The bar was packed the next night. Stud’s band was playing somewhere else, and a bigger touring band was playing here. It felt like everyone in Bryson City had come out to see them. Either that, or word had gotten around about the fight and people wanted a front-row seat if the show was going to be repeated. The area reserved for dancing was packed with gyrating bodies, mostly female. Their squeals filled the air, almost overtaking the band.

It was busy enough even in the fall months that Betsey had hired another waitress. I was serving on the floor and running around like crazy trying to keep up with drink orders, and bussing tables. Bruiser was back at the bar pouring and mixing alongside Betsey. Mute was at his usual spot, drinking his coffee and glowering at anyone who got too close to him. A few of the other Dragons were there as well, drinking, enjoying the music, and flirting with anyone in a short skirt.

I was clearing a table full of glasses and empty bottles when for some reason, I looked up and saw Mute staring at me. No, not staring, glaring in deep anger. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as my brain started running through all the ways I could have pissed him off. Shit! Did I remember to text him last night along with Stud?

Then I heard a sardonic voice right behind me. “Got some new talent in the pool, I see.”

I jumped a little and turned to see two club members I had not met yet. The one who had spoken had the name Joker sewn on his cut, and the other had Box.

“Just a hint, baby, you’ll get better tips if you work your stuff in shorts and heels. That ass is fine in them jeans, but the sneakers gotta go. What’s your name?”

“I’m… um… Katrina,” I stuttered. Joker was like Stud in that he had blond hair and blue eyes, but that’s where the similarities ended. His hair was cut in a Mohawk and the sides of his shaved head were tattooed with a row of dancing harlequin skulls. He had a ring piercing in his eyebrow and lip.

“Well, Um Katrina, how’s about getting me and my friend here a beer? Something on tap. And give it a good head.”

He drew out the word head and reached between his legs to grab himself. I swallowed, not trusting myself to speak. I just turned and walked quickly to the bar to get their beers. Bruiser was frowning as he filled the heavy glass mugs.

“Joker’s harmless, sweetheart, but there’s bad blood between him and Mute. Brother or not, he ain’t happy that bastard’s here. Watch yourself,” he intoned as he finished pulling the beer and loaded my tray.

I brought the tall foaming glasses to them at the table they had taken over, and set them down on paper coasters in front of them.

“Kat, Kat, Kat,” Joker chanted. “Itty bitty pretty kitty Kat.”

I moved to leave, but he grabbed my arm, pulling me onto his lap. I squeaked as I lost my balance, trying not to drop the serving tray or fall on the floor.

“What’s your hurry, pussy Kat? Not much of a cat, are you? More like a mouse. Quiet little mousie.” His singsong tone was more menacing than playful.

My heart was racing with the need to escape. “Please let me up, I have work to do.”

He gave me a fake crestfallen look and whined, “Aw, but we’re having such a good time, right, Box? I just wanna play with the pussy Kat for a minute. ‘S been a while since I petted one.”

He held me down on his lap and I could feel him getting hard underneath my bottom. He started grinding against me, and shoved his nose in my neck, sniffing deeply.

“Mmmm… yeah! Fresh new talent! You goin’ to the Lair after work tonight, baby? I can pet that pussy all night. Make it purr.” He rolled the r in purr. I felt the panic rise in my throat. Part of being invisible meant I didn’t have to deal with harassment very often and usually it came in the form of catcalls and a few whistled suggestions. I’d never really been scared of it as I was now. The feeling of being physically restrained and forced to feel Joker’s growing erection was terrifying. I struggled a bit on Joker’s lap and tried to sound firm. “No, I’m not going to the Lair. I have work to do, so please let me up.”

I sounded more like I was begging.

Joker laughed and held on tighter, running one arm around my hips to hold me down, and the other over my bottom.

“Oh, pussy Kat, pussy Kat! The things I’m going to do to this ass!”

A hand came down on the table with a bang loud enough to make me think it split the wood. I ceased my struggles and looked up into the absolutely furious eyes of Mute. I knew then what it felt like to be that mouse caught between two predatory cats.

