Chapter Fiftee
Alia
“What happened to you that night?” Bex threw her arms around me. “One minute you were here, the next, gone.”
Bex was referring to the night I’d suddenly left her bar, when Brandon had been waiting outside. The fateful night when Moth had come back into my life.
I didn't speak to her outside of her work, but occasionally, when I was really lonely, I'd head to the bar and hang out, chatting shit while she served drinks.
Tonight was one of those nights.
It had been over twenty-four hours since Moth had dropped me home, and I hadn't heard anything since, even when I'd messaged him. I had no friends I could call for a night out, but I’d needed to just get out of the house.
Sitting in the bath, admiring my sex bruises, could only keep me entertained for so long.
“I'm sorry,” I said, accepting the glass of wine she’d offered, “my stalker-ex turned up that night, so I had to disappear.”
Her pretty mouth dropped open and she leaned on the bar, coming closer. “Oh shit. I didn't know you had a stalker-ex. You said he was a little freaky but actual stalk stalker?”
Taking a huge glug of wine, I hummed. “Yeah. He's a fucking psycho. I don't know why I didn't tell you that. I was embarrassed, I guess. Anyway, I've met another guy, and I hope it'll put an end to the stalking.”
“Oh…” Her mascaraed eyes lit up. “…tell me more!”
A customer called for her attention, so she turned to serve him.
I checked my phone, for the thousandth time.
Jeez, I had major attachment disorder. I'd fucked my enemy a couple of times, and now, I was craving his attention.
I needed to get my head straight, I could feel destructive mode activating.
“Go on.” Bex returned and I smiled, despite my low mood.
“Well, where do I start?” Drinking again, I paused for the drama. “That very same night I disappeared from here, I bumped into an old crush of mine.”
“I do love a second chance romance.” She leaned forward again, crushing her breasts together and creating a huge cleavage. I tried not to stare, envious of their bulbous prettiness.
Shaking my head, I paused. “I don't know about second chance romance; he kinda wanted me dead.”
Er, maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to drink vodka in the car before coming inside. Apparently, my off switch was glitching. It was nice to let it all out… but I had to be a little careful. It was probably her job to report people for being too drunk or mentally unstable.
“This is sounding more and more like one of those romance books you read.” She handed a waitress two beer bottles without even blinking. “Did you fuck?”
I opened my mouth to deny her first assumption, however, I couldn't bare-face fucking lie. “Yes,” I admitted. “It's a whole enemies to lovers vibe, except he's turned me on since the moment he rescued me from my stalker-ex. So, does that actually make us true enemies?”
Putting a hand on her chest, she pouted. “Hmmm. He sounds like the perfect hero. Except, the wanting to kill you part. I assume you worked through that considering you had sex.”
A man who sat nearer the other end of the bar chuckled. We both looked at him, glaring when he lifted both hands in surrender.
“I'm enjoying your story,” he said, amusement pulling at his features. “Please don't make me go back to the in-laws.”
He looked over his shoulder to where an older couple, and a beautiful woman, were browsing the karaoke songs. Ah, he was a man in need of rescue.
“Well,” I said, my head now swimming, “let me just tell you, a man in leathers, on a motorbike, will most likely turn on any woman. I'm just saying. It's hard for us to resist.”
“The bad boy,” our new male friend chimed in. “I always struggled against those son of a bitches.”
The bartender gasped and handed him another beer. “I don't believe you, your wife is gorgeous. You’re not trying to feed us the nice guys don't win tripe, are you?”
He shook his head. “No, I'm not just a nice guy. I'm a geek.”
We all laughed as he glanced lovingly at his wife, who waved as she climbed the stage. The love that radiated between the pair of them was chest-tightening. I was too fucked up to experience something like that.
“Anyway,” the man turned back to us, “tell us how you went from hating this guy to fucking him. If you don't mind me being so intrusive.”
Drinking again, I frowned when the last sip of wine disappeared into my mouth. Oh, that went quicker than I'd planned. Oops.
Another glass appeared in front of me and I smiled my thanks to Bex, who was waiting patiently for me to go on.
“Firstly,” I said to the guy, “Geeks are having a moment, and clearly, you're riding on it.” I waved at his wife, who sang beautifully on the small stage. “Secondly, I didn't immediately know who my rescuer was because of his helmet. He was all mysterious dark stranger, just standing on a bridge.”
“Fuck me, woman,” Bex said, her eyes wide, “I think you're being a little too influenced by those books of yours. He sounds stalkerish too.”
Waving a hand, I laughed. “No, I actually rescued him first. Wait, I did. I always forget that part. Anyway, after a couple of times of him rescuing me, he revealed himself to be an old crush turned enemy.”
