“Then don’t start lies yourself. Don’t you go calling nice women whores when they won’t go out with you.”
“Can I have a drink?”
“I’ll sell you one. What you want?”
“My usual.”
Sam leaned forward, putting his face close to Brad’s over the top of the computer. “You don’t have no ‘usual’ in this bar no more.”
Brad closed the computer. “Okay, you’re making a point. I get it. Then I’ll have a double whiskey.”
Sam nodded. “I hope you got my point. You’re on probation for just being here, Brad. You better behave yourself.”
“I’ll behave as I’m treated, Sam.”
Sam straightened and went to the bar, where he fixed the drink and brought it to Brad and put it in front of him. “You here to make trouble?”
“Me? People have been making trouble for me.” He tossed a credit card on the table. “I want to run a tab.”
“You been asking for it from what I hear. I know for a fact you tried to use a date-rape drug on my waitress, and then you tried to grab her. Now it seems that was just for openers.”
“That fucking uppity bitch had it coming.”
“How’s that?”
“She acts like I’m dog shit and then flirts with goddamn bikers.”
“Her choice, isn’t it? There’s nothing in the rules of life says you get to pick her friends.”
“So you’re on her side, that right?”
“I don’t see it being about sides, Brad. You been chasing after her, and she isn’t interested. Back the fuck off.”
Brad picked up his glass and sipped his whiskey. “I’m just a customer sitting here having a drink, Sam. Why don’t you back the fuck off? Go hang out with your bitches.”
Simone saw that Sam wasn’t sure how to handle Brad’s hostile presence. “The guy usually backs down when you get in his face, like any bully,” he told Simone. “He must have something in mind.”
She frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Is Rafe’s card stuck above my desk?”
“Yeah. So is Max’s.”
Sam scratched his chin. “I’ll go give them a call.”
“I can do that.”
“Brad isn’t taking his beady eyes off you. If he sees you calling for help, it might set off whatever craziness he’s got going on.”
Simone frowned as she tried to look at Brad without appearing like she was looking at him. “I suppose so. Tell Rafe and Max I’d like them to swing by for a drink.”
“That would be a good thing, I think.” He went to the bar. “I better run his card and set up his tab first.”
Sam headed for the office, and Brad opened his computer. As he started typing, she realized that if he’d given Sam his credit card, Brad must not be aware yet of what Rafe and Gemma had done—reversing his attack and closing his accounts. She wanted to warn Sam, but he was already heading back to Brad’s table. “Hey, man. This card is no good.”
Brad looked stunned. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I ran your card. Declined.”