Page 11

Gwen

T his man drives like a maniac. I won’t lie I was waiting for us to crash. His arms flex as he grips the steering wheel, taking curves effortlessly. The car, though? Incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever been in one this nice. The sun is starting to rise, casting a golden hue over the horizon, and the radio hums in the background We speed past a cop. "Oh shit, we just passed a cop." My heart jumps. I don’t want to get arrested again. I twist in my seat to look back, expecting flashing lights, but the officer doesn’t move an inch. We had to be going at least ninety.

I sit back, eyes narrowing at Dominic. He looks completely unbothered. "Why did that cop just sit there when you were speeding like a demon out of hell?" I glare at him. Good grief. Maybe he wasn’t lying when he said he owns this city. He smirks. "The cops and I have a mutual understanding. Plus, I donate a lot of money to the department new vehicles, new protection."

I don’t even know what to say to that, so I just shut up and stare out the window until we pull into my mother’s driveway. I don’t move at first, debating what to say. Finally, I exhale and reach for the door handle. "Thanks for the ride. And the night. But I’m not sure this will work out for a second date."

Before I can step out, his grip tightens around my upper arm. "Not so fast, princess. This isn’t your departure." I shake my head. "Yeah, I think it is." Yanking my arm free, I step out of the car and make my way toward the door. I hear his door shut behind me. Before I can react, he’s there right behind me.

I spin to face him, and he takes my mouth with his, kissing me with a force that leaves no room for protest. My tongue slides against his, tangling, sucking. I melt into him, lost in the heat of it. The kiss turns rougher. His hands tangle in my hair, gripping, claiming. His arm tightens around my waist, pulling me flush against him.

When he finally pulls back, I’m breathless, my mind spinning. He’s smiling, smug and certain. "I already told you, you’re mine. Fight it all you want, but it won’t do you any good." I’m ready to tell him to fuck off just as soon as I remember how to breathe.

Then, the front door swings open, its scares me. “HEY GWEN!” My little brother stands in the doorway, grinning. “Hey.” I run my fingers through his curly hair, messing it up while he swats me away. He steps back, and I cross the threshold. Before I can tell him to go to hell, Dominic follows right behind me, his long legs closing the distance effortlessly.

“Hi, I’m Gwen’s little brother, Levi.” He smiles so innocent. I don’t know what kind of person Dominic truly is, but from what I saw and heard in that room, he’s not someone I want near my little brother. Hell, I’m not even the kind of person I want around him. But I know one thing for sure I would never let anyone hurt him.

“Levi, is Mom home?” I cut in before Dominic can introduce himself. “No, she left last night, went to some party, hasn’t come back yet.” I guess she had plans of her own after the gala. I’m not surprised, but I’m relieved she’s not here. I don’t want another lecture on how I should be acting. Then, for some reason, it hits me.

“Levi, does she leave you here alone a lot?” His smile fades, and he drops his head. “Hey, it’s okay. I was just wondering, no big deal.” For a second, I forget Dominic is still standing behind me, silently taking in our conversation. “I have to work a shift, but afterwards, let’s have a movie night. What do you say?”

Levi’s head pops up, eyes shining, and my heart swells. He’s happy. Does she brush him off like she did me? When our father died, and I didn’t live up to her expectations, I became a shadow on the wall, acting out just to get her attention. Look where that got me running for my life a few years later because I wanted to be nothing like her. “Can I pick the movie?” He grins from ear to ear. “Absolutely. I gotta go get ready. You have the popcorn ready when I get home, okay?” “Okay!!!” he shouts as I head upstairs to my room. Dominic is hot on my heels.

Opening the door, I’m a little embarrassed. Not like I had time to clean. I didn’t plan on him coming here. As I step inside, I start picking up my clothes from the floor. “You can leave now,” I snap, still simmering from last night and now even more furious at realizing how lonely my brother is.

Dominic scans the room. “Are you always this messy?” He sits down on my bed. “I’m busy. But not always. I just haven’t had time to clean up. You can leave now.” I say it again, more forcefully this time.

“Go shower, Gwen. You have to be at Lori’s in an hour.” He’s not wrong I need to get it together and get ready for work. Fine. Stepping closer to him, I pull the oversized shirt off my bare chest. No bra. I wore a dress to his house, and he needed to rip it in two. His eyes leave mine, dropping to my hard nipples. He licks his lips. I stand in front of him, completely naked. "Don't touch anything. I'll be out in just a few minutes. Since you're not going to leave, there’s stuff in the fridge.”

I turn and head to the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the hot water run for a second before stepping into the steam. The water washes over me as I scrub my skin, washing my hair quickly. I run the razor over my legs and armpits in a hurry, then turn off the water and step out. The mirror is fogged up. I wrap my hair in a towel, another around my body, and open the door to my room.

My bed is made. My floor is spotless. All my dirty clothes are in the hamper. Then it hits me. Fuck! The money and the gun. I rush to the mattress, lifting it just enough to see that everything is still there. The pistol, untouched. Letting the edge of the mattress drop back down, I exhale.

