by K. C. Lynn
“When did you start working here?” she asks in a patronizing tone. “I thought you are a babysitter.”
I’m a preschool teacher and she knows it, but I don’t bother correcting her. Instead, I turn back around and ignore the way she clings to Jase. “My friend needs extra help tonight to make sure whores like you aren’t spreading their diseases.”
Muffled chuckles sound around the table.
Her eyes narrow in hatred. “Go back to the playground you’re always at and leave places like this for real women.”
“I’d pick those children over the likes of you any day. Their IQ is much higher and so is their class.” I start away, refusing to waste any more time on her, but what she says next has me freezing in place.
“How’s your family, Samantha? Oh wait, that’s right, they all left because they couldn’t stand you.”
I fight like hell against the pain that infiltrates my chest. She’s wrong. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Logically, I know this, but it doesn’t stop it from hurting. She knew exactly where to hit.
“Shut the fuck up, Stephanie.”
Surprisingly, the harsh words come from Jase. A few of the other guys start in on her too, but I don’t stick around to hear it. I continue on, not wanting her to see how much her words hurt.
For the next hour, I avoid their table like the plague and hand it off to Tara. I can’t trust myself to be near that bitch. I’m not usually a violent person but for her I’d make an exception.
Spotting a few empty tables in the back that need clearing, I grab the bottle of cleaner and my dishtowel then head that way. As I’m wiping one down I sense eyes burning into my back. Looking over my shoulder, I find Jase watching me. There’s something in his gaze as he stares at me, something I’ve never seen from him before. I can’t pinpoint what it is but it’s captivating, like an invisible magnet pulling me in. I’m so caught up in it that I don’t realize I’m not alone until it’s too late.
“Hello, Samantha.”
Every muscle in my body stiffens; dread twisting my stomach at the regal voice. Straightening, I turn to find Grant. The last person on earth I want to see. I’d even take bicycle bitch over him.
He takes me in from head to toe, his nose wrinkling in distaste. Not surprising. My long, wavy hair, jean skirt, and black tank top would never be up to his standards. Good thing I don’t give a shit about his standards anymore.
Of course, he is in immaculate condition. He’s dressed in his usual business attire with not one strand of his light brown hair out of place.
Obviously, another late night at the office.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I take a step back from him, feeling my back meet the wall, and quickly realize I’m cornered. Definitely not something I want when dealing with him.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, skipping over any pleasantries.
“I came to see you. I had no choice since you’ve been refusing my calls.” His voice is calm but there’s no denying the anger in his crystal blue eyes. An anger that used to scare the hell out of me and still does, if I’m being honest, but I’d never let him know it.
I will never give him that power over me again.
“We have nothing more to say to each other.”
“Yes, we do. Now this needs to stop, Samantha. You’re acting like a foolish adolescent.”
My teeth grind at the way he uses my full name, scolding me like a child.
“It’s time to get over your tantrum and—”
“This is not a tantrum,” I snap. “We’re over, Grant.”
“The hell we are!” Fear grips my chest as he steps closer to me, his eyes flashing in fury.
Stay calm, Sam. He won’t touch you. Not here.
Not ever again.
“Everything all right?”
My head snaps to the side, unexpected relief swamping me at the sight of Jase.
“Fine,” Grant answers before I can, his tone icy. “We’re having a conversation, if you don’t mind.”
“Actually, we’re done.” I seize the opportunity to slide out from the corner I’m in and move closer to Jase. “Grant was just leaving.”
At the feel of his furious gaze on me, my eyes drop to the floor, silence hanging heavily in the air.
“Very well,” Grant says, sounding a lot calmer than I know he is. “We’ll talk about this another time, Samantha.”
I shake my head but it’s pointless since he’s already turned his back and walked away. A shaky breath escapes me, my hand resting on my queasy stomach.
I should have known he would show up sooner or later.
I clue in to the person standing next to me, feeling his eyes boring holes into the side of my head.
“You want to tell me what that was all about?”
“It’s nothing,” I mumble, my throat burning with humiliation that it had to be him who showed up at the right time.
“Really? That’s why you’re shaking right now?”
I look down at my trembling hands, angry with myself for letting Grant rattle me so much. Gripping the washcloth tighter, I move to walk past him, but he doesn’t let me.
His fingers wrap around my arm in a gentle grip. “Sam…”
“Just let it go, Jase.” Pulling my arm free, I walk away and head into the back for some privacy. It takes me a few minutes before I’m able to find my composure again. When I return to finish my shift, I try not to think about Grant, but it proves impossible. So many emotions storming inside of me, especially regret.
Once the place dies down, Zoey offers for me to go home. I take it because I’m not being much use right now anyway. My head is not in it anymore and I think she senses that. It’s obvious she never saw Grant come in; otherwise, she would’ve had a field day with his ass.
After giving her a hug, I grab my jacket and purse then pay for Jase’s beer that I sabotaged. Before leaving, I glance over at their table one last time but don’t see him there. My first thought is he left with Stephanie, but I spot her by the far corner near the bathroom. I give the rest of the guys a wave good-bye then head out into the dark night.
