Chapter 6

Melissa

Donnie was such an asshole when he was drunk. He was king of the assholes, crowned and anointed. The only good thing that ever came out of him being drunk was that he usually couldn’t get it up, so I didn’t have to deal with his stinking breath blasting on my face while he clapped himself on the back for “rocking my world”.

I should have been used to it and yet I found myself breaking down in tears as he forced me down the back hallway so he could continue our conversation. If you could call it that. Apparently me telling Donnie to tell his friend to keep his hands to himself or get out was grounds for an argument, even though it wasn't even my ass Matt had grabbed.

Donnie thought I was trying to boss him around and Donnie did not like being bossed around. He was used to occupying the upper echelons of Cannon "society", and people rarely told him no. This occasion didn't have to be quite so explosive, but I could tell he was itching for a fight from the moment he stepped through the door. I just happened to be his favorite person to fight with.

Donnie blocked me against the wall, one hand on either side of my head. His breath reeked of beer and cigarettes, and when he talked spittle covered my cheek.

"Who the fuck do you think is in charge here, bitch?" he slurred.

"Donnie, you're wasted. Let's talk about this when you're sober."

We weren't even fighting about the ass-grabbing anymore. I couldn't say what it was Donnie hoped to achieve from this confrontation, but I wasn't interested.

I tried to duck his arm, but he lowered it and got right up in my ear, hissing, "You'll go when I say you can go. We're not done."

"What do you want?" I snapped back.

He pulled back and grinned lecherously. "Just a little kiss from my doting girlfriend. And a little fucking respect."

"Not now." I grimaced at the thought of his mouth on me. "Let me go."

"No."

"I have to get back to work."

"I own this place. I call the shots."

This wasn't the first time Donnie had said something to that effect and it wouldn't be the first time I corrected him, but I wasn't feeling up to fighting with him about the ownership of the bar, nor did I feel like spending even a second longer in his company.

I dropped into a squat and slid along the wall until I was far enough away from Donnie to stand up unhindered, then started fast-walking toward the rest of the bar. If I could just get there...

"Hey!" Donnie barked after me. "I'm not done with you!"

I gritted my teeth and kept walking. This was the kind of mood he was in when he hit me before, and I wondered if he would be ballsy enough to do that here, in front of everyone he knew. I doubted it, but I wanted to escape to the safety of the bar before I had the chance to find out.

I exhaled a sigh of relief when I reentered the busy space, though Donnie's stomping footsteps behind me were hardly comforting. At least he would have to drag me back by force if he wanted to continue the conversation without an audience.

"I said I'm not done with you!"

"I think you are."

The voice was one that I didn't know well but had committed to memory the first time I heard it. Honey. Gravel. Sex. Who else would it be standing up for my rescue other than the hunky stranger, Jack?

I turned, seeing that Jack had intercepted Donnie and was now standing between us, his back to me.

"What did you say?" Donnie growled. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm the guy who's telling you that Melissa deserves better than to be disrespected by a drunk asshole like you. And I'm the guy who's going to make sure you don't do it again."

His powerful baritone may as well have shaken the floor and walls. It felt like it did to me, at least, and everyone around had stopped and taken notice. The music was still playing, but the humming of chatter was nowhere to be found. Everyone in the Alibi was curious to see how this would play out.

"Melissa, get over here." Donnie pointed to the spot in front of him. "Before I get mad."

"I'm going back to work," I said levelly. "We can talk when I'm finished."

"We'll talk now!"

"She said no, shit for brains," Jack boomed. "I suggest you go sober up and take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror."

"You've got some nerve… She’s my girlfriend and this is none of your business." Donnie's friends had gathered behind him, all cracking their knuckles or spitting or doing whatever else they thought tough guys did in these situations.

Jack, on the other hand, seemed completely unruffled. Though he was standing straight and his words cut like a finely honed blade, his expression was steady and his body was relaxed. He looked like he was in his element.

"You think that's nerve?" Jack asked with a sardonic smile. "How about this—we take this outside, settle it like men, and the winner gets the girl."

