alonimi
The Deltin Royale Casino - Printable Version

+- alonimi (https://alonimi.net)
+-- Forum: Contemporary (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=71)
+--- Forum: Valesport (https://alonimi.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=86)
+--- Thread: The Deltin Royale Casino (/showthread.php?tid=611)

Pages: 1 2 3

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-13-2016

Aphrodite tapped her foot with teasing impatience as Owen made her wait for a hug. Preening like God's gift to the world, before letting her circle her arms around him for a warm embrace.. She giggled as she was swept from the ground and for a brief moment it seemed like nothing was wrong. Like he had never died. Like her best friend wasn't missing. Patting his cheek, affectionately as he left a kiss on hers. "Hello, love," she replied, her accent as noticeable as the day she left London. She eyed him from her periphery as they walked up the steps to the casino. "Green was always a good color on you."

Still smiling, she curled her arm around Owen's waist, as she began to lead the two men towards the bar. With a scoff, she rolled her eyes, and didn't bother to respond to his statement. Even though she had missed him, she was going to feed his ego so easily. Owen's death had left a hole in their lives that she knew would never have been filled. Holland had quit his job at the Covenant, and devoted himself to other work. Aphrodite could only watch as he seemed to fall into a downward spiral. His best friend was gone. Even she couldn't fix that.

But here he was. A strange occurrence, but Aphrodite didn't question it. She would rather have him back than look a proverbial gift horse in it's proverbial mouth.

"He's keeping an eye on things for me," she explained, her face instantly lighting up at the sight of the man in question coming towards them. Ten years and you'd think she was seeing him for the first time every time. The devoted expression didn't fade as Dite traded one arm for another, breaking away from Owen to slip easily against her husband's side. Rising on her toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Don't worry," she reassured, knowing he meant well. "We'll find her. That's why we're all here isn't it?"

Taking Holland's hand, she led the group of them to a quiet table away from the main part of the bar. "What did you find out?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity as she slipped into the booth. "From Kama and..." she frowned. "Darcias?"

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-15-2016

Owen smoothed his tie over his chest continuing his preening, when Aphrodite complemented the color choice. “Julianna liked the color on me too.” He said flashing his most debonair smile.

When she scoffed at the suggestion of her missing him, Owen feigned a look of pain, and squeezed her against his side as they walked. He could sense there was something unsaid there, but he passed over it opting for continued teasing. “Well I missed you.”

Unfortunately, his flirting was done when Aphrodite traded him in for her husband. Not that he could blame her. Owen’s face remained impassive during Holland’s faux pas and ‘Dite’s little clean up.

Holland curled his arm around his wife, nodding his head in agreement that Julianna would be found. “Yes, of course. It’s not like anyone can really stay hidden from you if they tried.” He tried joking to Owen, but winced again when the blonde frowned in disapproval.

Well actually Julianna was doing pretty good at hiding from them all. Owen glanced away from them then, shifting his feet uncomfortably, not keen on watching their displays of martial affection. He pretended to survey the crowd. He was thinking he would have like to have been paired off with his wife that night at the casino. As opposed to being in his rather pitiable state.

‘Dite ever the diplomat swept them away to a private table. Owen slid into the booth next to Sairus leaving the husband and wife to sit next to one another. He lounged more than sat, throwing his arm over the back of the seat with his other arm extended over the table.

Once they were seated Owen addressed Aphrodite’s questioning “Where to begin. Kama despises me. Darcias despises me. My wife kept secrets from me. My wife doesn’t even know me anymore. Not sure where my friends were for that.” He said all this matter-of-factly, ticking the points off one-by-one. He kept his gaze trained mostly at Aphrodite to gauge her reaction. Holland was rather useless looking guilty and occupying himself with picking at cuticles that were already rough from his worrying at them.

“Did you know she had a murderous twin brother? And he’s the one -” Owen gestured to himself. “- responsible for this. Necromancy, a nasty business, but apparently I’m a pretty good subject for it.”

Owen stopped there. He leaned over Sairus, snapping his fingers to flag down a waiter so they could order drinks.

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-16-2016

Aphrodite held Owen's gaze as he explained what he knew of the situation. His interaction with Julianna's siblings seemed as if it had been mostly fruitless. Dite looked away from him, only briefly, to take one of Holland's hands in both of her own. The guilt was eating away at him in the same manner he worried at his fingertips. He'd always carried the responsibility of being Owen's best friend, the weight was obvious.

