Chapter 2

Ian

I lifted my eyes to the pretty waitress who paused beside me and my friends at the bar, her hair half blond and half red. She could be the joker’s girl, but I didn't press my luck by telling her. Number one rule of getting fucked up was to make the hot piece serving your beer happy... even if you had to lie, which we did more often than not.

"Can I get you boys another round?" She winked at me and I nodded, as if I might be interested. I wasn't. Girls could sit on it and rotate. I'd fuck a bitch every once in a while, but I'd had my heart torn out so many times when I was younger that I had a flap on my chest to save me the cost of stitches.

"Yeah. This one's on me, I guess." My brother walked up and pulled a seat up beside me.

I reached over and patted his back, smiling. "Tough day at the office, old man?" I lifted an eyebrow and expected to have him start his rant about how half the guys they’d hired weren’t worth a shit.

"Naw, Cindy is on her period and just won't relent. So not only am I not getting laid, but she’s mean like a fucking snake. It’s a great combination." Cole rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his blond hair. The roots were starting to show his true colors and even though I shouldn't, I just couldn't help myself.

"Yeah, well, maybe if you'd just be your fucking self." I tugged at a small pinch of hairs on the side of his head as he popped my arm away. There was no way I was pouring salt in the wound and bringing to light the fact that his hair was turning prematurely grey as well.

"Fuck off. Blonds have an easier time in life. I'm just trying to get mine." He smirked and turned to the other guys, clapping hands and greeting everyone.

It was a tradition to meet at Billy's in Ocean Beach on Sunday afternoons and spend a few hours getting shit faced together. Most people did it on Friday's, which meant that Sunday evenings at the bar were open wide and the beer was free flowing. No crowded rooms or bitches dry humping my leg. It was bliss, and it was mine.

"How's the hospital gig going? Still trying to score a night with the hot doctor in OBGYN, or did you finally give up? I mean, the woman obviously loves pussy, and that’s one thing you ain’t got, brother." Cole turned to me before picking up the cup of peanuts on the table in front of us.

“Fuck you too. I ain’t the only one from what you just said.” I reached out and jerked the peanuts from him. "Don't eat those. Pinkie washed them off for anyone who was interested."

Cole glanced at our buddy Pinkie as he wagged his eyebrows and pretended to swish something in his big-ass mouth. I laughed as Cole gagged. He was called Pinkie for a reason, the fucker had twenty tats and every damn one of them was pink.

"Answer my question about the job, man." My brother pulled out his phone and turned it on silent before looking up at me and tilting his head a little.

"It's a job, dude. I'm glad to have it, but it’s hard work for little pay. It’s boring as fuck most nights. Nothing happens in a hospital at night but a bunch of old bastards forgetting where they are and walking around naked. You ever seen an old man’s balls? It ain’t pretty. I’ve lost hope in being sexy after fifty."

“Fifty? Fuck, Ian. You ain’t sexy now. Someone should tell you and help you get over the lie.” Pinky picked up a peanut and flicked it at me.

I caught it and popped it in my mouth just to get a reaction. They all grimaced and turned away as I chuckled. It was good to be around the guys. Sundays were my favorite days of the week by far.

One of the guys in the group started bitching about his girl and I stood up, stretching and turning to look back at Cole. "Let's go out on the patio. The sun's about to set and I want to see it."

"You’re such a pussy." Cole stood and took our beers from the waitress before handing me mine and walking out on the deck beside me. A few girls sat to our left, the gaggle of them seeming to take notice of us, but my attention was on the big guy next to me.

"I'm going to start putting in applications for something a little less hectic and more dangerous I guess. My job’s either boring as shit, or a hot mess because of the crazy fuckers that get brought in on meth or cocaine or some other fucked-up drug. Those guys are constant and the hospital has to treat them, but it's me who has to hold them down half the time while they're vomiting, shitting themselves and twitching half to death. As sad as it is, I’d rather be in a full on panic due to them than sitting on my ass in the cardiology wing, guarding the dying from the living."

Cole shook his head, the look of disgust on his face a mirror to my feelings. "That's not good. I think I might have something if you're interested."

"Yeah? Why didn't you say something earlier?" I pushed my shoulder against his as I turned to glance out at the water. The beauty of the sunset pulled me from the moment, but it wasn’t the time to get starry-eyed. I needed a fresh start, something more fitting for my stage and station in life. I wanted to be like Cole without the responsibility and wife. Wait… I was already.

