Chapter Four
Nixie
The sun streams through the curtains, waking me from my sleep. Letting out a groan, I pull the covers over my head. I only had a few drinks last night, but I feel like I’ve been hit by a thousand trains. I can’t deal with this feeling. It”s why I’m not a big drinker. Rolling over, I grab my bag from my nightstand and take my phone out. Checking the time, I notice that it”s nine in the morning.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I get up and head to the bathroom. Hopefully a shower will help me feel more human. Closing the bathroom door behind me, I strip my bra and knickers and turn the shower on. While I wait for the water to warm up, I lean my arms against the sink and look at myself in the mirror. My makeup is smudged from my sleep, but hey, at least my hair still looks good. I find a hair tie and shove my hair into a messy bun.
As I go back to looking at the mirror, I stare at my body. I have definitely come to love my figure and curves as I’ve gotten older, but it wasn’t always this way. It was always, “Oh, if you just lost some weight, you would be quite beautiful, you know.” And that”s coming from certain family members. I shake my head and lift my chin up.
Fuck them, and fuck my past! I am strong and I am beautiful.
I step into the shower and rinse away any negative thoughts. I haven’t let them in my head for years, and I’m not about to let them in again.
After my shower, I wrap up in a towel and head back to my room. I get changed into my comfy lounge set and make my way to the kitchen to make myself some tea and something to eat. It”s now half ten and I can hear Darcy starting to move around in her room. The walls are so thin in this apartment, it”s ridiculous.
Midday rolls around fast, meaning I have spent the past couple of hours on the couch with my Kindle in hand, getting lost in the book world.
Darcy finally walks out of her room, dragging her feet over to where I am sitting. I move my kindle to the side, knowing exactly what is about to happen; she flops down and lays her head on my lap. Rolling my eyes I put away my kindle. Honestly the amount of times I’ve been interrupted trying to read this book is getting annoying. I’d normally have finished a book by now.
I stroke Darcy’s hair. “Nice to see you have finally risen.”
She grumbles. “It”s not nice. I feel like death, Nix. This is it. Today is the day I die.”
I roll my eyes at her. Even in death, she’s still as dramatic as ever.
“Anyway, enough about my death day. What”s going on with you?” Concern sits in her eyes as she asks me.
I huff. “I’m sorry. I”m sorry I left last night. I know I pinky-promised, but I’d just had enough of Malcolm in my ear all night. I feel like he’s getting very possessive of me, no matter how many times I try to tell him to back off, that there is nothing between us anymore.”
She sits up and takes my hands in hers. “Listen to me. The pinky promise was not broken. You still came out for a good while. I still achieved my goal for you, babes.” She winks at me. “But as for Malcolm…he can seriously get fucked. You know, I hate to say this, but I warned you to stay away from him. The vibes I get from him.” She shivers.
“My vibes have never been wrong in the past, Nix. And bitch, you gotta start listening to me.”
I let out a small laugh. “I know, I know. I think I’m going to have to start.”
“Oh, and if it makes you feel better, Malcolm got kicked out and banned from the club last night,” she says, raising her eyebrows at me with a sparkle in her eyes.
“What? How? What else did he do?” I ask.
“Well, from what I can remember, the owner of the club came to our table not long after you left. Oh god, Nix, you would have loved him. He was tall, dark hair, stubble on his face, tattoos on his hands. The anger coming off him…I was getting all hot and bothered at the sight of him,” she swoons.
“Darcy, focus,” I laugh.
“Oh, yeah, sorry. He was just something else. He was what I’d expect to step out of your dirty books.” She eyes me.
Okay, now I’m intrigued by this guy. I shake my head and wait for her to get back to the story.
“Anyway, apparently the owner had been watching him all night, and he wasn’t happy with how he was behaving around either one woman or a group, I can’t quite remember, but he literally had these big, beefy security men come in and drag him out the back.” She says it like it was no big deal.
What the actual fuck?I just know that Malcolm would have hated having his ego knocked.
Darcy gets up and makes her way over to the kitchen and starts looking through the cupboards for what I can only guess is food.
“Oh, and then he told us that our drinks were on the house the rest of the night. So, of course, we took full advantage of that. No wonder I feel like death,” she tells me whilst stuffing her face with chips.
She walks back over to me and tells me she’s going for another lay down. I expected as much. The day after a night out, she cannot function without at least three naps during the day. I chuckle to myself and wave her off.
I’ve spent tonight tossing and turning. All I have in my head are the images of a brooding, tattooed man who saves the day. Being such an avid reader has definitely ruined guys for me. No matter who I meet, they can never live up to the men in my books. But then again, do I really want to find a guy like that? All us book girlies know our book boyfriends are walking red flags. We just choose to be color blind for our own pleasure. I feel my eyes getting heavier the more I let the thought of the mystery guy invade my mind.
