Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
I feel like my brain has been unraveled roughly and shoved back together. I’m fucking exhausted.
By the time I realized my wallet was missing, the bar was already closed. Still, I walked all the way back and banged on the door with no luck. When I got back to my place, I was too jacked to sleep for more than an hour or two.
So, now I’m out the last bit of my paycheck that was supposed to go for food. But worse, my wallet had my driver’s license in it.
With my real name.
Panic surges through my body again, making the tips of my fingers go numb.
I came to this middle-of-nowhere town and started using my middle name to try and disappear, and I’ve already lost it?
The man in the bathroom took it, the tall playboy who was listening to us in the stall like a fucking pervert. There’s no way it fell out.
I pace my studio apartment—sixteen paces down and twelve across.
Why in the fuck did I keep my license in my wallet? I spin on my heel.
Because I told myself that most of the people here don’t care. To them, I’m the side character in their story. The most they’ll do is give me a pity look and move on.
But that’s not what the man from the bathroom did. He looked at me like he could see me, which is unacceptable. No one sees me.
I pace back and forth, back and forth. When people see me, I always end up getting hurt.
A sharp knock at the door makes me jump. I whirl on my heel, staring at the door.
Who the fuck is that? Could it be the man from the bar?
Then, my thoughts get darker. It’s my ex. He found me after all these months.
My legs tingle. I could run. I could slip out the back door, get in my car, and go.
But as soon as I think that, I shoot it down. I don’t even know who’s at the door.
The knock comes again, and I straighten. If he’s here, I will not hide.
Marching to the door, I grab my pink aluminum bat. Then, I check the peephole.
It’s the hot man from the bar. The wallet thief.
Fuck.
A mix of relief and shame rushes through me. Of course, I was being dramatic. My ex isn’t here. This is ridiculous.
I rip the door open.
Pretty Boy’s face lights up. “Hey!”
In the daylight, he looks different. Taller, if that’s possible. His cheekbones are defined, and his lips are the lightest shade of pink. He doesn’t have the hat on today, and his hair is icy white. He looks ethereal.
The man’s face is stretched into an easy grin as he stares at me. “You gonna hit me with that?”
I blink, looking down. The bat is still in my hand.
My first impulse is to laugh it off, to make him feel comfortable even though I have no obligation to. And I hate that reaction.
I don’t let go of the bat. “You have something of mine?”
“I’m Axel.”
I blink.
He grins. “My name.”
I glare at him.
“Oh, right.” Axel laughs, reaching into his pocket. “You left this in the bathroom last night.”
He holds out my wallet, and I stare at it for a second. He thinks I’m going to believe that bullshit lie?
I snatch the wallet out of his hand.
The corner of his mouth twitches, but as soon as I look at him, it’s gone.
“Sorry it took me so long to get it back to you.” Axel tucks both his hands in his pockets as a blast of cold air rushes past us. I smell mint again, and I spot him chewing gum.
“It’s okay.” The words are out automatically before I can stop them. Immediately, I hate myself. It’s not okay. So, I adjust. “I mean, you took it, so I wouldn’t expect you to get it back on time.”
Axel’s grin doesn’t falter. If anything, it stretches wider. “Ouch. Okay.”
Okay, picking a fight with a man I don’t know is arguably very stupid. I’ve never been very good at balancing my hatred with common sense.
Axel peeks behind me. “Nice what they did with the place, huh?”
I move to block his view. He’s looking at my home. My safe space. “I, uh, I have to work.”
“Sorry, yeah.” He raises his hands again. “It just sat empty for years. Weird to see it as a studio.”
I didn’t realize how much everyone was in everyone else’s business till I moved here. Fucking small towns.
I glance around. There’s a car parked out front with someone in the front seat.
“Hitched a ride, so I’ll let you go. Catch you later, Raven.” Axel glides off my front step, climbs into the car, and they take off.
Raven. Why did he say it like that?
Because he saw your license, you idiot.
Fuck. As panic surges in me, I shut the front door and lock it.
Axel took my wallet. He stole from me. Then showed up at my door.
Fuck him for that. I’d like to hurt him for that. Make him cry. Make him beg me to stop.
