Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
LILITH
“Do we have any more of those lemon candies?” Kady calls back to me from the front of the store.
She is helping me today as one of my employees is out sick. There is a stomach illness going around the high school and unfortunately, she caught it.
I smile knowing that they are selling fast. My original flavors sell every day, but my new and weird flavors are picking up sales. Darcy has Drix helping her create flavors of ice cream, so I decided to ask him to make me some creations. So far some of his extreme, strange flavors have not sold while some others have.
I collect the newest batch and carry them to the front, smiling at the line from the counter to the door.
Today is Tuesday and it is ‘Tasty Tuesday’ where I have free samples at the counter.
“I will load up the bowl, and you can keep serving,” I tell her.
“They are flying out the door. The girls are run off their feet cleaning tables so other customers can sit down. Girl, how the hell do you do this every day?” Kady asks me with wide eyes, which shows her admiration for me and my staff.
“We just do it.” I shrug.
“Hi, what can I get you?” Kady asks the next customer.
I go ahead and fill the shelves and the bowls full of new product: candies, lollipops, and pastries. Kady and my other girls help keep the store going, while I dash back and forth making new things to be added up front, plus refilling what I have previously made as they fly out the door like Kady said.
Days like today make me sit back and cherish all my support and the hard work that it took to be here. Yeah, I had the money to start up my business, but it was hard work getting people in the door and to take a chance on me with their custom cake needs.
My mother never believed in me, my sister used to make fun of me for wanting to stay at home, cooking or watching baking shows while she was out partying and hooking-up with any boy who gave her attention.
We are literally like chalk and cheese.
My father believes in me, and so did my grandparents, and that is all I needed to kick my butt into gear and actually get my career moving.
The day passes in a blur of customers, sweet candy, and pastries. By the end of the day I am smiling from ear to ear. Knowing we sold out of a lot today, the Tuesday promotions are working, thanks to Risky suggesting it.
After pressing the dishwasher power button, I walk out to help Kady and the girls finish cleaning up, but I see that they are not alone. My heart stutters in my chest at seeing who is standing in my store.
Kady looks over her shoulder at me, a frown on her face.
“Cora, Martine, you girls can go. Thank you so much for today; Kady and I can finish up.” I keep my voice chipper, not to let on that my insides are shaking.
I have not seen Christopher since the meal my entire family was at, where he proposed to Vanessa, and they quickly turned it into an engagement meal. I was forced to sit through all their exaggerated sweetness, and it made my stomach hurt watching them.
Not once did I feel jealous, but I felt shame and humiliation.
“Why are you here?” I ask, stepping toward Kady once the girls have left.
“Your mother said that you had not RSVP’d to the wedding invite. Don’t you think it is a little childish that you are refusing to attend your cousin’s and my wedding?” His voice is deep and condescending.
My body stiffens when he speaks to me. I hate that he makes me feel like a freaking child; he used to do it when we were together, so I am used to that.
It feels like he watched how my mom spoke to me, and he took notes from her.
“I did not think that I needed to, Christopher.” His name tastes vile on my tongue. “I spoke to my mother on the phone, and we sorted things out.”
He smirks at me in that way that makes one’s skin crawl, and I shiver. Kady notices, and she takes a step closer to me.
“By sorting it out, you mean by you hiring some punk to be your date? Again, with those pathetic childish ways, Lilith.”
“Lilith does not need to pay anyone to be her date, fuckface. Her boyfriend will be with her,” Kady growls.
Like actually growls and it makes me smile.
I love that I have her here to support me. I freaking hate how these people make me feel; I think it is time for me to stand up for myself. My aunt and uncle, Kady’s parents support me, they are the ones on my father’s side that hate my mother and that side of the family.
Plus, I think that I have the club at my back if I need them.
He scoffs. “Boyfriend. Lilith, we both know that you do not have a boyfriend, your parents would have told Vanessa and me. Stop with these lies. Grow up.”
His words make my stomach cramp up and my palms sweaty, but I pull up my big girl panties, and straighten my shoulders.
“Why are you here?” I am so proud of myself when my voice comes out firm and not meek sounding.
He steps closer, and I tense up.
Kady inches closer again, ready to strike if needed. Christopher has never been physical with me, but he does have a temper. His smirk widens seeing how we both react.
He also likes to scare people, to intimidate to get what he wants. It is how he won with me for as long as he did.
“You will turn up at my wedding to the love of my life, well the love for my big thick cock. She fucking begs me for it, Lilith, unlike you used to. It was like fucking a dead fish when I was in bed with you. Lifeless and dried up. For months, while we were fucking, before you finally caught us, we would sit in our bed laughing at you, laughing at how pathetic you were, and here you are, still fucking pathetic.” He laughs.
