Chapter 11

LENNOX

It's another busy night at BB. The bar is packed with its usual crowd as well as a shit ton of tourists that all come to get a taste of the Quarter. Experience it for themselves. Grabbing a bottle of top-shelf whiskey, I fill two small shot glasses before handing them off to a customer. My eyes scan the dance floor from my usual place behind the bar as I watch the intoxicated crowd bump and grind to the DJ's music.

"Hey, can I get two beers," a petite blonde asks as she approaches the bar. She's cute. Thick blond hair that's cut right at her shoulders. Big blue eyes and dark lashes. She leans over the counter, pressing her tits together to get my attention as she smiles at me sweetly.

"Coming right up," I reply, keeping my tone cool and professional. Any other night, I might have entertained her a bit more. I would have her on her knees in the back alley with those pretty blue orbs looking up at me while tears streaked her face, and she choked on my cock. After all, without being able to burn shit down to get my fix, I'd normally find another outlet. One that can withstand the wrath burning inside me. By the looks of her tight body, she could be just what I need.

But she's not Stevie.

So, I have no use or interest in her.

Greyson leans over to Alora and whispers something in her ear that makes her laugh. Her laughter is a rare sound, and it draws a few glances from the people seated around the bar. Greyson's eyes light up when he hears it, and for a moment, I almost forget the darkness that surrounds him.

Almost.

It's weird seeing him like this. Soft but with no one but her.

I can't help but envy what they have. It's more than just the love they clearly have for each other. There's an understanding. A respect for each other regardless of what others might think. That's all I want.

Someone who understands me—the good, the bad, and the ugly—without judgment, and the only one who I'll ever have that with—is her.

It's been three days since I visited Stevie's shop. Three fucking days of handling bar business, of driving past her house just to catch a glimpse of her. She's become an obsession I can't shake, her presence a constant in my mind. And that grin, that smug, defiant fucking grin she gave me last time—I can't wait to wipe it off her face.

She's a goddamn roaring blaze, and for once, I don't want to watch her fire burn. I want to smother it until nothing is left but a barely glowing ember.

A lil spark.

Only then can I nurse it back up with my own accelerant, reignite her the way she did me, and make her into the perfect inferno she deserves to be.

To make her mine.

"Hello? Earth to hottie, my beers?" the tiny blonde asks in an annoyed tone. Her squeaky voice pulls me from my thoughts and back to reality.

Quickly, I twist off the caps of two beers and hand them over to her, "Shit, sorry," The blonde cocks a curious brow but takes them in her hands before turning and heading back out to the dance floor.

Greyson slowly makes his way over and nudges me. "You're spacing out, Lennox. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Just a lot on my mind," I reply, taking a sip of my own drink. "It's been a long day.

"It sure has. You mind if Alora and I crash upstairs tonight? I don't think I'll be up for the long drive back to the farmhouse tonight by the time everyone drags their asses out of here," he asks, wiping the sweat from his brow with his wrist.

"Why the fuck are you even asking me that?" I smirk, "You know you guys can crash there anytime,"

"Thanks, I'll let Alora know," he replies before he knocks his knuckles against mine and heads back down to his end of the bar to help another customer.

Suddenly, as if my thoughts conjured her, Stevie walks into the bar. As expected, she's with Jesse and Micah. What I didn't expect is to see another guy with them—one who clearly, just by the way he shadows her, has intentions for her that I'm not going to like.

Too bad she's mine.

I don't recognize this guy, but instantly dislike him. I'm a jealous fuck, what can I say. Stevie locks eyes with me as they head to a VIP booth near the back.

My heart skips a beat. She looks stunning tonight. Not that it's any different from how she always looks. The thick, fiery hair I haven't been able to get off my mind falls in natural waves over her shoulders and down her back. She's wearing a tight black dress that hugs every curve of her fucking perfect body and a pair of thigh-high black heeled boots. She looks playful yet defiant, and it drives me wild as she struts by. Her hips sway with attitude as she guides them to their table.

Alora follows my gaze and smirks. "You like her, don't you?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "She's mine, she just doesn't know it yet."

Greyson laughs, shaking his head. "Why don't you just make a move on her? Stop being the creepy stalker guy watching from a distance."

