I enter the room and lock the door behind me as I scan the place. It smells like musty old mothballs, but the bed looks clean as far as I can tell. I set my bag down on the wood chair and pull out my bottle of whiskey, knowing it is the only thing that will help calm my nerves. I’m curious as to what the guy at the counter meant when he said Pax’s friends are a bad crowd.
I take a swig of whiskey and let the liquor sit on my tongue, hoping the familiar flavor of Pax will etch into my taste buds if I just don’t swallow. Man do I miss him, but one more night won’t kill me even though I’m not positive that’s true in this place.
Startled by the roaring sound of bike engines, I choke down the whiskey and fly toward the window to check it out.
Seems the bar across the street is a midnight hot spot, I think to myself.
Thankful I came prepared for anything, I tie my hair back, grab my purse, bear spray, and keys before I make my way out of the room and exit through the back entrance of the motel.
The bar looks like a shithole and as I cross the street, I feel the panic erupt in my stomach that says maybe I shouldn’t go in there, but I shove it down and tell myself to stop overreacting. Pax looks mean on the outside but really, he’s harmless and sweet… maybe everyone else is too.
I step inside the bar and take a look around before I make my way up to the counter, seeing no sign of Pax, just a few burley looking dudes and their girlfriends shooting pool on the far end of the place.
“Evening,” the bartender nods. “What can I get for you?”
I take a seat, trying not to stare at all of the skull tattoos down his arms as I pull out my phone to show him the picture of Pax.
“I’ll have a whiskey, make it a double, no ice, and have you seen this guy by chance?”
He glances me over, his dark brown eyes narrowing before he pours me the drink and places it on a napkin.
“That’ll be five bucks, and sorry, hun, never seen him.”
I don’t buy it for a second, but hand him a twenty.
“Are you sure?”
“Yep, I’m sure,” he says, as a woman enters the bar from the back room. “Hey, Verna, you ever seen this guy?”
He hands the stocky, bright orange-haired woman my phone as she scans it over quickly.
“Nah, never seen him, sorry, sweety… so, what’s a pretty girl like you doing looking for a guy like that in a shithole like Fairmount?”
“I have business with him,” I say finishing my drink. “I’m staying across the street at the motel, so if you see him can you please tell him Vixen is looking for him?”
I write my name and room number on a napkin and she takes it from me.
“Sure thing… and hey,” she pauses, eyeing over the people in the corner playing pool. “Not everyone around is friendly, so watch your back when you cross the street.”
I swallow as my heart pounds, and I nod in appreciation of her warning.
Note to self, never travel to butt fuck Fairmount alone again.
Taking no chances, I pull out the bear spray and pretty much jog my ass back to the motel, making sure no one followed me and then I double-check the locks once I’m back inside the room.
How the hell Pax lives in a place like this is beyond me. I undress into my panties, throw on one of Pax’s old t-shirts and climb into bed, with the mace and the bottle of whiskey. All I can smell is his scent and all I know is that tonight is going to be one of the longest nights of my life, but if I get to see Whiskey tomorrow then it’s worth it. He’s worth anything this eerie shithole town wants to throw at me.
***
A loud knock at the door jolts me awake as I look around, hungover, remembering where I am.
Fuck, my head hurts.
I stand and stagger my way to the door and peek through the peephole and instantly swing the door wide open to Pax’s angered expression.
Ignoring it, I jump and throw my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist and hug him tight as he carries me into the room, kicking the door closed with his foot.
He lets me down and grabs my waist, seemingly inspecting me as I cringe to the pain of his hand gripping my freshly inked tattoo.
“Why in the fuck did you come here, Vix? This isn’t a nice place for you to be,” he growls.
I inhale sharply to his angered tone.
“So, you’re not happy to see me?”
He jerks me closer and wraps his arms around me as I take in his intoxicating scent.
“Of course, I am, I just don’t know what made you think coming here was a good idea. How did you get here anyway?”
“My dad’s Harley,” I mutter into his chest.
“You drove a fucking hog out here?”
Now his tone is even angrier with a hint of shock mixed in.
“Yeah, and it was fun as fuck,” I laugh. “But I think the Kawasaki is more my style if I’m being honest.”
“You are such a naughty little vixen,” he says with a growl. “I should hate-fuck you right now just to show you how you make me feel.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Whiskey,” I wink.
He laughs as he takes a seat at the table.
“I was planning on coming home today. I just needed to clear
