Hearts on Fire 5: Loving Frankie(6)

“We haven’t hung out like this in months,” Mike said as he held the door to Prestige open for his brothers.

“More like over a year, Mike,” Rye said as they all entered.

“We’ve all had crazy schedules with work. But with Mike off of nights for the next month from the firehouse, we should be able to hang out together more often,” Turbo added.

Before anyone could respond, the cheers started as their friends greeted them.

Jesse and Dudley were already drinking as they gave them hugs then hello slaps on the backs.

“What are ya drinking these days?” Larry asked as he leaned against the bar.

“I’ll take a Bud for now,” Turbo told him then glanced at Mike, Nate, and Rye.

Nate was talking to the owners of the place, Charlie, and Lure. Lure and Nate went way back to their jobs in the service and with the government. Turbo took a sip of the beer Larry handed him as he watched Nate talk to the two men. All three of them were straight faced and hard looking. Nate worked construction with Rye but more so to stay in shape and keep busy. Money wasn’t an issue for any of them.

“How are the prospects looking tonight, Shark?” Gary asked one of the main bartenders.

He smirked as he wiped out the inside of a clean beer mug.

“Charlie and Lure hooked you guys up. Starting with the hottest waitress and bartender of Prestige to the extra special guests your buddies all lined up in the private room.”

“Oh man, not the platinum-blonde one with the big—”

Lure slapped Gary on the back interrupting him before he continued.

“You’ve got Frankie. I expect you to behave. Now if you all will follow me, I’ll escort you to the area we have set up for you guys,” Lure told him, and then the others followed.

Turbo took his beer and walked with his brother Mike, following the other guys. They were talking and laughing, all excited about the night ahead of them, and Turbo wondered who Frankie was and what had Gary rubbing his hands together and appearing excited. He was fixing his shirt and then the waist of his pants as he whispered to Murphy, and Murphy shook his head.

The moment they headed toward the large table in the back of the club, Lure introduced Frankie.

“Gentleman, this is Frankie, your server for the evening. Anything you want, you just ask Frankie and she’ll try her hardest to accommodate your request or get me to assist. Enjoy the evening, and the first round is on Prestige.”

The guys cheered, but Turbo was caught off guard by Frankie’s beauty and body. He wondered why the hell she went by a guy’s name as his brother Mike gave his arm a nudge. He glanced at him.

“Holy shit,” Mike whispered.

Some of the guys took seats at the table while others stood around talking and ordering drinks from Frankie. He couldn’t get himself to sit down. Turbo watched Frankie like a hawk, taking in all her assets and the movement of her body as she walked between the men. She was petite, too, and had sexy, toned thighs that led up to a nice, round ass. But her deep cleavage drew all his attention until he locked onto her baby blues.

“Can I get you another beer, sir?” she asked him, making him feel old.

The strike to his ego had him barking the word Bud to her, and she quickly wrote it down then looked at his brother Mike.

Her eyes widened, and then she looked down at the note pad then back up toward him. Turbo wondered what was going on.

“This is where you work?” Mike asked her, and she just nodded and held the pen then looked down at the pad again.

“I saw those guys trying to follow you and your friend out of the Beach House. My buddies and I stopped them. They didn’t catch up with you, did they?” Mike asked her.

She looked shocked and then squinted at him.

“You did that? Why?” she asked, on the defensive.

“I didn’t like the looks of them. They seemed up to no good, and they scared you off. That meant I couldn’t get to know you better,” Mike added, flirting.

Turbo just watched Frankie’s expressions change. At first she seemed thankful that Mike had intervened at something and then annoyed. He wanted to know what happened, what sounded like some guys bothering her at a club. But then Frankie released an annoyed sigh and changed the subject.

“And you, sir, what would you like to drink?” she asked Mike, and then Turbo didn’t feel so hurt.

Apparently Mike had met the woman somewhere before. Mike was probably closer to her age at thirty-three than Turbo was at thirty-six. He would have to ask Mike where they’d met.

“Darling, you can call me Mike.” He winked at her, and she smiled.