I glare at him. "Mind your own business, Greyson. You can't say anything about how I choose to win her over. After all, you literally kidnapped Alora."

Greyson's smile fades, and Alora lets out a giggle.

"I mean, he's not wrong." she chimes in. Greyson shakes his head as he heads back down to his end of the bar. Alora pats me on the shoulder, a sign of her understanding and support, before she joins him. I return to serving customers, but my eyes keep drifting back to Stevie. She's all over this new guy, sitting on his lap and letting him touch her. Anger boils inside me, but I know she's doing it on purpose. She wants to make me jealous. She wants a reaction out of me. Tonight, I'm the fucking target she wants to set ablaze, and this guy, he's the accelerant. It's just another fucking game she's playing between us. One she won't win.

After a few hours of torture watching Stevie cling to him, the guy gets up to go to the bathroom, and I see my chance. I follow him in. He's about my height but lankier. He's standing at the urinal, oblivious to what's coming. I grab him by the collar and slam him against the tiled wall. The other guys in the bathroom scatter. My aggression is well-known, and no one wants to mess with me.

"What's your name?" I ask, my voice low and threatening.

"W-Will," he stammers, fear in his eyes.

I look down and laugh. Piss still dribbling down his tiny soft cock. Pathetic. "There's no way you'd please a girl like her with that thing," I mock. "Listen, you're going to stop wasting her time, and mine because I have a busy night ahead of me and I'd rather not have to fit in time for you."

"W─What?" he stammers, clearly not understanding the hidden message in my comment.

I sigh, my grip on his collar tightening as I lift him closer to me, "Do you know how long it takes to dismember and burn a body?" I ask. His eyes widen with fear "Well, first. I'd have to drain the blood from your body. Why? well that shit is messy, and like I said, I already have a busy night. Then, I'd have to dismember you. Different tools can be used for this, but i've come to favor an ax. It's clean and the most efficient. Most of the time, one swing is all it takes."

His face turns pale. "I'll leave her alone, I promise," he says, trembling.

"That would take me easily another twenty or thirty minutes. Maybe less if I put the body parts directly into tubs for easy transport, but even still I'm looking at easily another two or three hours before your body is reduced to nothing more than ash." Scanning him up and down, I add "About five or six pounds if I had to guess,"

He gulps.

"So, unless you want to ruin my fucking night and have me getting home in the early hours of the goddamn morning, I suggest you get the fuck out of here and stay the hell away from Stevie. She's mine."

Will nods frantically. I smirk, knowing at this point the fucker will say or do anything I say to keep me from killing him. I release him and watch over my shoulder as he rushes out of the bathroom. I take a piss, wash my hands, and head back out. The moment I'm through the door, I can feel Stevie's eyes on me. She's pissed. I smirk cockily at her. The intensity of the game just increased, and I'm fucking excited.

Game on, lil spark.

I move back to the bar, and Alora glances at me with a raised eyebrow. "Is everything alright?" she asks.

"Yeah," I say, grabbing a towel and wiping down the counter. "Just had to take care of something."

Greyson nudges me, smirking. "Looks like you pissed off your girl. What did you do?"

"I just sent a message," I reply, my eyes still on Stevie. She glares at me, but there's a spark in her eyes. She knows why Will left, but she also fucking knew that bringing him here and forcing me to watch her hang off him all night would result in this.

She knew exactly what she was fucking doing.

Stevie's attention shifts back to her friends, but I can see her glancing my way every now and then. I continue working, serving drinks, but my mind is on her. I can feel the tension between us, the unspoken challenge.

Alora leans in. "You know, if you like her, maybe you should just talk to her. Instead of playing these games."

I snort. "It's not that simple, Alora. She's… different."

Greyson chuckles. "Different, huh? You mean she's not into the whole stalking and intimidation thing? Shocking."

I shoot him a glare. "I'm not stalking her. I'm keeping an eye on her. There's a difference."

"Whatever you say, Lennox," he says, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

The night wears on, and the crowd filling the bar starts to thin out. Stevie and her friends are still in the VIP booth; surprisingly, Stevie hasn't made a fuss. She hasn't confronted me about making her little man date leave. I can't help but feel a thrill of satisfaction. She knows I won this round.