Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Rory
I wipe down the last of my tables, the restaurant lights dimmed since it’s after closing time. Aldo counts the cash in the register and Izzy is in the kitchen making sure everything is cleaned and left orderly.
Tossing the rag over my shoulder, I release a breath. It’s been a busy night and now that it’s over exhaustion has hit tenfold. My feet ache, sweat is dried to my skin, and there’s a sting of hunger in my belly.
It’s nearly midnight and on top of the chaotic evening Mascen returned with another date. Totally different girl, but same table, and a nearly identical order. My gut tells me he’s trying to get under my skin, that he thinks he can hurt me by rubbing other girls in my face.
“Tired?” Aldo asks, closing the cash register. He leans forward on his elbows, his white t-shirt pulled tight over his muscular chest.
“Yeah,” I admit, sliding onto the barstool across from him. “Hungry too.”
He rubs his stubbled jaw, his lips twisting. “Hold on a sec.” He holds up a finger and disappears into the kitchen. I watch after him with a raised brow, wondering what he’s up to.
A grin splits my face when he returns a few minutes later with French fries from the kids menu on a giant platter with a cup of ketchup.
“Please tell me you like fries,” he practically begs, setting the plate down in front of me. One of the fries falls off the side and he deftly grabs it, tossing it into the bin behind the bar.
“Of course, who doesn’t?”
“You’d be surprised.”
We both pick up a fry, dunking it into the ketchup at the same time. We exchange twin grins. I have to stifle a moan at how delicious the fry tastes. I skipped dinner since the rush was insane and now I’m paying for it.
“These are yummy.” I’m pretty sure anything would taste like heaven to me right now.
“Don’t tell my sister these are my favorite thing on the menu. She’ll kill me. My mom too.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” I mime zipping my lips and tossing the key over my shoulder.
He grins at me, a dimple popping out in the corner of his left cheek.
“Ooh, fries!” Heather, the waitress that had called in sick the day I was hired, breezes over and swipes two fries. “See you later, guys. I’m out.” She waves over her shoulder as she leaves, her bright red hair swaying. There and gone in a moment.
Despite my past waitressing experience I’ve learned a few new things from Heather. The girl is scarily efficient and Izzy would be lost without her.
“I’m going to have to get her back for that,” Aldo remarks, leaning his arms on the shiny wood counter. “No one takes my fries.”
I pause with one ketchup dipped fry raised halfway to my mouth. “But I’m eating your fries.”
He reaches for another. “Yeah, but I chose to share with you.”
For some reason color rushes to my cheeks.
Rubbing his hands on a napkin he stands up straight. “I have some things to finish. Leave some for me.” With a wink, he turns, heading down to the other end of the bar to clean.
Shaking my head, I scarf down a few more fries before getting up to leave. “Thanks, Aldo.”
“See you tomorrow, Rory.”
I give him an awkward wave, heading into the back to grab my bag. Clocking out, I exit through the back door into the parking lot reserved for employees.
My truck is parked near the end, closest to the back alley. Not the safest spot, but when I got here it was the only one left open.
With my head bowed, fumbling for the key to my truck I don’t notice the form leaning against the driver’s side until a cigarette butt comes sailing into my line of vision, falling to the ground right in front of my foot.
I jump back, my hand flying to my chest in surprise, so of course my keys fall out of my hands to the ground, right next to that stupid butt.
“I don’t remember you being so clumsy,” his deep, husky voice intones. He bends down, that dark head of hair of his nearly close enough to graze me. With one large hand he scoops the keys up, but does he give them back? Of course not. He loops the chain around his index finger, spinning it around and around. Taunting me like a trapped bird.
“I didn’t remember you being a stalker.” I try to swipe my keys from him, but he has the reflexes of a ninja and deftly lifts his arm high enough above his six-foot-plus frame that there’s no chance I can reach them.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, along with my keys, he draws his shoulders up. He stares down at me, his eyes are black pools in the dark. A shiver courses down my spine, one not from any sort of chill in the air, but the electric forcefield that seems to exist around him.
He keeps staring, not saying a word. Rolling my eyes, my hands settle on my hips.
“What is it, Mascen? Why are you lurking around my car after midnight? I’m tired and not in the mood to deal with you and your bullshit.”
He moves so fast I don’t have time to react. I find my back pressed against the side of my truck, the rickety door protesting from the sudden contact.
“I don’t know why the fuck I’m here,” he seethes, his eyes darting down to my lips. “I shouldn’t be, that’s for hell sure. You should be the last thing on my mind, but lately you’re invading every fucking thought of mine.” His lips skim over the side of my cheek and dammit if I don’t shiver in pleasure from the touch. His hand comes up to my chin, holding my head so I can’t move. My heart thunders in an out of control beat, threatening to tumble out of my chest. I bet Mascen wouldn’t bother catching it. No, he’d let it fall to the ground and stomp all over it.
Stiffening my spine, refusing to cower to him, I say, “Looks like you’ve got me right where you want me, if you ask me. Cornered. In your grasp. What are you going to do about it?” His tongue moistens his lips at my words and I find myself smirking. “You want to kiss me, don’t you, Mascen? But you’re too chicken-shit to do it. That’s what all bullies are— afraid .”
He snarls at me, opening his mouth to speak, but that’s when one of the dumpsters clang.
“Rory? You still here?” I hear Aldo’s voice coming closer and Mascen slowly registers it too, realizing we’re not alone. He lets go of me, shoving my keys in my hand.
“Don’t go on a date with Cole.”
The words, you can’t tell me what to do, are right on the tip of my tongue but he bleeds into the shadows, disappearing completely and suddenly I’m alone.
“You okay?”
I turn to find Aldo standing at the back of the truck.
“Yeah,” my voice is surprisingly steady.
“What are you doing?” He cocks his head to the side, studying me. I’m sure I look half-insane standing here beside my truck, nearly out of breath from Mascen’s shocking presence.
“I … needed to breathe in the fresh air.”
It sounds plausible enough.
“Nobody’s giving you trouble out here are they?” He looks around for someone hidden in the shadows, but Mascen’s gone, slipped away to whatever cave he hides in. “We get some homeless folks out here from time to time. I always slip them some food—don’t tell Izzy, though. She’d have my head.” He gives a soft smile.
“I won’t say anything.” Tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, I locate the key to my truck. “I better get going now.”
“’Night, Rory.”
“Goodnight.” I raise my hand in a wave when he does the same.
Hopping in my truck, Aldo watches as I pull away before heading back inside the building.
I should stop and grab a meal from one of the 24-hour drive-thrus in the area, but I’m suddenly not hungry anymore.
The closer I get to campus, the angrier I become. If Mascen thinks he can tell me who I can and cannot go out with, he’s about to learn how wrong he is.