“Oh hell no, motherfucker. No bitch ass dickwad says that shit to my cousin. Not some dick stain who fucks his girlfriend’s cousin for shits and giggles. You do not know who her man is, so I suggest that you fuck all the way off and leave, before I call my man, her man, and their club,” Kady growls at him.
Freaking hell, she can be scary when she needs to be. Kady has never been one to let people walk over her.
“Having your trashy side of the family fight for you, Lilith? See, pathetic; never could stand up for yourself,” he replies, glaring at the both of us.
Hearing him say that shit about my family, I snap.
Stepping around the counter, I move to him, charging him if you will, forcing him to step back. My heart is beating rapidly, as my fists clench at my sides.
“You do not speak that way about my family, you fucking dick, and by dick I mean that pathetic excuse for a penis that you are packing. Mini wiener-size, if I remember,” I snap.
“I will be at your shitty overpriced wedding with my man on my arm looking fine as hell in a tux, and he will outshine everyone in the room. He respects me, shows me support, and does not look down on me like you and my family have in the past. In the short time I have known him, he has shown me more emotion than you ever did, Christopher.”
His face gets red with anger. His fists match my own. My breathing is erratic after my rant, and I feel like I have run a marathon.
“You always were a spoiled little bitch. If you come to my wedding and make a scene to upset my bride, I will fucking make your life hell, do you hear me?” he growls.
“A physical threat from a cop? Nice going there, bud,” Kady scoffs. “Maybe I’ll call Sheriff Warren and see what he has to say about a police officer making threats.”
He sneers at her.
Christopher has always hated Tree and Kady, because they speak their minds in front of him; it is a shame that I did not heed their warnings years ago.
As I look at him now, I have no idea what I saw in him. He is average build, over six-feet tall, with dark blond hair that he slicks back with more product than I ever used. He gets a monthly manicure, and a skin peel.
Hell, he really does suit Vanessa better than me, she is as fake as he is. Unlike Jack, who is all freaking man, with his hard muscles, his tattoos, and that smirk that plays on his kissable lips that gets my body hot.
Christopher’s body relaxes, and his slimy smile comes back across his face, and it makes me want to puke because I once found him sexy. Damn, I need my eyes tested.
“I will see you soon, honey.” He winks at me before turning on his heel and leaving, knowing that he has lost, but in typical Christopher style, he has to have the last word. Well, not this time, bozo.
“Not if I see you first,” I call to him as the door closes behind him, but I know he heard me with the way his shoulders tensed up.
Seconds tick by and neither of us says anything, as I let what just happened sink in. He actually came here to try to intimidate me. What a jerk.
“HOLY SHIT. Girl, you fucking told him,” Kady blurts out, holding her hand up for a high-five.
I laugh at her, all the tension leaving my body.
“Girl, you did so freaking good. I am so proud of you.” Her smile is bright and wide, her eyes filled with excitement.
“I did tell him, didn’t I?” I giggle.
I lean against the counter behind me as it hits me that I just gave my ex-boyfriend a piece of my mind, after years of him not letting me talk, ordering my food and drinks for me. Even ordering outfits for me.
Holy crappy-do, that felt good.
“That felt so good,” I breathe out. “He hates me speaking out; he always used to accuse me of not acting like a lady. Oh, he is in for a surprise when he gets used to Vanessa. She is a sloppy drunk and likes to openly flirt,” I inform my cousin.
“Serves him right. And the same to her, because he will not be faithful to her. He is too arrogant not to cheat, thinking he is a prize to all women.”
I nod at her. It will be fun seeing them try to make this marriage work, especially having to attend popular galas together and be out in social environments where there is free alcohol. Vanessa will show him up and he will freaking hate it.
“I hate to bust this bubble of happiness and pride and badassary, but you have to tell Jack.”
My eyes go wide at Kady, while she nods.
“He will be pissed that dickface came to the store to confront you. The men of the club protect what is theirs, Lil, and as far as Jack is concerned, you are his. You do not need Christopher bringing up this visit in front of Jack at the wedding, just to stir up trouble. Tell him.”
“I will tell him.”
Pulling out my phone, I send him a text.
Me: Hey, closed up, are you home or at the club?
He replies within seconds, and it makes me smile.
“Oh, girl, you are gone for him.” I blush as I bite my lip reading his reply.
Jack: At the club. Come by.
Me: Be there soon.
“He is at the club,” I tell Kady, who nods, and we quickly clean up, then lock up and make our way to the club. I just hope that Jack does not go and hunt my ex down and beat him to hell, because I know that he would.
Maybe I can distract him, keeping him with me.
Maybe do something that I have never done before.