Brow furrowing, she laced her fingers with Holland's under the table. "What do you mean 'where were we?' What does that even mean?" Not usually so quick to offense, but she didn't like the suggestion that they had not done anything for Julianna.

Sairus spoke up for the first time, leaning out of the way of Owen's arm as he aggressively signaled for service. "Kama told us that Julianna was mostly abandoned by everyone. That she had tried to kill herself, and that's why he erased her memories."

For a moment, Aphrodite looked furious. There was something inhuman about the rage on her face, but it mostly dissolved with a deep, calming inhale. "That's what you believed? That we just left her, my best friend, to wallow on her own?" She made a noise of disbelief, a clicking of her tongue against her teeth. Her fingers were digging into Holly's beneath the table as she attempted to appear calm above it.

"I guess Julianna isn't the only Darkwillow lying to you." Her gaze shifted to watch Holly out of her periphery, she knew the stress he was under. Hated putting him under more of it. "When the Covenant seized the Villa and Anita left, Jules came to live with us. She missed you, we all missed you, but she was getting better. She just wanted to go home, and Kama came for her and then he took her memories from her against her will."

Aphrodite paused, rolling her eyes upwards, tears threatening to ruin her makeup. "He called me to tell me what he'd done. I was so fucking mad. I think he called, because I think I could have fucking killed him." She sniffed and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes.

"Fucking Elliot," she said after a moment of silence. "I'm glad you're back, but I'm not exactly going to send him a bouquet."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-18-2016

Holland let his hand be captured without resistance, linking his fingers with his wife’s. He then went to tugging gently at his lip ring with the other hand. He couldn’t stop fidgeting. Hazel eyes bounced between his wife, Owen’s face, and Sairus’ with a worried frown. Holland hadn’t seen her so reactionary in a while. Owen could have that effect on people, he very well knew. Holland shook his head to contradict Sairus' telling, scooting forward on his seat in his anxious agitation.

“No, isn’t true, at all. Not even close.” He fired back at Sai, and then leaned back against the seat again falling silent as he let his wife explain the real story. When her eyes turned glassy, Holland squeezed her rigid hand sympathetically and took it away. He slipped his arm around her bringing his wife into whatever protective custody his arm could offer.

“I did my best for you, Owen. I had my own wife and daughter to think about. I couldn’t afford to go toe to toe with the Covenant. They steamrolled her - and us - and so did Kama - and we did - we did what we could for her.” Holland interjected to give Aphrodite the chance to collect herself lest she start sobbing. He’d seen her cry one too many times for the Harts.

Owen spread his hands defensively, his eyes couldn’t hold ‘Dite’s eyes when she teared up, so he focused on Holland's heated gaze instead. Another side to the story of his family’s implosion. It wasn’t getting any easier to hear the more it was repeated to him.“Okay. Okay.” He said quietly. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m - you know - a bit of a train wreck without her. What can I say?” His signaled with his thumb and forefinger just barely apart to demonstrate the 'bit' of train wreck that he was. Only bit of a train wreck? Owen could be such a liar.

“You might not be an Elliot fan. But I’ll toast the dumb fuck, when we get some service.” Owen said as the waiter approached. “Elliot, my generous benefactor, re-gifting the world with my indomitable presence.” He said this with his usual dramatic flourish then turned his gaze to the wait staff hovering by the table.

Owen ordered two shots of whiskey and a beer. Holland a vodka tonic.

As the server left to fill the orders, Owen turned his gaze back to Aphrodite, “So Sairus here,” he said as he playfully grabbed the other blonde's thigh under the table - apparently roadtripping had done wonders for their relationship - “tells me you’ve been keeping tabs on my wife. So let’s hear what you know missy.”

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-18-2016

Aphrodite's attempts to quell her husband's nervous fidgeting had been unsuccessful, she didn't try again. He would do as he needed to handle the situation. When his hand disappeared from hers, she flexed her fingers, unaware that she had been holding him so hard. Hopefully, she had not hurt him. Leaning against him she sighed, thankful for the contact and the warmth of his form against hers. Dite was took a moment to breath when Holland took control of the conversation, unsure if she would have been able to continue without the presence of tears.

