Page 68 of Iron Hearts

Rarity stuck close to me as we slipped out of the Chapel and moved back out around the bar.

She paused at the odd nook between the bar and the line of three dart lanes when she spied the sock ‘em arcade game.

“I didn’t even notice that back there,” she said with a laugh.

“Want me to fire it up?” Shadow asked. “Let the boys show off a little?”

Rarity laughed and took a drink from her can of seltzer and said, “I dunno, what’s the prize?”

“A kiss from the fair lady?” a voice called from behind us and I turned to see Skull coming our way, Bones in tow, heading for the bar.

“If we’re gonna throw down forthat,” Shadow said. “We best have everybody here.”

“What do you think, baby? You game. If not, then we’ll definitely think of something else. We don’t wanna make you feel uncomfortable.”

“I think I can part with a kiss, but that’s it. That’s as far as I’m willing to go,” she said. “All in good fun – but I’m happy right where I am.” She cuddled closer into my side and Skull let out one of his shrill yips and high-fived his brother, Bones.

“May the best man win. Got more rollin’ in any minute now, Cher.”

“Better finish that tour,” Shadow said with a wink going over to the machine to switch it on and let it warm up.

We went past the dart boards, and she trailed fingertips along the red felt and glossy black wood of the edge of one of the billiard tables. She smiled faintly at the club’s logo in the center of each, and let her eyes roam the mugshots over the bathroom doors in their line down the wall toward the deck, all along the ceiling.

“That’s you!” she said in surprise at my first mugshot from a couple years back.

“Arrest record, yes,” I said. “Criminal record, no. It’s a point of pride that they’ve never made anything stick,” I told her.

“What was this one for?” she asked.

“Got pulled over, gave the cop a ration of shit. Nothing illegal but he hauled my ass in anyway andtriedto charge me with resisting arrest. Got a tidy sum from the St. Augustine police for that fuck up. Can’t arrest someone on no charge and then charge them for resisting arrest – lawyers had a field day.”

“What was his excuse to try and put cuffs on you in the first place?” Rarity asked and I grinned.

“Turns out it’s perfectly legal to give a cop the finger, it’s protected under free speech. First amendment rights, baby.”

We kept going down the line and she caught my second mug shot.

“And this one?” she asked.

“Bad search,” I said. “Turned up some weed and arrested me for it, but my lawyer got it all dismissed because he didn’t have probable cause to search me in the first place, and I didn’t give him consent. Fourth amendment rights came in clutch on that one.”

“You sue?” she asked.

“Ongoing, but they’re gonna settle again,” I told her.

“Hell of a way to make that bag,” Shadow said grinning.

“Hey, get it however you can get it,” I shot back and we bumped fists laughing.

Rarity smiled and shook her head, “My mom and grandparents might have a solid argument on you being a bad influence on the boys,” she said, and there was something there in her eyes that was worried, and humorless, despite the soft smile on her lips.

“I can and will be a perfect boy scout,” I murmured near her ear and she laughed high and loud, the sound like crystal, shimmering with magic.

I grinned and didn’t say anything. I knew I was full of shit. I was glad she did too. Didn’t want any accidental misunderstandings of promising something I couldn’t.

I didn’t know how long she would stick around, I couldn’t expect forever. She was young, I was not… even though out of every woman I’d met, it was Rarity that I hoped would stick around for a long time and not just a good time.

Still. Things were new, and I didn’t want to press it.

---