z.? "

"Leave it. " His eyes mirror mine, and the determination they transmit certainly backs his words. It was just a slip-up; he is not about to elaborate. I know that he won't tell me anything, whatever he has, for the sole purpose of keeping me safe. I break our short stare down and grab a stamp from the table.

"I'm going to work. " I slam the door shut, leaving his office. I pass by the toilets and splash cold water on my face. I dry myself with a raspy paper towel and take a deep breath. I need to calm my inner thunderstorm before going outside. In this state, the simplest word out of place and I'll turn into the Terminator himself. Still propped with one hand on the sink, I survey my reflection in the mirror as I run the other over my few days' growth of stubble. Shutting my eyes tight, I take another deep breath that does s**t to calm me and push the door open with a flat hand.

Ted, a The Thing double, slaps my back in greeting as I take his place at the stool in front of the main door to Jake's. Lately, I've been taking more shifts at the bar when I'm not on a job. It's not that I need the money, the cash I make here is a joke compared to my real job, but I need the distraction. I don't do laidback. Laidback equals enough time to walk down the deepest tunnels of my mind. I'd rather walk through a nuclear explosion than go there.

Time passes as I stamp wrists and give each individual a short, thorough detection. The flow of patrons is slow but steady, just the right pace to keep me busy. The BS that the bartenders, Dan and Eileen, give one another keeps me entertained as I listen to it through our linked earpieces. Jake has a state of the art internal network communication system we all, including boss man himself, wear while working.

I tap my earpiece and say, "Eileen, give the guy a break, throw him a bone. He is about to drown in his own drool. That tight shirt is cruel, babe. Cruel. "

"Reeves, the only one that I'm willing to throw more than a bone to is you, " she says in a forced slutty voice. I chuckle in response.

"Don't distract the bouncer, " Jake's voice comes over the electronic line. "I need him thinking with his upper head. "

"Gotcha, boss. "

"Thanks for trying, dude, " Dan adds his share.

"Anytime. " I release the button that allows them to hear me and reach for the cold bottled water under my chair. Coming up, I'm facing a group of people but see only one. A smug curve pulls up at the edge of my lips as I acknowledge her, thinking how thoroughly I acknowledged her last night while stroking myself in the shower. Just fantasizing about her was better than actually bagging the tails I've had lately.

She is lightly flushed. I'm not sure if it's the evening chilled air or a reaction to seeing me again, but I'm hoping it's the latter. She is as beautiful as the last time that I had the pleasure of seeing her, and what a pleasure it was. An absurd thought of whether either of the guys are someone she's seeing jolts to my head as I stamp the wrists of the members of her little group. When I take her wrist in my hand, I lightly press with my thumb on the side, where her pulse is and notice it's quickened. I slowly lift my eyes from her delicate wrist to align them with hers.

"We meet again, Nia, " I say in a low voice. Though we've met already an abundance of times more, in my head, were she was also flushed, albeit enthusiastically screaming my name.

"We meet again, G.I. Joe. "

My brows flash up and I c**k my head. Her lips stretch into a smile, a mighty, f*****g stunning one. She pulls her hand back, pats my chest once with that smile intact and disappears behind the heavy, black metal door. I look over my shoulder at her leaving back and can't help the stretch my own lips take. If she only knew how close she'd hit. . .This will be the second time she manages to elevate my mood, in person, and this time she has her clothes on.

I wait the sufficient amount of time one would take to get settled and order a drink before pressing the button on my earpiece, "Dude, straight dark hair, cream sweater, killer bod, with a group, what is she drinking? "

"Oh, wow. Wow! " Eileen exclaims. "Mr. I just replaced my bed, there wasn't enough space left on the bedpost shows genuine interest in someone? We are at what she drinks, Reeves? I'm jealous! "

My fellow bar colleagues are familiar with my theory of alcohol and women, the rarer the drink, the rarer the lady. They also full well know that it's about once in a blue moon that I actually care to know what someone drinks.

"Should we tell him? " Eileen teases.

"Oh, you want to hear this one, bro, " Dan says, and my lips lift a degree. "Ready...? "

"Shoot. "

"Talisker, neat. "

Damn, but somehow I knew it would be something along this line. Classy, lots of spice, fresh, smooth, and wild. She's a living, breathing embodiment of my dream girl. Refined, perfect body, clean - stunning face, great taste in scotch. Only I don't chase these kind of dreams anymore...

"I gotta check this one out. What table? " Jake asks. There's a collective snort from both my co-workers at the bar.

"Eight, boss, " Eileen sings.

"f**k you, Jake, " I say, amused.

My attention is flung to a higher than the empire state group of trouble that's making its way to where I sit. I stand up to "greet " them, walling their path to the bar.

"Gentlemen, we are at full capacity, " I say in a voice that tells them it won't be a smart move to argue with me.

"Hey, Mr. Tough Guy, we won't take long. " A guy that smells worse than a distillery stands in my face. I roll my eyes. There's always one i***t to start the festivities. I take half a step back and cross my arms over my chest. "Like I said, I'm sorry, but we are at full capacity tonight. "

"f**k you, p***y, " a relatively built guy that I wouldn't peg as intoxicated as the rest says while pushing my chest as though bumping into a wall. Before he can even say, "I'm a fucktwad, " I have him in a tight grip, holding his hand backward. I bring my free hand to his throat, pressing just enough to have him gasp for air, but not enough to cause any damage. His friends eye me hesitantly.

"I release you, and you and your friends will turn around and quietly leave, or I'll have to show you what happens if I press harder. " And to give him a prelude of the joy I can bring him, I press just a bit harder. He lets out choking stutters as I shove him forward. He wobbles for a few steps and quickly balances while gasping. He sends my way a look coated with poison. I nod at them.

"Have a lovely evening, gentlemen. "

"Hey Reeves, I think I'm going for her. " Jake's comment brings me back to our earlier conversation. I plop back onto the stool. "Miss Talisker is damn hot. "

I tug the button and speak. "We all know you take pride in your masculinity, Jake. But you're still a p***y. Don't let me get back there and kick your ass. " I smile at Jake's strained chuckle. My smile swiftly dissolves as I notice a very familiar angelic blonde heading my way. I press the earpiece again. "Jake, get someone to cover for me. "