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Then she walks in I stru note and Kelly frowns at aze and her eyes widen and she’s sirls who could all be sisters, quadruplets or so with their identical blonde hair pulled into a ponytail with that stupid buirl has a boy on her ar sets as well, muscle-bound juiceheads with idiotic tribal tattoos and dead eyes and cocky swaggers These guys have their hands on their girls possessively, and the girls seem to enjoy it

Nell has one too, and this pisses uy, but he’s massive And his eyes aren’t dead They’re quick and alert and full of latent aggression He’s got the hottest girl in the bar on his arm and he knows and he wants someone to make a move so he can destroy them

His hand is on her lower back, on her ass, really, curling around her hip as he guides her to the bar I see green, and then red Which is stupid

This is bad

I’, but barely Kelly sends over a shot of Jaives

I’ht tonight I’onna be pissed

I should leave I owe Nell nothing I don’t own her I don’t have a clai about a boyfriend, but then we didn’t really talk much and I didn’t ask It didn’t cross my her” because I can do that song without thinking I’ any second, and that’s when things’ll get interesting

He’s pushing her impatiently towards the bar and she writhes her back away fro at hiine She steps away fros her against his side and leans down to whisper in her ear Whatever he says has her stiffening but acquiescing Staying tucked against his side I see her face, and she’s unhappy, but in a long-suffering sort of way This isn’t new

But it only sends , then decide to up the ante I clear my throat into the h without any theatrics, especially when no one is really paying attention, but this is a unique situation

“Hey everybody I hope you’re all having a great ti a s” She swivels toward o wide and she stops breathing “That was Matt Nathanson I just sang, by the way If you don’t know his stuff, you should give hionna do another cover This is ‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Mraz”

It’s a little high for my voice, but it works I don’t take ot real reason to sing, that the crowd starts paying attention Maybe so quiets and heads turn toward ht against Brick-shithouse’s ribs, and she’s growing iet away, and he resists Eventually she elbows hi She disappears into the bathroo her lips with the back of her hand, and I know exactly what she did in there I never take s Eventually I have to take a break, so I thank the crowd and step off the stage She’s been trying to ignoreRock Obviously she’s got a fake ID, or she’s older than I thought Then I hear the group of girls and their guys all converge around her and sing “Happy Birthday dear Nell” hideously off-key Her ogre boyfriend pulls her against him for a kiss, which she sub hith, she pushes him away and turns the bar I’usted, and suppress a shudder Ogre doesn’t see, since he’s too busy ogling the waitress, who is in turn leaning over for him so he can see down her shirt as she flirts with hie, especially when he slips his hand—the one that isn’t on Nell’s hip—down to openly grope the waitress’ ass I’m even more confused when Nell swivels in place and watches the entire thing, hints of a on her lips and eyes

Nell turns away, shaking her head, but leaves his hand on her She meets uilty expression for a split second, but then it’s gone I wave Kelly over and tell her to pour two big shots of Jameson, one for me, and one for Nell

When Nell has her shot in hand, I lift re watches this, and his face darkens He leans down and whispers in her ear She shrugs He latches his hand on her bicep, and I see hilass down and weave through the croard thenore her warnings Ogre straightens as he sees , and his mouth turns up in a ready smile He flexes his fist and steps past Nell

“COLT!” Kelly’s voice snaps out fro think so Not in ers at me Kelly knows a bit about me, knows some of the people I used to run with She knohat I can do and she doesn’t want any part of it here I don’t blame her

She reaches beneath the bar and lifts a collapsable police baton, flicks her wrist to extend its weighted head She points it at Ogre and company

“Get out All of you Now” She also lifts her cell phone from her purse and dials a number, shows the screen to them “I’ll fk you all up, and then I’ll call the police and you’ll be arrested, because I have that kind of understanding with theet the fk out”

You don’t fk with Kelly She knows the people I used to run with, because she used to run with the her dreadlocked hair back isn’t just for fashion It’s colors The kind of colors that say she can re and company will vanish Bloodily