4– The lion's beautiful prey

Joe rushed down the stairs as Hunter followed suit, trying to catch up. Joe looked mad. Although he hadn't said anything to King about what really went down and just stayed silent through King's millionth repetition of the Grayman story and watched Hunter entertain King by laughing and nodding occasionally, Hunter could see that Joe was upset! It was so easy for Joe to sit there with a long face because King had only been looking at Hunter throughout their fifteen minutes there. When Joe rushed out the front door and began stomping down the descent, Hunter began jogging after him.

“Joe! Joe man.” Hunter called after him.

“What?” Joe answered, not stopping.

“Can you at least hold up?”

Joe only stopped walking when he got to the sliding gate and was waiting for it to open wide enough for him to go through.

“Joe, man.”

“What bro?” Joe turned to him and snapped.

“Relax man. What's wrong with you?” Hunter asked him.

"What's wrong with me? Really?” Joe answered and then walked out the gate.

“Yes, talk to me.” Hunter grabbed Joe's shoulder as he was about to enter his car.

“Let go of me.” Joe said turning around quickly and shoving Hunter away. Because Joe had parked his car too close to the wall of the mansion, that shove sent Hunter bumping into the wall. Hunter came back equally as aggressive and pinned Joe, head against the roof of the car.

“I'm gonna ask you one more time, and you gonna stop acting like a little bitch and tell me, what the hell is your problem?”

Joe's movement was restricted because of the position he was in and so all he did was breathe heavily. Hunter watched him for a few seconds and then let him go once he realized that Joe wouldn't be able to speak with his palm plastering the side of Joe's face against the roof of the car like that.

As soon as Hunter let Joe go, Joe rubbed the side of his face that was plastered against the car.

“That roof is blazing hot, what the fuck is wrong with you?” He then shoved Hunter by the shoulder.

“I'm sorry.” Hunter responded, not hiding the fact that he didn't mean it. “Now tell me what the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you so mad?”

“What is wrong with me is that you took all the credit for what you didn't do, in there. You didn't shoot Grayman, I did. And because King thinks you did, he promoted you to underboss. And me? I'm still at the same place I was 4 years ago. King gave you all the praise for something you didn't even do–”

“I did shoot Grayman.”

“Oh crap. He was already dead. I shot him in the head. I shot him!”

“You need to stop saying that. Really, someone might overhear you.”

“I don't care. Maybe I should have told King the truth–”

“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down mate...” Hunter took a long pause with a menacing stare at Joe. “Truth is even if King knew you did it, he wouldn't have promoted you to anything, let alone to underboss. The most he would have done was shake your hand. He wouldn't have even poured us that whiskey. So, if you think I stole your glory for saying I popped Grayman, you're wrong.”

“Sure, I might not have been promoted to underboss but then you wouldn't have been either if King knew the truth.”

Five quiet stretched seconds of Hunter and Joe keeping eye contact.

“So that's it. You're jealous. It's no longer about the cameras, the news or the kid. It's about you being jealous that I got promoted to underboss even though you know very well that King would have never promoted you even if he hadn't promoted me.”

Joe looked away, beginning to feel like a bad friend because of how Hunter had put it. Joe knew that it was unfair of Hunter to accept all the glory while making him look like a loser, but he also knew that Hunter was already favoured by King and would have been promoted to underboss sooner than later anyway.

