by Shaw Hart
Making Her His
Chapter One
Ainsley
I wake before the sun every single day. Quick shower before the hot water is all gone, get dressed, make breakfast, make sure Grams takes the right medicine and has something to eat, and as soon as the nurse who takes care of Grams during the day is there, I’m out the door for my shift at the café. I work the morning rush at the café and then head across town to my second job as a cashier at a tiny bodega. I head home after the sun has set to make dinner and collapse into bed, only to wake up the next morning and do it all over again.
This isn’t how my life was supposed to go. I was supposed to graduate high school and go to college, get out of this town and make my own way. I even got accepted to a few schools with a full-time scholarship, but then my Grams had a heart attack and my mom ditched us. It had always been the three of us, I never knew who my father was, and after my mom took off, I knew that I couldn’t leave my Grams by herself. She took care of me when I was growing up. Hell, she practically raised me, since lord knows my mom wasn’t much of parent.
So, I put my college plans on hold and picked up a couple of jobs. The plan was to take a year off, help my Grams get back on her feet and then head to college. That was three years ago now. My Grams heart attack was worse than we first knew and she needed almost constant help and care. She should really be in a nursing home where she would have help all the time but I can’t afford any of those places, or at least none of the good places that I would be ok with her staying at. I’ve been trying to save up but I make minimum wage at both of my jobs and I’m having a hard enough time keeping up with all of the bills. Her insurance doesn’t cover all of the medicine and when you add in rent, utilities, and food, I don’t have a lot left over at the end of every month. I’ve been trying to look for better paying jobs but I haven’t found anything yet.
I catch the L train back home and try to avoid the usual jerks and creeps who ride this train with me most nights. I’m a cute enough girl, with midnight black hair and clear blue eyes and I draw the occasional eye.
Unfortunately for me, I always seem to draw the wrong guys eyes. Guy on my street who sells drugs out of his apartment? Hits on me every day. Same as the guy with two girlfriends who lives a block away, the guy who used to beat his wife until she finally ran away, and the gang leader who lives in the top floor of my building. Just once I wish I could find a nice guy. I don’t know when I would find the time to date though, honestly. It’s sad to admit, but I’m 21 and I’ve never even been out on a date with a guy.
The train stops at my stop and I stand to get off, carefully avoiding the two guys across from me who have been staring at me the entire ride. I make my way out of the terminal and head towards Grams and my tiny apartment. It’s in a rundown building on the bad side of town but it’s all we can afford. I hurry down the sidewalk and am only a couple of blocks from home when the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I turn my head slightly and see the two guys from the train are following me down the sidewalk. Maybe they’re just headed this way too, I think to myself but the churning in my gut has me quickening my steps.
I make it another block before I chance a look over my shoulder again. Still there. I can feel my heart beating like a rabbit and I break out into a run. I’m only a block and a half away from my apartment. I sprint the last half block and turn to see if they’re still there but when I turn around there’s no one.
I blow out a puff of air as the adrenaline starts to leave my system. I shake my head at myself as I pull open the apartment buildings door but I pause and turn back at the last second. It feels like someone is out there watching me. When I look around the street though I see no one. It’s late and the streets have all been mostly deserted, like usual. I chalk it up to just being tired and the tension from thinking I was being followed.
I open the door once again and make my way up the stairs. I say goodnight to the nurse and shut the door after her. I creep down the hall and check on Grams who is asleep in her bed before making my way to my own room and stripping off my clothes. I’m too exhausted to do much else but fall down on my bed and sleep.
Sin
I watch as the tiny girl looks around once more before walking into the apartment building. I wait and make sure she makes it inside safely before I turn back to the two men that were following her. I had just finished my latest job, a hit on some local drug dealer, when I had seen her pass by me. She was looking over her shoulder and I followed her line of sight to find two men creeping along after her. She turned back around and started to walk faster, fear and unease clearly written all over her face. Something about seeing this sweet little thing scared made my vision hazy with rage. I wanted to kill the two men who dared to scare such a perfect creature. I wanted to make sure that nothing bad ever touched her and that she was safe.
I followed after the two men and waited to make my move. It was less than half a block later when I striked. I bashed them over the back of their heads with the butt of my gun and they went down like a sack of flour. The two men never saw it coming. I dragged them into the alley and peeked around the corner just in time to see the girl glance back as she climbed the stairs to her building. I watched her blow out a breath as she looked around before shaking her head and stepping inside.
I watch the building for another minute trying to guess which room is hers before I turn back to deal with the two lowlifes who were following my girl. My car is parked a couple of blocks away and I run to get it and pull it in the alley. I load them into the trunk and drive them down to the pier. By the time I get there, they’re awake and scared. I think one even pissed himself, I think with disgust. I warn them to stay away from my girl before I toss them into the water and get back in my car.