As I round the corner of the building where my car is parked, I come to a hard stop when I see Grant standing there, waiting for me.
CHAPTER 2
Jase
As soon as I walk out of the bathroom, I’m met by Stephanie. “There you are. I was wondering where you went,” she purrs in what she deems a sultry voice but it only makes my teeth grind.
The bitch has been annoying the fuck out of me all night.
“What do you want?” I ask, my tone bored as I look above her head, seeking out the one girl who has invaded my every thought tonight.
Her hand moves to my chest as she presses her fake tits against my arm. “Come home with me.”
I finally meet her gaze. “Been there, done that. Remember, Steph?”
She gives me a seductive smile. “I’ve never forgotten. We could have that again if you give us half a chance.”
I don’t think so. Not now, not ever.
“I’ll pass… Just like the last fifty times.”
Ignoring her scoff, I continue on and go search for the other girl who drives me crazy but in a completely different way. I look for wavy blonde hair and long toned legs that are meant to be wrapped around a man’s waist. Not mine of course. No fucking way. No matter how much my dick wants her and her peach scent.
It will never happen.
Unable to find her anywhere, I head up to the bar where Zoey is. “Hey, where’s Sam?”
She quirks a brow at me. “Why do you want to know?”
“Because I need to talk to her.”
She eyes me for a solid minute, clearly not trusting my intention.
Can’t say I blame her.
“I told her to go home,” she finally answers. “She seemed off. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Jase?”
Yeah, I know something but it’s not what she’s thinking.
Inste
ad of telling her that, I offer my thanks then move for the door, unable to shake this feeling in my gut. Sparkling green eyes flash in my head, eyes that were wide with terror not even an hour ago. I don’t care how much she played that shit off. I know what I saw. She was fucking terrified of whoever that douche bag in the expensive suit was.
Stepping out into the warm night air, I scan the parking lot, hoping to catch her.
“Get in the car, now!”
“No. I told you we’re through, Grant. Now, leave me alone.”
Recognizing her shaky voice, I dart left, my strides quick but not fast enough. The moment I turn the corner, I hear the smack. It echoes through the air as her face snaps to the side, her hand resting against her delicate cheek.
What the fuck?
I’m stunned for only a second. Rage pumps ruthlessly through my veins, putting me in motion. My feet pound the cement, matching the furious rhythm of my heartbeat. Charging past Sam, I take him to the ground. My fists are hard and fast as I deliver blow after blow to his face, feeling the tiny bones shatter.
“How do you like it, asshole?” I grind out, relentless with every hit.
“Jase, stop!” Sam’s voice is distant, echoing in my ears along with the rage that has consumed me. “Please. You’re going to kill him!”
Her cry of fear finally penetrates the angry haze that surrounds me. Stopping my blows, I fist his dress shirt and yank his mangled face up to mine, my chest heaving with fury. “If you ever come near her again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
One eye glares up at me, the other one already swollen shut, but it gives me no satisfaction. He deserves so much more.
“This isn’t your business,” he spits out, blood sputtering from his mouth in the process.
“I’ve made it my business. Don’t fuck with her again or next time I won’t let you walk away.”
Releasing his shirt, I allow Sam to pull me back. After he struggles to his feet, his attention strays to Sam. I step in front of her, blocking his view. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind and finish you now.”
He straightens his suit as if this gives him a measure of dignity before climbing into his Lexus and driving off.
I turn back to Sam, her hand resting against her cheek once again.
“Let me see.” I reach for her wrist but she backs away.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” she breathes shakily, not sounding okay at all. I’m not sure if she’s trying to convince herself or me.
“Are you sure?”
She nods, a little frantically, and it’s not long before the first sob shatters from her chest. Covering her face with her hands, I watch her shoulders tremble, her pain gutting me from the inside out. This time when I reach for her she doesn’t back away. My arms engulf her delicate body as she buries her face in my chest, soaking my shirt with her tears.
“It’s all right,” I lie, my hand coasting up and down her slender back. It’s not all right and it isn’t going to be. At least not for that piece of shit.
When minutes have passed, I take a small step back and slip a finger under her chin. “Let me see, Sam.” I keep my voice calm when I feel nothing but rage.
She allows me to tilt her face up, her usual sparkling green eyes now filled with pain and something that looks a lot like shame. That alone makes me want to beat the shit out of the fucker all over again, but even worse than that is the angry red welt that marks her smooth cheek. A mark that she should never bear.
With anger thick in my veins, I keep one arm around her and use my other to dig my phone from my pocket then hit the contact I have for the police station.
“Silver Creek Police Department.”
“I need to report a—”
My phone is ripped from me before I can finish the sentence. Sam takes a step back, ending the call.
“What the hell did you do that for?”
“No cops,” she says quietly, her voice gruff with emotion as she hands me back my phone.
“What are you talking about? You have to report this.”
She shakes her head. “It won’t matter.”
“How can you fucking say that?”
