EPILOGUE | JAX #3
“No, no…” Lou says, leaning forward with a wicked glint in his eye.
“So Sisk grabs Viper and lays one on her. It was hot, sure, but that’s not what sold it.
What sold him was right after. Viper, she’s still got a fist in Sisk’s hair, and she grips her face, gets right up close.
Looks her dead in the eye and whispers, but loud enough for all of us to hear, ‘Let the dicks play, baby. You and I both know it’s your pussy that runs this world. ’”
The bar goes dead silent.
Sisk just grins, shrugging like it’s nothing. “Danner said right after, ‘Now that I believe.’ Then he told Matt to ‘sit the fuck down, and let the women work.’” She touches her cheek. “Viper was very convincing, even left a little souvenir on my cheek from her sharp nails.”
Andy, who’s been listening with his mouth slightly open, finally turns to Lou. “Let me get this straight. You went to a drug den and didn’t tell me?”
Lou shrinks, looking miserable. “It was a bad call.”
Andy makes a face at him. Without another word, Lou stands, grabs his boyfriend’s face in both hands, and kisses him hard and deep. When he pulls back, Andy looks dazed. “I’m sorry,” Lou says. “I’m a dumbass.”
“You are,” Andy agrees, but he’s smiling now.
I can’t find words. I look at Sisk, then at Viper. “You two did fucking what?”
Sisk’s smile tightens. “I did what I had to do. It worked, didn’t it? We’re in. I got another meeting next week at the Redline. Had to spin him some story about being overseas, laying low after a deal went sour. He thinks I’ve been gone this whole time, not that I was… giving birth.”
“The Redline?” Matt and I say it at the exact same time. I catch Matt’s eye across the bar. He gives me a strong shake of his head, a look that says, Your girlfriend. My girlfriend. Tongues. We are never, ever speaking of this again.
Sisk just shrugs, completely unfazed. “What? It’s a public place. I want to know who’s bringing the pops there, another connection. The more I pull at the threads, the easier it will be to get it all crumbling down.”
Andy leans back, draping an arm over Lou’s shoulders.
“See? This is why Sisk is my favorite. Girl has vision. All this tension, think you guys should figure out in bed, the four of you. I’m not talking some soft, gentle ‘let’s see what happens’ bullshit.
I’m talking about a full-on, no-holds-barred fuckfest. Get it all out.
Matt can finally see what his girl’s really made of, Jax can stop being so possessive, and Lou and I get the show of a lifetime. ”
I spit out my beer. Matt, who was taking a swig of his own, starts hacking, pounding his chest as he chokes. Across from us, Viper just grins. “I’m in. Your girl kisses better than you, Jax.”
A beat of silence, and then the whole bar seems to erupt in laughter. Even I can’t help it, a rough disbelieving laugh tearing out of my throat. Fucking hell.
We all drink, the clinking of glasses the only sound, none of us quite sure how to follow that. I catch Sisk’s eye over the rim of my bottle.
I set my bottle down and pull her gently aside. “I got something for you.”
Her eyebrows lift.
“Wait, what?” Lou cuts in, his head popping up from behind the bar. “Did Jax just say he got you something?”
I cough, rubbing the back of my neck. “Mind your business.”
“No, absolutely not. What is it?”
Sisk unfolds the paper slowly. She clears her throat, her eyes scanning the words. I thought she’d read it to herself, but then she starts reading out loud.
“Remember that night you said yes,
Above the city and under the moon.”
Her voice is soft at first. Everyone assumes it’s sweet. Matt leans against the bar. Lou smiles. Viper sighs.
Sisk keeps reading.
“Remember that night I claimed your pussy
And made you forget
That the world might not care but I do.”
The room goes completely still. Sisk’s eyes widen.
“Okay,” she says slowly, starting to fold the paper. “I guess this is private—”
“No way, keep going,” Lou says, already a few drinks too deep.
Sisk tries to take the page back, but Lou snatches it from her hands.
“Hey!” I start, but Andy, trying to be helpful, steps in front of me. “Let him read it, boss! It’s good for morale!” he says, completely missing the point.
Lou just grins. “Can I?” he asks me, holding the paper like it’s a trophy.
I shrug helplessly. “If you must.”
Lou holds the paper up like he’s reading a serious piece of poetry.
“Remember that night I fell for you,
And your legs said you did too.”
Matt chokes on his drink again. Viper slaps a hand over her mouth.
Lou grins like vacation just came early. He reads the last lines.
“So you better get ready,
Because tonight I’m coming back
For the other hole too.”
Silence. Absolute silence.
Lou slowly lowers the paper. Everyone is staring.
Lou immediately raises both hands. “I take it back,” he says. “You guys still have romance.”
“That’s on you for reading it out loud,” Sisk tells him, her face bright red.
Matt clears his throat loudly.
“Alright!” Lou suddenly shouts, grabbing a bottle. “Shots!”
Everyone agrees and Andy starts lining up glasses across the bar.
“Because we are absolutely not unpacking what we just heard,” Lou finishes.
Matt grabs one immediately. “Best idea you’ve had all night.”
Viper sighs but takes a glass.
Lou raises his. “To Tar City.”
“To Tar City,” everyone answers.
I raise my glass higher. “To Tar fucking City.”