7. Alex
The diner is straight out of the 1950’s - baby blue leather booths, checkerboard tiles and an overdose of chrome. It also smells like it hasn’t been cleaned since poodle skirts went out of style. Not that it really matters. Nothing matters anymore. My one chance to get out, my one chance of happiness has just been shattered.
Marco slurps his cola without taking his eyes off me. “What’s wrong, cupcake? I thought you’d be happy to see me.”
Any comeback would just fuel his fire. So I do the one thing that riles up men like him. I ignore him entirely.
A plate of fries slides towards me. “You’d better eat up, since this is our only stop. Then it’s just four short hours until you’re tucked up in bed with me. Just like old times.” The idea of him touching me would make me vomit if I’d actually eaten anything today. We were just about to have breakfast-
We. Jacob. And me. My heart squeezes so tight I think it might burst. His look of abject terror as I walked away from him is seared onto my eyelids, the helpless squeak in his voice as he said my name as I walked to the car on repeat in my ears. He’ll be ok. He’ll get over it. He’ll find someone else. Someone who doesn’t bring a dickhead waving daddy’s pistol to his beautiful, peaceful town.
A siren sounds in the distance. It seems to get closer. Actually, it is getting closer. And there’s more than one. Could it be? No, it can’t. Nobody knows where I am.
In a cloud of dust and rubber three police cars roar into the parking lot and cut their engines. Cops swarm and draw their weapons towards the diner. At the front there’s a familiar face - Lucas.
Oh my god.
Marco’s eyes throw daggers at me. “You fucking bitch.”
“This wasn’t me, I swear.”
He swears again and pulls out his pistol. The diner bursts into chaos - customers diving under tables, staff screaming and running to the back kitchen. A group of leather-clad guys huddle in the back, oddly calm.
My eyes dart through the crowd outside, searching for Jacob. I know he’s close. Then I catch sight of his handsome face, peering out from behind the car on the far right. His face mirrors mine, frantically searching. And then we connect. Relief floods through me, and I see him straining to get away from something. No, someone. Ethan is there, holding him back. I will him to stay, to be safe, so I can run to him as soon as it’s over.
“Marco!” Lukas shouts. “You’re under arrest - come out with your hands up.”
He laughs like a poor caricature of a mobster. “I don’t fucking think so. I’ve got places to be.” Suddenly I’m pulled out of the booth and to my feet as I feel his cold pistol press into the base of my skull. “Time to hit the road, baby.”
We edge slowly to the door, Marco using my body as a shield. Coward. Lucas and the cops don’t move a muscle except to keep their guns pointed at Marco. Swinging the door open with his free hand, he pauses in the doorway. Geez, he really does think he’s living out a mafia fantasy.
Then everything changes. There’s a thud, and Marco’s body falls to the ground. At the same time someone grabs me around my waist and pulls me backwards. A second body appears in front of me, all muscle and leather. I scramble to see what’s going on, and catch a glimpse of Marco face down on the ground with a burly leather-clad bikie sitting astride his back and holding his arms. Cops storm into the diner and I try to move but the strong arms won’t let me go.
He finds me. Jacob races through the door and straight towards me. Only then am I released so I can run to the man that I love. We collide in a frenzy of words, arms and tears of relief. He takes me to a vacant booth and sits me down, his hands never leaving mine. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine Jacob, I’m fine. What is all this?”
He leans in to kiss my forehead and despite the chaos surrounding me I melt. “The Vipers tracked you here and called the sheriff. They stayed in the diner to make sure if you left they could follow you. We weren’t going to let you go.”
I’m in shock. “These people - this town - you. You barely know me. Why do all this?”
He smiles like it’s the silliest thing he’s ever heard. “I told you on your first day, we take care of our own.” His hand cups my face, his thumbs gently stroking my cheek. “And I will always protect what’s mine.”
Gulp. “What’s… yours?”.
Jacob’s hand stills. “Yes. I love you Alex. It’s probably too soon and not the right time but I-”
“I love you too.” The words fall out of my mouth like I can’t keep them in for a moment longer. “I love you.”
Jacob’s mouth crashes into mine and kisses me with every emotion he’s been through in these last few hours.
He kisses me like I was oxygen and he was drowning. He kisses me like he’s been waiting his whole life to kiss someone like this.
And I kiss him the same way.