“Maybe.” He shrugged, taking a seat at the same table.
“Here you go.” A server placed two whiskeys down on the table in front of them.
“We didn’t order these—”
“Don’t worry; they’re on the house.”
“Damn, why haven’t I come here before?” He smacked the table before picking up his drink.
“Name’s Jason.”
“Mine’s Bernard.” The two men shook hands.
The stripper walked off-stage as the door at the top of the stairs opened, and a huge man walked down the steps.
“He must be the bouncer,” Bernard wise-cracked. “Damn, those are some mean-looking fuckers in the corner by the door.” Bernard nodded at the group of bikers.
Jason turned his head, his expression growing pale when he saw the men. Hastily, he turned to face forward when the one with the scar stared at him. The creepy fucker made his skin crawl.
“That’s the Predators.” Jason lowered his voice.
Bernard turned to stare at them again rudely. “I’ve heard of them. They don’t look as badass as I thought they would. In my day, me and a couple of friends of mine could have taken the whole bunch of them,” Bernard bragged loudly.
“Sh … I don’t want any trouble with them,” Jason muttered.
“You a pussy?” He hit the table. “You’re in the right place. Jump on the stage.”
Jason looked around the room at the men sitting at the tables and standing at the bar. Some of them looked vaguely familiar.
The door to the outside opened, and another group of bikers entered. They looked just as lethal as the ones sitting at the table.
“Fuck, how many free coupons did they give away?” Bernard muttered.
Jason ignored him, staring at their cuts.
“The Last Riders,” Bernard answered his unasked question.
Jason had never heard of them, and he didn’t intend to get caught in a turf war. He finished his own drink, setting the glass down on the table.
He was about to stand up and leave when the last biker came in. When the door closed, he locked it and stood in front of it. He was as big as the bouncer, but he was bald. He crossed his arms over his chest, blocking the door.
Bernard slammed his empty glass on the table. “Where did that waitress go? I need another drink. Think they’ll give me another free one?”
“I don’t think the first one was.” Jason sat on the edge of his chair. “Where did all the waitresses and strippers go?”
Bernard stared around the room. “Don’t know. Guess they’re taking a break.”
“All at the same time?” Jason said sharply.
“They’re coming back. See, the lights on the stage are coming on.”
Jason looked to the stage. Everyone in Queens City would recognize the man walking across it. His harsh features and elegant suit were his trademark.
“I know him. That’s King. I remember him from when he was first starting out.”
“You’re from King’s neighborhood?”
“Used to be. I moved in with my son and his wife ten years ago. You, too?”
“Yeah, I moved away twelve years ago when I got married. I live with my daughter and her kids after my wife died, and she got divorced.”
“You have grandkids? How old are they?” Bernard asked with a gleam Jason recognized too easily.
“I’m getting the fuck out of here.” That big son of a bitch might be at the front door, but the place had to have a back exit.
A hand landed on his shoulder, and Jason looked up into the creepy biker’s face.
“Sit down. The show is just beginning.”
Jason nodded as he felt a drop of piss roll down his leg. He sat back down, but the man’s hand didn’t leave his shoulder.
Jason’s attention was drawn back to the stage where King began talking. “Good evening, gentlemen. I want to thank you for showing up for the free lap dance. Please show your card if you have one. Anyone here who doesn’t have a card?”
While the cards were being waved eagerly in the air by the others, Jason left his lying on the table.
“Good. I see we only have one missing tonight. The turnout was much better than I expected. You can place your card down now. I’d like to turn the stage over to my son-in-law.”
Jason thought the biker standing behind him was scary; however, the man walking out onto the stage was the stuff of nightmares.
“I’m not going to say a lot to you filth. You’ve already taken too much of my time.” He walked to the stage to a large square which was covered by a cloth. Then he reached out, removing the white cloth and dropping it to the floor. “Remember her? Each of you should.”
Several men tried to make a break for it, but the bikers had spread throughout the room. They knocked the men down to the floor as they tried to escape.