“Sounds complicated.” Our new male friend watched me intently. “What happened next?”
Frowning, I leaned my head against the cool surface of the wooden bar. “It is complicated. Shit, I’m more drunk than I realized.”
Lifting my swirling head, I thanked Bex, again, as she stepped to the coffee machine and fired it up.
“You're right, though.” I put a hand on the man's arm, quickly withdrawing it when he looked at his wife. “Bad boys are like a fucking drug. And you always get burned. At least we'll sort my stalker-ex out before he fucks off.”
“Alia?”
Oh! It was Moth, standing right beside me. “Moth! I was just telling… Fuck, Moth.”
Scrambling from the barstool, I lost my footing and fell forward, my face colliding with the wood of the bar. Moth grabbed my waist and hauled me up, steadying me before letting go.
“Fuck,” I exclaimed, holding my jaw.
“For fuck's sake.” Moth's deep voice penetrated my head. “Are you hurt?”
There was a small commotion, and I blinked, looking at Bex, whose arm reached across the bar, offering me a cloth. I stared at it blankly.
“She's bleeding.” Moth glared at the others. “How wasted is she?”
“I'm not too bad,” I spoke up, wincing when my teeth grazed my cut lip. “Just a bit light-headed.”
“And loose-lipped.” Moth’s icy tone sent the hairs on the back of my neck on edge.
Bex came around the bar, pausing when Moth held the cloth against my lip and glared, not letting her get close.
“Are you the stalker-ex?” She put her hands on her hips. “Because if you are, I'm calling the cops.”
Rolling his eyes, Moth looked at me. I quickly took the cloth from him and turned to Bex.
“No, no,” I said, drawing closer to her, “this is the biker in shining armor. He's staying for a drink, aren't you?”
He looked at Bex and nodded slowly, his expression just as brooding as ever. I patted the chair next to me, smiling when he sat awkwardly beside me. Bex returned to the bar and went to serve a customer who waved her down.
“What are you doing here?” I asked Moth, who sneered at my new male friend so hard, he got up and went back to his wife.
Smacking Moth's arm, I frowned at him. “Hey! I was just saying you were a bad boy, don't prove me right!”
He scowled and waved at Bex, indicating that he wanted a drink. My friend came back to us and returned his scowl.
“What do you want to drink?” Smacking the bar, she tilted her head to the side. “A smile will get you two drinks.”
He narrowed his gaze on her. “I don't want two drinks. Just a beer please.”
She looked at me and laughed before going to the fridge to get his bottle. I studied Moth's profile as he watched her. His nose was strong and straight, his jaw square and covered with a smattering of dark stubble.
“What do you want?” He turned to me, his scowl still firmly in place.
I opened my mouth to reply but I didn't know. What did I want?
“To drink,” he clarified, pointing at my coffee. “On the heavy stuff, I see.”
Bex planted a bottle of beer on the bar in front of Moth. “She was getting a little too giddy, so we made a sensible choice.”
“Talking about me, I hear.” He raised his eyebrows at Bex. “I hope she didn't spill her soul.”
My friend put her hands on the bar and raised her eyebrows right back. “She's been hurt. I can see your appeal. Bad biker dude who swoops in at the right time. Don't fuck her up.”
My heart galloped as Moth stared at her intently, his gaze dropping as he nodded once. Shit, her warning would scare him away. Wait, that was a good thing. So, why did my chest ache?
A few days ago, I wanted him to disappear from my life, but I had to admit, I was catching feelings for my new frenemy.
“He won't.” I cleared my throat. “We'll part ways soon.”
Bex's expression was soft, concerned, which was unlike her.
The realization that I was starting to feel for Moth was frightening.
I'd been na?ve, but seeing him, awkward and brooding, reminded me that he couldn't feel emotion.
Whatever had happened to him, in that place with his parents, had messed him up.
Even more so after what had happened to Wasp.
There was too much shit between us to even consider anything.
Moth glanced at me, his eyebrows lowered slightly. “That's why I came to find you. We need to talk more.”
Swallowing, I turned to smile at Bex. “I'll be fine. Thank you for looking out for me.”
“Always. Don't leave it as long next time.” Saluting me, she slunk to the other end of the bar, leaving us alone.
“You were talking about me to strangers?” Moth turned to me, his knees colliding with mine.
Licking my lips, I winced when my tongue grazed the cut on them. Moth reached out, pulling the bottom lip down to inspect it. “It's not too bad, just superficial.”
“I needed someone to confide in,” I replied. “Bex isn't a stranger.”