Devil vs. Angel

Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1

Alvin

I smiled at the beautiful woman as I handed over her drink. She was making eyes at me. I was too tired to go home with someone from Laughlin’s, but I wasn’t about to blow my chances at a good tip.

She wrapped her pink lips around the straw and looked up at me from under her lashes. I pretended I didn’t see her and moved to the next customer. Not a damn thing stirred in my shorts, so stringing the woman along was just cruel.

When she came back to the bar an hour later for a refill, she shot me a glare and grinned up at Mack, my partner for the night.

“What did you do to her?” Mack asked when she finally walked away, after giving him a big tip and her phone number.

I shrugged. “I didn’t drop my pants when she sucked on her straw. Guess she thought I should have.”

Mack laughed and slapped my back. “There are two kinds of women here. The ones who are looking to fill their void and the ones who are looking to disappear.”

“She definitely has a void. I’m thinking she might have one in her head, too. I was not sending her any signals. Unless being polite means I’m hitting on her. I need to start acting like you.”

Mack laughed again. He was a beast of a man. He was a good four inches taller than me, and at six-one that wasn’t easy. He kept his head shaved, giving him a dangerous vibe from the get-go. His gray eyes and dark brown skin appeared at odds with each other, one so light everyone thought he wore contacts and skin so dark he could disappear in the dark corners of the bar. Which he liked to do and then scare the s**t out of me.

Where he was friendly and joked with me and the rest of our coworkers, he was stoic and firm with customers. The regulars knew not to f**k around when Mack was behind the bar. Or when he wasn’t. Mack worked shifts as a bouncer when one of the regular guys couldn’t make it. He was bigger than all of them, but he mixed the best damn drinks on the island so he stayed behind the bar most of the time.

We got busy again, and Mack and I moved to our corners to handle the masses. Just as it started to quiet down, a woman with striking red hair and a worried look in her eyes met my gaze.

I served the guy in front of her, keeping my eye on the redhead as she glanced around the bar. The guy nodded his thanks and dropped a bill in the tip jar then moved away, giving me a full view of the redhead.

She held her purse between clenched fingers. She chewed on the inside of her lip. Her eyes kept snapping behind her. Her blue tank top hugged her curves and gave way to fitted capris. She could have been a tourist, but my money was on her being a local. It didn’t matter to me. I was there to make sure she was okay.

“What can I get you?” I asked her when she didn’t meet my gaze.

She jumped, and her gaze locked on mine. She studied me for a second, then looked behind her again. I followed her gaze and saw a guy at a table watching her.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” I said amicably. “How’ve you been?”

I had all her focus after that one. “Do I know you?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m your friend, Alvin. We talk every time you come in here. And I’m not going to let you get hurt. Why don’t you have a seat and we can catch up. Something to drink?”

She moved toward the stool in front of me and slid onto it, nodding. “I’m Scarlett.”

“Good to see you again, Scarlett,” I said, moving to make her a Shirley Temple. It was pretty enough that most men thought it had alcohol in it if they weren’t watching when it was made, but allowed women like Scarlett to keep their heads on straight.

She nodded at me when I passed her the drink. “How…um…”

“How did I know you needed a friend?”

She sipped and nodded.

“I’ve worked in bars long enough that I could tell. You’re going to sit here for the night, though. Do you have a friend coming?”

She shook her head. “I was supposed to meet my girlfriend, but she couldn’t make it. I didn’t see her text until after I had my drink and was sitting there. I figured I’d finish it and go, but Carson had a different idea and has had me cornered.”

“Can you just leave?”

“I’m afraid he’ll follow me. I told him I’m not interested, but he said he’ll wear me down.”

“Well, I have to work until close, but I’ll follow you home if you want me to. Make sure you’re okay.”

Scarlett nodded. “Thank you. Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

I agreed with her. She sat and sipped her drink while I tended bar. I watched Scarlett the entire time, and kept Carson in my sights as much as I could. When things quieted a little, I filled Mack in on what was happening.

“I’ve seen him in here a few times,” Mack said with a subtle nod toward Carson. “He always finds a woman sitting alone and corners her. I’ve wondered a few times if the women were okay with him, but none have ever said anything to me.”

I nodded, glancing over at Scarlett. She watched the crowd from her seat. When her eyes landed on Carson, she sat up straighter and turned back to the bar, avoiding looking at him.

He stood, his eyes locked on her, and started to move through the crowd.

