"Lev! Two plates of tequila shots. " Viviane raised her voice at the white haired Russian behind the counter.
"Celebration ?"
"Fuck yeah. Oh and meet lee. The guy that almost killed Vera." Not even a single drink yet Viv already sounds tipsy.
" You're damn lucky that you still have limbs, kid. Welcome to stynx. " Lev mocks while pouring a skull-shaped tequila bottle.
The first time meeting lev I didn't get too much chance of knowing him. It was much later that I know he was not just the bartender and the owner but he also got eyes and ears all over the lanes.
12 shots of tequila in front of us, Viviane made a toast. "To Faust, land of thieves and killers!"
"To Faust!" To Euforia. Me and Vera both join in. The hot liquor burns down my throat and made my eyes a little bit bloodshot.
"So. Lee. What do you think of this place? Pretty cool right?" Viviane asks. I can see her eyes are a bit red too.
"It's a bar." I shrug before downing another shot. "But I gotta admit, I can't figure out who owns it. Is it the Russians or Latinos?
" Dude, you're in lanes. Affiliation and all that is not important here. And as far as I know lev's the owner and his not with the mobs."
"This place is more than a bar too, jobs and opportunities in this place are much more lucrative than in other places. The best thing is you wouldn't be seen as some gang's personal merc." Vera adds.
"Oh and see that curtain next to the counter? Don't open it. Trrrrust me." Viviane is definitely not a good drinker. Three shots and she's already talking to my face way too closely. Nonetheless, I made a mental note on the curtain.
" Alllllright, enough about business. That's talk about something else." After that Viviane squints her eyes while looking me up and down.
" You look Asian." She says as if she just solve a mystery. "Where are you from? Lee."
"Viv you just know the guy for 30 minutes, stop prying on him," Vera says in a tone like she's lecturing her kids before she finishes the next shot.
"Nah, it's fine I don't mind."
Not anymore.
"And weren't you prying on me 7 minutes after we just met?"Tequila is taking effect on me too. I feel like I'm caring less and less by the second.
"Anyway, to be honest I don't know where I'm from either. I'm an orphan." I say as a matter of factly without any emotions. At this point, I stop caring about my life before Euphoria
Is not like I remember much anyway.
"Looks like you already work yourself around, Good for you. And believe me. Sometimes kids wish they were orphans." In normal circumstances that would've been rude. But the way she said it it's almost like she's describing herself.
***
Downed another shot, the plate is almost empty.
"Lev, I'll have a Monte Carlo for my next."
" I'll have a white lady." Then Vira adds.
"And an aviation for me!"Viviane quickly follows up.
I'm not in my best state but I can certainly tell Viv is already tipsy. Now that I think back, ordering that drink is definitely not the right call for either of us.
"Hey sis, what were you chatting with lee at that stop? You two look like you were gonna kill each other or make out."
" (signs) I was trying to figure out who he is, then he suggested we play a game to kill time. And I won." In the end, Vera looks at me with the smallest sign of smug. She better not be holding this on me in the future.....
" By the way, you didn't say it." Mischievous is back in Vera's eyes again.
" Say what ?" I can't help but smile and think what she is up to now.
" What's my prize for winning your little game ?" These two really are a blast. To be honest. I feel like I'm enjoying their company more than I was supposed to. Usually when I'm drinking is always about work, or some alone time for myself (sometimes for picking up girls too)
But never like this. Just having fun with friends.
And it feels good.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
"Alright, alright. What do you want Vera ?"The older sister looks at me with a cheeky smile.
" Your numbers. " What. In The Fuc......
Viviane is sitting in her high chair giving me the " I knew it ! ".
" Miss Vera, I'm flattered. Didn't take you for the type. But guess I was wrong." Welp, I'm not gonna say no to that.
" Don't get any funny idea, you're a capable guy. You can talk and you can fight, and most of all you can think. Working with you should be a nice change of pace, and make work easier." Still, with that smile, her lips now remind me of the devil's horns. She knows damn well that was a tease.
" Yeeeah. Remember to Keep it professional sis." Viviane looks like she's having the time of her life " Lev comes back to our table with the drinks. "Leeeeeev I want b55." That's a bad idea. Should be crossing my mind at that moment but no. All I want was for this moment to froze. So I can live in it as long as I want. Lev frowns at Viv for a second then shrugs.
"Bills and cleaning fee is on you anyway."
"And a side car for me, no sugar rim" Vera adds.
***
I take a sip of my drink. Not too much bitter and just the right amount of d.o.m.