"It's not exactly your kinda job and honestly, I don't think you'll take it, but it’s high stakes. It's security detail." He took a long drink of his beer as I growled.

"I'm down, depending on the money and who I'm detailing." I followed suit and emptied half the bottle before taking a breath.

A blond moved in between us, her friends watching with anticipation from the large table just a few feet from us.

"Hi. I'm Sandy."

"Hi, Sandy. I'm talking with my brother right now. How about when we're done, I come talk to you and your friends and see who's up for a little late night wrestling?" I nodded at her, putting on my best ‘come fuck me’ smile.

Her eyes widened and she giggled, the beer having done half the work for me. "Oh, yeah sure. That sounds... hot."

"Good. Now run along and tell your friends you have plans to bend over for the big guy with all the tats later." I popped her butt and she giggled again, running toward her table as they erupted in laughter.

"Why did you have to give the poor girl hope?" Cole turned and looked out at the water. "I swear you're going to get payback from your disrespect of women when you have a daughter."

"Firstly, I'm not having kids, and secondly, she wanted what I gave her. A bit of juicy gossip and nothing else."

"You're going to take her home and fuck her, no doubt." Cole lifted the beer to his lips and turned toward the women as they continued to get louder.

"Sure. Why not? I'm an ass-grown man and a release might do me good. I've been a bit tense lately."

"Masturbate." Cole turned back to me. "You're not good with fucking and leaving. You'll fall in love and the floozy will break your heart."

"You make me feel like the tender flower that I am."

Cole laughed loudly and lifted his beer toward mine. "The job's protection detail for Senator Moore's college-aged daughter. She's home for the summer and he's concerned with her being here in San Diego. He's looking for someone that he can trust to stay with the girl twenty-four seven."

"With no days off? Fuck no."

"You'd get Sundays off. He actually asked me about you applying for the job."

"Me?" I jerked back as surprise rushed through me. "Why in the world would he ask about me? Has he not seen my rap sheet?"

"Yeah, he actually has, but you saving his ass at the event a few weeks back gave you his nice shiny seal of approval. His only concern was whether you would try and hit on the girl."

I snorted and tapped my beer bottle against the railing in front of us as the sun began to set. The sky burst into crimson and dark yellows, stealing my breath for a minute and causing me to forget where I was.

"Did you hear me?" Cole popped me in the arm with his empty bottle.

"About hitting on the girl?"

"Yeah. I told him not to worry."

"Good. There's nothing to worry about. I'm not interested in bleeding for anyone for a long time." I shrugged. "I'm sure she's as fake as the rest of these chicks that snuggle up to me every time I leave the house."

"It's the big bad-ass sign you have tattooed to your fucking forehead."

I brushed my hand along my face and forced my brow to contract.

"Me? Naw... I'm as sweet as a kitten. Speaking of pussy’s..." I finished my beer and leaned over, pointing to the busty blond who had approached us moments ago. "Sandy... come here baby. Let's get our night started."

"Oh fuck. You're not really gonna..." Cole stood up and turned to me.

"I am. How much is the gig?"

"It's for the entirety of the summer and it's around ten grand a month."

My jaw dropped. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

That was three times what I was making at the hospital. I could work all summer and take the fall off completely. That would really give me time to find the right job.

"Yeah. You want an interview?" Cole moved back as Sandy slipped in between us and snuggled up to the front of me.

"Yeah. I want in." I glanced down at the girl, winking as she giggled at the hidden meaning behind my words.

My brother lifted his hand and gave me a look.

I shook it and glanced down at the girl. "Where you wanna do this, baby?"

"How about at your place?" She slid her hands up my chest, purring like a cat.

"Naw... how about the women's bathroom as you walk into the bar? It's a single room with a lock." I leaned down and brushed my nose along her cheek, breathing in.

She smelled good and a quick fuck wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Yeah," she whispered and turned, capturing my lips with hers.

I meant as much to her as she meant to me. Absolutely nothing.

“Really? Shit.” My brother turned and walked toward the bar as I leaned down and brushed my nose by hers. She was cute, and would most certainly do a good job of waxing my cock for half an hour.

“Oh yeah. Really.” I grabbed her hand and moved us into the bar, hoping like hell I could keep the good guy in my head asleep long enough to enjoy myself. He’d been a pain in the ass far too many times lately, and something told me that tonight wouldn’t be much different.