Darcy and I spend our Sunday doing what we always do; we find a new place for breakfast. We end up in a small diner on the other side of town and order a selection of food, catching up on the week and our plans for the upcoming week. The rest of the day is spent in our apartment in our pajamas, binge watching romcoms. I love our Sundays together. It is nice having this one day where we do absolutely nothing before another crazy week of work.
The alarm goes off at six-thirty sharp, letting me know that it”s time to start a new week. I roll out of bed and head for a shower to help wake me up. I love being a morning person. I just need that extra bit of help waking up, that”s all.
Once I’m all showered and done, I look through my wardrobe. I opt for the typical librarian look, going with a black knee-length skirt and a blue shirt with a cute floral design on it. To finish the look, I throw on an oversized cardigan and my comfy boots.
I make my way through the apartment as quiet as I can, careful not to wake the beast that is my best friend. I head into the kitchen, making note of the time; it’s seven-fifteen. I grab my tumbler from the cupboard and grab all the things I need to make myself an iced coffee. I”m not much of a coffee drinker, but I do like the occasional iced coffee.
Pouring it all together, I take a quick sip and make an approving moan, I grab myself a granola bar as well to eat as I walk to work. Taking my bag from the hook, I make my way out the front door, making sure to lock it behind me. For some reason, I decide to take the three flights of stairs down this morning. I blame the sip of coffee. Another reason I don’t have it often; it gives me too much energy.
It takes me twenty minutes to get to the library, so I should get there just before I start at eight. Walking down the street, sipping my coffee, I take in the city at this time, people just waking up getting ready to go about their own day, the birds waking up.
A group of three men run past me in shorts and t-shirts. I stand back to let them pass more easily. One of the guys slows down, smiles and nods his thanks to me. I smile back, and then watch them run down the street until they”re out of sight. Oh, what a lovely sight to see. I chuckle to myself.
There’s no more interruptions during my journey. Just as I get to the steps of the library, I finish my coffee, putting my tumbler in my bag and taking my keys out. I walk up the steps with my keys in one hand, trying my best to find the correct one.
Just as I place the key in lock, the hairs on my arms and neck stand to attention, just like they did at the club on Saturday. I turn around and scan the area for anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it’s Malcolm lurking in the back again.
When I find nothing, I shake my head and unlock the door and walk through. I quickly shut it behind me and let out a deep breath.
I lean my head against the back of the door. Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I let out a scream.
“Oh, Miss. Nixie I”m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Bert looks at me with worry etched on his face.
“Jesus, Bert.” My heart is pounding in my chest. “It’s okay. Sorry I screamed at you. I just wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here.”
Bert is still looking at me with concern, but then he smiles. “Of course I’m here. I’d never leave you or anyone else to open up by themselves. You never know what crazies are going to be out here,” he tells me with an edge to his voice. I feel like I’m being told off by my dad.
“Well, yeah, that is a fair point Bert. Must have slipped my mind. Again, I’m sorry for screaming at you.” I smile at him, and he follows close behind as I walk to the staff room.
“Are you sure you”re okay, Miss. Nixie?” I can hear the concern in his voice.
I start putting my things in my locker. “Yes. Thanks, Bert. Just had an eventful weekend, that’s all.”
He smiles at me. “I’m glad to hear you had a good weekend. Well, I’ll leave you to it. You know where I am if you need me.”
“Thanks, Bert. I’ll see you later.”
I go about the next half an hour making sure everything is ready for when we open, stacking the trolleys with books that need to be put back on the shelves and making sure all computers are switched on, ready for use.
Nine o’clock rolls around and Bert is already at the doors, opening them up.
Of course, the first person to walk through the doors is Edith, the old lady who has taken a liking to our more “raunchy” books, as she calls them.
She sees me behind the desk and comes straight over.
“Oh, just the person I was hoping to see,” she says, a delightful tone in her voice.
“Good morning, Edith. Did you have a good weekend?” I ask her.
“I had the most excellent weekend, my dear.” She looks around, making sure no one is near us. “Let’s just say my hubby really likes my new books.” She winks at me
Oh, dear lord.
I don’t think I needed to hear that.
I can never look this woman in the eye again.
“Well, ermm, I’m so glad to hear that, Edith. I think?” I quickly say as I try to avoid eye contact with her.
She giggles like a teenager. She places the books that she checked out last week on the counter.
“I don’t suppose you have any more recommendations for me?”
Oh My God.
When I took this job, I never in a million years thought I”d be helping an old lady get laid.
A small shiver comes down my back at the thought. I”m all for people doing their own thing, but I really don’t need to know this much.
“Erm, I can show you our romance area. I’m sure you will be able to find something to suit you, Edith.”
“Oh, I’m very sure about that dear,” she replies.
I walk around the counter and lead her to our romance area.
I point to the right side. “These are all our cute romance stories.”
Then I point to the left side. “And these bad boys over here, Edith, are our darker romance stories.” I place my hands on her shoulders. “Have fun. I”ll be around the counter when you’re ready to check them out.” I chuckle and leave her to it.
