Chapter 12 #2
His waving out of the window freezes, and his face falls. “Something like that.” His nostrils flare as he inhales sharply, “Have you been here before?”
Okaay… Don’t ask about the tattoos—noted.
“Once or twice.” Lie. I used to work here, but he doesn’t need to know about that dark side of my past.
He shifts, peering out the window to assess the old, rundown bar.
Internally, I fight against the urge to reach out and brush my fingers along his sharp jaw, feeling the prickles of his stubble.
As if he can read my mind, his head turns to face me, giving me a smile that makes his dimples pop.
Sucking my bottom lip between my teeth, I bite down and drop my gaze back to my hands nervously fiddling in my lap.
My door opens, startling me out of my daze.
I hadn’t noticed he exited the car. Hayden extends his hand out to me, in a silent gesture.
Placing my hand in his, I hadn’t realized how small mine was compared to his large, calloused one.
It’s hard to believe that men with manners and kind hearts still exist in this world.
We walk up the ramp with my hand in the crook of his elbow, onto the dimly lit patio.
Howly still hasn’t upgraded the yellow, flickering lights that hang from above the entrance doors.
Cheap bastard. I thought for sure he would have added better lighting around this place after that night in the parking lot.
The doors creak, and the bell rings as we enter. The place is quiet aside from the classic rock playing softly from the jukebox. I let go of Hayden’s arm and pull out one of the stools at the wooden bar. There’s a lot more wear and carvings in the wood top than when I was last here.
I tap my knuckles on the wood top and whistle. “Howly?”
“I recognize that voice anywhere!” Howly shouts from a distance.
He hurries from the back room, tossing a bar towel over his shoulder, and limps over to me with a huge smile on his face.
He has really aged since I saw him last, and he didn’t have that limp before.
Holding his arms out, he pulls me into a tight hug that squeezes the breath from my lungs.
“Hi, Howly. Long time no see!” I gleam, patting his back. He releases me with a grunt, and I take my thin jacket off to hang it over the back of the stool. This bar was always hotter than Satan’s ass in the summer and colder than a witch’s titty in the winter. There’s no in between.
“Howly, this is my friend Hayden.” I introduce the two, although I think we bypassed ‘friend’ status not even twenty-four hours ago.
They shake hands and carry on with the conversation, while I watch Hayden in utter mesmerization.
He speaks so easily. There’s a calmness and confidence about him that seems to be pulling my craziness towards him.
Like Yin and Yang, opposites attract type ordeal.
I’m snapped back into reality by Howly’s words.
“Be careful with that one,” Howly warns playfully, raising an eyebrow, pointing at me.
I know where he’s about to go with this, so I narrow my eyes on him, silently telling him shut up before he goes any further, but he throws his head back laughing instead.
“What? Don’t want me scaring this one off?
You do that well enough yourself, kiddo. ”
My eyes dart from Howly to Hayden, and Hayden slowly turns to face me with raised eyebrows. I swear I saw a flash of amusement in those big blue eyes.
He finds this funny.
If only he knew the real me. I’ve gotten myself into some shit and had to learn to fight at a young age, hence why Howly and his wife have had to save my ass more than once.
What can I say? I attract the villains. It’s only by the grace of God that I was accepted into one of North Carolina’s top competing universities.
My parents were shocked to learn that their “wayward” daughter had been accepted into their law program.
“She’s got one hell of a right hook on her. I’ve had to save her from a few jail stays after she beat a couple of guys to damn near bloody pulp in the parking lot.”
I swallow the lump building in my throat. I made a mistake by coming here. Hayden’s going to run and never talk to me again. I’m too much for him to handle. Too troubled.
“Is that right?” Hayden’s chest rumbles over the words, making my belly tighten as those damn butterflies return.
Maybe I was wrong about it running him off.
It seems to be turning him on, and my suspicions are confirmed when I chance a look between his legs.
His cock outline shows through his black skinny jeans, and my nipples pebble at the sight.
I snatch my glass of whiskey off the bar and toss it back, downing it in one gulp.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I stand, trailing my nails across Hayden’s wide, chiseled shoulders as I step around him. “Game of pool?”