"Hey Viviane, you sure you don't want to slow down a bit? Your drink had just arrived." I point at the purple color cock tail in front of her.
" Nah, it's nothing I can do this all day! Watch." With that, she finishes her aviation in one go.
"Wow. Would've never guessed you're a heavy drinker, Viv." I said, amazed by this girl. That drink does not count as a 'soft' cocktail.
"Come on, Lee. Your turn."
"I think I'd like to take it slow."
"Come onnnnnnn."
I look at the girl sitting next to me. Her face is still pale but her eyes are bloodshot. Shoulder-length straight hair drags on the table (so is her tight) she leans close to my face. Green pupils with a bit of gold in them, expanded. Youthful exuberance, not giving a damn, someone that doesn't care if she could live till down as long as she had fun after dusk.
I take my glass and finish the whisky cocktail in one go too, the sweets, the bitters, the hot liquor; all kinds of paradises exploded on my sense of taste. And I swallow them down my throat enjoying the burning sensations that came a second later than usual since I'm drunk.
"Woooo, no wonder you can impress that stone-cold sister of mine. You really are one of a kind!"
"Viv. Oh, so dear sister of mine. Do you remember the last time you were drunk ?"
"Nope."
"Exactly. So tone it down would you?"
"It's fine. It's Finnnne. Do you remember the time that I quickly draw the target while I was drunk?"
"Wait. Did she actually do that?" I ask.
"I.....don't know. By the time I get there, I saw two bodies shot in the head, and Viv passing out on the floor." Vera looks a little embarrassed to admit it.
"Oh. I definitely Did that. Those fuckers from piao jie were talking about selling me to some underground workshop at the avenue." She stops to take a breather, her face is a bit red from all the excitement. At the same time lev serves side car to Vera.
"One of them injected me with some shit before I break free, elbowed him, grab my 357 then hip-fired both of them like one of thoseClint Eastwood movie. And when I woke up doc told me my BAC is insanely high." She told the story without even hiding how proud she is.
I turn around and look at Vera. She rolls her eyes like she has heard the story ten times.
"You don't believe me?" Viviane look at me disappointed.
"I don't know Viviane. Sounds a bit too.......... cinematic ?" The portion of my brain cell that haven't gotten poisoned by alcohol took hold.
"Don't be skeptical just because you'venever seen a miracle."
"Oh, and you know what? I'm actually carrying the exact Smith&Wesson right now!" Viviane pulls out the revolver from her thigh holster. And slams it on the table.
Short barrel, black handle, probably a 66 model. A few Patrons sitting close to us glance at us with interest. They probably think we're playing Russian roulette.
"Viviane, I know what you're thinking. Pleases don't." Realizing what her sister's about to do. Vera sober up.
"Too late!" She quickly holsters the gun back next to her thigh.
"Hey, lee!"
"Uh, what's up?"
"See that toilet sign next to pool tables?"
"Shit. Viv. Don't."
"Oh fucking hell, lee you might want to find cover."
Viviane stands up and put her right hand on the handle. Shifting her body weight to the right her shoulder slightly sag down. She stares at the toilet sign like it's her dueling opponent.
Some customers silently change their seats.
Vera rests her face on the table, murmuring "Not this shit again......"
Me and the rest of the people look at her in horror.
All eyes were on her, but Viv's unfazed by it. Her only focus is the 30 times 30 piece of plastic.
Time seems to slow down seconds before she makes her move.
Then. It happened.
With an incredibly smooth and fast motion (for a drunk) Viviane draws the six-shooter with her right hand, and with her left palm, she cock the hammer 0.6 seconds after the gun is drawn and aimed.
At that millisecond a white shadow rush past me and the crowd without bumping into anyone or slowing down.
1 second after the gun was drawn, Viviane pulls the trigger.
But nothing happened, no shots were fired.
Standing right next to her. Lev is holding back the hammer from colliding the magnum round in the cylinder With his left thumb and index finger. You can see his knuckles are pale even from my position.
Viviane was the last one to realize it. When she sees the Russian bartender's dead serious face and the blue vein on his forehead all she can do is muster an awkward smile.
Without a word, Lev confiscated the 357 and make his way back behind the counter to continue his work.
The crowd scatters back to their table. Some complained to lev that he ruined the show but most just carry on with whatever they were doing.
Viviane falls back on her high chair as if Lev also took away her meaning of life.
"he took my gun......." Viviane murmurs with a lost expression.
"Well fucking down, lev. Can you babysit her for me sometimes too?" Vera's head is still resting on the table while saying that.
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