Page 8

Chapter Seven

A life ordered was a life controlled.

A life controlled did not allow for disappointment because there was nothing unexpected. There was nothing I couldn’t plan, no creases I couldn’t iron out.

Impulsiveness and spontaneity were overrated and neither were something I felt accustomed to undertake.

Which was why I was currently pondering when I became the person who brought intoxicated women home, gave them clean clothes to wear, let them sleep in my bed and then practically begged them to stay another night. As I sat in my office, I also wasn’t sure why this one in particular had all of a sudden taken first place in my list of priorities, when I had a pile of inventory to do longer than my fucking arm.

In the space of twenty-four hours, my long lived routine was discarded and all I wanted was to get home from the club and to make sure Marlee was okay. That she slept in my bed again. Even without me there.

What the absolute fuckery was I on?

When we got to my apartment late last night she was sleepy and upset and it had been an easy decision to give her my room. It was more comfortable and had a better view, plus I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d been in the spare room and while the sheets would be clean, she deserved better especially after the shit show she’d been thrown into.

I’d spent the entire elevator looking at her side profile as she stared at her feet lost in her thoughts and when we silently walked towards my room, part of me wasn’t even sure if she was entirely awake with how docile and quiet she was.

Yet, like a little lap dog, I headed to the spare room, which was actually immaculate and fresh, and spent a restless night tossing and turning, overthinking the entire evening.

And today was no different. My routine was already out of order, spending longer at home than I normally would and arriving after most of my staff.

Upon seeing me Wayne only raised his brows, wisely choosing not to crack a joke or ask questions, before I headed up to my office. I sorted through the information covering details of last night’s close and replied to vendors requiring payment before moving to the grocery list of stock needing my attention. Although, despite the looming deadlines even that wasn’t enough to keep me from re-watching the security feed from the previous evening.

From what I could determine after scouring the footage more times than I could count, she spent time talking to a woman while she waited for the bathrooms, returned to dance with Arna for a while and had a few more drinks before everything went to shit. The guy had gotten to her pretty quickly from the entry, almost as if he knew exactly where she was, and even through the screens, the change in her demeanour was perspicuously clear. Her once fluid body turned stiff and her face lost any form of joy the second she spotted him. Arna had also responded immediately with her hands slicing through the air and her mouth moving rapidly in his direction.

The replay was paused on Marlee when Wayne appeared looking over my shoulder.

When I didn’t provide an explanation, he broke the silence. “You good today, boss?” I knew he was prying and I wasn’t sure where to start.

“Yeah. I want to know who this is though,” I said, pointing to the screen where I’d now stopped it on the deadbeat’s face. The footage was paused mere seconds after I'd clocked him and I revelled in the sick sense of satisfaction it brought as I opened and closed my fist.

“Thought you might. His name is Lucas Smith. He dated the woman in the purple dress apparently and seems to think they’re still together. Boys said it took them a while to get rid of him, adamant he wasn’t leaving without her. They said he was definitely high. I’ll get them to do some more digging and get back to you. Looked like a piece of shit if you ask me.” Wayne kept his eyes on the screen as I did my best to hide my disgust.

“Tell the team that Lucas and this one –” I moved the footage to highlight the only other person he spoke with, the same woman Marlee spoke to outside the bathrooms, “are not to be granted entrance again. No excuses. Don’t even know how he was allowed in last night given the fucking state of him. Remind them of our standards too.” I snapped, shutting off the screen.

My concentration was shot now I was back to thinking about how this was able to happen in my establishment.

“Copy, boss. How is she?” He asked genuinely and it reminded me why I appreciated him so much. He knew me better than I gave him credit for and was likely just as curious about how last night panned out once we got back to my place.

“She’s staying at my house until Andy’s back tomorrow. After last night, it’s obvious this guy scares her, so I didn’t want to leave her alone. Andy’s missus has threatened both my life and my dick if I mistreat her.”

“She's fiesty, that one. Told me it was partially my fault that Lucas prick got in when I wasn’t even there,” he said before chuckling. “She’d keep the Captain on his toes for sure.”

I laughed knowingly. “She does. Which is why I need to make sure Marlee is okay until they return.”

“Make sure she's okay for Arna?” He asked condescendingly before adding, “She didn’t even have to use bait and she caught you.”

I didn’t need to look at him to know he was smiling as he headed out of my office. “Knight in fucking shining armour, you are, Seb.”