I should go home but something stops me and I find myself turning my car in the opposite direction and heading back to the girls building. I park the car half a black down and get comfortable. I already know that I won’t be able to get myself to leave without seeing her again. There’s just something about her that calls to me. I watch the building as light after light eventually turns off.
I sit there for only a couple of hours watching as the sun comes up and people start to get ready for their day. I’m surprised when I see my girl come out of the building. It’s only been a few hours. She should still be in bed. She needs to get more rest. I want to scold her and usher her back inside and back to bed but I can’t do that. Yet. I think as I step out of my car and follow her to the subway. I watch as she sidesteps a couple of guys and hurries down the stairs to catch her train. She squeezes through the doors just in time and I rush to get into the next car over before the doors can close.
I watch her through the glass door as she settles into a seat and pulls out a book. She does her best to try to avoid the other passengers. I watch as some asshole in a suit takes the seat next to her. He can’t seem to pull his eyes off her tits and I’m about ready to go rip them out of his skull when she stands up for her stop. I follow her off the train and up the stairs where she hurries two blocks over to a small café. I watch her unlock the door and slip inside while I lurk around the corner. The café isn’t open yet, it’s that early. I watch as she helps the other staff get everything set and then she comes to flip the closed sign to open. She pauses after she does, looking through the window. I duck around the corner before she can see me.
I watch her the entire morning. She’s efficient as she moves between the tables to take people’s orders and bring out food. She works harder than anyone else in that place and the other waitresses seem to expect her to help with their sections too, if the way that she’s been running around the entire restaurant dropping off drinks and food is any indication. I watch through the window
as several guys hit on her and one couple runs out without paying. She tries to chase them down but it’s too late.
She sighs as she watches them duck into the subway, laughing. She looks so sad and tired in that moment and I realize that this girl needs someone to watch out for her. I decided right then and there that that someone will be me.
Chapter Two
Ainsley
I apologize to my manager one more time for “not doing my goddamn job and letting those kids run out without paying” before I grab my bag and make my way back to the subway to make it across town for my second job. I wanted to yell at the manager. I tried to explain that I was covering my section and Stacy’s while she was back in the office with him, fooling around. Judging by how red his face got when I said that, I’m probably lucky that I wasn’t fired.
I sigh as I squeeze my way between people on the crowded train. I have to stand since there aren’t any more seats left. I’ve been on my feet all morning and I had to give part of my tips to cover for the couple that dined and dashed and all I want to do is curl up and take a nap. I’m so tired all of the time and I never get so see Grams. I don’t know how much longer I can juggle everything.
I shake the self-pity off and remind myself that Grams would do anything for me. She loved me when no one else did and raised me. I’ll do right by her. I glance around the car at the other passengers and am startled when I see a man staring at me.
Blue eyes so light that they almost look clear stare back at me from a couple of passengers over. I take a moment to study the attractive stranger. He’s got tousled blonde hair that looks in need of a cut and he’s wearing a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black dress pants. His clothes look expensive but they’re wrinkled, like he slept in them or something.
My eyes trace back up his muscular body to find his eyes still locked on me. I’m used to feeling anxious when people stare at me but for some reason having this man’s eyes on me just makes my stomach flip. I can feel the blush staining my cheeks as I quickly glance away.
I keep my eyes down for the rest of the ride and blow out a pent-up breath when my stop is finally here. I hurry off the train but can’t help but turn around to look for my mystery man one last time. I glance over my shoulder but he’s not where he was standing. I look around thinking that maybe he got off at this stop too but I don’t see him anywhere. My heart deflates and I realize that I wish I still had his eyes on me. I’m jostled from behind and I realize I’m standing on the subway platform. I make my way up the stairs and to my second job, thinking about my mystery man the whole way.
Sin
I trail behind my girl, making sure to stay in the shadows so she doesn’t see me following her. I shouldn’t have let her see me so soon when we were on the train but I couldn’t help myself. As soon as I saw this look of sadness pass across her face, I had to go to her.
I noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes which doesn’t surprise me, considering I know how little sleep she must have gotten. She keeps swaying from foot to foot as she flexes her feet inside her thin flats. She needs to wear better shoes if she’s going to be on her feet all day, I think to myself.
She stops at a crosswalk and I notice a man in a suit staring at her ass as she waits for the light to change. I see him sidle closer to her and I move in behind him in the crowd. I see him try to reach out and touch her and I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and squeeze. He freezes and the light changes. I hold him back while the rest of the crowd surges forward, hurrying across the street. I don’t have a lot of time if I want to catch up to my girl so I spin him around and get in his face.
