Sasha’s was only two blocks away, so we walked. Dante also preferred not having a lot of vehicles that would draw attention at the bar.
The hand painted sign outside of Sasha’s was faded and in disrepair. Someone had posted a Do Not Enter sign over the lettering.
“Dante, wait until you see the new bitch working here. She is grade A, prime USDA meat. God, the thought of sinking my dick into her,” Crow said loud enough for the entire group to hear.
I had been to Sasha’s thousands of times as I made my way up the ranks of the gang, but I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about a new girl. Sasha went through several a year. I couldn’t figure out if that was because she was a tyrant of a boss or Dante and the others scared the girls off. I had a strange suspicion it was the latter.
Kobe
I pinned my hair up on top of my head as I walked into Sasha’s for work. My shoes stuck to the floor as I made my way behind the bar. I had no clue when the last time this place was cleaned, and I wasn’t sure that Sasha even cared. It wasn’t as if a health inspector would come here—they were too scared. Sasha’s was a place where you entered at your own risk.
The building itself looked more like an old shotgun style house where you could see the back door from the front door. The bar on the left held beer or one of three straight liquors: vodka, tequila, or whiskey. There were no mixers. Also behind the bar was an old industrial stove and oven combo where Sasha cooked one meal a day, and if you were hungry, you ate it without asking what it was.
“It’ll be busy tonight.”
“Why tonight? Something going on?”
“Nah. You ain’t stupid.”
I opened the spiral notebook next to the cash register and quickly reminded myself that I was Allie when I was here and even had the fake ID to prove it. Hell, it wasn’t like she gave me a paycheck, Sasha paid cash under the table for my hours. I wrote my name and then the time I was starting my shift.
As far as why we would be busy tonight, I figured it had something to do with why there weren’t any guys hanging around outside my apartment when I left. The first time I saw them following me home, I put two and two together and understood that was why I had only seen one or two members in here on the days I worked, they were monitoring me to see what I would do. I wasn’t worried they would learn anything, and I’ll already sold my house and moved just in case they knew that was where Jared had lived.
The door of the bar opened, and the sound of laughs filled the small space. And for the first time, I saw Dante, the gang president. He had a woman on each arm, and several of his closest gang members were on his heels. I had to turn away because he gave me the creeps, his eyes were the epitome of pure evil, no soul lurking behind their midnight depths.
“You be careful, you hear me?” Sasha asked.
“What do you mean?”
“This is the Coyote’s safe place. You do your job and mind your own business. These men, they take care of me, so you take care of them.”
I nodded not totally sure what she meant but as far as being careful, she didn’t need to remind me.
Immediately someone was sliding their phone into the stereo dock amplifier that Sasha kept in the corner on a shelf and the room was pumping with the lyrics from Gucci Mane. It was so loud that you wouldn’t be able to hear the person at the next table talking.
My heart skipped and my stomach churned when my eyes landed on Easton, my Easton. Well, not really mine, he was brother’s best friend, but he was the man of my dreams. Even at seventeen, I knew he was who I wanted. But he was here, with the Coyotes, the gang that killed my brother, I just knew it.
Easton held my gaze as he followed Dante to a table at the back of the bar.
“Don’t just stand there, Allie,” Sasha said and motioned toward the group of men and women, encouraging me to take orders.
Stepping forward, I ran my fingers through my hair, shaking the thick ponytail loose as it fell over my shoulders, and stood just within earshot.
“We got our party Friday night, as you know we will need something to celebrate. Which is why I’ve scheduled for a delivery of oxy,” Dante said with a slow grin, exposing teeth that were stained from years of cigarettes and coffee. “I want to nail down the details. I’m sending six of you,” he said, jerking his head back to the main part of the bar, where some of the other gang members were hanging out with the women that came with them. “Crow, you’re going to be lookout,” he said, and pointed a long finger at the burly man to my right. “Easy,” he continued and slapped his hand hard on the table, making me jump, “you’re taking point on this one.”
I glanced at Easton realizing that he was Easy to the gang.
“What?” Spider snarled.
Dante’s spine stiffened as he bared his teeth. “Problem, Spider?”
“Nah, we good,” Spider said, and looked down at his hands.
“I thought so,” Dante sniffed and turned back to me. “What do you say, Easy? You can handle it?”
“When?” Easton asked.
“Friday night, South Street overpass,” Dante’s
