Page 3

Sugar

B efore I can even make it back to the table, Jimmy is stalking toward me with murder in his gaze. Oh shit . Did he see me talking to Zeus? I mean, it was just a friendly interaction between neighbors. Nothing more.

“Hey, babe. I got your beer.” I offer it to him, but he slaps the bottle out of my hand.

Both drinks fall to the floor and shatter around my open-toed, platform heels.

I’m covered in liquor. Glass slices the top of my foot, and I gasp, but that’s the least of my worries when Jimmy grabs me by the arm, his fingers digging into my flesh, so hard they bruise. “Jimmy. You’re hurting me.”

“Like you hurt me.”

“What are you talking about?”

He drags me outside. Embarrassing me in front of his friends and the whole bar, but I don’t dare resist. It always goes so much worse for me when I do.

“You think I like being made a fucking fool of?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Bullshit. I see the way you look at that filthy fucking biker. You were practically fucking him right in front of everyone. Do you know how that makes me look to my buddies?”

“I wasn’t.” I shake my head adamantly. “He bought us drinks. That’s all. I was just being a friendly neighbor.”

“How long have you been letting him stick his dick in your sloppy cunt, huh?” He drags me closer, his fingers bruising my shoulders with their biting grip and leans in, so his forehead is pressed hard against mine.

“You think I don’t know he’s the reason you go outside at night for a little ‘fresh air’? ”

“Jimmy, you’re being crazy.”

The backhand across my face is so fast, I don’t even feel the sting until I’m on the ground in the gravel parking lot, and he’s hovering over me, so full of violence, full of wrath.

He lunges for me again and lifts me by the hair.

I scream and claw at him, but then his hand wraps around my throat and squeezes, effectively cutting off my air supply.

I choke and scratch, and then I’m on the ground again.

I gasp, clutching at my throat, drawing in deep lungsful of air. Zeus is beating the shit out of Jimmy. He has him pinned to the gravel beneath him and the much larger biker is pulverizing Jimmy’s face.

“No fun, is it?” Zeus says between punches. “Picking on someone your own size.”

“I’m s-sorry,” Jimmy wails.

“I want your shit out of my rental. You hear me, you little punk?” Zeus pulls a hunting knife from his belt and thrusts it against Jimmy’s throat.

The wicked blade glints in the dim lights of the parking lot.

“I think you know who I ride with and what we’re capable of.

You’ve got tonight to get the fuck out, and I never wanna see your face again.

You go near Sugar again, you lay a finger on her, and I’ll fucking gut you.

You got that, you little shit, or do I need to just save us all the hassle and do it right here in front of all your buddies? ”

I glance up at the crowd who’s surrounded us. Zeus is right, all of Jimmy’s friends are standing nearby ... behind a wall of formidable bikers in cuts. Holy shit .

Jimmy’s bloodied mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping out of water.

“I can’t fuckin’ hear you.” Zeus says, pressing the blade tighter to Jimmy’s throat.

“Y-yeah. I got it. I-I’m sorry. I won’t touch her again.”

“You won’t ever fucking look at her again, or you and my knife here are gonna get real cozy.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Get the fuck outta my sight.” Zeus slides the knife back in its sheath and stands.

He spits at Jimmy and then swivels his head toward me.

For a beat, I think I see a lick of sadness in his gaze, but then it’s gone and he’s heading toward me.

He offers me a hand up as Jimmy flees the parking lot in his piece-of-shit Silverado.

Tires screech into the night as my boyfriend hightails it away from the bar.

One of the bikers, the meanest looking man I think I’ve ever seen, eyeballs Zeus and shakes his head.

Then he turns on the crowd and commands in a smoke-thickened growl, “Get your mangy fucking asses back inside. There ain’t nothin’ to see here. ”

Zeus cups my chin between his thumb and forefinger and studies my face in the dim light. My eye socket is throbbing, and my cheek feels sticky and wet. His eyes hood over as he studies me and his nostrils flare in anger.

“I should have killed the bastard,” Zeus whispers. I don’t say anything to that. What can I say? “But I’m betting this is not the first time he’s raised a hand to you, is it?”

“No.”

“Jesus.”

“I’m okay. I’ll be fine.”

“You got somewhere you can stay tonight?”

I shake my head. Tears well in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. “I have a friend who lives on Magazine, but she’s not back in town until tomorrow.”

“Then you’re coming home with me.”

“But Jimmy—”

“Isn’t gonna bother you anymore. Come on, darlin’.”