Chapter 1 Leo #2
Lately, we have been considering adding Melanie full time to the staff.
She is the only one who survived us. The customers like her.
I like her. And Kai skips at least two shifts every week.
So, I could use the company sometimes. She is nice to chat with on breaks, in a platonic kind of way.
She is polite, has a good sense of humor, and, from what I have seen, a bad taste in men.
She doesn’t share much about herself. I know she moved here around the time she started working with us.
She lives alone, or at least that’s what I have assumed.
She doesn’t talk often to her family, as much as I know, at least, but I think she must have a little sister or niece she sees often.
One time, months ago, a girl’s toy fell from her bag, and another time she came in with braids in her hair colored with those eye-shadows, like powders made for hair.
It’s clear she spends time with a kid, and that alone can make me smile.
It’s nice to see people love and care for children, even if it’s just a niece or a friend’s kid.
I will admit, though, I was a little suspicious when the toy fell out of her bag and Melanie rushed to pick it up, checking if anyone saw.
But even though I thought it was weird, I understand the need to protect your privacy.
So, I pretended I didn’t see it. If she doesn’t want to share her personal life, I am more than fine with it.
As long as she shows up for her shift on time and works hard, it’s none of my business what she is doing after.
Right? I am not sure I have convinced myself about that.
I tend to be a tad overprotective with the people around me, and even though she keeps us at arm’s length, I still consider her one of my people.
She works at my bar. She has earned the ‘Leo’s friends and family’ attention, even if she doesn’t want it.
I am still not sure why she didn’t quit after the first night working here.
I would have. Yet after Kai ghosted her for about a week, which is his normal behavior, Melanie showed up for her next shift as if nothing had happened.
A smile decorated her face, and her eyes had that glimpse of hope they had on the first day.
It was as if whatever happened between them had never truly happened.
But it did. I know it did. Kai knows it did.
Melanie knows it did. We all pretend it didn’t. It works. Somehow.
However, there is something about this girl.
It’s almost as if she strives to hide something from us.
It has bothered Kai a lot. We know almost nothing about her.
I don’t care personally. As I said, as long as she is on time, with a smile on her face, ready to serve customers and deal with Kai, that’s all I ask.
But my friend is nosy as shit and likes to bury his nose in other people’s business. It’s a very annoying habit.
Tonight is the worst night for Kai to skip his shift.
The bar is packed. Melanie is running around like a headless chicken.
I have at least five of our regulars camped at the bar, drinking beer like water, and Kai, the man who is supposed to be handling half of this damn section, is nowhere to be found.
I can confidently bet my life that he is probably fucking a random girl he met while he was out this morning.
It’s so typical of him. He hasn’t had a steady girlfriend in a while, but he fucks around enough that he keeps vanishing on me.
I am not judging. Okay, I am judging a little, but it’s not like I am not better than him. At least I believe I am. As bad as I can be, I have some respect for the people I have in my life. I mess around a lot, but I am at least more discreet about it. Which is better.
Kai has two modes: he either falls hard and becomes obsessed, too obsessed sometimes, or he fucks anything that moves with a vagina.
I am not exactly sure which one is best, since the last one causes problems for me, but the first causes problems for everyone, including the police, since more often than not they get involved to keep him away from his target of obsession.
Our lawyer at this point is more well paid than the ones working for serial killers.
I am pretty sure we keep his business going.
“Excuse me. I want a beer.” Logan, the very frustrated man in front of me, shouts again, and this time I have no other choice but to answer.
He is one of our regulars, who started coming about six months ago on a random Tuesday, and he has spent almost every night we are open in this bar.
I usually don’t mind him, but he has lately been a little too friendly with Melanie, and I am not a fan of that.
For fuck’s sake, this man is close to forty, and Melanie is barely twenty.
She could be his kid, not that he cares.
For that reason alone, I am not his biggest fan.
It’s bad enough Kai fucked this girl on her first day here, I don’t want another asshole to break her heart.
She is too damn important for this bar. She is probably the only reason we are still open.
I usually don’t compare people, but this girl reminds me of my little sister, and I can’t help myself for wanting to protect her in a way.
She is a damn good person. Always smiles, even though she has a smart mouth once you know her.
At first, her appearance doesn’t give the “good girl” vibe; tattoos decorate her skin, and even though she is blonde, her whole appearance is a little darker than I like personally.
However, once your eyes meet hers and she gives that sweet smile before she even speaks with her deep southern accent, you know this girl is the nicest person you will meet.
Even when she curses people out, she sounds nice.
I swear it’s the accent, because she can tell you to go to hell and it will sound like a siren song instead. It’s addictive. I will admit, if she was a little older, I might look at her in a different way too. I am not blind; she is fucking stunning.
“One minute please. Once I finish with these shots, I will get you your beer.” I say with a polite smile, trying not to bite my tongue in the process and the venom gathering on it spills all over this guy.
I am not even the asshole here. It should be common sense that if someone is busy, you should wait before you shout your fucking order in their face.
Does this dude care? No, and that’s exactly why his beer will take a long time to arrive.
Too long. I’m fully prepared to sit here and make those shots for three hours if that means this asshole won’t get his beer.
I am sure the group won’t even notice. They are hammered.
They don’t even need the shots, but as a good bar owner, I am going to provide them anyway.
Business comes first. Even if that means alcohol poisoning a bunch of dudes.
“Did Kai mention if he’s coming at all?” Melanie’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn to see the sweet girl with the southern accent who doesn’t belong here as she dumps a tray on the counter behind me.
She looks tired. Too tired. Like she is about to collapse at any moment, and her night isn’t going to get any better unless Kai shows up.
“He should’ve been here by now.” I say and check my phone again. No messages.
“Don’t you live together?” She asks again.
“You know we do, Melanie. You don’t need to be a bitch about this.” I say, annoyed.
“Maybe he’s fucking someone random again and forgot that he has to work while we carry the night as always.” She mumbles. I don’t blame her. She is right. That’s typical Kai behaviour.
“I am sure he will show up any minute now.”
I open the app with his shared location. He is at a house. One that I don’t recognize. Before I can even think about the reason he might be there, the location is turned off. Weird.
As I am about to text him and ask him what the fuck he is doing there and why he is not at work, a message appears. And another one. And one more. As the messages load, I grab one of the beers and crack it open against the counter. I am about to hand it to Logan when I start reading the messages.
Problem #1:Help! I have been kidnapped.
Problem #1: [video attachment]
Problem #1: [pin location attachment]
What the fuck? The beer in my hand falls and shatters on the ground as I open the video. My hands are trembling, and I am prepared to see my best friend beaten up, half dead, or worse. Logan whose beer just shattered, side-eyes me, and Melanie peeks over my shoulder, trying to see what happened.
“Is that Kai?” She asks on the sight of Kai in a strange bedroom frozen in the thumbnail of the video.
Yup that’s Kai. Blue hair, tattoos, and mania flashing through his eyes like the lunatic he is.
And most importantly, he is not in danger.
Like at all. This man looks happy to be kidnapped.
He is the happiest fucking kidnapping victim I have ever seen in my life.
I put one of my ear buds in my ear ignoring completely both Melanie and Logan before I hit play. Kai’s voice hits my eardrum as the video starts.