Hidebound

Chapter FortyThree

"Here you go" Harley startles Kevin when she comes back and places a beer in front of him. He takes it and swallows a small sip so that it doesn't run down the side as he stands and pushes the bar stool in.

"Thanks Harley" he says before walking away but he turns around quickly, almost spilling the beer onto Darby's floor. "Also, I've got some friends coming, they're going through a tough time so get the alcohol ready for them" he gives us a thumbs up before finding a seat on the other side of Darby's.

I wonder briefly is that's why he ordered the beer. To keep up with his friends and feel like he's apart of the group. You know, social drinking.

"It's the middle of the day on a Wednesday?" Harley mumbles in confusion. "Why are they having a sesh in the middle of the week?" I have no answer, not thinking much of it as I shrug.

"Don't know but like Kevin said, get the drinks ready" I chuckle.

*

I was slowly getting more irritated as time went by. That stupid fucking camera had been focused on us all day. The one right in front of the bar that also watches the front door, but it hadn't once moved to record the front door. The small, red light indicates that someone is actively directing the device.

Stevie hadn't been seen all day; not surprising, he's never anywhere to be found besides in that office but at least he usually did his job and I don't know why that changed today.

Harley hadn't noticed and I'm not about to tell her because the last thing I want to deal with right now is another confrontation.

Besides, I'm tired and ready to get home to Hex. He had been texting me all day and instead of it annoying me, it only made me ache to see him.

I jump at the sudden loud shattering from the back room. "Fuck!" Harley exclaims as she holds her hand to her heart in freight.

The unmistakeable sound of multiple glass bottles smashing is heard throughout the entirety of Darby's, gaining everyone's attention.

I quickly make my way to the door and push it open. Sarah stands on the other side of the room with her hands to her ears, a pile of broken glass and spilt beer separating us.

"Are you okay?" I ask as I take her in, looking for any sign she had been injured.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" she repeats, obviously a bit shaken up. "I don't know what happened, it just all came down" she explains, panic in her voice.

"Don't worry about it, as long as you're okay. I'll help you clean it" I reassure her as I open the door and stick my head out. "Are you good out here? I'm going to help Sarah clean up" I ask Harley.

"Yeah, I'll let you know if it gets busy" she says with a wave of her hand as the door closes between us again.

"I-I seriously don't know what happened, Poppy" Sarah's voice wobbles and I can tell it had really upset her to ruin so much stock but things like this happen all the time. In my first week working at Darby's I smashed more bottles then I sold.

"Stevie won't even notice, I promise" I give her a small smile, trying to make her feel better.

Firstly we begin sweeping the floor of the smashed glass bottles. The scent in the room is putrid from the smell of beer, I have never been able to stand the smell, even after all these years of working at Darby's.

The noise is loud as the glass drags along the concrete floor and it's chilly in here to keep the alcohol cold.

"Who drinks this stuff?" Sarah asks as she scrunches up her noise, not a fan of beer either.

I laugh as we sweep the glass into cardboard boxes that lie around.

I grab the mop that is usually used on the floor in the bar area and do my best at mopping up the beer that lies in a puddle in the middle of the room and sneaks under the rack against the wall that the bottles had fallen from.

"Thanks Poppy, I appreciate it" Sarah thanks me as she takes the boxes full of glass to the dumpster out the back.

The door to the bar swings open, I don't bother looking at it as I wring out the mop into the bucket of beer, dust and small pieces of glass.

"Poppy, I need you out here" Harley states from the door, her voice somewhat angry and I internally sigh. What had Stevie done now? Had she finally noticed the cameras?

"I'm almost done Harley, give me two more minutes" I say and mop the puddle that's growing smaller and smaller.

Harley doesn't close the door.

"No, you need to come out here now before I get the cops called on me" she states firmly and slams the door to separate us once more.

"What the fuck?" I ask myself as Sarah makes her way back inside. "Hey, finish this for me? I have to help Harley out the front" she takes the mop from me and I hurry to the door.

What could have possibly happened while I had been out the back for not even fifteen minutes. Had a customer been rude?

Thankfully Harley's still behind the bar when I pull open the door but judging by the familiar clenched jaw and fists that her brother displays when he's angry; she's not happy.

My eyes go to the camera and sure enough it's still focused on the bar area and the red light is on.

"Hey" I grab her shoulder as I talk quietly but firmly besides her as I face her profile. "Just ignore it, yeah?"

"I can't Poppy. You should've seen them walk in, stupid fucking smirks on their faces like they know we can't do anything" I pull back, my eyebrows coming together. Are we talking about the same thing?

"Who are you talking about?" I ask.

"Them!" She hisses between her teeth and points across the room. My eyes follow closely and land on the table Kevin had taken up for him and his friends. My face pales and my stomach drops.

Ace and Amos take turns shaking Kevin's hand as they greet him. Their faces are stoic but become cocky as they throw glances at Harley and I. As for Kevin, the big smile on his face speaks loud enough. He's thrilled to have his new friends join him for a drink and I have a feeling of hate roll through me as I watch them use him to their advantage.

"What do we do?" Harley asks, just barely keeping her anger contained.

"Nothing" I state, there's nothing we can do "we do nothing."