Page 85 of Marcus: Sins of the Father

“Glad you beat his ass.” Red Dog slaps me on the back. “You’d have had another beat down waiting on you if you hadn’t.”

“Thanks, Red Dog.”

“Way to pull it off, prospect,” Shane calls from the pool table, tipping his beer toward me.

I continue to get pats on the back and congratulations all the way to the bar.

Billy slides two longnecks to me, ice dripping down the sides. “Good job, man.” Billy’s eyes shift to Brandy. “That was some chicken-shit stunt your ex pulled.”

“I know,” she says, solemnly.

Billy grins. “But I did enjoy watching you bitch slap him.”

She smiles big. “Yeah, I enjoyed that part, too.”

“Thought I was going to have to bail you out of jail after you choke slammed the motherfucker to the ground,” Crash adds, coming up behind us.

“Yeah, thought we were going to witness a murder.” Cole chuckles, taking the stool next to us.

Crash looks at me with all seriousness. “Man, for real. You did me and the club proud tonight. With the shit that prick pulled, I was getting concerned.”

Green treks over with his ol’ lady, Sara, and lifts his chin at my face. “Prospect, your eye looks like shit.”

“Yeah.” I rub my palm over it. “Hurts like a bitch, too.”

“Do you need some ice?” Sara asks.

I pull Brandy against me. “I’m all right. Brandy took good care of me.”

“Oh, so you’re Brandy. I’m Sara.” Sara splays her hand over her chest.

“Shit, sorry. I forgot you two hadn’t met.” I twist. “Brandy, Sara’s the one who helped me get the purse. She works at the San Francisco Opera House.”

Brandy perks up. “Oh, my God. How exciting.”

I turn to Sara. “Brandy’s writing an opera now. She recently graduated and wants to be a librettist.”

Brandy smiles.

“What?” I question. “Did I say it wrong?”

“Nope. I’m just surprised you remembered that word.”

“I remember everything you say,” I whisper.

“Well, I want to hear all about it,” Sara chirps. “Let’s go find a spot, and you can tell me what you have so far.”

Brandy looks over at me as if asking if it’s okay. I give her an encouraging smile.

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

I watch the two of them walk outside, happy at the excitement on my girl’s face.

***

About an hour later, Brandy sidles up to me.

“How’d it go?” I ask.

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