I scoffed at his ridiculous assertion. I was not hooked on a woman. Not even close.

Especially one who drank her coffee with caramel, brought noise and clutter into my otherwise orderly life, spoke about herself in the goddamn third person and who I had barely spoken to, let alone touched intimately.

I could never be hooked on someone so unscripted and free. Someone wired so differently to everything I stood for. Besides, she made me smile a lot more than I was used to and it was weird.

Yet as I moved to the cupboard and grabbed myself a clean shirt for tonight, I was still wondering what that piece of shit had done to create the unmistakable fear in those gorgeous green eyes and what I could do to make sure I never saw it again.

In comparison to yesterday, Sunday at the club was quiet. The crowd was mellow, and most people enjoyed the addition of extra tables and chairs that we allowed on the slower nights. I also hired a different DJ because people weren’t out with the same intentions as a Friday or Saturday and I liked this to reflect in the atmosphere. And it usually meant I spent more time in the office getting ready for the week ahead, but tonight I was antsy. I checked my phone for the twentieth time and it again boasted no missed notifications despite leaving my phone number on a note on the bench. She was edgy when I left, spent a bit of time on her phone and then even more pretending she wasn’t watching me as I got ready for work – when I knew she was keeping her eye on exactly what I was doing.

But how could I really know? I barely knew her.

I could easily contact her given I’d asked Andy for her number for safety purposes , but I wondered if this was the behaviour of a stalker more than a supportive – friend? Friend of a friend?

God , what was I? An acquaintance?

Ignoring how pathetic and needy I was feeling, I decided I would message her once, just to make sure she was okay.

Hey, it’s . Just checking you’re good?

The grey dots appeared instantly, and I found myself unable to concentrate on anything other than the way they jumped on my screen until her reply appeared.

Marlee

I’m good.

Thanks :)

Feeling lighter and knowing she now had my number, I shoved my phone in my pocket, smiling as I moved to the door that led me down to the floor. I wondered if she would be asleep in my bed when I got home – the idea of having her in my space oddly not unpleasant as I anticipated an earlier than normal finish.

When I did finally arrive home, it was later than I planned, and as soon as I opened the door to my apartment, I saw the light of the TV illuminating the living room with the post-game conferences from Andy’s game. They’d carved up tonight in Adelaide and knowing Marlee spent her time rugged up watching the match brought a foreign comfort to my chest.

Walking further into the room, I smirked at the scene before me. She was laying on the black leather lounge, a blanket over her sleeping body, her hands tucked underneath her chin. An empty packet of what had been my chocolate coated coffee beans sat on the coffee table next to half a bottle of sparkling water. The volume was on low and her soft breathing filled the room. For a moment I didn’t move, simply staring at the beauty that had unknowingly taken up my thoughts all night. She was still wearing the tired old T-shirt I gave her earlier, her hair no longer in an up-do, instead splayed over the side of the lounge.

Fuck, if that wasn’t hot.

Quietly reaching for the remote which sat near her face, I turned off the television, the light from the moon coming through the window enough to still see her. Acting purely on an instinct I still didn’t quite understand, I scooped her up into my arms and turned towards my bedroom.

She stirred, her sleepy gaze going wide in a split second of panic before she realised it was me. My brows pinched knowing that she came with a history I knew nothing about, and it was getting harder not to ask her to tell me everything. Wayne would get back to me soon and I would have a better understanding of what caused the trouble in my club last night but I couldn’t help but want to hear it all from her.

“I’m just taking you to bed,” I spoke softly into her ear and she moved into my neck and sighed. She smelt like coconut and remnants of coffee beans and I smiled for no reason other than her easy acquiescence despite her earlier uncertainty at staying.

Fuck I liked when she let me lead.

My cheeks were getting sore from all the fucking smiling I was suddenly doing and I forced myself to cut the puppy love act, planting a scowl back on my face. I had been told many times that I wasn't welcoming of others in my space, yet with her, I was ready to open a bloody bed and breakfast.

She was pliant and groggy with sleep and as I turned to walk up the hall, she moved her arms around my neck and held tight, causing my heart rate to speed up in my chest.

I wondered if she could feel it racing.

If she knew the effect she had on me.

If she knew I was panicking because I’d never before felt inclined to let someone into my world, but most of all, I wondered why I seemed powerless to prevent her from unknowingly embedding herself under my skin.