Aces

Tucker

My eyes wandered through the crowd. Then I saw her. She was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at her. She wore a short black dress covered with sequins; it was dangerously short and clingy, sculpting every voluptuous part of her body. Her red high heels made her seem tall but her beautiful grey eyes met mine and reeled me in like a fish.

As if I couldn’t stop my feet or control the direction they walked, my body moved towards the big eyed girl. Her hair was done in a messy up do, where streaks were hanging loose on her shoulders; her hands were clutching her handbag while she looked up at a blond haired woman, telling her something. She looked uncomfortable while she fiddled with the strings on her purse and constantly pulled on her shirt. The blond disappeared when I appeared.

“Hi,” I said not knowing what to say. Her eyes flicked nervously and then she turned her head to see if I was talking to someone behind her. I chuckled a bit at her reaction.

A red blush streak covered her cheeks when she spoke, “Hi yourself.” Her blush caught me off guard.

"So why are you hiding in the corner and not joining your friends on the floor?" I was eager and her sudden blush made me want to tease her.

She mumbled something, searching for words.

"Er, what Bambi, club not in your taste?" This is funny; it’s like her face turned bright red just by me speaking.

"Not exactly… yes... But not in a bad way." She's cute when she's nervous.

I leaned in wanting to whisper, just to have my mouth near her neck. Her breath quickened. I had her where I wanted her. “How’s that?” I asked my lips lingered near her ear.

"It's hot, sweaty, overcrowded in here and I didn’t really want to come…The clubs fine, the company on the other hand…” Her voice clipped, she sounded irritated, not what I was expecting. That’s a first. I blinked surprised at her reaction. She kept avoiding my eyes while she spoke.

"Indeed it is hot and sweaty in here," I commented while my eyes roamed over her petit body. Damn I was burning up where I was standing and all I wanted was to be alone with her. I wanted her. "Not sure what to do about that but we can definitely do something about it being overcrowded, follow me…?" I nodded in the bar direction, actually meaning the stairs behind it and she frowned.

“Excuse me? I think you should go.” she said her eyes squinting. She stood and took a step away from me. Her eyes wild, she eyed my arms and focused on the tattoo barely visible under the tight black sleeve of my club t-shirt.

I leaned in, "This way…" I whispered my breath quickened on her neck and I slid my hand around her waist.

Her face was suddenly panic stricken and she looked like a dear caught in the headlights, “Get your hands off me!” she shouted “This is exactly why I don’t come to places like this. Don’t you have work to do, Loverboy?”

“Loverboy?” I asked while frowning.

“Bambi?” she countered. Then her body moved away from me as her partner pulled her towards the dance floor. She gladly followed her friend and ignored me. I looked at her fascinated; that has literally never happened to me before.

Strike one.

But the night’s still young.

I snapped out of the effect her perfume had on me and shook my head to get rid of the excited feeling.

I pulled myself together and made my way through the crowd. I took the bottle of water behind the counter and gulped it down. You gotta keep your head in the game man. A commotion drew my attention from where I just came. I watched the crowd that gathered around table 6. A loud cheer began, “One! ... Two! ... Three! Take your job and shove it!” they all shouted then downed the shots.

Amused I studied the table and saw Bambi being patted on the back, so you do have game, sneaky little witch.

“Monty!” I beckoned for his attention, “You see those girls at table 6 drinks on the house, the whole night.”

Monty looked at me surprised and opened his mouth, but saw the look I gave him and quickly closed it again, he signalled for Jeffrey to give Table 6 a VIP card. I watched as Jeffrey talked to them and all heads turned in my direction. Bambi scowled and Blondie picked up her drink to signal but Bambi grabbed her arm and shook her head while Blondie nodded vigorously, then she looked at me and winked flirtatiously while looking me up and down. Sorry Blondie not you I’m interested in. I needed to make my intentions clear.

As I took a step forward a woman suddenly pressed herself against me, whispering lustfully in my ear. “Come on big boy, you wanna play dress up tonight? I can be the nurse like last time.” She pressed her lips against my ear, “Or you can ravish me in your office,” her hand slid down my chest and rested on my groin, “fuck me hard.” If it had been any other night I would’ve taken her to the office and screwed her brains out, but My eye caught Bambi and she gave me a pointed look while mouthing ‘loverboy’. I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head, I was so busted! I quickly pushed the horny nurse away and walked past her towards Bambi’s table. I grinned as I saw the astonished look on Bambi’s face and she quickly looked around nervously, then suddenly a slender guy pulled her up and dragged her to the dance floor. Asshole, who’s the prick?

Determined to find out I head towards Blondie, it was time to make my intentions clear, and find out more about Bambi.

“Hi” I said as she looked me up and down.

“Hi Mr Drop Dead Gorgeous.” She giggled, I groaned inwardly, fuck, she’s so transparent, “Thanks for the drinks,” she purred.

