Page 71 of Baiting Kong
Kong searched over the heads of the crowded bar, seeking out Creature, who’d moved and taken up residence in a corner booth near the side door. Strategic placement in case they decided to take things outside, or had that been the only spot available? Changing course, Kong detoured to the bar, ordered two whiskies, neat, and carried them over to see that the one Creature had by his left hand was mostly empty.
“Are you sitting or are we kicking those back and brawling for the next hour?” Creature asked when he spotted Kong.
“Up to you,” Kong replied. “Though I won’t deny that I headed over here to try and kick your ass.”
“As long as you know that all you’d have been able to do was try,” Creature shot back, cool and calm as could be as he slid the glass back and forth between his hands. “Personally, I think there are plenty of other ways we could deal with your aggressions, but that’s all up to you, too.”
“We’ll see how talking goes first.”
“Works for me,” he replied before downing the last of the amber liquid in his glass.
Kong slid him one of the two he’d bought, and Creature inclined his head in thanks, then went silent, waiting for Kong to start.
“Now that Scout’s out of the hospital, I’d like the chance to talk to him without the rest of you interfering,” Kong blurted.
“That’ll be up to Scout.”
“Which I could have asked if you’d brought him tonight.”
“Him and Axel have seen enough violence lately,” Creature replied. “They asked to stay home in case you showed up and things got dicey. They didn’t want to see us fight because, despite what you might think, Scout still has some lingering feelings for you that I think fighting with me would erase. I doubt you wanted that.”
“I’ll concede that point.”
“Thank you.”
“So, he decided not to come,” Kong muttered, needing a moment to mull that over.
“He asked if he could stay home, and when I said yes, Axel decided to stay home with him,” Creature stated. “It was as simple as that.”
“I see.”
“Do you?” He asked, his gaze drilling into Kong until he squirmed and stared down into the drink he’d hardly touched.
“Yeah,” he said. “I get it. Sounds like getting beat to hell trying to protect his brother has him feeling some kind of way right now, and it might take him a while to get over it. I got the impression that he’ll go through hell and back for someone he loves or a cause he believes in but isn’t really one for conflict if he can avoid it.”
“Precisely,” Creature grumbled. “And I aim to make sure he doesn’t feel pressured to have to use his fists if he doesn’t wantto. Until he starts at the garage he’s gonna get some surfing time in with Mark, who’s also going to make sure he doesn’t try tohelp outin any way, since Scout isn’t good at keeping still. I’m telling you this in case you want to head down there one morning and ask him if he’s willing to talk to you, but if he says no, and you don’t leave it at that and walk away, you get to deal with Mark, and then you get to deal with me. Understood?”
“I can accept that.”
“Good, because you really fucked with his head,” Creature growled. “And that was bullshit.”
“Was never my intention, either.”
“Whatever your intentions were, you fucked them all to hell with the way you acted.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Then do better. He deserves it.”
“What if it isn’t just him I want to do better for?” Kong blurted, deciding it was now or never, since he really needed to get it off his chest.
“What are you proposing?” Creature asked, leaning forward a little, glass still held between his hands.
“That we stop pussyfooting around with one another and see where shit goes.”
“Why would I want to do that when I have two boys at home?”
Licking his lips, Kong fought down twin feelings of fury and disappointment so he could say what he needed to say, even if it was much too late and wouldn’t mean a damn to Creature. Being glib and tossing out a line about there always being room for one more wasn’t likely to get him anywhere either, so best to just check his ego and lay bare his soul.