The smile on her face is just priceless. I’m guessing her husband is going to be a very lucky man again.
I go about my morning as other staff come in for their shifts and get on with what they need to be doing. We all work so well together, we all know what we”re supposed to be doing and we don’t really have any issues with each other.
At half-twelve, Malcolm walks in the staff room just as I’ve sat down to have some lunch. He looks rough, like he’s been drinking all weekend.
He barely even looks at me, which in itself is strange, because normally he’s all over me like a rash as soon as he walks in. I mean, I’m not going to complain. Just a little suspicious is all. He sits down across from me. I can feel the negative energy coming off him. What is this guy”s problem today?
I try to eat my lunch in peace, but that’s pretty hard to do when he’s staring daggers at me from across the table.
Okay then. Clearly, I’ve done something to annoy him.
I throw my sandwich down on the plate in front of me.
“What is your problem today?” I ask him angrily.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Why would you think there’s a problem?”
Is this guy fucking serious?“Oh, I don’t know, how about the daggers you’ve been throwing at me since the minute you sat down?”
He laughs. “Oh, Nixie. Not everything is about you, you know.”
“Could have fooled me,” I tell him. I get up to throw away the rest of my sandwich, then head to the sink to wash up my plate.
I hear the scrapping of a chair, and before I can even react or figure out what is going on, Malcolm has me caged in at the sink, his front pressing against my back, his lips at my ear. My brain is going into overdrive, thinking about how I need to get out of the grip he has on me.
He reaches up and tucks some of the hair behind my ear, just like he did on Saturday night.
“I don’t care who you know, or who your current fuck buddy is. I know that once they’re done with you—which, let’s be honest, won’t be long—I will be waiting for you to crawl back. We both know I’m the only one who will put up with you for the long run,” he snaps.
My breathing is picking up. I need to get away from him before I lose it.
I knock my head back, causing it to connect with his nose.
He stumbles back, holding his nose. “You fucking bitch!”
“And you are fucking delusional if you think for even one minute that I would ever go near you again!” I shout at him angrily.
He laughs, still holding his nose. “Yeah, well we will see about that, won’t we?”
He makes his way to the staff room door, but just before he turns to me.
“Oh, one more thing, Nix. Tell your club owner fuck buddy that the next time he threatens me, he will regret it.” He storms off.
What fuck buddy? What the fuck did I miss when I left on Saturday, and who is this mystery guy who’s defending me?Apart from Darcy, I’ve never really had anyone defend me before. It’s a strange feeling.
Just then, Bert comes flying into the staff room.
He comes to stand in front of me and checks me over with his eyes. “Are you okay?” he asks.
He didn’t call me Miss. Nixie. Now I know he’s being serious, that he’s very concerned.
“I”m okay, Bert. Thanks. Just a misunderstanding, that’s all.”
“Are you sure? I’ve never liked that guy. He gives me the creeps,” he tells me.
I let out a small chuckle. “Have you been talking to my best friend? That’s exactly what she said.”
He eyes me suspiciously. “I don’t want to overstep any boundaries, Miss. Nixie, but maybe next time your best friend says someone gives them the creeps, you should listen.”
I”m a bit taken aback, hearing it from him as well. “I know, I know. I’m definitely going to listen to her gut more than my own next time,” I tell him.
He looks at me and smiles. “That’s good to hear, Miss. Nixie. I’m only telling you what I”d tell my own daughters as well. I will do my best to keep an eye on Malcolm for the rest of your shift, and keep him away from you.”
“Thank you. I”d appreciate it.” I hug him and make my way back to the front counter.
Not much happened for the rest of my shift. Bert stuck to his word, keeping an eye on Malcolm, and he barely made it within six feet of me all afternoon. I could see how much it angered him.
After grabbing my stuff from my locker, I go to make my way out of the front doors. After I’m done saying my thanks and goodbye to Bert, I turn around and accidentally bump into some guy who is walking out at the same time as me.
I look down to my waist and find a pair of large, manly hands covered in tattoos on me. One hand has a skull on the back, and the other has a large rose covering it. The hands are keeping me steady, my body getting crazy tingles in response. I look up and am met with a cap, pulled down so far that I can”t actually see his face. All I can see is his stubble.
“I”m so sorry. I didn’t see you there,” I tell him, my voice coming across more breathless than I”d like. He lets go of me, and I feel the tingle leave my body as soon as he lets go.
He smirks, like he knows what’s just happened to me. “That’s quite alright, darlin’.” His voice…oh, boy, his voice. The smoothness…I could literally melt into a puddle right here, right now.
I can’t think of anything, let alone a reply back to him.
He just lets out a small chuckle and makes his way past me and down the steps.
I watch him get into a blacked out car. It speeds away.
What. The. Fuck?
I can still smell him around me. It’s woodsy and manly and—wow, I really need to get laid, if I’m getting turned by a random person”s smell.
What is wrong with me?