Julianna was her best friend. Owen wasn't the only one missing her.

Dite made a noise, somewhere between a laugh and a scoff at his understatement. A bit of train wreck. She looked at his poised fingers dubiously. Owen was an absolute mess, and his icy exterior didn't hide that from her.

Aphrodite ordered a Cosmopolitan, and Sairus neglected to order anything. There was a brief pause in the conversation as the waiter came and went. Which made it that much more obvious when Sairus visibly startled as Owen grabbed his thigh. Looking down at the digits before they were removed, he cleared his throat. Hands reached to adjust his tie. The Weatherfare hated dressing up, sort of hated wearing clothes in general. Would rather be in his lynx form than anything else, but he could be compliant.

Tears dissolved and makeup in check, Dite was able to hold Owen's gaze again. "I don't know much," she admitted, pulling away from her husband. One hand lifted to push a lock of hair behind her ear. "You know how she is. She will give you enough to think you're informed, but not enough to actually make a move." She pulled her clutch into her lap, producing her phone from within it. Fingers flitted across the screen and it lit up at her touch. "She was spending a lot of time at this bar. Uh," she paused, holding the phone closer as she sifted through a stream of messages. "It's called the One Night Stand." She frowned at the name." I met her there one time. She was…" She was what? Different? A flirtatious, chain smoking alcoholic? Purple eyes flickered to Owen, and she decided to keep those details to herself.

"The bar is downtown. It's possible she still goes there. Or that someone might be able to tell you more. Obviously, I would just ask her where she is now, but she's flighty. She doesn't like having tabs kept on her." That aside, she could be gone in an instant. Halfway across the world and lost to all of them as soon as Dite sent a message. "I'm sorry this has to be so complicated."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-19-2016

Owen’s face lit up with genuine amusement, a flash of white teeth, a glint in his grey eyes. He couldn’t stifle a near cackle of a laugh at Sairus’ full body jolt. “Alright there?” He asked and made as if to assist Sai in adjusting his tie. When the lynx was settled, Owen locked eyes with Holland and raised his eyebrows jerking his head towards the other blonde. A kind of ‘whaddya think gesture.’ Holland gave Owen a skeptical look, squinting one eye, and wobbled his hand in the air. A kind of ‘it’s iffy’ gesture. The tension had fallen away from the two best friends and apparently they’d taken to talking in their own code. The translation:

He one of us?
Not feeling it yet.

Whether Sai took anything away from this interaction seemed to be of no mind to neither Owen or Holland who, apparently, would re-bond at Sai’s expense if need be.

The boys settled down to hear what ‘Dite had to say about Julianna.

Owen’s mood dropped considerably. Noticeably. The amusement over Sai was easily forgotten.

He stared at Aphrodite darkly over the beer bottle as she named off the bar. He blinked slowly and put away several large gulps of beer. “Well then.” He let the beer bottle slide through his fingers back onto the table, clearly he was at a loss for words. Clearly not ready to hear about his wife, even in the sheltered way Aphrodite went about the subject. “So I suppose she still frequents this ‘One Night Stand’?” He said the name of the establishment with a hint of disgust. Though not a prude, Owen wasn’t keen on the idea of his wife attending bars named after casual sexual encounters, for obvious reasons.

Running his finger around the rim of the beer bottle, Owen shrugged at Aphrodite’s apology. “It’s Julianna.” As if that were synonymous with complications. “So, she’s - okay, then? Did she seem alright?” He asked the question tentatively, not sure he wanted the truth.

Depended what the truth was.

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-19-2016

Sairus pushed Owen's hands away as they reached for his tie. He made an annoyed chuffing noise, like an agitated animal, and didn't glare at the other man so much as he requested to not be touched with his eyes. It wasn't that Sai did not like to be touched. It was possible that he liked being touched too much; his sexuality was a series of question marks and he didn't need the queen's husband to be getting all hands-on. He wished he had ordered a drink, so he had something to do with his own hands. With his attention. Instead, he watched the curious exchange between the two other men. Frowning.

Dite's skin pricked. Three sets of eyes on her, silently asking her for different things. Things she couldn't provide to all of them. Let alone at once. She sipped the colorful drink she had ordered, one hand still working at her phone. She licked alcohol from her lips to waste time. Tongue carefully sliding over red lipstick.

