“Yeah, the fact that you think you're God’s gift to women. Either tell me what you want to drink or get the hell out of the way so I can help someone else,” I yell back at him while sipping my beer again; this being my third one, I can feel my nerves ease and my confidence rise.
“You little cunt!” All of a sudden, he jumps over the counter to grab hold of me with his meaty hands. I instantly grasp the neck of my bottle, ready to wallop the man in the head with it. Before he can make contact, though, his arm is ripped backward. I look past him, following the tattooed arm holding the dirt bag, to find Bobby shaking his head at the man. He leans in and whispers something in Old Man’s ear. Old Man’s face nearly turns pale, then serious.
“Your dad should get a hold of you before that mouth of yours gets you into trouble,” he sneers as he's walking away.
“You are a brave woman talking shit like that to a biker; and what the hell were you going to do with that bottle?” Bobby asks amused; his face full of laughter.
I look at the bottle I'm still clutching in my hand. I'm a little stunned that my first instinct was to fight back.
“You're different,” he says, trying to size me up.
“How so?” I ask, taking a swig of the beer.
“Most women don’t mouth bikers,” he says, laughing. I shrug in response and grin.
Looking out into the crowd, a swarm of people move as one and I spy Shadow standing in a circle of boobs and legs. The sight makes me slightly gasp and my palms sweat. I hate how jealous I am and that just makes me even more pissed. A girl just looking at Shadow makes my claws come out and he isn’t doing anything wrong; he is just talking.
Suddenly, in my line of sight, I see a pair of dainty fingers snap. They belong to a woman I haven't seen before. Her short hair is black with streaks of blond slicing through it. Her smoky eyes and bright red lipstick have been meticulously applied. A black leather jacket is covering a red tube top but the counter blocks my view below that. She is quite fierce looking; nothing like the other girls I've seen around here.
“Can I get two beers here!” she yells at me, her voice like silk yet sassy.
“Yeah, sorry,” I respond, snapping from my embarrassing gawking episode. I reach down into the cooler and bring out two beers. She rolls her eyes as she snatches them and walks off. I can’t help but watch her walk away; her black leather pants are skin tight, showing off everything her mother gave her. I watch those swaying hips walk right toward Shadow and his circle of babes.
“That’s Chelsea; she’s a hang-around. She’s been trying to become Shadow's Ol' Lady since she laid eyes on him,” Bobby, now behind me, whispers in my ear.
“And Shadow?” I ask, curious about what Shadow thought of this Chelsea.
“Shadow doesn’t do relationships. That’s what he tells her, anyway. He has fucked her a couple of times but sent her packing when he was done. She’s trouble, he says. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” He holds a small glass of clear liquid in front of my face, “here, have a shot with me.”
I watch Shadow's face light up when Chelsea hands him a beer; instantly the other girls leave. Are they scared of her? Am I going to have to stake claim of Shadow like I did with Candy?
“Put this salt on your wrist and lick it. Shoot the shot and then bite this lime.” Bobby pushes the glass into my hand, snapping my gaze. He turns my other wrist and shakes salt on it. “Lick it.”
I dart my tongue out and lick up the grainy salt. He lifts my hand with the tequila, and I shoot it back. I wince visibly, making Bobby chuckle.
“Hurry, bite this. It helps,” he says, handing me a lime wedge.
I bite it and feel the sour tingle overcome the burn of the alcohol. My body instantly feels warm.
“I have never done that before. It was awesome!” I yell at him, making him double over in laughter.
I glance over at where Shadow and Chelsea stand and see her lean in and kiss him on the lips. Those are my lips, bitch!
She turns and nestles herself right in front of his body, her back to his chest, claiming him in front of everyone. I literally feel my heart beating through my chest. My fists clench, making my nails cut into my palm. Shadow puts his hands on her hips, not even fighting her off. That just hurts. My eyes sting from the sight happening before me. Chelsea turns and runs her hand down his chest and over his groin. What the fuck?
I start to exit the bar, ready for a throw down, but Bobby grabs my arm and leans into my ear. His frame, large like a football player, overshadows mine.
“Breathe, Dani. If he pushes her away, it’s going to raise a lot of fucking questions. If you go over there and make a scene, it’s going to raise even more questions. Come drink with me, and breathe.” His words make sense but the effects of my heart shattering still run cold, making the hurt vibrate through my limbs.
“Come on, I'm not that bad to be around, am I?” he teases.
I smile and grab three empty shot glasses, slamming them on the bar with a thud.
“Hit me!” I yell at Bobby.