Joe had been in the mafia since he was twelve years old, two years before Hunter arrived. At the time he was just a street dealer, an associate. He was still selling for Ray until Hunter joined. And when Hunter joined, Joe found a friend in him. Someone who he could relate to and someone who was not as wild and as outspoken as the other boys. Joe also had a similar background as Hunter. Joe was not an orphan but he's father over dozed on drugs before he was born. Growing up, Joe was okay for a few years until he's mother got a new boyfriend, Drey. The boyfriend hated him and would beat him up and insult him every single day. He eventually couldn't take the beatings anymore and so one day when the man was beating him and had thrown him against the kitchen counter, he quickly pulled out the drawer, grabbed their sharpest knife and stabbed Drey in the rib. That was the day he ran away from home, he was 11 years old. He was homeless for a year before he found family in the Black Souls street gang. He started selling for Ray in the streets and used the money for food and clothes. At that time, Hunter was known as Jake Scott. Jake Scott and Joe were equal, equal until Jake was sent to juvie and released three years later. When Jake was released, they reunited but couldn't pick up where they'd left off because Jake was now Hunter and was now always around Hector King and Joe was in no position to be anywhere close to the mafia boss. He was part of the lowest ranking members. After a year and a few months, Hector King had already grown fond of Hunter, so it was easy for Hunter to put in a good word for Joe. Joe was then promoted to a soldier, meaning he stopped selling drugs for Ray and could now get into physical assignments like assassinations which were more fun than selling drugs. As a result, the two boys could reconcile again. It was even better this time because Hunter had come back with interesting stories about being in juvie. And although they were both soldiers, it always felt like Hunter was way ahead than Joe and today had just proven it. How could King promote Hunter from soldier to underboss, completely skipping two positions? But then again, what could Joe do about it?

“Okay, that came out wrong. I'm not jealous.” Joe found himself defending his sportsmanship. “I'm not jealous.”

“So, what is it?” Hunter asked him. “You know me moving up the ladder is good for you too...”

“It's nothing. My bad. Congrats, brother.” Joe held out a hand towards Hunter. After considering it, Hunter took his hand, and they shook hands.

“So, I'll see you at Red and Green club tonight?”

“Sure, what time?” Joe was not enthusiastic about it though.

“Seven, eight?”

“Eight sounds perfect.”

“Cool then. On me.”

“Sure.” Joe said and waited for Hunter to step back so he could enter his car. Hunter stepped back and watched Joe enter his car and close the door. Joe started the car, and then looked at Hunter one last time before he drove away.

Hunter was not too blind to see that Joe was putting on an act. He was not happy that Hunter was promoted to underboss. He was jealous.

***

The new underboss headed right for the men's room as he entered Red and Green. When he got to the bathroom he paused in front of the mirror for a while, looking at himself. The music was really loud and could be heard from the bathroom. The place seemed busier than usual. Maybe because he had never come here on a weekend before.

He ran his hand through the front of his hair, exposing a horrible looking scar. With that scar visible, his strong cheek bones, small mysterious eyes and maybe if he was just two decades older, he'd look like the underboss that he was now. He took his hand away and let his hair fall back over his forehead. Now he just looked like an ordinary flirt looking to have a good time at the club. He had visited this club a thousand times before, but no one here knew who he really was. The workers knew him by face and some by name, but no one knew that he was part of the mafia. No one was supposed to know.

Tonight, he was wearing his favourite shirt, the one that matched the colour of his eyes, grey. It was a little tight around his arms, making his biceps seem bigger. He always left the top three buttons of this shirt loose, showing off his toned chest and silver long chain which he never ever took off. He wore this shirt with black skinny jeans, them too showing off his strong calves. Tonight was supposed to be special. He was here to celebrate his promotion to underboss. Although it didn't really excite Joe as much as it excited him and therefore affecting how he in turn really felt about this promotion, he knew that this was a privilege, and he had to celebrate it. Jake Scott would have never thought that he'd be such an important man one day. Little Jake Scott woke up every single day with no hope, no purpose. No one cared that he even woke up every day. He was just merely co-existing amongst the other children. He was not special in anyway. But today, he was the Black Souls' underboss. After Hector King, he was in charge of the Black Souls. And if anything would have to ever happen to Hector King, God forbid but he would be the new mafia boss of the mafia, the godfather. So how could he let Joe's negative energy affect him, Hunter thought. He was lucky to be him, blessed. Being promoted meant more money, he could finally upgrade his car, get a bigger apartment and obviously, more women, the kind that only money could buy. The ones he loved, curvaceous, beautiful and obedient. Tonight, he wanted to take two home. At the same time. It was his night.