I controlled the urge to roll my eyes; “Sure,” my gaze followed Bambi on the dance floor, our eyes met briefly and she pulled the guy intimately closer. She wanted to send a message loud and clear. “So,” I turned to Blondie, “What are you celebrating?”

“Oh, Annabelle quit her job today.”

“Ah, that makes sense, take your job and shove it…” I chuckled.

“Her exact words,” she said laughing. I raised an eyebrow questioningly and she added, “Yeah she surprised all of us, didn’t think she had it in her.”

“My little firecracker.” Blondie’s head snapped up at me from where she was watching her friend. Shit did I just say that out loud, guess my work is done here, but hungry for more information I stayed put.

Blondie’s expression caught me off guard, she was warning me silently and then she burst out laughing, “My, my, my, this day is full of surprises,” she stood then patted me on the back, “Good luck Chuck” and then headed in the direction of the bar.

I saw a few regulars and walked to them, “Welcome, welcome.” I said, cupping my hand over one guy’s shoulder, “You enjoying your evening?” I shouted above the music. They all nodded and cheered.

It felt like forever, maybe an hour and a half, till I noticed Bambi again at the bar and made my way to them.

“Hi,” I whispered in her ear and she answered in a giggle,

“Hi yourself. OH hiiiii….” she grabbed my cheeks and made a fish face with my mouth “Loverboy!”

Shit can she already be this wasted, I frowned and looked questioningly over her shoulder at Monty and he shrugged holding up a bottle of good quality vodka and shook his head smiling.

“You’re drunk…” I whispered.

“Nuh… uh…” she shook her head, “I’m smirfed!” she slurred sticking out her blue tongue.

I burst out laughing and she joined me in a fit of giggles, she swayed from side to side grabbing at my shirt to stop the motion. I suddenly had the urge to suck on that blue tongue.

You just can’t stay away, can you? I asked myself, already knowing the answer. She was like my heroin: I was addicted to her and it didn’t matter why. I had to be near her. I had no choice. I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. “Wanna dance?” I asked and couldn’t believe it when she nodded and then willingly led the way to the floor.

She locked her hands together behind my neck. I stroked her arms from her hands down her sides to her thighs and then moved up again resting them on her stomach. She moaned a little and turned to face me. I pressed my head to her forehead, looking in her eyes with desire. She took my breath away. When I finally got her in my arms there was no way I was going to let her go that easily, we danced song after song until she sobered up a bit. I felt her pull away but I was not ready to let he go yet.

I looked down in her eyes, she was so adorably short. Adorable? Where the fuck did that come from. She was fucking sexy; yeah that’s more like it.

“So, I already know three things about you,” I said keeping her gaze, “One… your name is Annabelle, two… You quit your job, three… you get smirfed easily. But I’d like to know more…”

She raised her eyebrow, “You already know three things about me and I only know one about you,” she stilled in my arms as realisation hit, “That’s just the thing Loverboy, the only thing I know about you is the exact thing that keeps me from knowing you better.” She turned and made her way through the crowd towards Blondie.

Strike Two.

Spike signalled for my attention.

I moved to where Spike stood behind the music board. He banged his head to a song keeping his eyes on the door where Jakes stood next to a familiar man I couldn’t place. He lowered his sunglasses he wore for the bright lights, turned his head and ogled me above it, “Milder Fucking McIntyre.” He said and I froze with shock.

“What the fuck man?” I asked looking at the door. I saw the familiar man in a wife beater and jeans watching over the crowd. I looked at Spike who nodded rapidly. “You have got to be kidding me! I thought he was in jail.” I pulled out my cell and dialled Dean’s number; it rang twice.

“This better be fucking good,” the sleepy voice came from the other end.

“Milder McIntyre.” Was all I said and I heard rustling on the other side.

“I’m on my way, hang on.”

I clicked the end button and headed for the stairs.

“Tucker!” I heard Spike shout, “She’s fucking trouble man.” I ignored his comment, heading to the door where Jakes stood alone. Where the fuck is he? Shit I have to get them out of here.

“Don’t let anyone in anymore, we have to get people out, subtly.” I said to Jakes and he nodded in confirmation.

I neared a group of my regulars and cupped a guy’s shoulder, “Hey guys, we’re closing in fifteen.” And repeated these to a few other regulars ignoring the moans of disapproval. As I made my way towards table six, I stopped dead in my track.

Milder stood a few feet in front of me, holding a gun to Bambi’s head. “Any sudden moves and she’s dead.”

It only took one scream from Blondie to alert the whole crowd. People ducked screaming. They ran around and struggled to get through the doors at the same time. They stumbled, crashed and ran over others. Dead silence filled the club as the music stopped. I instantly knew Spike had my back.

“Milder,” I acknowledged him, “Don’t do this man,” out of the corner of my eye I could see Monty ducking behind the counter, Spike moving behind Milder and Jakes getting the last people out of the club.

“Get her out of here, Jakes.” I shouted, as I saw Blondie emerging from a fallen table.

Jakes grabbed her arms but she squirmed and kicked shouting at Milder to let her friend go. Jakes lifted her and carried her over his shoulder out of the club as she screamed and covered her face with her hands sobbing uncontrollably.

