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.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvR2oCGr4e5
But she was.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxyhBXxY17
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.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ynrHetwqy
“Yo,” I said to my cousin, eyes still locked on her. “Who is that?”
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNQkYEFIJB
He followed my gaze. “That’s the owner. Brie or somethin’. Don’t even try it. She don’t do street dudes.”
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCGWdgmvrH
I smirked. “Good. I ain’t tryna be one tonight.”
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpBXrzAHbY
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.
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3nRLgX5XR
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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN755PtaBLx
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhCr8CmIhv
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLYh6y5Wp6
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.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3cPnG67L9
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3QuHQOOJp
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnP4pUL8pv
She looked me up and down like she was tryna decide if I was worth her time.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszaklFacol
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaGV57giRH
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk7aW2hxga
“You look like trouble.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNCouJtWZo
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIM1Vv0NsW0
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tA4pIMmwS
“Only when I’m bored.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElqfz9UHrQ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRbUy8tpBP
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQqHvOD5KM
“So what is it tonight? Bored? Or just lost?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ULIWv424I
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9YVlyPtZ3
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0OZDpiNNL
“Little of both. This place wasn’t on the map.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcPf9l6nM6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhIvIrSjd6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPagraXIoa
“That’s the point. It’s for people who don’t wanna be found.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfspWU5Nc57
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAwWyat8q3
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJGwHgkN3D
I leaned in on the bar, watching the way her eyes flickered in the dim light.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32IwIrxnYB
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP1lD856BR
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRraBynym6
“So, what are you? Owner? Host? Bartender?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4rlYEx0Y5
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Xwe6CgiQK
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrfPVHaOJh
“All three. I’m the one who built it. Brick by brick.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfWEcBsQk3
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuwX3qDxQ3
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYjSfpC2Z8
“Damn. You always been a boss?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaQaVObo8x
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPtqEaYK23
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjbDKveltb
“Always. I just finally got the title to match.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTthX2MMGU3
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aMeGzZYxb
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3LSwvV81Z
The way she said that? Like she earned every scar behind it. I liked that.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDnvErHwfz
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMhsrrfg6R
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LqTCNNU9I
She reached under the bar, poured a drink without even asking what I wanted, and slid it to me.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMYxWKKW78
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0gb555APU
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHWlNuVhsh
“This one’s on the house. You got the kind of face that looks like it’s holding back a thousand thoughts.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zUUAYgo1o
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BGvSft0c8
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqlvGE42wQ
“You wouldn’t be wrong.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanVq32Qnq9
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6fbA2w7p6
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfP1gkEWJ9X
“And I’m not nosy… but I’m real good at listening.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIX2wSp29NU
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g1bqiYFn5
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPocUGi74Yr
I stared at the drink but didn’t touch it.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjN0DHIZzzJ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCqZ7B9TXR
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57ykRYI6xo
“You always this… inviting?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR66bI2b2D
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ7zWSg09g
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Jl4xcFh8
“Only when I feel like it. And something about you says you don’t open up easy, so… maybe I’m curious.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6d7nKy4rP
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3cN87ZTxw
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDJp72Ghuz
“And what if I said curiosity’s dangerous?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdatB9kjiEL
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHzX1o7Pt5
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEri3GL9ro
“Then I’d say I’ve lived through worse.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenhdPwV74H
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPlTTlYMIt
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN055iDvLp6
And just like that… silence.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NOUAkFgga
Not awkward. Just heavy. Like something just clicked.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rePGObpkw
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArXK74SJHZ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBeL9B9mtx
I didn’t ask for her number.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ193aq4kYyZ
Didn’t need to.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KZEg2diVA
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEMfyNoijo
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93benqA3AV
That first night? It was enough.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXlvZJR4V2
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnN9H6IauqR
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G466A2I6m
She was peace in a room full of chaos.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JKr6bnkoJ
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25B9Yk56fe
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWG3s0eTIqe
And I didn’t even know yet—50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDV5w00Tjj
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfWCADGZAX
50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMyPHOlMoM
She’d be the bullet I’d never see coming.
