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I settle in my seat and glance at my father watching me. His gaze lazily moves to his wife eating her meal.
With Viktor focused elsewhere, I peek at Roman who frowns at whatever Maks tells him. I can’t imagine either of my older brothers losing sleep over my absence, but I’ve never understood them.
After two years away, I feel like I’m seeing my family clearly for the first time.
BEAR
I enter Above Snakes Bar & Grill in time to hear the bell ring. The place breaks into applause. Somewhere in the crowd, a deflowered virgin likely takes a bow. Another satisfied chick, thanks to our resident sex god, Golden.
Back in the day, I had my own little fan club. I didn’t ring bells after banging a chick, but I enjoyed a healthy following of women who wanted nothing more than to spend their weekends with my dick in them.
I’ve often claimed I got too old for that shit. How after thirty, ringing bells and keeping score seemed childish. That I’d matured past fan clubs.
The reality is I had fallen hard for Natasha. Even after she ran off, I couldn’t let go. My dick got lonely, though, and jacking off can only accomplish so much. That’s why I started hooking up with Aneta.
Tonight, the blonde sits in a reserved corner booth, drinking her usual Aviation cocktail.
I’m pushing through the crowd to reach her when I spot Siobhan running the room’s center bar top. Her area is packed, and I can’t get close enough to speak. When Siobhan’s gaze finds mine, she doesn’t look away. I fish out my phone and text her.
“How is your bestie?” I ask, wondering if my words sell my bitterness.
“Battered but beautiful,” she says, and my temper flares. “She asked about you.”
Frowning at the words, I look at Siobhan stuck behind the bar top crowded by impatient drunks. Her gaze holds mine, and I feel her pity.
“What did you tell her?” I finally text back.
“That you’re still hot.”
Despite wanting to smirk at her comment, I’m distracted by the hard, hot pain in my chest from knowing I lost a woman I could have loved. “It doesn’t matter. Send two beers over, will ya?”
My gaze flashes to where Aneta’s owl-like eyes watch me. After shoving a few people out of my way, I slide into the booth like a pissed kid.
“Natasha Kovak’s back,” I tell Aneta.
She leans closer to hear me better, so I repeat myself. The bar is electric tonight. Something’s in the air. Back when I wasn’t hung up on Natasha, I’d be in the thick of things, drinking, getting high, and taking chicks into the back rooms. Now, I can’t wash off my need for a woman who’ll always be out of reach.
“What’s the plan?” Aneta asks, sliding closer so we can hear each other over the music and crowd noise.
“She hooked up with a guy after she bailed on Banta City,” I say and take the two beers the waitress delivers. “Has two kids now.”
“Does that mean you’re no longer interested?”
“What’s there to be interested in? Natasha Kovak bailed, not me.”
Aneta sips her drink and smirks at me. “A man’s ego is a fragile thing. I understand why you want to play this close to the vest. But you’re making the wrong move here.”
“I don’t think so.”
Leaning close enough for her blonde hair to drape my shoulder, she insists, “I’m afraid you’ve gone weak. Is this all about your fear of being embarrassed?”
“I’m not afraid of shit.”
Aneta sighs. “You’re being an asshole.”
“To her?”
“To me. Don’t you think I’d give anything for Tommy to be free again? I wouldn’t care what other people thought. I’d just run to the man I love and hold on tight. But here you are with a second chance in the palm of your hand and you’re planning to sit shit out. Lame-ass motherfucker.”
