Chapter 2 - Konstantin

Pulling up to the building and parking out front of the all-familiar establishment, I sat for a moment. I allowed the anticipation of the tension release I was about to experience to flow through me. Today had been a rough one. On days like this, I usually ended up here outside ‘Tomorrow's Dawn.'

Here, everyone knew me. The owner was a close friend, and the place attracted the kind of women I preferred. Women like me, only interested in a good time, no commitments, no expectations, just fun.

As I prepared to go in, I thought back to the weapons upgrade job I had done today. Finding suitable replacements for outdated or old-fashioned guns wasn't the easiest thing. I replaced the client's M1911 guns with Desert Eagles, as most of the M1911 guns were quite damaged. He insisted they had not been used, but I had never seen guns in such a state.

His men loved the guns they had. Convincing them that the ones I now provided them with were worth it took some doing. I also had to find ten Remington 870 shotguns to replace the Benelli M4's they had. I didn't know what war the client fought, but the guns weren't cared for at all.

I told him I would be back next week to give his men training in gun care. If not, they would be replacing those in a couple of months. Grinning as I remembered the look of shock on his face, I got out of my car. I stared at the entrance, pushing all thoughts of the day's work out of my mind.

Glancing at my red Mustang, I pressed the button and listened for the lock before heading inside. There was only one bar and one club I visited regularly for companionship. These suited my lavish lifestyle and need for precision. I liked things a certain way and this was one of the places I found that.

Entering I instantly noted the table of young men close to the stage. They were overly loud and way too drunk to still be out if you asked me. Ignoring them, I scanned the room as I walked towards the bar in the back.

The old men were at their table as usual. I greeted them with a handshake and half hug before passing. I didn't see my friend Machele, the owner with them but didn't ask about him as I wanted a drink. Starting a conversation with these men would keep me for hours.

Approaching the bar, I noticed a group of young women sitting at the table to the left. A couple of men were at the bar. Two of them appeared to be in a heated conversation. The one was a muscular man, maybe about thirty years old. His tattoos ran up his neck onto the back of his bald head.

I hadn't seen him or his companion around here before. His companion was much shorter than him with a full set of hair. Even though he wasn't muscular, his leather jacket gave him that appearance. He looked more like a dark-haired Ken doll out of place and clothing.

My regular spot at the bar in the right corner was empty, which was good. Taking a seat, the familiar brunette bartender approached me with her wide blue eyes and a big smile. She was blessed with luscious breasts and a perfectly formed hourglass figure.

"Hi, Konstantin," she said, leaning on the counter. "It's been a minute or two since you've been here. How are you?" Her seductive tone and obvious come-ons were something I had gotten accustomed to over the years.

"I'm good, thanks Jennifer. How are you?" I replied with a grin. She was a beautiful woman, and I had to admit that I found her alluring. Yet, being the bartender, I felt acting on my impulses would make coming here harder. I didn't want feelings getting in the way of my routines or friendships.

Jennifer shook her head as she replied. "Nothing ever goes on around here without you."

Chuckling at her words, I replied in my most charming tone. "My usual, please." She nodded and turned to pour me a whiskey on the rocks. "I'm glad someone missed me," I added.

Returning with the smooth, dark golden liquid, she handed me the glass. She winked at me as she responded. "I always do, hun, I always do."

As I pulled the glass to my lips, I turned in my seat, studying the patrons. The place appeared quieter than usual. Glancing at my watch, I noticed it wasn't even nine yet. It would be another half hour plus before it got crowded. In the meantime, I would check out what was on display.

A young, skinny waitress called Ammy greeted me as she passed on her way to the back. She's been working here for about three years now. She always had a smile and never complained about anything. Once or twice, I had seen her with a guy, but she seemed to balance work and home quite nicely.

She was the type of employee a person wanted in such an establishment. People who could focus on the task at hand. The two men down the bar appeared to have resolved their issues. They were now seemingly having a drink in peace.

Hearing giggles coming from behind them, I focused on the table of young women. They were most likely all in their early twenties and quite beautiful each in their own way. Yet, as I sat studying them, one stood out more than her friends.

