“Travis?” he hollered back. “That you, boy?”
“It’s me, all right,” I said. “Mind putting down that fucking shotgun?”
He laughed and tossed it aside. “Ain’t even loaded. Come here, boy.”
I smiled and walked up the porch and give him a big, warm hug.
I’d always liked Markus, and it felt good to be around him again. Memories of my days as a boy in the local hills came rushing back, and I felt like just another green idiot again. I remembered the night Markus taught me how to capture raccoons, how to skin them, how to cook them, and how to eat them. He taught me how to shoot and how to fish. He was like a father, and a friend, and a close uncle.
“How long’s it been, boy?” he asked.
“Over five years,” I said as he let me go.
“Damn. Look at you now. Not so scrawny anymore.”
“You look about the same. Fat as ever.”
He laughed loudly. “Fat! I’m just storing up my strength.”
I grinned. “That’s what you always say.”
He narrowed his eyes and looked past me. “Who’s this pretty little thing you got with you?”
I looked over at her. “That’s Hartley.”
“Damn, boy. She your woman?”
“No, sir,” she said quickly. “We’re just friends.”
I smirked at her. “That’s right. Great friends.”
“Well shit, all right.” Markus leaned in toward me. “Better hit that soon, son. She’s ripe.”
I elbowed him. “Knock it off. You gonna bring us inside?”
“Yeah, okay. Follow me.”
I motioned for Hartley to come on, and we followed Markus into his little cabin.
The place was messier than I remembered, though not by much. Jars were scattered all over, and it smelled like moonshine, which wasn’t surprising. Markus made his living distilling liquor and selling it to the locals on the cheap. He cleared off the kitchen table and we sat down. He put three glasses down on the table and poured three drinks from a clear glass jar he had on the counter.
“To fucking Knoxville,” he said.
“To the Rock clan.”
We clinked glasses and I watched Hartley take her drink.
She nearly spit the damn thing out and ended up coughing. Markus laughed his booming, bear-like laugh, and I shot my moonshine back.
“Damn stuff still tastes like shit,” I said, laughing. Hartley was slowly getting herself under control.
“People don’t want it to taste any better,” Markus said.
“Oh my god,” Hartley finally managed. “What was that?”
I laughed at her. “Markus here makes some of the most disgusting moonshine in the state.”
“It tasted like motor oil.”
“You could degrease an engine with it, if you were wondering,” Markus said proudly. He poured three more drinks.
“I don’t think I can,” Hartley said, staring at her liquor with fear in her eyes.
I smirked and shot mine back. Markus laughed and did the same.
“Come on now, Hartley,” I said. “You gonna insult the man?”
“That’s right. I’m feeling very insulted.” Markus gave me a wink.
Hartley eyed us both and made a face. “You two are some asshole con men, aren’t you?”
Markus burst out laughing and I grinned at her. “Just trying to make you feel at home,” I said.
“No, thanks. I’d rather feel like an outcast than drink more of that.”
Markus shook his head, grinning. “That’s okay, little lady. This stuff isn’t for most folks. It’s a little too hard for you soft southerners.”
She made another face at him. “Soft southerners?”
“You know, fancy folk, with lots of money and a nice genteel charm.”
“Okay, you know what?” Hartley picked up the glass, took a deep breath, and then slammed the drink back.
She managed to swallow the stuff. Markus and I burst out laughing as she placed the glass down on the table, looking a little pained and woozy. I had to admit though, I was truly impressed. Markus’s moonshine was absolutely disgusting, and it took a strong person to take one shot of it and then come back for another.
“I take it back,” Markus said once we were finished laughing. “This girl has some serious balls, Travis.”
“Damn right she does,” I said, grinning at her.
“I don’t just have balls,” she said. “I have the biggest damn balls in this room.”
That set Markus off again, and I just smirked at her, crossing my arms. There was something fucking strong about her that was so damn attractive to me. I was having a hard time keeping myself under control. I wanted to drag her out back and fuck her rough up against a tree, make her scream my name. I knew she could take it, and I knew she’d love it.