“Let her go man,” I turned to Milder, “You don’t want to do this.” my eyes roamed over Bambi’s pale face, her eyes wide with fear and her lips pressed in a thin line. It seemed like she has stopped breathing. I locked my eyes with hers as I spoke to Milder, but something felt wrong, “Take me instead, you don’t want her.”

“The fuck I do…” Milder shouted, “an eye for an eye… in this case a whore for a whore…” he pressed the gun harder against Bambi’s temple, “And I want you to watch as I blow her fucking brains out.”

“You won’t get away with this.” I watched as Bambi closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

“Even if it’s the last thing I do, her dead eyes will haunt you for eternity, like the images haunts me.”

“Milder,” I held up my hands, “Sienna was not my fault…”

“Sienna was my wife, she was everything and you killed her,” Bambi’s eyes opened suddenly and she cast her gaze to the floor.

“Milder, she shot my partner; I had no choice… unlike her. You have a choice here, don’t make the wrong choice. Don’t do this.”

“She was my fucking wife! I trusted you, you were my right hand man. Now its time for you to feel the fucking horror of seeing those dead eyes every day.” he screamed and Bambi winced as he pulled her tighter.

“I know and I’m sorry, do you hear me Milder, I’m sorry, what happened has nothing to do with her, just let her go.” I took a step forward.

A shot buried itself in the roof, “The next one won’t go into the roof.”

“Not moving,” I held my hands in surrender, “Milder, when did you get out,” I tried another tactic.

He narrowed his eyes and loosened his grip on his gun, “Throw me your gun!” he shouted, “I know you have one, take it out of your ankle holster and slide it over.” He nodded at my feet, “Anything funny and her brains will paint the floor a pretty red!”

I took my gun out of its holster and slid it over. As I looked at the floor near Bambi’s feet I saw blood pool, I followed the trail up her legs and saw the red blotch on her side.

I realized I had to do something as he gripped her tighter. I knew there was no way of getting Bambi alive out of this situation. His finger pulled the trigger a little and I nodded to Spike who took the kill shot.

Milder’s blood splattered over Bambi and the floor and he fell to the ground pulling her with him.

“Get the bus!” I screamed at anyone.

I ran instantly to her and pulled her into my arms as I applied pressure to the gaping hole in her back. I looked into her eyes “Come on Bambi, hold on baby.” I whispered as I moved my bloody hand to her pulse point on her neck. Her pulse was faint and her breathing slowed.

“Come on now, no breathe baby.” Her eyes fluttered closed as she slipped unconscious, “No open your eyes, Bambi girl.” Her eyes opened slightly and she opened her lips as she sucked in a ragged breath, she barely whispered so I put my ear near her lips.

“Thank…” her voice disappeared into a cough and blood spewed out of her mouth.

I nodded vigorously, “You just stay awake okay?” she closed her eyes, “Stay awake Annabelle, damn it, stay with me.” I pleaded but her eyes stayed closed I slapped her lightly on her cheeks but her eyes never opened.

Footsteps ran towards me and I looked up into Dean’s face, and noticed the paramedics behind him, then back to Bambi lying in my arms unconscious. His eyes seemed confused when mine met them again.

The paramedic took her out of my hands and placed her on a gurney, “She’s unconscious and lost a lot of blood, I felt a faint pulse.”

“Thank you Tucker, we’ll take it from here.” John, the largest paramedic I’ve ever seen, said while he took Bambi’s vitals.

In a hurried attempt they pushed her toward the ambulance and I followed suit. Outside blue and red lights lit up the sky and cameras flashed as reporters took pictures of the horrid scene. I ignored it all as I focussed on Bambi when suddenly Blondie was by her side screaming and cursing.

I stopped in my tracks and Jakes joined me. “Spike gone?” I asked without moving my eyes off Bambi.

“Yup, he said he’ll see you in a few days, can’t have them taking his photo.” Jakes said shrugging, then clasped a hand over my shoulder and squeezed, “She’ll be okay man…”

“Belle!” Blondie screamed grabbing Bambi’s hand. “What’s wrong with her, where are you taking her, can I come with you, how is she doing?” she asked rambling on and on.

“Mam, who are you?” John asked as his partner checked on Bambi.

“Megan Knight, I’m her best friend.” She looked scared as her eyes focussed on Bambi’s motionless body.

“Okay, you can ride with us.”

She nodded vigorously and turned to the scrawny guy Bambi danced with earlier.

“Tommy, call my brother, he’ll do the rest. Tell him I’m at the hospital with her.” She turned toward the ambulance but her eyes caught sight of me standing next to Dean, Monty and Jakes while they watched as the corpse of Milder McIntyre is pushed into the morgue van.

Then she looked up right into my eyes, her tiny body moved with fierce force and her eyes spit fire.

“THIS…” she waved her arms around and then pointed her finger at me, “IS ALL YOUR FUALT!!!”