I wasn’t supposed to be there that night. One of my cousins was celebrating getting off probation and dragged me out. No Chill ATL wasn’t my kind of scene — neon lights, adult board games, drunk laughter echoing off the brick walls.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGB7dto9Bs
But she was.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaqP6ZorTX
She was behind the bar, laughing with a customer, wearing this tight little black jumpsuit and gold hoops big enough to double as weapons. Her smile? Loud. Her energy? Louder.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dUiKdWkgZ
“Yo,” I said to my cousin, eyes still locked on her. “Who is that?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN1k5LDFna
He followed my gaze. “That’s the owner. Brie or somethin’. Don’t even try it. She don’t do street dudes.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS3jjTdcRN
I smirked. “Good. I ain’t tryna be one tonight.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSQM6QzNRV
I watched her for maybe thirty minutes. The way she moved like she owned the whole damn city, like no one could touch her unless she let ’em.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsjyPhDCWT
Eventually, I made my way to the bar. She turned, wiped her hands, and hit me with a look that had no business being that fine and that uninterested at the same time.
But what really hit me was her.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEI9ldQNkVU
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxG8ZgkJwRQ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3x71BWoKM
She was behind the bar, serving shots, commanding the room like she owned it. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. And when she finally walked my way, all that attitude and honey in one glance—I knew I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXH57r8ApO
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5StVEi7hV
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0hvZ2VHQF
She looked me up and down like she was tryna decide if I was worth her time.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2v9m92ANN
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDG1RzEFe6z
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyEGD6ozxc
“You look like trouble.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjgTVNXSLL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIvRXSlFOF
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5rfWq4Mq1
“Only when I’m bored.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoL1rv7T3f
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj17rtJ52yi
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSzX4hfOV5
“So what is it tonight? Bored? Or just lost?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHrLJmusUv
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8eukLZNWj
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7FG3NbzLC
“Little of both. This place wasn’t on the map.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcF7cX3BXiP
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHhUMtDM5F
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKngFjBHywO
“That’s the point. It’s for people who don’t wanna be found.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vZAAzY4cg
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EIlnTsoO3
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDXjCGmOkC
I leaned in on the bar, watching the way her eyes flickered in the dim light.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ12NCjWRSv
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpFeQjIK5g
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQl7Qco7dl
“So, what are you? Owner? Host? Bartender?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8KGUHKGHS
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzM5uNxrsv
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIX6SwWQdBL
“All three. I’m the one who built it. Brick by brick.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MsM63YIk3
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5o5cuP60u0
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7C2vi7zH4t
“Damn. You always been a boss?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCgmbifeaL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMyoQyRno6
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPC9WajPo4t
“Always. I just finally got the title to match.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g1KrGacCJ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctmmGXtboI
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8DhTjtz19
The way she said that? Like she earned every scar behind it. I liked that.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMq9AGeEu5
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2nVRtQSBn
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR4XBWwfDD
She reached under the bar, poured a drink without even asking what I wanted, and slid it to me.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr5vruQdbm
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXPfOc8L9I
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEg612EDMw
“This one’s on the house. You got the kind of face that looks like it’s holding back a thousand thoughts.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUp30Er8ER
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTEAXzxeZ6
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBfgi8bZRm
“You wouldn’t be wrong.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYSWTEH2mT
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Sai0nf7sP
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKRIy1prVl
“And I’m not nosy… but I’m real good at listening.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3xGnz9B6P
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxcZziDSLM
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8BcG7D1Xj
I stared at the drink but didn’t touch it.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWu1Y5YgZP
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptGb7dAfJZ
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK5JwHvgFz
“You always this… inviting?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjD5Z3Kaumj
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZZqGqEd6c
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3nWRlyBee
“Only when I feel like it. And something about you says you don’t open up easy, so… maybe I’m curious.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2UlGlvr0G
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA1O0HiUOj
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjqgKrFqYY
“And what if I said curiosity’s dangerous?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrllhSj07QB
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxf3iImtOx0
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPkqFaChbQ
“Then I’d say I’ve lived through worse.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jly5RDY9G
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkc7mHH4PXY
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CsKL8bsIP
And just like that… silence.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFdLezSaNI
Not awkward. Just heavy. Like something just clicked.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWoJpwzxw8
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnmkB8fo2q
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DwFXO4leB
I didn’t ask for her number.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMm2B8E0bd
Didn’t need to.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOl5XLPBDMw
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwT0wQGBajE
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqSazsY47e
That first night? It was enough.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjfSgvV6gT
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzIxuNTnfL
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsktfjolyZU
She was peace in a room full of chaos.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P5zGtKwXR
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vyHQaA7M8
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCV8b5jDE92
And I didn’t even know yet—37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Gf53dFxAy
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1rLQGJZsG
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RtpqDfbhV
She’d be the bullet I’d never see coming.
