LUKE

“You guys don’t care about the no smoking law, huh?” I ask the Native American bartender as I nurse my tequila.

“Let the people decide,” he shrugs, rolling a heavy, silver ring around his finger. “You guys? Aren’t you one of us—”

“I meant you guys who own the bar. Not your heritage. And I’m mostly Mexican, but there’s probably some Native American blood in there.”

“Half of California was Mexico, until the White Man took it from your people.”

“And all of the United States was yours until they did the same to yours.”

“What they did to my people…” he trails off, eyes distant. Grabbing the Herradura bottle he fills my glass to the top, gold liquid spinning in iridescent circles. “We have our own laws on the reservation.”

“Got it. And thanks.” Watching him place the bottle back in its home I say, “I’m not one for obeying laws myself.”

“I saw your patch. And your hair. That’s why I thought you were one of us.”

“Understood.” I take a sip.

“Where’s your gang?”

“I’m on vacation.”

His eyebrows rise. “Must be nice.”

“Haven’t had one before.”

“And?”

“Not all it’s cracked up to be.”

A rueful smile tugs at his lips. “The mark of a man who loves his work.”

“And his people,” I raise my glass and ask, “You drinkin’?”

On a shrug he pops a bottle of beer and walks over to clink it to mine. “Name’s Magi.”

I roll it on my tongue, “Majai?” liking the sound of how he pronounced it and having no idea how to spell the damn thing. “I’m Luke, cheers.”

We take a drink, savoring it, and I set my glass down.

He leans against the back of the bar, index finger wrapped around the top of the bottle as he eyes the customers. “Idiots.”

I glance behind me to a couple of guys, mid-thirties, arguing over the pool table about rules of the game. A trashy looking woman is with them, chewing on her hair, half seated on a barstool in a miniskirt that almost shows what color her panties are. If she’s wearing any.

“Must see fights a lot, working in a bar…or is this yours?”

“Mine and my father’s,” he answers, wary eyes on them. “It’s why I’m jealous of your vacation.” Turning his head back to me he adds, “Got my heart set on a beach right now. No plans yet, but soon. Sand, booze, and bikinis, sounds nice.”

Smiling and digging my phone from my pocket I agree, “When you put it that way.” Swiping to answer I motion to Magi to excuse me. “Hey, Tyler, what’s up?”

Ty’s voice comes through as familiar as my own. “Have a job I need your help on. You busy?”

“Now I am. Where?”

“Sedona, Arizona.”

“What is it?”

“Small job, but necessary. Thought you might need something to do.”

“You thought right. Text me an address.”

“Already booked you a hotel.”

“How’d you know I wasn’t busy?”

“I knew if I called you’d drop everything and do my bidding.”

“You’re an idiot.”

He chuckles, “Fuck you, too. Where you at?”

“New Mexico.” I hold my hand over the glass as Magi tries to refill it with more tequila that I no longer need. Suddenly my spirits are rising, and I want to get on the road with a clear head. I watch him put it back on the shelf as I tell Tyler. “Where are you?”

“Farther than that. You’ll beat me there anyway since I’ve gotta make one stop. Got you a nice room, top floor. Sure it’s only two stories, but the room is real sweet. Mom told me about what happened.”

Sucking on my teeth I mutter, “Thanks, but I’m cool.”

“I know you’re cool, now that I set you up in the best room in the place while you wait for me to get there and massage your feet.”

On a grin I say, “Touch me and I’ll teach you a few lessons about personal space.”

He laughs. “I’ll text you the address. You goin’ there soon?”

“What do you care? But yeah, I’ll head over tonight. Hadn’t found a room here yet.”

“It’s after one o’clock in New Mexico!”

“No shit. Are you my mother now? I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye fucker.”

I pull out the club’s card, slide it on the cherry wood counter. “Nice place you have. People like me appreciate you bein’ here.”