I gotta get him out of here. Throwing on ripped jeans and a tank top, I head out of my room. Laughter. Levi’s giggling. I make my way to the kitchen and find Dominic and Levi sitting at the table, talking. Dominic notices me first, sipping his water. Levi jumps up.

“Dominic is going to order pizza for us for movie night when he picks you up!” What. No. No. I shake my head. “Not happening, buddy.” Levi slumps in his chair, crossing his arms. “What? Why not?” I grab a bottle of water from the fridge. “I’m sure he has big businessman stuff to take care of.” I take a drink. Dominic laughs. “I actually took the night off. Bash, has it covered.” I choke. No. No.

First off, who knows what he does and if he can be trusted here in my mother’s house? Secondly, he's making this hard enough to cut off. “No.” My voice is sharp. “I’ll be here when she gets off work, bud.” He winks at Levi. I’m fuming. “Time to go, princess,” he says, standing and walking to the door. He turns to Levi. “Lock the door when I leave, okay?” Levi nods, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Outside, Dominic leans against his car, talking on his phone. I stop halfway, trying to catch what he’s saying, but he sees me and hangs up. That makes me even more pissed. “Had to hang up so your girlfriend wouldn’t know you're taking me to work?” My words drip with venom. I want to piss him off. He laughs. “Big bad business call, baby. Jealous, are you?” A twinkle in his eye, like he enjoys the idea. Am I jealous? No.

He’s the hottest man I’ve ever seen and gave me the best orgasms of my life, but I’m not jealous. Plus, he’s literally a hitman or something. I’m surely just his muse for the week. “I’m not jealous.” I cross my arms. “And why did you clean my room when I told you not to touch anything?” He walks over, opening my car door. “Because your room was a disaster. Now get in the car.”

I roll my eyes and sink into the seat. It was messy, but I didn’t need him snooping and finding the money and the gun. No one needs to know why they're there. Or why I have them. He gets in, puts the car in drive, and Swim by Chase Atlantic hums through the speakers. I've been at work at Lori’s for two hours now, filling coffees, handing out drinks, and serving orders. I actually like this job it’s easy, and I’ve met some of the nicest people.

Dominic made sure to tell me I better be here when he picks me up. Right after he made me see stars with that kiss, his hand wrapped around my throat before he pulled out of the parking lot.

Lori mans the cash register as the morning crowd thins out. “Lori, I’m taking my break,” I say, stretching my sore arms. She nods, and I head to the back, slipping out the exit door. My smokes are on the shelf where I left them. Grabbing the pack, I slide down against the wall, my ass hitting the concrete. Lighting a cigarette, I inhale deeply, letting the nicotine settle in my bloodstream. The last twenty-four hours have been insane, but sitting here now, watching people pass by on the sidewalk, I finally get a second to breathe. The weather is perfect for a fifteen-minute break. Exhaling a stream of smoke, I pull out my phone and text Maddie.

Text to Maddie: Tell me you’re free to hang out tomorrow. I need to vent. Also, Dominic is the most persistent man ever.

Maddie : Always. Let’s get cappuccinos and talk shit.

I smile. Conversations with her always make me feel better. She may have just come into my life, but she’s exactly the friend I needed.

Me: It’s a date.

Taking one last drag, I stub out my cigarette, stand up, and dust off my jeans before heading back inside. Instantly, I regret it. My mother sits at a booth, smiling and giggling like a schoolgirl with the same bitch who had her lips all over Dominic at the party. Is that why my mother warned me to stay away from him? Was it for my safety or for the woman sitting across from her, sipping coffee like she owns the damn place? My stomach twists.

Lori catches me glaring. “Want me to take your mom’s order?” I shake my head, my jaw tight. “No, I got it. Thanks, though.” I grab two menus and head to the booth like this isn’t awkward at all. Deep breaths. I set the menus down in front of them, standing with my little notebook in hand.

“Mother?” I deadpan, my face void of emotion. I’ve never been good at hiding how I feel my eyes can cut like razor blades, and I know it. I don’t care that she sees the annoyance written all over my face, not just because of the venom she spat at me last night at the gala or her constant belief that I can’t handle myself, but also because she’s sitting here with this cunt. I don’t know her, but I know I don’t like her. Not my cup of tea, you could say.

“Hi, honey.” She waves it off, not paying attention. As usual. Much like she does with my little brother too, as I found out this morning. Smirking, she looks up at me. “How was your night?” Back to the menu. “It was fine. As I told you last night, I’m a big girl. What can I get you?”

Ignoring my attempt to change the subject, she pushes on. “Yes, dear, I know that. Big enough to get yourself into all kinds of trouble just like before. I just want you to be careful and not land yourself in even more trouble.” Her tone is laced with faux concern, but I know better.

“Mother, my decision-making doesn’t need to be discussed right now, does it? “The woman sitting with her lets out a small laugh, flipping her menu over. My brain immediately supplies an image grabbing the fork from the table and stabbing her with it. I glance between the utensil and her smug face. Then the inevitable cops, jail, messy.

Internally, I giggle for a second. Maybe Dominic could just pay them to look the other way. Then again, he might really kill me if I stabbed his little kissing buddy. “Are you ready to order?” I ask, dragging myself out of my daydream of plucking her eye out.

