Chapter Thirteen #2
They shook their heads and smiled, too engrossed in their discussion to do much else.
I waved at the kids as I left, going to the forbidden door – that was the new name I had for it – and slipping into the room.
I had assumed that the Staff Only sign on the door would've been enough to stop anyone from entering.
However, a keen eye would notice, through the sliver of glass above the door, a UV light.
What sort of staff room would have a light like that?
Smiling to myself, I placed the coffee cups on the nearest table and shut the door behind me.
The dark space had no windows, hence why there was always a light on.
The bar was finished now, the black wood carved into dark flames.
The shelves behind it were slowly being filled with different alcohol bottles and mixers.
The stage was as black and rustic as it was going to get.
My vision was almost complete. I just had to have the readers in the room, bringing it to life.
Sitting down, I opened my phone and baulked at the number of mentions the bookstore had got. Not only from the readers who were at the con, but Liona had posted her video, and already, lots of opinions were coming in.
“Shitting hell.” I rubbed my face and put my phone down, only to pick it up when it started ringing a second later.
Staring at the name Moth on the screen, I inhaled sharply before answering gingerly. “Hello?”
I might have known it was Moth on the end of the phone, however, I couldn’t act as if I knew. I couldn't be seen as feeling any type of way about him calling. It was easier to force him to make the first move.
“YOUR EX ATTACKED ME LAST NIGHT!” His voice was thunderous, booming down the phone. “And he's now on my hit list.”
I gripped the edge of the table and sat forward, my heart thundering like his voice. “Did he hurt you?”
“No!” he barked, “but he broke Fly's leg. I swear, Alia, you better give me his address or I won't be responsible for my actions.”
My knuckles were white as I squeezed the wood between my fingers. I knew exactly where Brandon lived, but I didn't want to be implicated in Moth’s actions.
“Aliaaaa…” His tone was sing song as if he knew what I was thinking. “You won't be involved… unless you want to be.”
A jolt of confusion burst through me as my pussy clenched and a thrill ran down my spine. Did my body just respond to his darkness?
“You better come here.” I sighed. “I won't tell you over the phone.”
“Ggrr..” He sounded on the edge, too on the edge. “Fine. I'll be at the store soon. I'm assuming that's where you are?”
Clearing my throat, I closed my eyes. I didn't want to bring his shit to my business doorstep, but I also didn't want to be alone in my house with him again, especially when he was in such a volatile mood.
“Yeah,” I replied before he got even more agitated. “I'm closing in two hours, come then.”
“Fuck that, Alia,” he interrupted, “I just visited my best friend, who could lose his fucking leg. I'm coming now.”
The line went dead and I stood, looking around the room. If he stormed into the store, his anger would permeate everything and everyone. How could I stop him from harming what I'd worked so hard to build?
There was a knock on the door and I jumped, quickly opening it. Lydia stood on the other side. Part of me had expected Moth to be standing there, however stupid that seemed. When stalkers were a part of your life, it was common to expect the unexpected.
“I'm going to pop to the grocery store, we're low on milk.” Lydia zipped up her jacket. “Did you see the responses? I think you're going to have a hell of a crowd on opening night.”
Smiling, I tried not to show how overwhelmed I was, instead holding up my phone and nodding like a lunatic. “I can't believe it.”
“We need to get Liona on our team.” She started down the stairs as I followed her. “She's clearly got a good following and is a natural in front of the camera.”
“Unlike me,” I smiled, forcing a laugh.
“And me!” Lydia waited until we'd reached the bottom of the stairs and then turned to me. “But we can do this. All of it. You have my full support… and Gracie's too.”
Genuinely smiling this time, I threw my arms around her and squeezed. She yelped and hugged me back, laughing when I pulled away.
“Thank you.” I couldn't confide in her about anything going on in my life but having her there for me with the store meant everything. She was the only person I could trust.
Waving me away, she turned and left, blowing me playful kisses as she walked out of the front door.
The bell rang and I hugged myself. The sad realization that I only had one person to trust dropped my mood like a bomb.
Although my parents were amazing with their financial support, they were so different to me, and so traumatized by my brother’s death.
They'd withdrawn, leaving me to get on with my life.
