Let Me In-Dragan's Tale: The Mikhailov Brothers Read Free Page B

other bartenders , reminding Gary to check the lines on the domestic taps and ordering Denis back to the kitchen before I dumped my tips in the jar under the counter. The boys and I had a deal. We shared tips, always. Rosa didn’t know we shared. Thought everyone worked harder if you had to work for your own tips. I knew the truth. I had boobs. And nice ones at that. Tits equaled tips.
    David grumbled, “I love you Toni, but Christ… girl. What the fuck is the problem with you lately?” David took me by the arm and led us to our friends’ table. I could feel David’s arm tense as we got closer. Evie and Sergey were in a conversation with the leather jacket dude who ordered the Stella. Maybe David had sampled that ass and was keen to avoid a reunion. I’d been to many bars with David, only to be interrupted by a queen who’d thought he and David had something special. And then the conversation turned ugly when David didn’t know who the fuck the guy was, which was a convenient lay for the man whore that was David Ross.
    After the hesitation, he was moving again and dragging me behind him.
    “What the fuck, Davy, don’t pull me.” I tugged at his arm but my friend didn’t relent.
    “Come on, you have been avoiding Evie and she thinks it’s about her. Get your ass over there and chill with her. Whatever is going on with you and Dragan needs to get handled.”
    I stopped our progress then.
    “Nothing,” I said with equal parts disgust and venom. “Is ‘going on’ between Mikhailov and me. Just don’t like him. That’s all.”
    “Bullshit, you act like even more of a bitch than usual around him. That is a clear sign you want him or you had him. Whatever the fuck it is… it’s puttin’ Evelyn in the middle. So fix it and move on. Evie doesn’t need it and I don’t need to hear her crying that you haven’t been around for weeks. I know you Toni. Remember that.”
    “Evie cried? I didn’t mean to make her—”
    David interrupted, “Don’t care. Not getting in the middle of some ‘girlfriend drama.’ Fuckin’ fix it, Toni.
    “She has a lot of shit going on. But she is happy. Just be happy for her.” David’s last remark hurt and I eyed my friend. I was happy for Evie. No one was more pleased for my friend than I was. Things were just complicated. And yes, I avoided the Dragan. There was that.
    We reached the table and David unceremoniously deposited me in the chair next to Evie, who kissed me on the cheek.
    Evelyn stood and guided the mystery guest around the table to face the newcomers.              
    “Toni, David…this is Marcus Newland,” Evie began introductions. “Mr. Newland, these are my two oldest and best friends in the world, Toni Hume and David Ross.”
    I nodded a hello, grabbed the neck of Evie’s beer bottle and made the pilsner my own.
    Marcus Newland turned to face David and extended his hand. David studied it for a moment before offering his own. “I keep telling Evelyn to call me Mark. Nice to meet you , David. I am well acquainted with your… reputation,” he said with a smirk.
    David reluctantly chuckled then and released the man’s hand. “Oh, yeah. My reputation? You mean my music?”
    Marcus’s face turned serious. “No, I mean your reputation.” The man’s green eyes sparkled with amusement and…something else.
    All eyes stayed on the men until Marcus excused himself to join his friends near the bar.
    “Well!” Evelyn began. “What the hell was that? Did we just witness David having a moment with someone? Did you see sparks?” she asked no one in particular. “’Cause I saw sparks.” She was enjoying herself.
    David scoffed but his eyes stayed on the retreating man’s back. “Evie, my darling, just because you are head over heels in love, don’t drag the rest of us down with you.”
    Evelyn blew him a kiss and settled her focus back on me. David started talking to Dragan and Sergey about Spurs tickets but I tuned that out. Didn’t