Hearts of Deceit (ManxMan)

Ch 4: Pine Green Eyes

"How's the bartender thing treatin' ya?"

"Alright."

"Y'know, I do happen to need another mechanic at-"

"Elise, I said no. Ok? I'm not ready."

"Not ready after five years in Portland? Dude-."

I sighed. I tried to rub away the dark circlers under my eyes and the fogginess clouding my mind. I didn't answer her, though. Just stared into the deep black holes that were my eyes, trying to remember what I could have possibly forgotten. Right, the keys. 

"Elise, I gotta go. Shift starts at 2."

"Hell no." I felt her grab my shoulder right before I could run out of the bathroom. With a push of her hand, she twisted me around to face her.

"I haven't seen my best friend face to face in five years. And you came back here to New York, didn't you? What's the big deal in giving  the ol' neighborhood a visit?"

"I had to come back," I bit out. And I sure as hell was not ready. Even after two months since I left Portland, a gut wrenching pain would creep up on me whether I went anywhere near my parent's house or had thoughts of him. 

Elise sighed before finally moving out of my way. Running to the kitchen, I slipped the keys off the hook before throwing on a jacket and sprinting out the door. Elise slipped into the passenger seat as I twisted the keys in the ignition. I shot her a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, the shop's closed today. I'm talking with you one way or another, today. Besides, I'm lending you this car."

It was a 15 minute drive to the bar. The bar itself was in a slightly nicer part of town, away from my apartment and much further away from my old house and the mechanic shop. The bar itself was a space designed for egomaniacal alphas, betas who would drink way too much, omegas looking for hook-ups and the occasional gamma or delta. It wasn't a terrible place though. The owners, two alpha women I'd only caught a glimpse of when they were hiring me, had strict rules against harassment and it was often satisfying to have the security kick out more than enough overly drunk patrons. For the most part, the place fashioned itself as a place of class. Of course, I also kept working for the fact that the counter itself was far away from the dance floor.

As we walked in through the backdoor, I could tell Elise was eyeing some figures clad in leather jackets and covered in tattoos hanging around in the parking lot and by the dumpsters. We both took a quick sniff of the air. Betas and a few gammas. Probably not from the nicest parts of the area. 

"Y'hear he came back to New York? Started some business dealings in Hell's Kitchen and moved here," I could hear Elise whisper behind me as I slipped on my uniform shirt in the empty break-room. I raised a questioning eyebrow as she gazed at me with wide eyes. 

"Who's back? What's with the whispering?"

"You really don't know?" Her brows drew up in surprise. "Dominic Seraz."

I stopped. Chills ran down my back. The feeling of wanting to vomit I'd grown accustomed to since that fateful night with Joe was back in full force, wasting two whole months of me pushing it back to a dull ache. 

"Seraz?" I whispered out. I looked around. I glanced out the windows. No one was around. Thank god. Elise did the same sweep before nodding. She motioned to the door we had entered in from the parking lot. 

"Those guys out there are his street level enforcers. They've been going around harassing small businesses. Betas and gammas picked up from the worst parts of town. Only reason this bar hasn't been taken over is 'cause the owners are alphas but it won't be long. Seraz is the alpha."