Emotionally, I had to make it on my own.
Moth came into my mind as I retreated to the sales counter. Lydia wouldn't take long to get the milk, which wasn't a bad thing. I needed someone to look after the store while I spoke to Moth. I just hoped she wouldn't ask too many questions about him.
Hovering by the counter, I read all the comments on Liona's video, pleased to see that there was a consensus of yeses when it came to paying for the membership.
I hadn't really wanted to make people pay to come to the store.
However, the fees would deter those who were not serious dark romance readers and attract those who respected the genre.
I jumped when there was a knock on the back door behind me. Moth's helmet showed through the misted glass so I yanked it open and ushered him inside.
“Go up to the dark room,” I ordered him, “I'll join you when my assistant gets back in a minute.”
He strode through the counters, grunting in reply to my direction. I watched as he approached the stairs, not even looking back towards me or acknowledging the customers who sat reading. They glanced at him, their eyebrows raising as he disappeared.
Lydia burst through the front door, ringing the faithful bell, which always grounded me.
I wasn't sure whether to tell her that Moth was upstairs or whether to keep him a secret.
In the mood he was in, he probably wouldn't wait for the store to close before leaving, which meant I had to be honest with my new friend.
“Lydia, I've got someone upstairs who wants to talk about the club.” Searching my brain, I clasped my hands together. “A performer who apparently wants to take part in opening night. Are you okay down here while I deal with him?”
“Of course!” Gesturing for me to go, Lydia maneuvered to the counter with her bags. “Go, go. Everything's covered down here.”
Dashing to the stairs, I rushed up them and entered the clubroom, closing the door behind me. I didn’t lock it, just in case Moth lost his shit and crossed me off his hit list, once and for all.
He was on the dancefloor, pacing back and forth. I approached slowly, stopping between two tables so I had something to hide behind.
“What happened?” I asked, shrinking back when he yanked off his helmet and threw it across the floor.
The moth painted on it was highlighted in the spotlight as the fiberglass crashed into the wall. Luckily, it held its frame, only coming away with a scratch or two.
Stepping closer, Moth pointed at me, jerking his hand back and forth to punctuate his words.
“Your cunt of an ex came to the bridge, where Fly and I were talking about our fucking oath, and drove at me. Fly, being the fucking savior that he is…” He dropped his hand and bunched it into a fist. “… tried to stop Brandon but got pulled under the car.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. “How did Brandon know where you were? I’m surprised he was brave enough to attack you both, even with his bruised ego.”
The corner of Moth's lips quirked into his cheek for a brief second. Had he just smirked?
“I may have provoked him a bit.”
“How?” I snapped.
“I told him that I fucked you” A chuckle broke the intense mood but I didn't laugh.
“Are you fucking mad?”
He frowned at me, the mock humor quickly vanishing. “I couldn't resist. Anyway, I'm not here to play nice. Tell me where he lives. I'm going to go and kill him now. If you want to come, I won't stop you. As long as you're a good girl and give me the information I need.”
“Moth?” My hands shook as I stretched them towards him. “You need to think rationally. As much as I'd like to see Brandon brought to his knees, I can't support your plan.”
He took a step towards me as he scratched his stubbled jaw. My heart fluttered and I retreated, just two steps back. He was barely holding on, his temper bubbling under the surface.
I was stuck in a room with him… and he expected me to aid in a fucking murder?
“Alia.” His gruff voice slipped over my skin, enticing me to comply. “I'm not asking you to support me. I just need his address.”
“Think of Fly.”
He huffed and strode towards me, his hands opening and closing at his side. The tightness of his jaw and the way his leather clung to his tense muscles gave him an air of danger that I'd never felt from him before.
Clearing his throat, he stopped when I moved towards the far wall, just to keep some distance. I could've screamed for Lydia, but I didn't want my new friendship ruined before it had properly begun. As fired up as Moth was, I trusted that he wouldn't actually slaughter me in the middle of the day.
“Fly is currently in surgery,” he said through clenched teeth as he followed me, moving a chair out of his way, “and he may come out without his fucking leg. He's a biker, a musician and a man so loyal, he would die before letting a loved one fall. He deserves vengeance. Now.”