Shadows In Durango

*****Vincents POV*****

"If you would've told me sooner then I would have closed the fucking bar tonight! Why am I only finding out now?!" I fume out, pressing down on the gas on my way to the bar.

Tito had called to tell me that he was sick, but had brought in Fergus, the old manager, to cover him. On top of that, after calling Fergus to check in, he informed me that it wasn't just Tito who was off but it was also another bar staff and three of the dancers!

"I'm sorry Vin, I thought I had sorted it all! I wasn't aware the others would call in too!" Tito coughs down the line, as I grit my teeth together not wanting the added hassle.

"I'm on my way to take care of it." I state, before cutting the call and rounding the last corner to the back entrance of the place where I usually park.

Reid was there to help out behind the bar I knew that, but none of my other guys could make it tonight - not even Daryl - all giving their own unique bullshit excuses.

It wasn't that when they turned up to drink at my bar every week and didn't need to pay for shit!

Slamming my car door, I storm towards the building, now being almost an hour into the night and unaware of how things were going.

It could be complete carnage inside for all I knew right now!

Groaning, I walk down the dancers corridor, finding it to be eerily quiet. I poke my head inside some of the rooms, finding none of the girls around.

Usually, we had enough dancers on shift to rotate performances to give them breaks but it seemed tonight they were all already out on the poles.

I enter onto the main floor, scanning the room before finding Fergus behind the main bar as I instantly approach him.

"How is it?" I question instantly when I reach him, as he wipes his forehead with a towel and nods.

"Fine now that most of them have a drink! It was a fucking nightmare when they all rushed in when the doors first opened! I'm out of practice!" He tells me gruffly, as I nod once uninterested in formalities tonight.

I don't care about how he is and that he came here to help us out, I was too pissed off for any of that tonight. Besides, he knew he would get his pay cheque just like the rest of the staff so it wasn't a real favour from the kindness of his heart was it?!

"I'll be upstairs." I turn and say, before heading towards the VIP lounge deciding that everything downstairs seemed pretty tame.

I had almost forgot that it was a Wednesday night and that Sofia would be working the upstairs bar... poor thing will be stressed out of her mind on a night like this without Tito.

Smiling at the thought of her red flustered face, I climb the staircase steadily before reaching the top and pausing for a moment, my face falling into a scowl.

Why the fuck is Reid up here behind the bar?!

"Reid?!" I walk in large strides to reach him faster, instantly irritated at finding yet another change tonight.

"Where the fuck is Sofia? Did she not bother to show up tonight either?! I swear..." I begin to rant, gaining the attention of a nearby table before they quickly divert their gazes.

"Chill out bro! She's downstairs tonight, Fergus put me up here!" Reid explains with a shrug, as I feel the blood rush to my clenched knuckles.

What the fuck does he mean she's downstairs?! I didn't see her anywhere down there!

"Downstairs where? I was just at the fucking bar and didn't see her!" I grit, not liking the fact that she was wandering around down there with all of the drunken fools.

I kept her up here for a reason, it was quiet! Reid could easily handle the downstairs bar so why he wouldn't think to tell Fergus that I don't know? Sofia has done two shifts here for fuck sake! "Well Vin, the dancers were real short tonight and so she got put down there to help them." Reid's words come like a fucking punch to the face as I all but want to strangle him to death.

"I swear to fuck I'll put a bullet through you if you tell me she's down there on a damn pole!" I instantly slam a hand down on the bar countertop, feeling my temper reaching close to snapping point. This son of a bitch! He shouldn't have let this happen!

"Woah bro chill out for a second! That's just what had to happen... there's no staff..." Reid proceeds, as I grab the closest alcohol bottle and toss it across the room causing it to smash everywhere. Reid suddenly looks alarmed, taking me seriously for the first time since I got here, realising he had pissed me off.

"She's the youngest in here, did you ever think of that? I bet you never you dumb fuck! If you want to keep your head then you'll not speak another fucking word to me tonight!" I point an accusing finger at him, before making a move to drag Sofia off from whatever pole she was whoring around on.

She should know better as well! I made it quite clear that I wanted her kept upstairs...

Reaching the top of the staircase, providing me with an excellent view of the floor below, my eyes move from pole to pole before finally settling on her tiny frame - causing my arms to tremble in a fury.

The skimpiest red leather outfit stuck to her body, with her tits and ass hanging out of every possible seam. She moved around like a whore, swinging her hips and twirling around the pole, seeming almost like a natural which only added to my anger.

My eyes then went to the men surrounding her area, leaning back and watching her move no doubt with hard ons - the creepy fuckers!

With that thought alone, sending me into complete overdrive, I march down the stairs not knowing who would be first to get killed - Sofia or Ferguson for putting her up there!

Reid should have told him no, since he knew the VIP spot was Sofias!

With each step getting closer, bringing her red plump lips and voluminous hair into better view, my fists tighten by my side...

"GET THE FUCK DOWN!" I roar, as some of the men nearby jump in their chairs and almost spill their drinks in hand.

Wide eyed, Sofia looks down at me, mouth open in horror at my presence.

"Keep her up there Vincent, she's doing a good job!" One of the older men yell, smiling from ear to ear.

"Yeah we like her, is she new?" Another adds with a clap, evidently drunk as my temper simmers once again.

"SOFIA GET THE FUCK OFF!" I lean forward and reach an arm out to her, my eyes leaving no room for protest as I shoot her daggers.

She looked flustered and confused as to why I was so pissed, but I didn't care.

"SOFIA!" I rage, finding that she seemed to have got lost in a trance, as she eventually blinks and looks around before bending down enough for my arm to grab her off of the podium. Putting her down on her feet, my fingers form a vice like grip around her bicep as she winces slightly but I ignore it.

Dragging her with me towards the main bar, Fergusons eyes seem to widen slightly with our approach as he leaves a waiting customer behind to come and see what the problem is. "Vincent what's happened? Did she fuck something up? I didn't even believe that bitch worked here when she walked in!" Fergus forces out a dry laugh, as Sofia squirms in my hold teary eyed. "Call her a bitch again and see what happens Fergus!" I test him through gritted teeth, livid and needing a release through violence.

Fergus seems taken aback by my words, moving his gaze between us both before holding a hand up in surrender.

"Didn't know she meant something to you Vincent! I wouldn't have disrespected her!" He admits, avoiding eye contact now with Sofia.

"It's not that, why the fuck would you force her to dance? That's not her fucking job!" I seethe, as he looks confused now.

"I never? The last I saw her she went upstairs to her bar?" Fergus informs me, snapping my attention to Sofia who looked pained.

Loosening my grip on her slightly, I pray for her sake that she hadn't offered herself up to dance... especially when I told her she would work upstairs!

"Sofia?!" I demand to know what happened, as a tear falls down her cheek in fear.

But I didn't care. She was put at risk and I wanted to know why.

"Reid said that you said I was to dance tonight..." Sofia whispers quietly, growing upset, as I close my eyes over to process what she had just said. Did he now...