My skin crawls. This is the exact opposite of laying low.
I place the bat beside my bed, then check the time on my microwave. Fuck. It’s almost two, and I have to get to work. I’m working the second shift as a cashier at a mom-and-pop grocery store called Newmans. I’m basically starting my career over, and all because of a fucking man.
I’ve considered stripping. Are you even a woman in crisis if you haven’t considered stripping?
There’s a strip joint around the block from the grocery store called Trick or Treat.
It’s obviously a play on the weird name of the town itself, Hollows Grove.
The club sits there, mocking me every night when I walk home from work.
I just don’t think I can keep my boiling hatred down enough to make any money.
I’m fuming the whole time I get ready. The brisk walk to work cools me off for a bit, but after about an hour of checking people out, it starts again. The anger is like a fucking shot glass filled to the brim. Anytime it gets bumped, the rage starts again.
After a man in scrubs rudely shoves his cash at me, I count to ten.
Men should be required to take a lie detector test to be employed.
Hurt anyone? Jail. Stolen something? Jail.
Existing? Fucking jail. In fact, all men should start off in jail.
The only way they can get out is if a woman vouches for them.
Scratch that. At least three women.
I try to focus on the cadence of the beeps as I swipe the products across the scanner. My boss, Mrs. Todd, an older lady who wears pantyhose every day, has been walking between her office and the back a lot tonight. So, as much as it hurts, I keep my customer service voice on.
“Long time no see.”
That voice is familiar.
I snap my gaze up, looking straight into the light-colored eyes of the man I thought I had left at my apartment.
Axel.
“What the hell?” The words slip quietly from me.
Axel just grins, his teeth straight and white. “Small world, huh?” There’s a knowing glint in his eye, and he adjusts his glasses.
He’s following me. First my apartment, now this?
“Leave me alone,” I whisper.
Axel waves at a loaf of bread on the belt. “Ran out.”
I stare at it, then back up at him, the flush spreading across my face. So he grabbed an item just to harass me?
“Stop,” I say softly. Way softer than I wanted to, which just makes me angry. This isn’t who I am now. I don’t take shit from men.
I clear my throat and say it again, louder, “Stop following me.”
Axel chuckles. “Damn, a man can’t get hungry ‘round here?” The way he flicks his gaze up and down my body makes me livid.
“Leave. Me. Alone.” My voice is louder now, and I feel every limb trembling. I’m not sure who this man thinks he is, but we’re done here. Vaguely, I notice people turning to look at us.
Axel’s voice gets softer. “Didn’t know you worked here, little bird.”
Little… what? Did this man just call me little bird?
The energy inside me explodes, and I see an image of me punching the hell out of his face fill my head. I almost do, but at the last second, I snatch the loaf of bread and sling it at his face as hard as I can. Which isn’t hard, considering he’s only a foot and a half away, and it’s fucking bread.
Axel doesn’t move, but the bread knocks his glasses to the side. Slowly, he fixes them, his grin growing.
“Get. Out,” I hiss, my heart pounding.
“What seems to be the issue here?” Mrs. Todd’s voice says behind me. I startle, only to see her and her fake smile push up next to me.
“This man is following me,” I say, my cheeks heated. It’s all I can get out; the anger and hatred are mixing so potently that I’m lost for words.
There’s a tense moment where I feel like I just tattled to the principal.
I glare at Axel, watching his face. He looks right back at me, those light eyes looking through my soul.
I can’t tell if they’re blue or a sort of colorless purple, but as he stares, I get the odd impression that he sees everything and nothing at the same time.
Then, his face shifts, and he snaps into a charming grin. “Not following, Mrs. Todd. She must have mistaken me for someone else.”
He just lied. In front of my boss. Of course, he did. Blood rushes in my ears, but Axel just continues to grin like he doesn’t see me.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Newman. You have a nice night.” Mrs. Todd waves her hands in a soothing motion. “So sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, Jane.”
I stare between the two of them, realization slowly sinking in. They know each other. Because, of course, they do.
“Have a nice night, Miss Raven.” Axel throws me a wink, then takes off, leaving without paying.