"I don't know," she answered, slowly. Setting the martini glass back on the table noiselessly. "It's a safe bet. She…has a bit of a problem. Well, several problems." Opening Instagram, Aphrodite slid the phone about face and pushed it Owen's direction.

Owen's wife was there smiling back at him, a shot glass of some amber colored liquid poised in a toast. Her new haircut left a dark fringe of bangs across chartreuse eyes. A wash of dim yellow lights illuminated the bar behind her. Glass bottles lining shelves. Her striped sweater fell off one shoulder, revealing the scarred over bite mark and leaving a black leather collar in view.

"She's alive," Aphrodite stressed, pulling the phone away before he could seize the device. Scroll through anymore pictures. There wouldn't be any clues there, and he didn't need to torture himself. "But she's not alright." The phone disappeared into her purse, her drink taking its place in her hand. "She goes by Rylan, now," Aphrodite explained. She laughed, short and sad. "Rylan Sorenson."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-19-2016

The rise he got out of Sairus was only encouragement to Owen. Making Sairus uncomfortable distracted him from his pain for a few minutes. And it amused him. Mostly amused him. He couldn't wait to show his new trick to his wife. Watch, love, I'll scare the cat. He planned to say before he passed by Sairus and pinched his ass so she could laugh with him. The vision played in his head in color detail. He didn't notice while Aphrodite shuffled around for her phone distracted by his sudden daydream. And then a color picture was before his eyes.

Owen stared at the picture voraciously. A starving man salivating over a steak. His eyes flicked over every corner of the image. What was that look in her eyes? Her hair was different. Why did she change it? Why did it look so good that way? Owen didn’t expect it to hurt to see the face of his wife. He didn’t feel as if he were looking at his wife. It was her but it wasn't her.

Owen’s whole body tensed. White knuckled grip on the beer. His shoulders pinned up. He tried to focus on the she’s alive part. It wasn't working. She was alive. He wished he were dead again.

He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly his cheeks puffing out with the effort. It was all he could do to stifle the groan of a wounded animal that threatened to leave him. Owen was heartbroken. “Look another trainwreck.” Acidic sarcasm. He realized he had a vice grip on the beer bottle and let it go. Owen stared down at the table for a moment, before he grabbed the second shot and downed it all in a quick motion. Thank God for the second shot. Why didn’t he have a third?

Why Rylan? He wondered. Didn't suit her at all.

Owen laughed at almost the same time as Aphrodite. It was a dismissive sound with no joy in it. "Whatever." He spat the word like a grumpy teenager upon learning her 'new' name. Owen had no intention of calling her by that or any other name. He would never change. She was Julianna to him. Just Julianna.

Owen pushed at the shot glasses on the table, making them clink together. He gazed up at Aphrodite, a look of desperation in his eyes. A look to give her responsibility for his feelings, “So I’m fucked is what you’re saying?”

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-19-2016

Aphrodite regretted showing him the photo. It was easy enough to see that it did the opposite of help. Not sure what she had been thinking, the action mostly impulsive. Her mouth pressed together in a line, threatening to ruin her lipstick. "You both are kind of a mess without each other," she observed, watching him throw back the second shot with reckless abandon. He'd nearly finished the beer as well. She looked at her husband, unusually silent. They both knew they couldn't fix the situation.

When she looked at Sai, he was looking back at her and knew he felt equally helpless. She shouldn't have called them without more information. She was making thing worse, making the situation seem unsalvagable.

"We will figure this out Owen," she said softly, she almost reached for his hand, but decided against it. Didn't know how they would but didn't want to discourage him. She clasped Holland's hand once more instead. Owen's heartbroken expression was killing her. She couldn't take seeing her friends this way.

Sai could sense that this meeting was mostly concluded, and it would do none of them any good for Owen to get drunk at the casino. "Thank you, Aphrodite. Holland." He said both of their names with a curt nod, clearly signaling their imminent departure. "I know you have your own things. We appreciate you taking the time." He decided to speak for both of them, removing them from the situation before Owen's downward spiral picked up speed.

"I hope you find her," Dite said, as Sai stood.

"We will."

Dite stood to hug Sai first, then Owen. "You'll get her back," she murmured in his ear. "If anyone can do it. It's you."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-20-2016

Holland met his wife’s gaze, worry mirrored in their eyes, he slumped in his seat. He didn’t know how to comfort his friend either. He nodded in silent agreement about the mess the Harts were, playing with his lip ring again.