Joker laughed again.

“Well, hello to you too, Mute. Long time no see!” He relaxed his hold on me, and I tried to stand, only to have him tighten his arms around me again. I swear Mute all but growled.

“Whatsa matter, Mute? Kat got your tongue? How does she taste?” He went into peals of laughter at his own crude joke, and threw his arms wide open. I leapt up and out of the way. Mute reached for my arm and pulled me behind him.

“Is she yours, Mute? You done claimed a woman?” Joker gasped between laughs. “Thought you were done with that shit!”

Betsey hollered across the barroom. She was laughing and smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Her voice rang out in authority. “Joker, you quit messing with my help! Kat’s a good girl! You chase her off, I’m gonna put your ass in an apron an’ have you start sweeping up an’ serving! Go up to the Lair and find a woman there, ya horny bastard!”

“Betsey, my one true love!” Joker hollered back. “When are you gonna dump that useless old man of yours and run away with me?” He stood up, one arm flung out to the side and the other placed across his chest, palm flat over his heart. He showed a leg and executed a courtly bow.

Just like that the tension was broken. Joker became his namesake. Loud, cracking jokes on everything and anyone. The life of the party. His friend Box sat as his wingman for the rest of the night, and both Donna and Nikki glued themselves to them. Donna sat firmly on Joker’s lap, while Nikki rubbed against Box. Their squeals grated against my ears every time they called for another round.

“No hard feelin’s, right, Pussy Kat? I was just jokin’ with you,” Joker said to me while he was squeezing Donna’s ample ass.

I placed the latest round on the table and picked up the empties.

“Sure, no problem,” I muttered, and tried to smile at him. My belly was still quivering with fight or flight instinct, leaning more toward flight.

He grabbed my wrist. His eyes hit mine. His voice was light, but his eyes were serious. “You really with Mute?”

Donna huffed in protest. “She ain’t with anyone, baby. She’s just here to help Betsey until she gets outta nursing school,” she slurred. She was completely drunk, stroking the shaved part of his head and licking his neck.

“Is that right? Well then, Pussy Kat, anytime you feel like playing doctor, you can call me.”

He let me go. Donna huffed again at his words, and then burst into drunken giggles when he stood up and hefted her over his shoulder.

“See y’all later!” he yelled out to the bar. “I gotta go give a full examination to this woman! Box, where’s my anal probe!”

He and Box left, I guessed to go to the Lair. I was able to breathe easier without him in the building.

Betsey was wiping the bar when I finally got a chance to sit for a minute. The other old ladies were there too.

“Don’t pay no mind to Joker, darlin’. He’s a club member, but currently a nomad, and wanders in from time to time. He ain’t never here too long so we don’t hafta deal with him much. He just likes to party and make trouble, but he’s all mouth. Let me know if he gets to be too much.”

Molly chimed in with more concern. “I don’t know, Betsey. He may not be as harmless as you think. He’s always been shifty. His daddy was one of the defectors way back when. Then there was the thing with Mute.”

Betsey stopped wiping the bar and looked Molly in the eye. Her direct gaze was not one I’d ever want on me.

“That was a long time ago, and that hatchet was buried. We’ve moved on. Mute’s moved on. The club moved on. You need to let it rest.”

Molly pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. She followed my habits, dropped her eyes, and became invisible, or as invisible as a biker’s old lady could get.

Two thumps on the counter distracted me. Mute added a third one.

“Co-ffee, now.”

I hurried to fill his cup. His face was dark and brooding, still angry at Joker. Clearly he was not as forgiving of Joker’s antics as Betsey was. His hand clutched at the white mug so hard, I thought it might break. I could still see some bruising there, and around his lip where the brawler had sucker punched him. He’d rescued me two times now, from last night’s fight and from being accosted by Joker. I didn’t know where this was going, but I liked it. I liked feeling that someone had my back, at least here at the bar. All my life, it was just me. My last set of foster parents weren’t bad people, but I was never really part of their family. I was always the extra, identified as “my foster kid” rather than “my daughter.” More and more each day, I was getting the sense of belonging somewhere, of having people who cared enough to help and defend me, of having a family.