Heat flashed between my legs and I exhaled a tiny gasp. Jack glanced over at me, his lips curled in a wicked grin that sent a wave of tingles out to the tips of my fingers. I wanted to scream at both of them, especially at Jack for making such a bold, ridiculous statement. I wasn't just some prize to be won. I was a flesh and blood human being with a goddamn mind and will of mine own.

That being said, I couldn't deny how enticing the prospect of being won, of being claimed, by the hulking stranger whose very appearance screamed danger was. I couldn't deny how my heart raced in my chest, veins jumping from my skin with every beat.

"Oh, so that's what this is about," Donnie sneered. "You want my girl, huh? She's a pretty fine piece, but she's not worth getting your ass kicked over."

Jack looked back at Donnie and let out a bitter laugh. "If that's the case, then I'll understand if you don't want to fight. For the record, I'd say she's worth one hell of a beating—not that I’m going to be the one getting beat.”

Donnie's face turned beet red and he bunched his fists at his side. "I'm going to beat your fucking face in, asshole. Let's go."

"Donnie!" I raced forward, blocking his view of Jack. "Don't do this."

"Shut up," he muttered. "This isn't your business."

"Donnie, please—"

"I said shut up!"

"Hey!" Jack approached. "Don't talk to her like that."

"Hey all of you!" cried Naomi, who was walking by with a tray of food against her hip. "Take it outside! Now!"

Remarkably, Donnie didn't try to fight Naomi too. I would have been so embarrassed if he did, so I was grateful that he was at least invested enough in his feud with Jack that he didn't notice being called out by one of the bar's waitresses.

"Stay here," Donnie ordered, pointing to a spot on the ground like he wanted me not to move an inch from it. "I'll be right back."

I wanted to follow the two men—and their entourage of curious bystanders—outside, but it wasn't Donnie's command that stopped me. I was still at work, and the drink tickets were undoubtedly stacking up at the bar. I watched the door swing closed behind them and ran a hand over my forehead, slicking the sweat back against my crown.

Naomi placed a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine." I offered up a weak smile. "Nothing like a bit of small town drama to start the night off right."

She nodded and walked away to her tables and I made my way back to my spot behind the bar.

I caught up on drink orders pretty quickly, but only because I'd been doing this so long that my hands practically had a mind of their own. My brain was occupied by thoughts of what was going on outside, unsure which of the two men I was supposed to be more concerned about. Donnie was my boyfriend and the obvious choice, but then again Jack was only fighting him because of how awful Donnie was being to me. Jack was also fighting to "win" me, and I wasn't sure what that entailed but I knew it wasn't the kind of thing I should be hoping for. That didn't mean a part of me wasn't secretly thrilled and did actually hope for Jack to win, just so I could find out what that meant.

I slid a fresh beer to Neil, and he winked at me. "I hope your boy's got health insurance."

I blinked. "What?"

"Donnie," he said gruffly. "I hope he's got health insurance. He's about to get his ass handed to him." Neil shook his head bemusedly. "That boy don't know what hornet's nest he just kicked."

A stab of worry lanced through me. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you know who that is?" Neil pressed. "He's a fighter, gets paid for doing bar brawls for people to bet on. I've seen him before and your boyfriend will be lucky if he makes it out without any broken bones."

My heart dropped into my stomach, nausea rolling over me. Jack seemed like a genuine, kind person, but I didn't know him from Adam. If he decided to smash Donnie's face in to teach him a lesson, it sounded like he could do just that without breaking a sweat. Concern for my boyfriend ultimately compelled me to drop my rag onto the counter and dash toward the back doors. Admittedly, I was also curious to see Jack at work.

"Where are you going?" Naomi stopped me at the door, arms folded over her chest and a tight expression on her face.

"I'm going outside," I said.

She clicked her tongue. "Do not get involved with whatever those idiots are doing out there. You could get hurt and it’s up to them if they want to break their fists on each other’s faces."

Naomi was always such a mother hen. Though I was touched by her concern, it was up to me to decide whether I wanted to get involved or not, and that's exactly what I told her. She relented and stepped aside, and I crashed through the door, hoping that I wasn't already too late.

Too late for what, I didn't know.