this tug of war inside my heart because of Ava. It really was a bad idea hiring her. She was a constant reminder of my past life, of what I had left behind, the recklessness and the stupidity. I didn’t want that anymore.
My office wasn’t anything to brag about, but I was proud. I’d always wanted a bar of my own. I had turned my illegal business into a legit one. I wanted to be proud of something and this bar was it. Letting out a heavy sigh, I ran my hands over my face. I dropped my elbows to my desk and leaned forward.
I closed my eyes so I could concentrate on the memory of Billie’s voice the other night. She sang beautifully. The words captured my attention and wouldn’t let go until she finished. I was so dazed I didn’t hear the knock on my door before it swung open. Angel walked inside like he owned the damn place. With his trademark shit-stirring smile, he opened his arms.
“Hey, princess,” he mocked. Standing, I walked in his direction, grabbing my crotch.
“Yeah, I have your princess right here.” We laughed, and I gave him a hug with a firm pat on the back. “How ya been, man?”
Angel was a tall dude with lanky limbs. He had to eat double the protein of a normal man to bulk up. I constantly gave him shit about it. Growing up, he was one of the few white boys on our block. The fact he had bright blond hair made him an instant target. Rome and I were never big on bullying so when we stumbled on him getting beaten up, we jumped in and helped him. We soon found out he wasn’t defenseless, just out numbered. Angel was one of the few guys I would think twice about getting into a fight with.
“I’ve been good, man. Busy with work, you know.” He stepped away.
“Yeah, man, I hear ya. Sit down, let’s catch up.” I gestured to the chair across my desk.
“Nah, man, let’s grab a bite elsewhere.”
“Yeah, okay.” Today was my day off, but I was always at the bar. I had Ava and Jade there, while Billie waitressed.
As we walked through the main room, Angel ran over to the bar to jokingly harass Ava. Billie was serving a table their food when she saw me come toward her. She smiled at the customers then turned to walk my way. She was in the black top and black skirt uniform but under her skirt she wore gray and black argyle tights with red and black Vans. I chuckled. Imagine that.
“Nice shoes,” I said when she was close enough to hear me. Her eyebrows pinched in that adorable way and she looked down. I angled my feet so she could see I was also wearing red Vans. She grinned but didn’t look me in the eyes.
“Great minds think alike.”
I moved my head to the side, wanting her to look at me but she wouldn’t.
“Billie McAllister,” Angel said with an accusing tone, and we turned to him, surprised by his presence. It was like we were both in our own little world. I frowned instantly, and Billie’s head snapped up to see Angel. She looked at him like she was trying to figure out where she knew him from, but didn’t say anything about it.
“Last time I heard, you were in Vegas,” Angel continued.
“I was, and now I’m back. It was good seeing you, but I gotta get back to work.” She smiled, moving around us and headed in the direction of the kitchen.
“What the fuck was that?” I asked. He shrugged.
“Dunno, let’s go.”
We sat across from each other, digging into our massive burritos from a restaurant across the street. As I was taking another bite, Angel took a drink of his Corona before wiping his face with a crumpled napkin.
“How’s Ma doing?” he asked. He loved my mother like she was his own. She was the reason why he didn’t starve growing up. I looked at him and smirked swallowing my bite.
“You tell me.” I knew he called her three times a week. Angel grunted.
“Why didn’t you tell me Rome has a hearing?” he asked. I leaned back on my chair, taking a sip from my beer. I hated spending money on liquor when it wasn’t for my bar.
“She wanted
My office wasn’t anything to brag about, but I was proud. I’d always wanted a bar of my own. I had turned my illegal business into a legit one. I wanted to be proud of something and this bar was it. Letting out a heavy sigh, I ran my hands over my face. I dropped my elbows to my desk and leaned forward.
I closed my eyes so I could concentrate on the memory of Billie’s voice the other night. She sang beautifully. The words captured my attention and wouldn’t let go until she finished. I was so dazed I didn’t hear the knock on my door before it swung open. Angel walked inside like he owned the damn place. With his trademark shit-stirring smile, he opened his arms.
“Hey, princess,” he mocked. Standing, I walked in his direction, grabbing my crotch.
“Yeah, I have your princess right here.” We laughed, and I gave him a hug with a firm pat on the back. “How ya been, man?”
Angel was a tall dude with lanky limbs. He had to eat double the protein of a normal man to bulk up. I constantly gave him shit about it. Growing up, he was one of the few white boys on our block. The fact he had bright blond hair made him an instant target. Rome and I were never big on bullying so when we stumbled on him getting beaten up, we jumped in and helped him. We soon found out he wasn’t defenseless, just out numbered. Angel was one of the few guys I would think twice about getting into a fight with.
“I’ve been good, man. Busy with work, you know.” He stepped away.
“Yeah, man, I hear ya. Sit down, let’s catch up.” I gestured to the chair across my desk.
“Nah, man, let’s grab a bite elsewhere.”
“Yeah, okay.” Today was my day off, but I was always at the bar. I had Ava and Jade there, while Billie waitressed.
As we walked through the main room, Angel ran over to the bar to jokingly harass Ava. Billie was serving a table their food when she saw me come toward her. She smiled at the customers then turned to walk my way. She was in the black top and black skirt uniform but under her skirt she wore gray and black argyle tights with red and black Vans. I chuckled. Imagine that.
“Nice shoes,” I said when she was close enough to hear me. Her eyebrows pinched in that adorable way and she looked down. I angled my feet so she could see I was also wearing red Vans. She grinned but didn’t look me in the eyes.
“Great minds think alike.”
I moved my head to the side, wanting her to look at me but she wouldn’t.
“Billie McAllister,” Angel said with an accusing tone, and we turned to him, surprised by his presence. It was like we were both in our own little world. I frowned instantly, and Billie’s head snapped up to see Angel. She looked at him like she was trying to figure out where she knew him from, but didn’t say anything about it.
“Last time I heard, you were in Vegas,” Angel continued.
“I was, and now I’m back. It was good seeing you, but I gotta get back to work.” She smiled, moving around us and headed in the direction of the kitchen.
“What the fuck was that?” I asked. He shrugged.
“Dunno, let’s go.”
We sat across from each other, digging into our massive burritos from a restaurant across the street. As I was taking another bite, Angel took a drink of his Corona before wiping his face with a crumpled napkin.
“How’s Ma doing?” he asked. He loved my mother like she was his own. She was the reason why he didn’t starve growing up. I looked at him and smirked swallowing my bite.
“You tell me.” I knew he called her three times a week. Angel grunted.
“Why didn’t you tell me Rome has a hearing?” he asked. I leaned back on my chair, taking a sip from my beer. I hated spending money on liquor when it wasn’t for my bar.
“She wanted
Similar Books