Owen had his head propped up on his hand elbow on table, pouting like a child. His stomach felt warm from the liquor but it hadn’t quite touched his head. Unfortunately. Maybe a little fuzziness, but mostly he was too lucid, feeling way too much when he wanted to be numb. He knew they were exchanging looks like worried parents on his behalf but he didn’t care. Let them look.

He finished off his beer, and pushed himself up silently from the table when he knew it was time to go. Sairus to the rescue. Owen let Aphrodite hug him, he half-heartedly put his arm around her.

“Sure.” He said unconvinced by her encouragement although not ungrateful for it. “What happens when I find her?” It was a rhetorical question. One that none of them could answer. The answer had to be played out in real time, but he’d have to collect himself before that moment came. Owen stuffed his hands in his pockets and let Sairus take the lead.

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-20-2016

Aphrodite dropped from her toes, smoothing his tie back in to place as she did so. One corner of her mouth curled upwards, as she adjusted his lapels and then tucked a finger beneath his chin. Consoling a pouting Owen was something anyone in his immediate circles had plenty of experience with. "You use those good looks and all that charm to keep her around. Should be easy for you. Right?" She winked at him. Tried and likely failed to lighten his mood before she released him back into Sai's care. Unsure of how the Lynx would be able to handle his darker moments.

Sai turned. Owen was waiting on him so he broke away from the group first. As soon as they crossed the threshold of the casino he was using one hand to pull at the knot in his tie. It unraveled more easily than it had been tied and the other hand tugged out the elastic that had been keeping his hair in some semblance of order. Halting in front of the valet podium he turned to see if Owen had been following him.

"Why don't you let me drive? Gotta make a few stops before we head back to the hotel." Looking at Owen pointedly, one brow disappeared behind his bangs as he expected resistance from the other man.

When the two men disappeared Aphrodite's smile faded. She turned to face her husband, hands reaching to rearrange his collar much the same way she's done with Owen. A comforting motion, but useless overall when she wrapped her arms around Holland's waist and pressed her forehead to his chest. "What are we going to do with those Harts?" she asked, laughing as she did so but still managing to sound sad.

"Let's go home," she suggested. "I don't want to deal with wereleopard politics, tonight."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - saronym - 09-20-2016

Owen stared past Aphrodite when she fiddled with his clothes. It was so evident she was only trying to console him. He figured because her effort was so obvious that meant her words had less truth to them. He forced himself to look her in the eye and produced a half smile for her benefit that he nonetheless could not make touch his eyes, “Of course.” He tried to mean it for her. Tried to shake the mood that had settled over him. He knew he’d acted like an ass the whole night. Accusing his friends then turning into a sour puss. Owen bent to kiss her cheek again. “Don’t ever change, Aphrodite.”

Holland stepped up and offered his hand to the somber Owen. When the blonde reached for it, Holland grabbed his friend by the forearm and pulled Owen under his arm. Holland smashed Owen’s face into his collarbone and kissed his forehead. “I can’t wait to tell Julianna how cute your sad face looks.” He joked as Owen pushed Holland’s face away and wiped dramatically at his forehead. Owen glanced around to see if any of the patrons had noticed that idiotic display and straightened his suit jacket.

“Save the kisses for your wife.” Owen was grinning for real though. Apparently Holland knew a little better how to cheer Owen up than his wife did. Just act ridiculous.

Owen followed Sairus outside. He frowned when Sai offered to drive, “I’m not drunk. I can drive.” But he held the keys and the valet ticket out for the other man to take. “I don’t care where we go. Just make sure you stop at the liquor store.”

____

While Aphrodite leaned against him, Holland took cash out of his wallet and tossed it on the table for the server. He was more than relieved to go home. His nerves were spent. He felt uncomfortable.

Holland slung his arm loosely around Aphrodite’s shoulder, pulling her towards the door as he stuff his wallet back into his pants. “I didn’t want to deal with any of this shit tonight. Don’t worry about it. Owen will come around. This is just his, I don’t know, creative process or whatever. The wereleopards can wait for another day.”

Taking Owen’s advice he brushed a kiss against the corner of Aphrodite’s mouth as the walked. “You’ve done enough. You did good.”

