Tied - Part One Read Online Free PDF Page A

mingle.” But I didn’t want to be there. Not anymore. I watched Lockett across the room. He was such a dominating presence, it was hard not to.
     
    “He’s nosy. I think he’s into you.”
     
    “Don’t be silly.”
     
    “The program recommends avoiding romantic relationships for at least a year,” Patrick said, keeping his voice low.
     
    Damn, he caught me . “I’m not starting anything,” I said with a sigh. Lockett wouldn’t want to anyway .
     
    “Just a friendly reminder.”
     
    “Maybe I will go for that coffee,” I said, determined not to just stand there and feel sorry myself. “I’ll just let my sister know so she doesn’t wonder where I went.”
     
    “Great. I’ll get my coat.”
     
    ○●○●○●○●○
     
    Patrick left after we spent a little while just chatting at the nearby diner. He had to work early in the morning and it was a long trip home. I don’t know how he handled such a long commute every day - it was nearly two hours long.
     
    He gave me a list of meetings in Queens - some of them AA, a few of them hosted by other organizations. I stuffed it in my pocket, making no promises to seek them out just yet, but I felt better just knowing they were out there.
     
    The party hadn’t quieted down much at all when I returned. Mallet and his friend Surly were demonstrating some head lock or something while people stood in a circle around them.
     
    “Then I cut off his bloodflow,” Surly said, pretending to squeeze his arm tighter around Mallet’s neck, “and he’ll pass right out.”
     
    “Do it!” one of the girls hooted.
     
    “Let’s not do it,” Mallet choked. Surly let him go. I didn’t understand the fighting thing at all but I was certain that Lockett could have taken either of them easily. He was just plain bigger.
     
    “Aren’t you guys worried you’ll get hurt?” I asked when the broke apart.
     
    “All part of the job,” Mallet said with a wink.
     
    “But really,” I said, “Isn’t it like other sports? What if you get injured?”
     
    Both he and one of the fighters near him held up their fingers in a cross like they were warding off a vampire. I laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it. You guys are superstitious, too. Do you have good luck socks and things?”
     
    “Surly has good luck tighty whiteys,” Mallet said, gesturing at his dark-haired friend. Surly didn’t even look his way, he just lifted a good-natured middle finger.
     
    “Lockett’s got his good luck girls,” Mallet’s other friend said - a fighter I didn’t recognize.
     
    Mal grinned an uncomfortable grin. “What’s a good luck girl?” I asked.
     
    “For starters she’s got to have like, massive tits-”
     
    “Would you shut your trap, Tex?” Mal cut his friend off. “It wouldn’t kill you to show a little class once in a while.”
     
    “What’d I say? Tits?”
     
    Mallet put his head in his hands. “Go get me a beer.”
     
    The younger man scampered off. “Sorry about him” Mal said, “He’s… new.”
     
    “The word ‘tits’ doesn’t offend me, Mal,” I said, forcing a smile, “I’m not that much of a prude.”
     
    He stood straight and waved his hand dramatically, declaring, “Pardon, my lady, I was simply trying to elevate the level of discourse. If you wish to converse about tits, though, you have my ear.”
     
    “Mine, too.” Lockett stepped over to stand next to me. He placed a hand on his chin and said, “What about them?”
     
    My cheeks were burning. I was just trying to make light conversation. How did I get into this? “Mal was just explaining what a good luck girl is,” I said, making myself keep my eyes on his.
     
    His eyebrows raised. “They’re just groupies,” he said. Mal chuckled and backed away, removing himself from the conversation. Jerk .
     
    “Groupies?”
     
    “They aren’t important.”
     
    Time to change the subject . “I started work yesterday,” I said, “With your brother’s kids.” He was