Two pool tables sit in the back, close to the restrooms. Those same pool tables are the ones Howly taught me to play on, and I became damn good at it, too.
I would make bets with random people, knowing I’d win hands down, and took that money to save up for my little beater car.
I’ll never forget how excited I was to finally have enough to go car hunting.
It took three days of begging before my dad finally caved to take me shopping, and that’s when we spotted the Camry sitting in a little old lady’s yard down the road from us with a “For Sale” sign.
It was priced a few hundred dollars over what I had saved, but she happily dropped the price just to get the old thing off her hands.
“You can set our drinks on that little shelf,” I say, pointing behind me. “Set the table, I need to use the bathroom.”
“Sure thing, Sweetheart.”
There’s that nickname again. Internally, I cringe from the flashback it brings me, but I remind myself he isn’t them.
My bladder is going to burst if I don’t get my ass to that toilet.
I shouldn’t have held it this long. If it weren’t for these heels, I’d be sprinting to the bathroom.
Opening the door, I find it’s the same two-stall bathroom, lit by a single yellow, flickering light bulb.
If I weren’t familiar with the place, I’d find it creepy. Actually, I still do find it creepy.
I’m pulling my skirt back up my thighs when I hear the restroom door creak open.
I don’t recall anyone else being in the bar with us, so I lean down to peek under the stall, but the bathroom’s empty.
Maybe Hayden was checking on me. I tuck the front of my shirt back into my waistband, puffing it out so it hangs over.
Unlocking the stall, I push open the door and head toward the sink.
I catch a glimpse of a shadow from the corner of my eye and inwardly gasp, making a run for the door, but I’m snatched backwards into a solid chest. I try to scream, but they slap their hand over my mouth and nose, preventing me from doing so.
I kick, buck, and claw my nails into the solid arm restraining me, but they don’t let go.
They just hold me tighter. My chest burns, and my head starts to spin from lack of oxygen, making me panic harder.
“Shh.” The man’s breath caresses my ear, and his stubble rubs along the top of my head.
If I could breathe, I would sigh a breath of relief, but I can’t.
My body relaxes in his hold, and he eases his hand away from my nose.
My nostrils flare as I hungrily gasp in precious air that makes me even more dizzy.
“I’m going to remove my hand from your mouth, and you’re going to keep those pretty little lips shut, understand?” I nod my head the best I can, and his hand slowly lifts from my face.
“This is one of those times we have been warning you about.” His face is so serious it scares me.
Unease knots in my stomach, turning all the liquor to acid.
“Two men just walked in, and we need to get the fuck out of here. Are you ready?” I remain silent, as he told me to, and nod my head once more.
My knees begin to shake, and I wonder if I should take my heels off to better my chances, but I have no time for that when Hayden grabs my hand and pulls me through the door.
My eyes roam around the worn-down bar, and I see two men standing at the bar talking to Howly.
The two men Hayden is worried about. I’ve never seen them before, so what harm are they to me?
Looking up at Hayden, he nods his head, answering my silent question.
We reach the exit, not even stopping to tell Howly bye.
A part of me wants to protest and run back to hug him, since I have no idea when I’ll get to see him again, but Hayden grips my hand tighter.
I don’t understand how these men pose a threat to me.
What could they possibly want from me or know who I am?
Taking my chances and looking back over my shoulder, I find the man on the left has turned and is watching us leave.
The crooked grin curving his mouth has my stomach plummeting.
He leans back into the bar on his elbows with his jean-clad legs crossed in front of him.
This feels like deja vu as he talks to his partner beside him, who is still deep in conversation with Howly.
Once outside, we make a beeline for Hayden’s Ferrari.
He has it cranked and in drive before I can even get my seatbelt clicked.
A cloud of gravel and dust flies up behind us as Hayden gasses it out of the parking lot.
We speed around the winding curves in the dark, nothing but the headlights lighting these backroads.
I’m not sure where he’s going, but for some reason, I trust him, so I don’t question it.
Hayden’s eyes flick to the rearview mirror every few seconds, while mine stay glued ahead of us through the windshield.