Page 1 of Sully
Chapter One
Sully
The smell of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and something I thought might be grilled onions permeated the main room ofThrottle.The bar was frequented by not only members of Kiss of Death MC, but most MCs in the area.People behaved for the most part, but occasionally, the place could be counted on for a good knockdown, drag out brawl.It was one of my favorite bars.
I stood alone at the far end of the bar where I could flag the bartender when I was empty.Right now, I nursed a double shot of Jack that burned less and less with each sip.Night had fallen an hour ago, but the place was just starting to get rowdy.The jukebox in the corner played Lynyrd Skynyrd.Someone had putStreet Survivorson repeat which… I mean, great album.But if this kept up, I might have to rethink staying much longer.
Men in leather vests with patches proclaiming their club affiliation and road names hunched over pool tables in the back, cue balls cracking against each other in sharp retorts.Some of the guys had women hanging onto them.Some were trying to get rid of the women hanging on.I just wanted to get pleasantly buzzed.Made the company seem less offensive and more amusing.
I took another sip, letting the amber liquid slide down my throat.The bartender, a mountain of a man with forearms thick as my calves, wiped down the counter in mechanical circles, his eyes constantly sweeping the room for trouble.There was always trouble atThrottle.It was just a matter of when.
Thenshewalked in.
I didn’t recognize her, which meant she wasn’t a regular.Nobody who valued their skin wandered intoThrottlewithout knowing what they were walking into.She wore a leather jacket that had seen better days.Her dark hair was pulled back in a messy braid, revealing sharp cheekbones and a small scar that cut through her right eyebrow.It wasn’t the kind of scar you got from childhood accidents.It was the kind you earned.
She moved with a predator’s grace, weaving between tables without touching a single patron.Her boots made no sound on the scarred wood floor.I watched her scan the room as she made her way to the bar.When those eyes briefly met mine, I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the watered-down Jack in my glass.
After ordering her poison, she headed straight for the dartboard hanging on the back wall, where three bikers were tossing darts with the casual disregard of men who owned the space around them.They noticed her approach, their conversation dying as she stopped at the edge of their circle.The tallest one, a bear of a man with a gray-streaked beard reaching his chest, looked her up and down with a smirk.
“Lost, little girl?”he asked, twirling a dart between thick fingers.
The woman smiled.Not a nervous smile, not an appeasing one.It was the serene smile of a shark who had spotted blood in the water and knew there were no lifeboats.
“Just looking for a game,” she replied, her voice carrying easily despite the blaring rock music.“Unless you boys are afraid to play with girls.”
The three men exchanged glances, amused by her audacity.The bearded one chuckled lightly.“You need to move on, sweetheart.The kinda playin’ we do ain’t somethin’ a sweet little thing like you could handle.”
“Look,” she said, leaning in closer to the big, bearded guy.“I’m just gonna give it to you straight.I’m broke.”She shrugged.“Flat busted.I want alcohol and a motel room, and since I don’t believe in earning my keep on my back or my knees, it’s gonna have to be darts.I’m not very good at anything else.”
“Tell you what,” Big Beard said, crossing big, beefy arms over his chest.“I’ll give you twenty bucks if you can get a dart in the inner single ring.”
“Which one is that?”She didn’t bat an eyelash as she asked her question.I held my breath, watching in rapt fascination as the girl led the three men by the balls straight into a trap I was sure they didn’t see coming.The bartender snorted as he polished a glass before turning his back to the corner.
“See the two thick circles that separate the outer part of the board and the inner part?”
“Uh-huh.”She stuck a finger in her mouth to nibble on the nail nervously.
“Well, if you can stand over there” -- he pointed to where there was a bright yellow line on the floor -- “and throw a dart that sticks in the big circle closest to the center, I’ll give you twenty bucks.”
The girl grinned.“Okay.How many shots do I get?”
The guys looked at each other before one of the others spoke.“We’ll give you three shots this time.But if you win, the next time you only get two.”
“Okay.That sounds fair.”She reached out her hand for the darts.
“Don’t you want to know what you have to give us if you lose?”The big guy spoke again.The lascivious grin on his face left no doubt what he’d demand as her payment.
“Why?”She tilted her head, looking for all the world like she truly didn’t understand his question.
“Well, we figured you’d want to know our prize if you lose.You don’t want to make a bed and not know what you’re giving up.What if I demand your house?”
She shrugged.“That’d be your bad since I don’t have a house.”She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.“Besides, I’m not going to lose.”
They all three chuckled again, and Big Beard handed her a dart.“Behind the line, darlin’,” he drawled.Big Beard tossed his dart first and it landed at two o’clock in the middle of the first single ring on the board.His buddies grunted in approval.“Your turn, darlin’.”
The girl complied, then shook out her arm in a big show.She took a couple practice movements, then tossed her dart.It hit inside the circle she was supposed to hit and her dart was closer to the center than Big Beard’s.A wide grin split her face.“I did it!That’s twenty dollars you owe me!”She looked so happy I found myself smiling.Until I caught Big Beard’s expression.He was going to push her.
“Now, wait a minute,” he said with a grin.“Give me a chance to win my money back.It’s only polite.”
