CHAPTER FIVE
Ruby
My heart is in my throat my whole walk home. God, that was intense. Theo is right. He should scare me. I looked him up earlier today. He’s a gangster. Allegedly part of the Bolero Crime Family. I should change my name and move to a new country.
People in his life meet violent ends. I remember reading about his father and about what happened to his sister online through one of those community forums. Maybe that’s who the cats were for.
I smile at the thought of my favorite boys being some comfort to her.
But what happened to her… I shake my head as chill bumps pebble across my flesh.
What happened to her should have me running away screaming, not wondering what would have happened had Theo kissed me back there in that alley.
He wanted it.
We both did.
I truly am a stupid girl with no self-preservation. I don’t know why I thought talking to Alex was a good idea. I knew better than to give him an inch. He always tries to take a mile.
Speaking of the damn devil, he’s waiting outside my building looking like a wounded pup licking his tail.
“Where’ve you been?” he barks at me the second he sees me.
“Walking home. Not that it is any of your business.”
“Who was that guy?”
“Again, Alex. Also not your business.”
“I worry about you.”
“I could say the same for you, but not quite in the same way, I’m afraid. Why are you here?”
“To apologize. I came on too strong, too fast. I’m sorry. I just miss you and I want what we had back.”
“You’ve got to let this go. We will never get back together. I don’t know how many times or ways to say it.”
“Are you fucking him?”
“No, but if I were you, I'd have zero claim on me. I am free to date or fuck anyone I want.”
“So what? You were just trying to butter me up to take some stupid mutt.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath to keep myself from assaulting an officer of the law. “Stay away from me. Don’t text. Don’t call or come by my work or here to my apartment.” I shove past him as he shouts he’s sorry.
That’s the problem, isn’t it? He’s a sorry piece of shit who will never change.
“Hey girl, hey,” Brookie screeches from the back of the cab as I exit my building.
I should have canceled after the day I experienced. But a night out and some drinks with my bestie is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I blow out a breath and put on a smile as I slide into the back seat.
“You look hot,” she says and takes a sip from a mini bottle of vodka, clearly getting an early start.
“You do too.” I smile at my bestie who doesn’t even have to try.
She could be a supermodel with her sleek blonde bob and legs that go for days.
Brookie has always been skinny and has the clearest skin.
I swear she doesn’t even have pores. Her skin is flawless, and sometimes I secretly hate her for it.
Not really, but I do get envious. It takes me thirty minutes to do my makeup and another fifteen to style my hair, and I still look below average.
I’m medium height. I have curvy hips and thick thighs.
My breasts often force me to purchase shirts that make me look larger than I am.
My hair is what I refer to as mousy brown.
I get highlights added every so often to give it a little oomph, but there’s nothing overly special about me.
People would often be vocal about how lucky I was to land a guy like Alex.
I got their message loud and clear. A fatty, average girl, she’d feel blessed he wanted to date me.
“Are you sure this top is okay?” I glance down at my creamy colored off the shoulder shirt that’s my favorite. It is one of the few shirts I own that fits me correctly and gives my waist some definition.
“Honey, if I had that cleavage, I’d flash it every day. Am I right?” she says to our driver. He smiles in the rearview mirror. “See.” She grins. Her bright red lips spreading wide to show off her pearly whites.
Another thing that sets us apart. I have a small gap between my front teeth. My mom always said it gave me character. I always suspected it was because she couldn’t afford braces for me. Over the years I’ve grown to love my imperfections, but sometimes those old doubts creep in.
When I met Alex, he loved all of my quirks. He thought my working at the animal shelter was admirable. Now I know his true opinion. He wore a mask from day one.
I won’t go into another relationship wearing those rose-colored glasses.
Maybe that is why I am so intrigued by Theo. He’s not pretending to be charming or even likable. He’s dangerous and a bit rude. But he’s honest about it. He’s not pretending to be something or someone he’s not.
“Hello.” Brookie waves her red manicured nails across my face.
“Sorry.” I blink and realize she’s waiting for me to exit the car.
“What has you so distracted?” She loops her arm through mine as she steers me toward the front of the bar. A perk of being besties with a goddess. No waiting in line at bars.
“Ladies,” the doorman greets us as he steps aside to let us through.
Despite being in a shit neighborhood, Enzo's is always crowded. It used to be a college bar but changed ownership a few years ago. The vibe is pretty much the same except the patrons tend to be more upper twenties to forty-year-olds. Upbeat music to shake your ass to and moderately priced drinks.
It isn’t really my scene, but Brookie has the hots for the bartender.
He’s not good for her, but I try not to judge.
