This I’d decided to cal the Eddie’s Woman Hold and even though the w-word was seriously flipping me out, I had to admit, The Hold wasn’t so bad.
The minute we entered, my musings on The Hold ceased and I wanted to turn around and run.
I wasn’t a big fan of being the center of attention, I much preferred to fly below radar. That, obviously, was not going to happen the morning after I’d been grazed by a bul et.
I’d looked in the mirror that morning and I thought I looked like I normal y looked, I just had a white dressing taped to my temple. It wasn’t that bad, certainly not as bad as the looks on everyone’s faces made it out to be.
Duke and Tex were behind the espresso counter. Jane and Al y behind the book counter. Mom, Trixie, Ada, Blanca and Lottie formed one huddle in the seating area, Eddie’s sister Gloria, Tod, Stevie and Indy in another and the Wild Bunch plus Hank the last.
When we walked in, everyone stared at us.
Eddie and I stopped.
I did a store sweep.
Then I did a vague hand wave.
Then I said, “Hey.”
No one moved.
I sighed. “I’m perfectly fine,” I told them.
This prompted action, but only from Duke.
He walked from behind the espresso counter, grabbed a broom that was against the wal and stormed outside. He swung the broom like it was a basebal bat against a telephone pole. He did this with such force, it split in half, the broom portion flying out into Broadway, where luckily the cars were stopped across the intersection at a light.
Then he did an under arm toss, throwing the remaining portion into the street and stormed back in.
Everyone watched this, therefore, everyone was watching Duke when he came back. He pointed to me, brows drawn under his trademark rol ed, red bandana that was tied around his forehead.
“You’re done,” he said, his gravel y voice low and barely control ed.
I nodded. I was too scared to do anything else.
Then he pointed to Eddie.
“You got two days to sort this shit out. You don’t, Jet and her Mom are disappearing. Got boys everywhere who owe me favors. She stays in this kind of danger, I’m putting her on the back of a hog and she’s gone. Got me?” This outburst took me by surprise.
First, I didn’t know Duke liked me so much. Duke was kinda surly so I figured mostly he put up with me, not that he liked me. Not enough to break a broom and definitely not enough to go head-to-head with Eddie. Second, I was flipping out because Duke was going head-to-head with Eddie. I didn’t think Eddie would like that.
“Calm down, hombre,” Eddie said in a warning tone.
I was right, Eddie didn’t like that.
“I’l calm down when I don’t hafta jump on my bike in the middle of the night to make sure one of my girls didn’t get her head blown off.”
“Duke, it’s just a graze,” I put in, feeling the words “one of my girls” slide through me like silk.
His eyes cut to me. “I don’t f**kin’ give a shit, do you see where it is? An inch and half your head would have been gone. Jesus f**king Christ!” he exploded.
I had no chance to defuse the situation I felt hands on me then. I was shifted outside of Eddie’s arm and then engulfed in a hug. I felt Tex’s flannel shirt against my cheek and then I felt his beard press against my forehead.
“Fuckin’ A, Loopy Loo,” he said, absolutely no boom to his voice.
I couldn’t withstand it. Tex always had a boom to his voice. Tears hit my eyes and I couldn’t control them.
“I’m okay,” I whispered.