He takes the card, moving with the slow confidence of a man who’s home. As he runs it through the machine and rips off the paper, grabbing a pen from a jar crammed with them, I notice the place has gone quiet. There’s only a handful left in here, conversations normal compared to the growling that was going on.

“Looks like your problem left. They pay up?”

Magi hands me the receipt to sign, his eyes on the pool table. “I made ‘em pay cash. Lied and told ‘em no cards.”

“And what if they saw you ringing me up with one?”

“I’d welcome the argument,” he smirks. “You take care out there, Luke.”

“Always do.” I write out a tip for one thousand dollars, slide the paper to him with a glint in my eyes. “Enjoy those bikinis.”

Surprise sparks up and he nods his thanks, probably wondering how a guy like me has that kind of change to throw at a stranger. But people don’t realize sometimes how much a friendly conversation can help a man who needs one, like me tonight. I’ve been riding by myself for weeks, spending nights alone in hotels that would normally have my friends and family in the next rooms. Talk has been scarce, and I’m not one to talk to myself.

I head to my Harley, sliding my leather jacket on and shrugging it into place. It’s a cool night out here in the desert, and I’m going to enjoy the wind in my hair and skip the helmet. Get to see Tyler soon, and I feel good.

“Joey, let go!”

My head whips toward the sound of her pleas. I change course, head around the side of the bar by the dumpsters where the heat has done the air no favors. One of the guys who was causing a stink is wrestling the trashy girl to the ground, and her halter strap is ripped off her shoulder.

“I saw how you been eyeing me all night, Lor!”

“Stop it! Please! Stop!” Her eyes widen as she sees me.

He looks over his shoulder with a sneer, and reacts with surprise as I yank him off her and toss him aside like a rag doll. He’s not a big man, just bigger than her.

Joey cusses at me and tries to get up but I give him a front-kick that lands where it’s supposed to, right in his gut. Clutching his stomach he doubles over, wind knocked out, but he tries to get at me a second later. I spin and kick him in his head with my heel—it’s no problem for me to reach that high and land a solid hit.

He falls to the side and I punch him a few times until he crumbles. I stand over the piece of shit. “What the fuck is wrong with people like you? At what point did you turn evil, huh?”

Bloodied and pissed off, he tries to go for my legs. Evasive tactics are my specialty, so he doesn’t have a chance. Put any of us Ciphers in a normal bar brawl with a thug like this, and it’s something to see. I kick the shit out of him until he doesn’t move.

“Is he dead?”

“Nah,” I tell her, watching his chest rise with unconscious breaths “Just thinking twice about doing that again. You go home now.”

Hugging herself, she’s shaking. “You have somewhere to go?” she flirtatiously smiles, with fear hovering in her eyes.

I bend down and wipe his blood off my knuckles with the shirt he’s wearing, telling her, “Lor, you don’t have to thank a man that way. Just know that we aren’t all bad, and clean yourself up. He have your number?”

“We went to school together.”

“Call the cops, file a report so you can save the next girl.” I stand up. “Tell your mother, your sister, your friends, any woman you know who you can trust, that you need them to watch over you for a few days. Stay inside and rest up. Get a restraining order, anything that makes you feel safe.” I pull her strap up, but it’s useless since he tore it up this bad. She gazes up at me as I lift her chin, remembering what Tonk Jr. said. “Do some work on yourself. You deserve everything you’ve been dreaming about.”

My eyes drop to Joey to make sure he’s out, and I motion for the side door. She and I walk in, come around the bar to Magi. “Lor needs a ride after she uses your phone to call the cops. And I left a mess you’ll enjoy cleaning up out there. Might want to do that soon before it walks away.”

His eyes darken with comprehension. “I hear what you’re throwing down.”

Six pairs of civilian eyes watch me from the booths as I head outside again, same way as I just did. No need to hide my face. They won’t tell the cops who I am, I know that from experience. All anyone has to do is look at Lor to know what almost happened. Nothing to say except, thank you.