I nodded to Mack and we moved together to where Scarlett sat. She gave me a tight grin then flicked her green eyes to Mack.

“I thought you were going to come back,” Carson said before Mack or I could speak. “I was waiting for you.”

Carson was clearly pissed. His tone was full of anger and frustration.

“Sorry about that,” I said, drawing his attention. “I monopolized Scarlett. We haven’t seen her much lately and wanted to catch up with her. Mack hasn’t had a chance to say hi to her yet.”

Carson glared at me, but when Mack stepped forward, fear slipped onto his face. Mack went right to Scarlett and reached for her hand. “Hey, girl. Why don’t you come visit me anymore?”

Scarlett giggled and shook her head. “I’ve been busy, Mack.”

Mack nodded. “I know, babe, but you need to take a break more often. Kick back and have a drink. I see Alvin took care of you tonight. Next time you come, sit on my end. I’ll give you one of my special drinks.”

Scarlett blushed and nodded.

I stood there watching them, wondering what I just walked in on. They acted like they really were old friends.

“Um, I guess I’ll see you around then,” Carson said after a minute.

Scarlett ignored him, and he finally got the hint and disappeared.

“He’s gone,” I told her.

Her shoulders sagged with relief, and she began to shake.

“Mack,” I warned.

He nodded and moved around the bar. He stood at her side, rubbing her back. “Deep breaths, Scarlett. In and out. Slow. Listen to my voice and relax. You’re safe now.”

Scarlett looked up at Mack and held his gaze while she struggled to breathe evenly. I served drinks to the lingering customers, keeping an eye on Mack and Scarlett the whole time.

She finally nodded, and he moved back behind the bar. He stayed on my end, and I served customers on his end. We worked in tandem like we always did, smiling and pouring drinks until the wave died down.

I moved back to Scarlett and asked if she was okay.

She nodded. “I think so. He really scared me, though.”

“Sorry about that. We’ll make sure the boss knows about it so everyone can keep an eye on him from now on. Mack said he’s seen him in here before.”

Scarlett shook her head. “I hope he hasn’t done that to many others. I don’t want to think about what would have happened if you didn’t pick up on it.”

I nodded. “Neither do I. I have a sister. I’m always watching, but we get so busy at times, I wouldn’t have noticed if you came up when I was slammed.”

“That’s why I waited. I was trying to figure out a way to say something to you without him realizing.”

“I’m just glad it worked out. We need a signal or something.”

Scarlett laughed. “That would be good.”

The rest of the night passed quickly. Scarlett stayed on her stool, sipping her drink and watching the crowd. As the night wore on, her shoulders slumped and she leaned onto the bar. She was clearly exhausted.

“I was going to make sure she got home okay,” Mack said from behind me as we worked to put the bar back in order. Most people had already left. Besides Scarlett, there was a small group of men and women in the one corner finishing up their snacks with a round of beers.

“Yeah, I told her I would. Doesn’t matter to me. As long as she’s safe. It really sucks that she had to worry.”

Mack nodded, his eyes on Scarlett. “Assholes like him shouldn’t be allowed out. Did you see the way he looked at her?”

“He was not happy she was up here with us instead of entertaining him. You scared him off, though. Like usual.”

Mack shrugged. “Just doing my job.”

“It would be easier if we had some kind of signal. Like a special drink women could order to let us know they’re not comfortable and could be in danger.”

Mack stopped what he was doing and stared at me. “That’s genius.”

I shrugged. “Heard some bars on the mainland are doing something like that. The problem is if it’s too obvious, it loses the effect. Needs to be something a woman can ask a guy to order for her if he won’t let her get her own drink.”

“I like it. Damn. You should tell Russell.”

I shook my head. “Nah. He doesn’t like when we change things. It would mean adding something to the menu, and you know how he is.”

Mack narrowed his eyes at me. “It would mean keeping people safe. I think he’ll be willing to do it.”

I shrugged. “I’ve offered suggestions before and he turned them down.”

“Like what?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said, because it didn’t. I tried to help. I wanted to offer my opinion, but a man could only be beat down so many times before he quit trying to get back up.

“I really think you should tell him.”

I shook my head and walked away. It wasn’t going to happen. I just needed to be more vigilant about watching the women in the crowd.

Mack and I finished cleaning up, and he offered to follow Scarlett home. With a nod from her that she was okay with it, I took off in the opposite direction.