I have zero room considering my only relationship has been with a narcissistic cheater.
And my current crush is on a career criminal and literal killer.
My bestie would string me up by my toes if she knew I’ve had many encounters with him today.
“Shots!” Brookie shouts, pulling me along with her as she weaves a path to the bar where her hot bartender should be but isn’t. There’s some chick in his place. My bestie’s expression sours. “About tonight being my treat,” she hedges.
“First round is on me,” I tell her.
“You’re the best.”
“I know. Besides, I’m sure you will find some poor unsuspecting fool to buy us a round or two.”
“You know me well.”
We order some shots, and Brookie is questioning the new bartender on the whereabouts of the normal one. The one she refers to as the hottie with a body.
“Girl, you know he fucks anything that moves.” She shakes her head. “He’s running late. Be careful you don’t go catching feelings for that one.”
I battle against the urge to say, ‘I told you so.’
“Bummer,” Brookie mutters, but I know my bestie. She is going to be on a quest now. To fix him. She does way too much charity work. “Let’s do a lap, shall we?”
I down a shot and nod. I’m definitely not drunk enough to be here yet. Brookie had it right when she started early. I do my second shot as we look for a table. The liquor burns down my throat and warms my belly. Strobe lights flash around us.
A chill slithers down my spine as a heat flares across the back of my neck.
The feeling of being watched washes over me. I glance around the bar, but I don’t see anyone openly staring at me. My stomach drops, and I wonder if I’m just paranoid or if the shock of the past twenty-four hours is hitting me.
Maybe I should have eaten something. I didn’t get to enjoy my sub earlier, and I skipped lunch.
“I see Kelsey.” Brookie darts off and I lose her in the crowd.
Kelsey ugh.
Just what I want is to have drinks with one of the women Alex cheated on me with. I didn’t have the heart to tell Brookie. Not like it matters. She’s one of many, but she’s part of our friend group.
I don’t understand how she can smile to my face when she sees me while knowing she fucked my boyfriend behind my back. She thinks she got away with it, but I made Alex tell me who and when, and at that stage he had no reason to lie.
I spot Brookie and she waves me over to their table with the rest of our friend group, but there’s no way I can sit with that bitch with her smug look thinking she got one over on me.
I don’t care about Alex at this point, but she isn’t a girl’s girl.
That’s not someone I want in my life. If she’d been upfront about it when we broke up, then I would have respected her for owning up to it.
I return to the bar and down another shot of liquid courage.
I’m definitely not drunk enough for this.
Brookie has an arm around Kelsey’s shoulder. The two of them are belting out the lyrics to whatever song is blaring through the speakers. Strobe lights flash around the room, and I feel like an outsider looking in. Watching strangers have a great night. Not a care in the world.
“Get over here,” Brookie calls out to me as I linger against the wall behind them.
As much as I don’t want to go over there, I’m not left with much of a choice. I don’t have anyone else here and I’m not sitting at the bar alone like some social pariah with no friends.
Here goes nothing.
“Have you lost weight?” Kelsey asks. Not hi, how are you, but have you lost weight?
“Only Alex.” I smile sickly sweet at her. Fake bitch. I’d love to slam her face down on this table and tell her what a backstabbing, conniving, dirty cunt she truly is.
“Well, whatever your secret is, it is working wonders.”
Brookie elbows her in the side, but the damage is done.
I know I’m not the prettiest girl, but at least I’m not fake. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Want me to come with you?” Brookie asks. I know she can see the hurt on my face. I’m too mentally exhausted to try to hide my disappointment.
“No. I’ll get us another shot.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m fine, really.” As I walk away, I can hear Brookie asking Kelsey what the fuck is wrong with her. Then the low blow really comes.
“As if you sleeping with Alex wasn’t bad enough.”
“You fucked him, too.”
My heart cracks. My best friend. All this time and she played me. Pretending to care about me. Is there anyone Alex hasn’t fucked?
My stomach lurches. I think I’m going to be sick. I need air.
I make my way to the hallway where the bathrooms are. The line is ridiculous. Static rings in my ears. Now is not the time for a freak-out. My heart beats faster as the bass of the music thumps inside my head. I step out of the line for the bathroom and look for the closest exit.
“Let’s go,” a deep and throaty voice tinged with a gritty timbre says as a large, rough hand wraps around mine.
I don’t have to see his face to know it’s Theo.
My stalker.
My crush.
Why is he here?
He pushes a secret panel in the wall to the side. It opens to a dark set of stairs.
I hesitate to move, but his hard body presses into the back of mine. And even in this crowded and smoky bar I can smell his cologne.
“I don’t give orders twice, sweetheart,” he warns.