As soon as the waitress speaks, I push her off my lap.
“Go get me a towel and new drink,” I bark out.
“Of course. I’ll be right back.” She winks at me.
I growl as she walks away. I don’t even really know her name. I called her Scarlett because it was the first name that jumped into my head. I wasn’t at all surprised when she went with it. This waitress has been on my dick since she started working here.
I look down at the table and clench my fists as I think of the look on Mia’s face. I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t want to hurt her at all. Unfortunately, I did what I had to do. I needed to get her away from me. I always knew I would hurt her, but I didn’t realize how bad I would feel when I did.
“What the fuck did you do, bro?”
Giovanni slides into the seat across from me. I just grunt. I have never been a big talker, so I don’t know why he thinks I will talk now.
“Wow. Okay. Great talk.” He slaps his hand on the table.
“It’s what’s best for her.”
“I’m sure she loved that. You know how much women love you making decisions without consulting them. Dude, she flipped the fuck out. She even yelled at me. Whatever you did, I think it might have broken her.”
“It’s none of your business, Gio. Drop it.”
Just then the waitress comes back. “Here’s a towel and a drink.”
Gio looks from her to me. “I see. Did you get a little wet, Lo?”
The amusement in his eyes irritates me.
“That fucking bitch threw his whiskey at us. She’s lucky I was in his lap.” The waitress places her hands on her hips.
“Or what?” Gio smiles up at her.
“Or I would have kicked her ass. She’s lucky she’s still breathing.”
I react without thinking. One moment I’m sitting in my chair drying my chest off, then next I have the waitress up against the wall. My hand tightens around her throat as I look into her frightened eyes.
“Lo. Lo, stop.” I make out Gio’s voice, but I’m not in a place to process his words.
I press my face into the waitress as she struggles to breathe. “You willneverspeak of Mia again. You will never think about her. You will never so much as breathe in her presence. You reek of desperation. You’re nothing but a two-bit whore panting after any dick you think will pull you out of this miserable life you lead. Here’s a tip. Not one dick in here will do that for you. They will treat you as the person you really are. Nothing but a piece of pussy. Not even fresh by the looks of it. You willneverbe even aquarterof what Mia is. Do you understand me?”
She tries to speak but can’t. Her face is turning red, and my inner beast begins to get excited.
“You will leave her alone. Do you understand?”
This time I loosen my hold on her throat. She coughs and sputters before breathing out a yes.
“You content? Can you let her go?” I look over my shoulder and find Gio leaning against the table as he watches.
I take my hand off her throat and turn back to the table, grabbing my drink. “You’re dismissed.”
She stumbles off into the crowd. Most are avoiding looking in our direction. In a normal place, there would have been a crowd and the police called. Not at the Brooklyn Lounge, where the seediest people gather. We all avoid getting involved in anyone else’s business.
I sit back down and take a swig from my drink.
“Feel better now?” Gio asks.
“She threatened Mia. I will protect her at all costs.”
He laughs. “Bro, you’re so far gone that you can’t even see the way back.”
