Inside the front door is what at one time was probably a decent restaurant. Booths line the wall, a hand full of other tables litter the sticky floor. The lights are dim, and the place smells of stale beer, sweat and the unmistakable irony tinge of blood.

There’s a bar off to the right, a pair of pool tables to the left and the rest is mostly open. About a dozen or so men and barely dressed women mill about.

Taking my chances with the heavily tattooed man behind the bar, I turn to Eloise as she follows me. “Just go sit down, and please don’t talk to anyone that’s not me, your brother or your dad.”

“Not a problem,” she laughs “I don’t want to be here anymore than you do.”

Eloise finds a quiet seat in the corner and pulls out her phone while I slide onto a stool at the bar. Diablo tucks himself underneath me.

He’s stiff and unhappy with our surroundings but hasn’t made a sound.

“Looking lost, beautiful.” The bartender greets me, leaning down on his huge forearms.

“Looking for someone, actually.” I smile, noticing his striking grey-blue eyes.

“Gonna have to order something to stay at the bar.”

It’s like eight o’clock in the morning, I shake my head as I scan the shelves of liquor behind him hoping to find something I can stomach. 

“Tequila?” I end up asking.

“I’m not making breakfast margaritas,” he teases “doesn’t matter how pretty you are.”

“It’s only bourbon and whiskey up there,” I state, pointing to the shelves on display. “Two shots of tequila.”

He raises an eyebrow, and before I can question it a please slips past my lips. He smirks and nods, I’m sure I’m blushing.

I came here ready to claw my way through and demand what’s mine, but who says I can’t flirt with the bartender in the meantime?

The shots are poured quickly and set in front of me while opening bottles for other patrons. He sets an elbow down on on the bar eyeing me and the shots, his other arm stretches out to slide a salt shaker over before snagging a lime from the lower counter.

I stare down at the shots, I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since before the night I lost my family.

“Everyone around here calls me Goose” he says, his voice has a hoarseness to it that makes me want to listen. “Like Grey Goose, ‘cause I drank two full bottles and-“

“Okay,” I interrupt “no need for the visual, I can guess what comes next.”

“You know, most people drink their shots. I only spit in them if you ask really nicely.”

“What?” I laugh, placing more than enough cash on the counter. “You only said I had to order, so is Xavier around?”

Goose repeats Xavier’s name, scratching his head as he pretends to consider my question while nodding towards the shots between us.

I’m sure that I am visibly irritated, but to hell with it, I throw back the shot. Cringing as I swallow and place the empty glass upside down on the bar.

“Either Mathis would do, they have something that belongs to me.”

“Xavier Mathis? That’s right, Ripper brought him in for a job not too long ago. Goes by Gauge around here.” He’s not telling me anything especially helpful.

“So here,” tapping my finger on the bar “Ripper goes by Gauge? Y’all are weird.”

Goose laughs out loud, and if he wasn’t slowly creeping his way to my bad side it would be something I’d hope to hear more often. “No, Xavier goes by Gauge. Can’t give any details on how he earned his name though, he’ll have to decide whether or not to share that with you.”

I throw back the other shot, this time I bite into the lime to get it down easier. Slamming the glass back down on the bar a bit too hard and drawing some eyes from around the room. Goose just smirks.

I don’t mind the attention, if I can keep their wandering eyes on me then hopefully Eloise will go unnoticed.

“I don’t really care what you call him, now please tell me where I can find him or I’ll just start looking around myself.”

Goose slides down the bar, talking to a kid that doesn’t look much older than Eloise. The young man gets up with a nod and disappears through a door at the back of the room.

Taking a chance to glance back at Eloise, thankfully she’s still alone. In her own little world, on her phone.

“Prospect’s gone to find him, but only because you asked so nicely.” Goose leans down much closer than before. “Now I’ve done you a favor, do one for me.”

“Excuse me? You made me take shots just to talk to you.” I scoff.

He throws up his hands as if he meant no harm, “just wanted to know what to call the beauty who wandered in to my bar and brightened up my day.”

“Skyla.” I sigh.

“And your friend?” He looks over me towards Eloise.

“I’d say the youngest Mathis is definitely off limits.”

“No shit.” He smiles, “that’s Eloise?”

He hurries around the bar, and I spin on my bar stool to watch him slide into the seat across from her, I can’t tell what’s being said but she seems at ease. She even leans forward to give him a hug.

While I wait I take in the grotesquely over decorated walls around the place. Diablo hugs my side as I explore. Photographs, license plates, even range targets covered in bullet holes. Hanging in a dark corner behind the pool tables one item in particular catches my eye.

“You like guitars?” Goose asks, having joined me across the room.

“Something like that.” I answer, fighting the urge to reach out and touch it. “If either of the Mathis men decides to grace us with their presence today I’ll be waiting outside.”

Leaning on the hood of Xavier’s car, my pulse is racing in my ears. Coincidence, has to be. Diablo nudges me with his cold nose and it snaps me out of my racing thoughts.