Mute managed to shatter that feeling in a matter of minutes.

“Thanks again, Mute,” I said quietly. “Anything else I can get for you?”

Mute looked in my eyes and scowled furiously. He was mad at me! Not what I expected. He pulled out his phone and rapidly texted something. My phone beeped, and I slid open the top to see what he’d sent.

Mute: Quit making trouble. Stay away from Joker and Stud. I’m getting tired of saving your ass for stupid shit.

He slammed his phone down and picked up his white coffee mug, sucking back more of the black brew.

I could feel my throat closing up. I didn’t trust myself to speak. I didn’t start the fight last night, I just got caught in it. I didn’t flirt or seek out Stud, he came to me. I didn’t throw myself in Joker’s lap, he pulled me there and wouldn’t let me go. How was any of this my fault?

Mute sat there at the end of the bar in his usual place, drinking his coffee, judging me as unworthy. For some reason, the unfairness was more than I could handle and I felt anger rush through me. Normally, I would have nodded, or murmured something and turned away. Instead, I slid my phone closed and slipped it into my back pocket. I looked back at him as he rested both tattooed arms on the bar, the mug held between his hands.

“Thanks again for your help, but you’re an asshole.”

He blinked in surprise. I guess he didn’t expect the mouse to fight back.

I finished out the night, ignoring him as best I could, only filling his mug when he thumped the bar, and not speaking or making eye contact. I drove home in my protesting car and went straight to bed. I could hear Sheila and Chip in the next room, their sounds loud enough to cover up any noise my tears made.

* * *

Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!

Mute stepped outside the bar, ripping open his cigarette pack and nearly dumping the little white sticks on the ground in his fury. He clamped one between his lips, lit it, and sucked deep.

Fucking Joker! As a part of the club, Joker was a brother, and Mute took the code seriously, but he still loathed the man, his jokes, his presence, and everything else about him. It was a real struggle to have to take the back of someone he hated. Betsey liked him and his antics well enough to want to keep the peace, but Mute would rather he go away. Far, far away.

Goddamn! Shit! He threw the barely touched cigarette down, stomping on it angrily. He could’ve tolerated the man’s loud presence in the bar, as he only ever stayed for a few days in one place, but when he put his hands on Kat, Mute saw red. Her fear had been palpable, and his only thought was getting her off that fucker’s lap. He was probably balls deep in Donna by now, up at the Lair. But Kat? Hell no! Asshole needed to bleed for touching her!

Mackie strolled out of the bar. “I’m surprised Brick puts up with that sumbitch!” he declared. His one arm twitched uncontrollably for a moment, and he peered up at Mute. “You all right, boy? That rat bastard will be gone again come tomorrow. He just likes to stir up trouble. Kat didn’t get hurt, and she’s stronger than you think. She can handle him.”

Fucking Kat! Mute looked down at the shredded cigarette. He was feeling guilty about his texted words to her. The fight in the bar wasn’t her fault. She was just there at the wrong place and time. He also knew she didn’t start anything with Joker. Hell, she went out of her way to not attract attention. Dressing plainly, not a lot of makeup, and sneakers, for Christ’s sake! Problem was, she still had his attention. Every shift she worked, he watched her. He saw her smile, her kindness to Mackie, her laughter with Betsey, and the care she showed for the people around her. He wished she would shine some of that goodness his way, but whenever she found him looking at her, she would shutter that glow, drop her eyes, and avoid him as much as she could. He knew he did it to himself, pushing her away with his rough words and manners. He shouldn’t have lashed out at her earlier, but it was for the best. Maybe she’d get the hint and move on. Mackie was wrong. She was too sweet and fragile for this life, and needed protection, even from him. Especially from him.

Mute nodded an “I’m fine” to Mackie, and flicked a hand towards his bike. The old man chortled. It was a treat for him to ride on the back of it. With one arm, it was awkward to hold on, but Mute figured the war vet deserved whatever happiness he could get. He put his thoughts about Kat down for the night and guided the bike slow and steady as he took Mackie home.