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Spencer
Two Weeks Later
Wiping down the bar, I glance around the crowded space and smile. I really fucking smile.
All of this is mine.
Rico officially retired once I signed the paperwork that Travis had drawn up, transferring the bar into my name. Some of the girls from Afterlife who helped out while I was out of commission are now working for Rico’s part time, so none of us are stretched too thin anymore. Everyone can breathe.
I’ve even been able to scale back how often I’m tending bar, and not working so hard is a really foreign fucking feeling to me. So I hang around the strip club to help out there, which is something I never thought I’d say out loud.
“So,” Cole starts, leaning against the bar next to me, while we watch our new bartenders take care of the customers. “Spencer, huh?”
“Spencer,” I grin.
“You know, you could have just told me, but… I get why you didn’t.”
“You’re not mad at me?” I ask, finally needing to clear the air with my brother.
“Not in the least. I love you too much. I’m just glad you’re… well, you’re happy. It’s just gonna take me some time to get used to the name change, but, I dig it.”
Wrapping my arms around Cole’s waist, I pull him in for a hug, and he softens, wrapping his arms around my back.
“Travis is giving me a death glare, you might need to back off,” he whispers and I let out a giggle, squeezing him tighter.
Looking over my shoulder, I watch as Travis and Riot sip their drinks at the other end of the bar, and my man is looking downright murderous.
“He’ll get over it,” I shrug, but I let go anyway and shoot Travis a wink as he shakes his head and cracks a smile.
Two customers walk up to the bar, so I excuse myself to get their order. They keep it simple, asking for a couple of beers, which I happily pop the tops off of and slide across the bar. They lay down some cash, telling me to keep the change, and I shoot them a quick thank you before turning back to Cole.
Cole blabbing about my situation that night when Travis walked into the bar, is probably what saved my life. What set the wheels in motion, and I don’t know that I’d be here right now if he hadn’t lost his shit on me. I open my mouth to thank him, but take pause when I see him clearly eye fucking someone. Following his line of vision, I realize it’s not just someone, it’s Riot.
What the fuck?
“Ah em,” I clear my throat and shoot him a questioning glance. I’m actually pretty sure my face is screaming, ‘what the fuck’.
His hazel eyes gleam and he winks at me with a mischievous grin sprawled across his face, before turning his gaze back to my heavily tatted, green haired, criminal bestie.
“Cole! Are you eye fucking my best friend?”
“Maybe.”
“I didn’t know you liked guys,” I murmur, thinking back to the brief period of time he pursued Echo.
“I’m fluid,” he shrugs as he leans back, resting one elbow on the counter behind us, and kicking one foot over the other.
Smirking, I look over at him, “Riot has, a thing, ya know?”
“A thing?”
“Yeah, him and Zeke.”
“Hmm,” he responds.
“Hmm?”
“Yep. Hmm.”