“Because they won’t believe me,” she snaps.
“Of course they will. I saw it happen. You have the mark to prove it for christ’s sake.”
“Will you trust me on this? I know what I’m talking about. I’ve been through this enough times.”
The admission forces another surge of heat through my veins, fury blinding and searing me.
It’s obvious she regrets letting that information slip. Shaking her head, she moves past me to her car door.
“Sam, wait. Don’t go,” I say, coming up behind her.
“I just want to be alone right now.”
I watch as she fishes around in her purse for the keys and notice her hand shaking like a leaf as she retrieves them. So much so that they fall to the ground. “Shit!”
She’s about to bend down to grab them but I’m faster and swipe them up before she can. “I’ll take you home.”
“No. It’s okay. I’ll be fine.” She sniffles, reaching for the keys, but I keep them in my tight fist.
“I’m not letting you drive like this. So you either let me take you home or I’ll call you a cab.”
I’m hoping like hell she lets me take her because I won’t sleep tonight unless I know she made it home safely.
She finally meets my gaze, that ever-present spit of fire I normally see from her now burning in her eyes. I hold her stare, refusing to back down.
She relents with a tired sigh. “Fine, whatever. I don’t have the energy to argue with you right now.”
Thankful for the small victory, I climb in the driver’s seat of her practical, conservative car and try to ignore the peach scent that infiltrates my senses as soon as I enter.
Other than rattling off her address to me, she remains quiet. The entire drive she stares out her window, the back of her hand swiping across her cheeks to eliminate her tears. The silence is probably a good thing, because the more time that passes, the angrier I become.
Who the hell is that asshole to her? It’s obvious he was once a boyfriend, but why the fuck would she shack up with a prick like him? I might not know her well but the Samantha Evans I’ve encountered over the years doesn’t seem like the type of girl to put up with any shit. Hell, just tonight I thought she was going to rip my balls off for the way I gave her a hard time. She had no problem dishing it right back to me. So, how the hell did she end up with a guy like him? And where the hell is her family in all this?
The thought reminds me of the comment Stephanie made to her earlier tonight. She had her back to us but everyone at the table could feel the pain pouring off her. It pissed me off, not only toward Stephanie but also her whole family, and I didn’t need another reason to not like them.
It shouldn’t matter to me. It’s not my business. She’s not my business, but I can’t seem to help it.
As we pull up to her apartment complex, she directs me to her parking stall. Climbing out, we meet in front of her car, and I hand her back the keys.
“Thanks,” she says softly, her gaze fixated on the ground. “How are you going to get home?”
“I’ll walk.”
“You can take my car if you want, and I can pick it up tomorrow.”
“It’s fine, I’ll walk.”
She nods, her eyes remaining on the ground. “Listen, Jase. I would really appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone what you saw tonight.”
I stare down at the top of her blonde head, my jaw flexing in irritation. “Really, Sam? That’s all you have to say?”
She finally lifts her head, her emotional eyes narrowing in anger. “What do you expect me to say? Do you really think this is easy for me?”
“I want you to say that you’re going to report him and press charges.”
“I told you it won’t matter! What part of that don’t you understand?”
“I’m t
rying to but it makes no sense. I fucking saw it happen. I’ll give a statement.”
“Your statement doesn’t matter. He’s very influential, Jase.”
“Oh bullshit.”
“It’s true.”
“You’re really just going to let him get away with it? What if he comes back?”
“I’m sure he won’t. Not after what you did to him. His ego is too bruised.”
“Do you really want to take that risk?”
She expels a frustrated breath. “Look. I really don’t have much choice. Trust me, going to the police won’t help. If anything, it could make it worse. Besides, I only have a few more months left here then I’m gone.”
I tense at the last bit of information. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m moving to Charleston this summer to be closer to my family,” she whispers, my chest restricting at the information for some damn reason. “When that happens, I’ll never have to see him again.”
“Yeah, instead it will happen to someone else, but at least you’re in the clear.” It’s a low blow and I know it, but I’m too pissed off to care right now.
Her teeth grind but there’s no denying the dark pain that enters her eyes. “I don’t expect you to understand.”
“And I didn’t expect you to be the type.”
Shit! Why can’t I shut up?
“What type is that?”
“A doormat.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, regret tearing through me the second they’re said.
“Fuck you,” she seethes, jamming her finger in my chest, but tears shine bright in her emerald eyes, striking me right down to my core.
“Sam, listen I—”
“No, you listen. You don’t know me, or anything about me. You have no idea who I am. So you can take your judgment and shove it up your ass!” Spinning in place, she takes off inside, a sob falling from her in the process.
“Fuck!” My fist connects with a tree but the pain shooting up my arm does nothing to dull the burning sensation I have in my chest. I think about going after her but decide to cut my losses before I fuck this up even more.
I walk around the building, making sure that asshole’s car is nowhere in sight, then start my long ass walk home. During the hour that passes, the fresh air does nothing to ease the fire raging inside of me, because the entire time all I can see is her sad green eyes.