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - megs - 09-30-2016

Lakshmi looked surprised, but only briefly. Rufio’s modesty caught her off-guard and for a moment she attempted to decipher whether it was false. Their paths had never crossed often enough for her to be able to read the Panther as well as she would have liked to. Remaining in her company would be more of a guessing game that Lakshmi was wont to deal with, but it was necessary. She needed something from Ms. Cadence, and was inordinately pleased to hear that she may need something from her as well.

The sleek phone buzzed in Lakshmi's hand, but the Alpha ignored it. Something would always need her attention. The casino, or the clan, or their secret dealings. They would have to wait for her response, or figure it out themselves. Her attention was for Rufio.

“Would you prefer to take you tea in my office, then? Or shall I join you here?”

The phone buzzed again, several messages in a few seconds. This time she caved to its demand. Turning it slightly she scanned the lighted screen. Lions at the bar? How interesting. Shifters of all breeds were known to come and go from the Deltin frequently. Perfectly, allowed to do so, but it had been some time since they’d been visited by any lions. Not since their old Alpha had been replaced, in fact. She did not expect them to get out of hand; regardless, Tau and the rest of her staff could handle them. With an apologetic smile, she turned her attention back to Rufio.

“No rest for the wicked as they say.”

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - Kat - 10-07-2016

Drug addled as she may have been, Rufio took great pride in not conducting business out in the open; she didn't trust the veneer of privacy her position in the back booth offered. Lakshmi's office was likely swept regularly for bugs and cameras, meaning the offer made was one the Bagheera wasn't able to pass by. "Your office would be a safer choice." Both knew the other was working under the radar to some extent, though to what lengths their operations went was the mystery. Rufio was firstly a smuggler, greatly valued but unutilized in Valesport. Otherwise, she trafficked goods few others were willing to obtain - from rare components to near extinct breeds. The list was as long as one's imagination.

Carefully, she rose and grabbed her tea, leaving behind the partially eaten pastry and the empty bourbon glass for the staff to gather at their leisure. "You need not worry. I'm not so easily offended that you cannot attend to whatever matters are need of your attention. I'm a guest, after all, and have come unannounced. Were my motives less immediate, I would have sent ahead, but you know how hard it is to keep things under wraps..." Waving a dismissive hand, Rufio nodded to indicate she was ready to move their dealings elsewhere at Lakshmi's command. "We were never formally introduced, you and I. Perhaps this is the opportunity we have been presented to do such things."

RE: The Deltin Royale Casino - Kat - 10-07-2016

Strong shoulders sank as a shrug was given, Bowie's head leaning back as his cigarette was lit. "Didn' know I needed ta earn a drink, but what sorta earnin' am I doin'? Been told I'm pretty good at jugglin', and, watch this one-" Sticking out his tongue, the extended appendage curled for the tip to brush against the bridge of his nose. Retracting his tongue, a dubious smile crossed the Alpha's features. "Can't tell me that didn' stir ye in the slightest." Planting the filter between his lips, a sharp inhale was taken before smoke trickled through his mostly closed lips, his expression contemplative; void of the skepticism the stranger was showing. After all, what grave concerns did the king of the jungle really face?

"M'name's Bowie, by an' by, so ye don' think I'm avoidin' introductions." His accent was thick Afrikaans, almost out of place coming from the ginger topped predator, though looks had always been his blessing and his curse to bear. In a fight, no one took him seriously. Among his pride, well, they also had a tendency not to take him seriously. "But I can respect bein' told no, even if ye rightly know I deserve a drink on accounts of that last trick." Another shrug came, jostling the lion where he sat so that he swiveled on the bar stool to better face the liquors on display. "My pockets are empty as the Greek economy, I can promise ye that much. Wives don' like handing out more than they think'll need, an' tonight, they dished out gas money."

Propping his elbows on the bar counter, Bowie loosened his grip on his cigarette to ash the end, then commented, "Why're ye drinkin' alone? Doesn' seem like ye expect ta be picked up anytime soon, yet ye came with a drink in mind." Motioning to the woman, the Alpha went on to say, "So, are ye waiting for someone? I don' much care ta catch a fist from some twat tryin' ta prove himself, if that's the kinda company ye keep." Sniffing the air, he added playfully at the end, "Or maybe I should be more 'fraid ye take offense, and knock me out for my gas money."