“Sure thing, Mike. I’ll try to remember your name, but there are a lot of you guys.”

He reached out and tugged on a strand of her platinum hair.

“You’ll remember me, just like I’ll remember you, Frankie.” He released her hair and winked again.

She shook her head.

“Smooth,” she whispered and moved onto Nate and Rye.

Mike smirked, and Turbo shook his head but watched Nate and Rye give her their drink orders.

Nate kept his arms crossed in front of his massive chest, intimidating the poor young woman, while Rye leaned closer to pretend to see if she had the order straight.

She blew them off, too, in a friendly way and continued on.

“So how do you know her?” Turbo asked Mike.

“I don’t really know her. I saw her at the Beach House the other night. Some guys came over, bothering her and her friend. I went over to see if they were okay, but she seemed to have it under control. Whatever went down, she and her friend disappeared. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her while she was there. Caught her looking back a couple of times. I don’t know what her deal is.”

“Maybe she has a boyfriend,” Turbo suggested and felt his own disappointment thinking that.

“I sure hope not. I was hoping to get to know her. Don’t you think she’s beautiful?”

Turbo glanced back toward the platinum-blonde who seemed to have snagged all the guys’ attention, including the married ones.

“She sure is.” He just watched her like the other guys did and wondered more about her.

The conversations went on as appetizers were brought out and more guys arrived. It got louder and more crowded as Frankie delivered drinks and cleaned up plates. She was looking a little flustered when Lure showed up midway through. He squinted his eyes at her, and she shrugged and barked at him. He looked around as if he were searching for someone then walked away, pissed off. She ran her hand along her brow and exhaled then rubbed her right hip.

“What’s that expression for?” Mike asked him.

“Did you see her rubbing her hip? She’s in pain.” Mike squinted his eyes and watched. Then Mike gave him a nudge.

“Looks like Nate and Rye noticed, too. She’s working this entire party on her own. We better be sure Gary and Murphy tip her well,” Mike said.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Because she keeps declining their advances.”

Turbo shook his head and took another slug of beer. He felt that inkling of jealousy hit his gut. It was stupid. She wasn’t his, so there was no reason for jealousy. Besides, she’d declined their advances, too.



* * * *



“You work too hard, Frankie. Why don’t you come on over here and sit on Jessie’s lap? You know he, Larry, and Dudley are getting married next week?” Gary told Frankie.

“All three of you are getting married? I thought just Larry was.” She placed her hand on her hip. It was aching, and she still had hours of work to go once the men went into the other room.

“We’re marrying Priscilla. She’s beautiful like you,” Dudley said then downed another shot of Fireball. The men cheered around him, and Gary placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Come sit,” he told her.

“No, that’s okay. Remember what I told you? I’m not on the menu. I think your treats are waiting for all of you in the other room.” Just as she said that, and the guys started whining and flirting with her, she heard the roar of anger and turned to the right. There stood Gloria, half dressed and suddenly charging toward her. Lure and Charlie were far behind her and looked really pissed off. Frankie wondered what had happened. Gloria had never shown up to help Frankie take care of the party, and she’d been forced to do it all herself. But the expression on Gloria’s face had Frankie backing up

“You bitch!” Gloria yelled out and slapped Frankie across the face, hitting her cheek and upper eye.

Charlie and Lure grabbed her.

“Bring her to the back room, Charlie. The police are on their way,” she heard Lure say as someone lifted her up and pulled her onto their lap.

“Are you okay? Jesus. Rye, grab ice.”

She felt the tears stream down her cheek and the pain radiate against her cheekbone and eye, causing her vision to blur a little. Instantly, her eye began to swell as she tried to focus on what had happened and also tried to get up off of whoever was holding her.

“No, honey, sit still. You’re hurt, and I’ve got you.”

She blinked her eyes opened and saw Turbo holding her. With short dirty-blonde hair and a hard expression, the man was like steel. His hard thighs pressed firmly against her ass, making her feel sensations she wasn’t used to feeling. Mike was there, and the other guy Nate, who appeared hard and serious and had an expression of pure anger. She was shaking and had no idea why Gloria had struck her like that.