She looks up at me with a pearly smile. “I’ll have the Caesar salad. And water with a slice of lemon.” My mother, following right in the witch’s footsteps, adds, “Oh yes, that sounds really good. I’ll take one too.”

I jot it down, turn on my heel, and leave, heading to the kitchen to hand in the order. Of course, she orders a salad. Miss Perfect. Doesn’t look like a hair on her head is out of place. She reminds me of the mayor's wife from The Grinch nose so high in the air, if it rained, she’d drown. I’d like to watch that happen. Too good to eat a greasy cheeseburger. Maybe this town isn’t the place for me.

Leaning against the counter, waiting for the orders to be made, I can't help but think about how different things were when my daddy was here. He used to grill cheeseburgers in the yard, taking breaks to chase me around before stopping where Levi sat, playing with his baby toys. Levi never had a father figure. He was too young when Daddy died.

Mama hasn’t changed. She’s always been the "always about her" type. I should’ve never left Levi when I was a teenager. It got me nowhere but trouble, and now I’m hiding from it while he’s stuck with a mother who doesn’t care about his existence any more than she does mine. Ding. Orders ready. Snapping out of it, I grab the plates and make my way back to the booth. Setting them down, I ask, "Anything else you need?" I glance at the woman sitting with my mother. She’s watching me. "No, thank you, darling," she replies before my mother does.

I turn on my heels and head back to the counter, scrubbing cups with a rag. Lori stands close, helping. "I’ve seen a lot of girls come through this place. Some stay for a while; others are out the door as fast as they came in. Don’t let your mom and her friend bother you. You're not like them. You're good on the inside. That’s something they can only pretend to be."

Her words hit deep, and I feel my eyes sting. She doesn’t know how hard I’m trying to change to be seen differently. My past feels like a bad tattoo staining my skin, visible only to me, my mother, and now this bitch at the booth.

"Thank you, Lori." I swipe at the tear sliding down my cheek. She steps closer, hugging me when no one’s looking. "Don’t let them see you cry. Don’t give them that satisfaction." She wipes away the next tear before it can fall. "Now, go show them how unbothered you are by their presence. They hate that."

She smiles and walks back to the kitchen.

In the few weeks I’ve worked here, Lori has been more of a mother to me than my own. She’s tough, but accepting. Loving. I straighten my ponytail, take a breath, and head back over. “Did you all enjoy it?” I hide the madness behind a smile. “Yes, it was good. Tell them in the back, darling.”

My mother sits up, grabbing her purse before sliding out of the booth. She kisses my cheek. “I'll be home late. I have a showing for a new house tonight.” “Lock up. I have my key, alright?” I shake my head. “Romana, go ahead. I’m going to use the restroom. I'll be out to the car in a second.” Acknowledging me with a nod, my mother heads for the door, stepping onto the street. I turn to leave, but this broad this woman blocks my path, stepping into my space like she belongs there.

“Gwen, isn’t it?” A flicker of something dark glints in her eyes. “It is. Something else you need?” She holds out her hand, expecting me to shake it. I don’t. I just stare at it, like it’s a snake ready to sink its fangs into my skin. Holding my gaze, she pulls her hand back, smiling.

“Well, I see your mother never taught you manners either.” Her voice drips with condescension. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Lily Whatts. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, considering I’m making your mother my newest business partner.” She smiles, like she expects me to care. “That’s nice. I don’t.”

I turn to leave, but of course, she has to push it. “Here, darling, your tip.” She shoves a twenty-dollar bill into the front pocket of my apron. Oh, and one more thing tell Dominic I need him to get back to me about our business appointment.” I’m seething. Where did that damn fork go? This bitch doesn’t know how close she is to getting stabbed right here, right now.

Instead, I laugh. Loud. “I’ll be sure to tell him tonight. He’s supposed to come over for a movie night.” I smirk, blowing her an air kiss before turning on my heel and sauntering back toward the kitchen. The color drains from her face. Damn, that felt good. Mean girl energy is so high school.

Even though it was satisfying to throw it back in her face, now I have to go along with Dominic actually coming over. I’ve never been the petty type. Never been the jealous type. But Dominic has invaded my mind this past week. The cell phone. The gala. His place. The mind-blowing sex. And the terrifying realization that he might be the one to kill me. I was so worried about Jamison coming after me, about him taking my life or selling me off to whatever monster he owes.

Now? Dominic has claimed my mind, my body maybe even my soul. And the scariest part? I like it. I like telling that bitch he’ll be with me tonight. Call me Petty Betty. If I’d been thinking, I would’ve told her all the nasty things I’m going to let him do to me just to piss her off even more.

The rest of my shift passes easily enough. Filling drinks. Clearing plates. Wiping down tables after every customer. Waiting. Watching the clock tick by, second after agonizing second. Waiting for the most handsome man I’ve ever met to pick me up. With pizza. Maybe I was a little hard on him earlier. Maybe I overreacted. I was running again just like I always do.

Maybe this time, I should stop. Maybe I should give him a chance. With conditions, of course. Because this whole I run this city act? The freaking war room he has? Yeah. That needs some explaining.