“Any news? Goose said someone was getting Xavier?” Eloise sits beside me.

“He didn’t say much, but they’re clearly here.”

“Are you sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Yeah, it’s just- the guitar hanging on the wall in there, well, I’m pretty sure it was my husband’s.”

“That can’t be, you’re not even from here.” She leans over as if that might hold me up.

I zone out as she theorizes how unlikely that would be. It just has to be his though, I should have pulled it down and checked the back. 

How would have even gotten here? What are the odds I’d ever see a guitar with that color pattern again?

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t notice Diablo shifting at my feet but his low growl catches my attention. I look up in time to watch a few men walking towards us from the bar’s front door. They’re being lead by the Mathis I didn’t particularly want to see today.

“My sweet Ellie, good to see you. Who do I have to thank for this surprise visit?” Ripper asks as they approach.

Diablo shifts to stand between my legs as Eloise and I stand up, he lets out another grumble to let me know he’s doesn’t want them coming any closer.

“Where’s Xavier?” Eloise asks, crossing her arms and jutting out her hip. Teenagers. “You were only supposed to be gone for six days.”

“We were only gone six days.” He replies.

“Then why didn’t he come home? Why hasn’t he answered any calls or texts? Where is he?” She rapidly fires off questions while Ripper lights a cigarette.

He sighs, taking another drag. “Maybe he is home.”

Their back and forth banter continues as Eloise tries to demand answers and Ripper only offers half-truths. 

The three other men have scattered about the covered porch and parking lot. They’re taking in the scene Eloise is making and seem quite amused.

Diablo is watching too, waiting for a signal, one that determines friend from foe.

“Can we cut the shit, Ripper? I’m just here for what’s mine.” I finally interrupt.

“Oh?” He laughs. “You got some kind of claim over my boy I don’t know about?”

“My car! My guns! If I can get my stuff I will be out of your hair forever.”

“Now, now… I may not have much hair left.” Ripper scrubs a hand over his buzz cut, “What’s a little minx like you need with a car like that? You could really hurt yourself with those guns too, or someone else might get hurt.”

I step forward, Diablo matching every step with his head lowered and ready to snap, matching Ripper’s condescending tone. “I’d bet I could out shoot most of the so called men here. Now please fetch my keys so that I can be on my way.”

He laughs like I’d just said the funniest thing he’s heard all year. “Polite even when she’s angry.” He turns to the men behind him, "one of you go drag Gauge’s ass out of bed!”

The man that stalks back inside has a look on his face that sets off the warning bells inside my head. I place on hand on the top of Diablo’s head and the other behind my back towards my holstered 9mm.

“The job’s over, why is he still going by Gauge?” Eloise pipes in. “Has he decided to stay? He wouldn’t do that! What about your deal?”

Ripper ignores his daughter’s panicked rambling, “You saying you can outshoot a motorcycle club full of murderous bastards?”

“You don’t even need decent aim to fill a man with lead.”

Ripper has the nerve to laugh again, this time the other men outside follow suit. I clench my jaw as I slowly unholster the gun behind my back.

It already has a round chambered, I checked before we left. All I need to do is flick the safety off, then point and shoot. There’s a beer bottle about twenty feet away on the corner of the porch railing. It looks to be full.

Ripper’s still talking, spouting misogynistic bullshit and his buddies have joined in. Eloise is still trying to get his attention and demanding some actual answers.

There’s no one behind the bottle, the nearest car and building plenty far enough away that any damage done by my shot should be minimal. Little chance of ricochet.

“Eloise, cover your ears.” I warn.

My arm is raised and aimed before she gets her hands over her ears, the bottle explodes with the single shot. Knowing full well what I’ve just done I redirect the aim of my gun towards the center of Ripper’s chest. Diablo barks, warning him not to step forward.

The single shot was enough for the men still outside to draw their own weapons. Others begin to stumble out of the bar to observe our standoff, I slowly side-step to put Diablo and myself between the four or more guns and Eloise.

“Impressive,” Ripper says as he steps closer, “I’ll give you that, but are you sure you’ve got it in you to kill a man?”

“You don’t know a goddamn thing about me, but if a single shot comes near her I’ll make sure you all go down.” How has he not demanded the guns practically aimed at his own daughter be lowered?

“I knew I liked you.” He smirks.

My racing heart settles as he finally waves at the men to lower their weapons and I begin to do the same. A tall familiar frame is shoving his way towards us through the small crowd that has gathered between us and the building. Not far behind him is a barely dressed girl screaming for him to stop.

“What the fuck is going on out here? Why the hell was I pulled out of bed for this?” Xavier scowls, headed straight to Ripper.

“Gauge!” The girl screams. “Gauge, come back to bed! Whatever this is can fucking wait!”

He finally breaks through the front of the crowd, his eyes accessing the situation before widening with surprise when they finally land on me. “Skyla? What are you doing here?”