“It’ll be fine, Shaw. Seriously, I got this.”
I set her fully away from me and moved around her to follow the guys out the front door. The pretty roommate caught my eye and lifted a brow. “Maybe you have redeeming qualities after all, Archer.”
I flipped her off, because well that’s what I do and made my way to the edge of the block where Nash and the boys were leaning against a white Lexus. A very nervous looking polo shirt was pacing back and forth in front of them threatening to call the cops waving his I-Phone around and asking repeatedly if they had any idea who his dad was. I tucked my hands in my front pockets and cocked my head to the side. I could see why Shaw’s parents were all about this guy, he was alright looking if you went for a dude that looked like Banana Republic threw up all over him. He actually had coloring similar to mine, dark hair minus the purple and spikes, and light blue eyes, but he oozed entitlement and vanity in a way only the idle rich could. He was custom made to be the husband that had a piece on the side while the pretty wife smiled for the cameras during election time, and while my relationship with Shaw tended to be tumultuous at best, I knew on a soul deep level that she deserved better than whatever this slime ball was selling.
“Hey polo shirt slow down a minute I just wanna talk to you for a second.” He was in the middle of telling Nash that he was going to sue him for this or that and that his dad was judge so they would throw the book at him when he finally noticed I joined the party. He lowered his wildly flailing arms and glared at me.
“I know who you are, you know. Shaw might think she’s clever but she has a picture of all three of you boys in her room on her nightstand and her parents have told me multiple times about her unhealthy attachment to you and your family. Her father has even threatened to stop paying for school for her if she keeps showing such questionable judgment in who she spends time with, this little encounter might just seal the deal.” I had to give the creep credit. On my own I was a fairly intimidating guy, surrounded by guys that were just as big and a hell of a lot more used to physical violence than he obviously was, the little puke held his ground. “I don’t know what her fascination with a freak like you is, but it’s time for her to outgrow it. She belongs with someone like me, not someone that can’t go through a metal detector without clearing out their face.”
Nash snickered and Rowdy laughed outright. I just shook my head a little and lifted up my mouth in a twisted grin. “I think she belongs with someone more interested in getting into her pants than into her daddy’s wallet. Shaw’s a good girl and she has a good head on her shoulders. The fact she wouldn’t let you even round first base in six months is pretty telling bro. From the sounds of it you would have better luck taking her folks on a date than her. Look she’s like family and I don’t like it when people mess with my family. This is a friendly little chat because we’re on a public street and I’m feeling generous, next time it won’t be public and my generosity has a time limit. Leave her alone, end of story.”
He looked like he wanted to argue, wanted to say something back put the mountain of a human being that was clearly the bouncer for the bar came around the corner. He looked at the guys on the car and the heated polo shirt and shook his head.
“Enough. You four go back in, Ayden told me what was going on so your tab is on me. You,” he pointed a meaty finger at Gabe. “You are no longer allowed at the Goal Line, consider yourself 86’ed. If Shaw doesn’t want you here I don’t care how much you got in your wallet or what kinda pull your old man has this is my house and you aren’t welcome. Next time you want to get all up on one of my girls, put your hands on them you won’t have to worry about these guys because I’ll make sure they never find your body, understand?”
Even I didn’t question that this monster meant business so polo shirt gulped and nodded his head slightly. My boys pushed off the car and Nash ‘accidentally’ shoved into him as they made their way over to where I was standing. Gabe swore and jumped into his car. He pulled away from the curb and flipped us all the bird as he squealed into traffic. The bouncer looked me up and down and flicked his impassive gaze over our motley crew.
“You friends with Shaw?”
I mean we weren’t friends exactly but it was as close as any other explanation so I shrugged and answered, “Sure.”
He nodded. “I’m Lou. I look out for the girls that work here, Shaw and Ayden just happen to be two of my favorites. They’re good girls; work hard here and at school. They aren’t here just to show their asses and get into trouble and I respect that. I don’t let anyone mess with those two; in fact I take it personally when someone tries to.”
I wasn’t sure why he was telling me all this but frankly he was one scary mother so I kept my mouth shut and just kept making eye contact.
“Shaw is a sweet kid but she tries to do too much by herself and if that ass**le keeps bothering her she’ll just suffer it in silence.” Now he was looking at me pointedly so I lifted an eyebrow. “I wanna know if something needs to be done about him.”
“Shaw and I aren’t exactly close like that. She wouldn’t tell me something like that. You might want to have this talk with her roommate.”
“I’m having it with you, son.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that but just as I was about to say something sarcastic back the doors to the bar opened and the middle aged guys in the jerseys came spilling out and got between us. Lou gave me one last direct look that I couldn’t help but take as him meaning business and went back inside. I looked back at my friends and sorta threw my hands up in the air.
“See what you miss when I go out of town on Sunday?”
All three of them burst into laughter and Jet decided it was time for us to move onto another bar so I had to run in and get my card from Shaw. The guys pitched in ten bucks each for me to give her as a tip so I wound my way back to the bar where she was talking to another waitress; this one had honey-gold colored hair and was dressed in the cheerleader uniform. Shaw stopped midsentence and looked at me through narrow eyes, I grinned at her and handed her the money. “You bouncer friend picked up our tab but the boys wanted to make sure you got taken care of.”
She handed me the AMX card back. “What did you do to Gabe?”
“Nothing.” She sighed and I didn’t even try to not watch the way it stretched her tiny little uniform across her chest.