As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, he started scanning the club for pretty faces. He noticed that there was a circle formed at the dance floor, and they were all focused on whoever was in the middle. He caught snippets of long blonde curls as the people standing around moved and left peepholes that opened and closed too quickly for him to see the dancer's face. When a few people walked away from the circle there was a big enough space for him to see the girl dancing, but her back was now turned towards him. The song was upbeat. Hunter had never heard this song before, but it was catchy and had a good rhythm. He began moving his head to the beat as he watched her whining her hips, swirling, and trying to shake her ass which she didn't really have much of. Although her dance moves weren't all that impressive, her energy was what kept everyone hooked. And now, realizing that he too was getting hooked, Hunter smiled and shook his head.

“I want to be that drunk when I leave here tonight.” He mumbled to himself and then turned away and walked to the bar.

The bar was packed with sweaty impatient customers all shouting out their orders at the bartenders. There were four bartenders and a woman behind the counter. He recognized the faces of the men, but the woman was new. Hunter tried to push through the already drunk customers to get to the front.

“What can I get for you?” The woman, shouted over to him. She had seen him struggling to get to the front. Was he not lucky today?

Hunter figured he'd have to buy for both Joe and him one time because this bar was a mission.

Can I get six Grizzlys and six Hew Points and then if you can bring six shots of Tequila to my table. I don't know where I'm gonna sit yet, but I'll be with my friend.”

“Gee, do you also want to take the fridge with you?” She asked Hunter and then laughed.

Hunter laughed too, he didn't find it funny but she had favoured him and let him order even though he was last to arrive at the bar so he had to be nice.

“You can take the bucket with the 6-packs and then I'll try to bring you the 6 shots in 5. It's a Saturday night so we're really busy.”

“Okay.” Hunter shouted back.

Instead of going to find his order, she lingered, not breaking eye contact with him. She stared at him for a few seconds longer before giving him a flirtatious smile and then turning away.

Hunter smiled. Since he was waiting to get his order, the other customer had now gave him space to come to the front of the bar.

He took out his phone and saw a message from Joe: Where are you bro? I've been waiting. I'm sitting closest to the DJ.

Hunter responded back: I'm here. Buying the booze.

He put his phone in the pocket of his jeans and laid both his arms on the bar and began watching the barwoman. She wasn't as pretty and looked like she had too much plastic surgery done to her face, but her red uniform was tight and exposed large boobs and a fat butt. Probably fake too but who cares.

She came back with the bucket in her hand and put it on the table before him.

“Cash or card, babe?” She asked him.

“Card.”

She turned the card machine towards him and he swiped and turned it back to her. She took out the receipt and a pen from underneath the counter and began writing behind it. Hunter took the bucket in both hands.

“My name's Bella.” She said leaning over the bar, getting closer to the side of his face. Her breath smelt of alcohol and chewing gum.

“I'm Hunter.”

“You're handsome...” She told him and then bit the tip of his ear and pushed the receipt with her phone number in the small pocket of his shirt.

“Bella, no flirting with the customers!” A guy with an irritated expression called out to her. He was also in the red uniform.

“I'll call you.” Hunter said, ignoring her boss.

“No tip, daddy?” She asked him.

He placed the bucket back on the counter and pulled out his wallet. He pulled a bank note out. He held it towards her between his two fingers but she didn't take it. She looked down at her huge breasts and then back at Hunter. Hunter smiled and put the note between her cleavage while keeping his eyes locked in hers. She smiled cockily at him and then moved away slowly, to serve the other customers.

Hunter took his bucket of ice and 2 6-packs and squeezed out of the crowd. The dancing girl was still there, dancing the night away. She didn't seem to be running out of energy. She was still as hyped as Hunter had left her. As Hunter walked towards the deejay, he watched her. There were now less people around her but he still couldn't see her face because she was facing the other way. He enjoyed watching her so much that for a silly little second he imagined himself going up to her and dancing with her. He laughed silently at himself at the idea because he didn't know how to dance and he would never dance in front of people like that.