She was wearing a unique black dress. The tight top gently pushed her luscious breasts up, showing quite a bit of cleavage. It hugged her body but flared just above her hips. From there, the skirt flared halfway down her thigh. Her brown hair was pinned up on the sides, opening up her lovely face.

As she glanced my way, her eyes seemed to sparkle. They reminded me of a warm sunset, and I found myself a little intrigued by her. Watching them as I sipped my whiskey, I noticed she seemed a little out of place. They were drinking a variety of alcohol and quite a bit of shooters.

It appeared that they were celebrating. Even though I preferred more experienced women, I couldn't keep my eyes off her. At first, she appeared quiet, even a little awkward. After the second shot, I saw them taking I could see her behavior changing. She joined her friends in cheering on something that was said.

After a while, they were singing along with the band. They weren't very good at it, though. As I watched them, I found her quite amusing in her awkwardness. I could see she was clearly inexperienced and hadn't drunk much in her life. She appeared to be a happy drunk, though.

Then, they grew silent. They seemed to be whispering to each other as they huddled around the table. Then they glanced around, and the brown-haired beauty nodded at her friend while talking.

The friend waved her arm at Ammy, who obliged them instantly. She spoke to the arm-waving girl, returned to the bar, and took them another round of drinks. These I knew very well. If you weren't used to them, they could knock you out.

They all rose, called out ‘yes,' and downed the Irish Car Bombs while standing. It appeared her glass wasn't empty as the others urged her on to down the rest. I noticed her swaying slightly as she drank. I felt sure she was way over her limit.

She glanced at me as she seemed to straighten out her dress. Then she turned and waltzed over to the two men at the bar. The way they turned to her, smiling, caught my attention even more. They didn't know her, of that, I was sure. I knew what men like that thought. She was about to become prey and she didn't even know it.

At first, their interaction was normal. I noticed her cheeks turning a slight red as they spoke. She laughed at something he said and glanced back at her friends. She lightly tapped the man on the shoulder as she lowered her head to the side.

She appeared to be flirting with the man. As she continued to speak to him, I could see her confidence growing. It was fascinating to see her changes. First, she went from a shy girl to a party girl. Now, she appeared to be changing from the party girl to the seducer.

It was reasonably amusing to watch her. Every now and then, she rocked lightly on her feet but caught herself before falling. Turning back to the Ken Doll, she leaned in and whispered something to him.

The smile on his face turned to a grin. One I knew very well. Something was about to happen. I felt sure his mind was full of sinister plans. The man grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her to him forcefully.

His friend turned to them and shifted his body on the chair. The way he was sitting was surely obscuring her girlfriend's views. Slamming my glass down on the counter, I stood up. She was unsteady on her feet, falling back slightly against the bald guy and then back against the Ken Doll.

She wasn't complaining or fighting them, but his grip on her arms appeared hard. I felt sure it would bruise soon if he didn't let her go. Glancing at Jennifer, I placed money for my drinks on the bar and nodded at her.

Slowly, I walked towards the girl and the two men. Looking around, I confirmed that they were alone. I saw no other strangers that could end up complicating the situation. She was young, attractive, and innocent. I was overwhelmed by the urge to protect her. I felt sure she was in no state to do so herself.

Stopping next to them, the bald guy looked up at me as he placed his hands on her hips. "I think you should let her go," I said calmly.

The Ken Doll glanced at me, smirking. "Step off, dude, she's with us."

Pulling his fingers loose from her arm, I tenderly pulled her towards me. "I don't think so," I huffed at him, bending his fingers slightly further than they were intended on going.

He slithered off the bar stool and went down to his knees next to it. "Right," he said between deep breaths. "Sorry, dude, sorry. I didn't know."

Letting go, I waited for him to grab his things and move past me. I kept an eye on him until he was out the door. Placing an arm around her shoulders, I held her firmly against me. Turning around, the bald guy had already gotten off his seat and was sneaking out.

With her still in my arms, I walked to the back corner of the bar. There were too many men like them in this world. I decided I would assist her in getting home safely so she didn't get into trouble.

Those guys might wait outside for her to leave, or for me to go. I had to make sure she was safe.