"I can't stand you sometimes, why can't you leave me the hell alone for just one night?!"
Charlie tried not to let Sofiya's words get to him, even as his cheeks reddened and his ear heated up. It was hard not to react, especially when she was ranting at him with enough venom that one could be forgiven in thinking that they weren't a married couple at all. It didn't help that even after eight years of marriage, her glare still got to him.
The bar was busy that night, he noted. It seemed like every table was occupied by everyone from bikers to already tipsy college boys. He considered himself lucky to even get a seat at the counter next to the bartender.
His wife on the other hand had no problem since more than enough men were willing to cede their seat. It didn't help that she was the only woman in the bar who either didn't look like a cheap prostitute or drug addict, which also meant she was the hottest one out of all of them. She was dressed somewhat casually in a red summer dress complete with stockings that made her legs look downright gorgeous. She even let her blonde hair down for added effect.
"You know why I can't leave you alone." He said through gritted teeth, "Or are you telling me that you forgot that I caught you in our bed a few months back?"
At that, a few men around the bar looked over with fascination. Charlie didn't blame them, he would've too if a couple was practically shouting their marital problems for everyone to hear. He didn't miss the predatory look in some of their eyes, thoughts of taking an angry wife home from her husband no doubt forming in their heads.
"And I said you had the wrong idea about that." Sofiya said with a pointed glare.
"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes as he lifted his glass of water to his lips to take a sip.
Sofiya's face took on a warm pink color as she stared at his throat bobbing with each gulp of water. "You're so irritating!"
"I'm not even doing anything, stupid ass!" He said after slamming his glass on the counter, a few drops of water spilling onto the counter.
"Yes, you are! You're trying to ruin my night and you know it!" She argued.
"Hey, excuse me, are you two alright?"
Charlie looked towards the source of the voice, somewhere behind his wife. She moved aside to also get a look at the new player. Sure enough, there he was, sitting at the counter with a half-finished glass of whiskey. He was looking on with a barely concerned gaze, his eyes lingered more on Sofiya than anything. There was no doubt that he'd had plenty of time to appreciate his wife's features from behind during their argument.
"We're fine, my husband is just being an idiot." Sofiya said.
"Are you sure?" He asked, "I mean, it sounds pretty bad over there. I can ask my friend to leave and you can move over here if you want to."
Sofiya looked over with a sinister smile, "That'd be great."
"The fuck are you doing?" Charlie started to get up.
"Woah, dude, chill out." The guy put his hand out, "I'm not going to do anything. You two just look like you need some time away from one another."
"Oh, we do." Sofiya said in a sarcastic voice before getting out of her seat. She waited until the guy told his friend to leave before walking over to the now empty bar stool, her heels clicking against the floor before she sat down and instantly started talking with the guy, who was now acting like Charlie didn't exist.
Charlie glared at the guy's back, assholes like this were far too common in his eyes. Men who knew how sacred marriage was yet didn't care, men who'd wreck homes and destroy families just for a good fuck. The only thing more despicable than them were the women who willingly spread their legs for them. If he had it his way, such people would no longer have the privilege of existing.
"Charles, you okay?" The bartender came over.
Charlie looked over at the bartender and smiled. Unbeknownst to everyone at the bar, he knew the bartender. They were old friends to put it simply.
"I'm fine, Ray." He said.
"Alright, just making sure. Are we still on?" Ray asked, the scar spanning from his eyebrow and down towards his cheek giving him a conspiratorial villain look. His dark skin was covered in scars, scars that Charlie witnessed firsthand when they were given. In fact, the stranger looked a little like a younger Ray, his face was a just more puncheable.
"Yeah, make sure to up the dosage hard. I'm sure I can take this guy but let's keep things simple, yeah?"
Ray gave him a smirk, "You got it, sergeant."
Charlie resisted the urge to snort. It was a running joke between them to call the other by their former Marine Corps ranks, which funnily enough usually led to some rather interesting nights when other former Marines would pick up on it. Unfortunately, tonight was not one of those nights.
He looked back over at Sofiya as Ray walked off to go service a few more patrons. She was smiling, a big wide toothy grin, as she spoke to this guy. She flicked her hair to the side, occasionally leaning against the bar and showing off the curve of her hips and the rest of her body. He could even hear how she'd changed her tone of voice completely, going from angry wife to seductive mistress.
It was obvious that this guy had been planning on doing something. Charlie would've had to be a fool to think otherwise. All it took was one look in his eyes to know that he was one hundred percent devoted to taking his wife home and having some fun in the sheets. He just had to figure out a way to do it without getting a fist in the face and now Charlie was waiting with an amused curiosity to see what he'd do.
"You know, my husband's a lightweight, how about we wait until he finishes his drink and then you can come home with me, baby? He won't notice a thing once he's drunk." Sofiya batted her eyes at the stranger.
As if to play along, Charlie took a sip from his glass. They were going to have another thing coming.
The stranger casted a quick glance over his shoulder at him before looking back at Sofiya. He could hear the smile in the cocksucker's voice as he said, "Sounds like a plan."