He spotted Joe right where he said he'd be, the table near the deejay. He placed the bucket on the table and greeted Joe.

“What's good man!” Hunter exclaimed.

“You know, just celebrating the main man tonight.” Joe said, he didn't look as excited but at least he was smiling.

“Yeah...” Hunter avoided rubbing salt in Joe's wound.

“Yo, thanks man, you know I live for the Grizzly.” Joe said, opening a bottle, it was so obvious he was trying to make it seem like the nine hours apart had helped him get over the envious energy he had shown back at the mansion.

“We've been drinking together ever since it was illegal for us to drink.” Hunter responded, he too starting to drink his Hew Point. “How can I not know you live for the Grizzly?”

“Exactly.” Joe answered. “I saw how packed the bar was, how long did it take you?”

“There's this hot new babe behind the counter, she let me cut in.” He said. “I might leave with her tonight, depending on what time she finishes work.”

“Yo, my man.” Joe shook Hunter's hand.

“I said maybe, my plan is to leave with two chicks tonight, but she seems like a whole package. She's a two in one.”

They both laughed.

“Maybe we can split her.”

“Bro what's my name?” Hunter asked, his face falling.

“What you mean, bro?”

“My name is Hunter, I'm a lion. I don't share my food.”

“You need to start coming up with a better phrase, lions do share their food. They hunt together and eat the prey together with the other lions.”

“Whatever, man.” Hunter smiled.

Joe laughed at Hunter.

“I'm a different kind of lion then. The one that doesn't share his food.” Hunter tried to make a come-back.

“That kind of lion doesn't exist my brother.”

“I'm that lion.” Hunter laughed. “I ordered us some shots too. Not sure if she'll even remember to bring it.”

“Hey, check that out.” Joe said looking towards the dance floor.

It was the dancing girl. Hunter could see her face now, she was facing them. She was wearing a black silk boob-tube dress with black high heels matching her dress. Her lips had red lipstick and her hair was in long blonde curls falling on her bare back. She was beautiful. There was a man in a black tux dancing around her trying to get her attention. He kept trying to take her hand and trying to copy her silly moves but she continued to ignore him. Hunter felt stuck looking at her. He couldn't get his eyes off of her. It felt as though the music was now muffled and she was moving in slow motion. Hunter imagined that he could hear her stilettos knocking against the tiled floor, step by step. As if feeling Hunter's gaze on her, she turned her head and looked straight at him. She smiled a mischievous smile and then gestured with her finger for him to come towards her. Joe shook Hunter by the shoulder taking him out of the slow-motion world and back to the world with the pounding music.

The dancing girl was still gesturing for him to come. He took another swig of his bottle and was about to stand up when Joe pushed him back down by the shoulder.

“She's calling me.” Joe told him, already standing up.

“What?” Hunter was dazzled. He looked from Joe to the girl and back.

“She's calling me.” Joe repeated, placing his bottle of beer on the table.

“I'm pretty sure she called me, bro.” Hunter chuckled.

“Nah bro. She called me.” Joe got out of his seat and then came to speak near his friend's ear. “You took away enough from me in one day, can't you just let me take this one?”

He then looked down at Hunter, waiting for a response. Hunter tried a smile and then raised his bottle towards Joe.

“My man.” Joe said, shaking Hunter's hand and then walking off towards the dancing girl.

Hunter grinded his molars as he watched Joe walk over to the girl and put his hand around her waist. He watched her lean closer to Joe as she spoke in his ear. Hunter felt a little spiteful but he also knew that he owed Joe that much. He couldn't watch them any longer and turned away and gulped down the remaining of his beer and then opened a second bottle. He then felt the table move and when he looked up, Joe was sitting back down.

He frowned and looked towards the dancing floor and then back at Joe, waiting for an explanation.

“She says she wants you.” Joe said, with no enthusiasm whatsoever.

“Huh?”

“She said she wants you and not me. Just go bro.” Joe said drinking from his bottle.

Hunter turned and looked at the girl. She was smiling at him, that same mischievous smile. He smirked, and then like a lion, went for his prey.