“Keep your hands to yourself.” I say.
The man’s eyes widen as they land on me and he stops trying to jerk out of my grasp.
“Stay the fuck away from her.” I say very slowly.
As soon as the man nods his agreement, I let him go and I have to sprint across the street before the light changes. I keep a couple of people between us as we continue down the sidewalk. She turns into a bodega and for a second, I wonder if she’s grabbing something before I see her say something to the girl behind the counter. She pulls a red smock that matches what the other girl is wearing out of her bag before stowing her bag beneath the counter.
I know that she saw me on the train so I can’t walk inside and pretend to look around. I look around and see that there’s a deli across the street. It isn’t as close as I’d like it to be but there isn’t anywhere else to surveil her from. I make my way across the street and sit down at a table outside. From this spot I can see her moving around behind the register as her coworker packs up and heads for the door. As far as vantage points go, it’s pretty good. I still wish that I was closer, or that there wasn’t a road separating us.
A waitress comes out and takes my order and I sit back in my chair, content to sit here and protect my girl. I realize as the waitress sets my food down in front of me, that my girl hasn’t had anything to eat for lunch yet. It’s almost 4 pm now so I know she must be hungry. She ate breakfast at the café on her break. I had walked around to the back and caught a glimpse of her standing over a plate in the kitchen when someone took the trash out. That was hours ago now though.
She needs to take better care of herself, I think for the hundredth time today. No, she needs me to take care of her. I would gladly spend the rest of my life making sure that she had eaten and had the proper footwear, or better yet, that she didn’t spend such long hours on her feet. I would do everything for her if she was mine.
It’s midnight before the third shift finally comes in for their shift and my girl packs up and heads home. The deli closed hours ago and I was forced to move further down the block to a bar. I can still see the shop but my view of her isn’t as good as at the deli. Plus, at the bar I have to deal with drunk girls trying to get me to buy them drinks. I growl at the latest girl to try to sit at my table by the window and sigh in relief as I see my girl grab her bag and head to the subway.
I throw some cash down on the table and head out after her. The city is still awake and there’s enough people on the sidewalk that I have to push through a couple groups to catch up with her. She makes it back to the subway terminal without incident and I hop into the other car. I stand by the door, having a feeling that she’s headed home since this is the same time that I saw her last night. Like I expected, I see her get off at the stop by her apartment. I exit after her and wait for her to climb the stairs before I follow.
She’s almost home when some thug steps out in front of her and blocks her path. I see red as I watch him raise his hand to her face and I know it’s time for my girl to know that I’m here to protect her and make her mine.
Chapter Three
Ainsley
I’m almost home when Blaine steps out of his building and stops me on the sidewalk. Blaine is an ex trust fund kid whose parents disowned him the third time that he was arrested for selling drugs. When he got out, he moved into the building next to mine and started selling drugs again. He’s been offering me drugs or a ride on his dick ever since he moved in. I don’t know why he wastes his time with me. He always has girls hanging off of him or coming and going from his place and I’ve told him over and over that I’m not interested.
“Hey, Sweetheart.” He says as he raises his hand and brushes my cheek.
He thinks he’s being charming but when I don’t say anything back his hand slides down my cheek and he grips my chin. Before I can panic though, Blaine’s hand is removed from my face and I’m staring at someone’s back.
I stand there in shock as the stranger starts to rip into Blaine.
“Keep your hands off her. Stay away from her. You come near her again and I’ll kill you. Ainsley. Is. Mine.”
With that the stranger grabs my elbow and leads me down the street the rest of the way to my apartment. I gape in shock at his back until we reach my steps and he pulls me into his chest.
“Are you ok?” He asks
as he cups my face in his big hands.
It’s the man from the subway, I realize as I stare up into those same light blue eyes. He’s even more handsome up close than he was on the subway. His hair is longer on top and is hanging over his forehead. My fingers itch to brush it back.
“I’m fine.”
“He didn’t hurt you?”
“No, he was just being an idiot. I’m fine. Really.” I say.
I’m not used to having someone who cares so much about my wellbeing. Grams loves me and she wants me to be ok, but she’s not in a position to threaten people like this man just did. I realize that I don’t know his name but he somehow knows mine. Did he follow me from the subway? I think. Wait. No, I saw him before my shift at the bodega. Did he follow me from there? How long has he been watching me? I think as my breath starts to come out in uneven pants.
“Breathe, Ainsley. Breathe, Doll.” The stranger says as his hands rub up and down my back, trying to comfort me.
“How do you know my name?” I ask as soon as I’m able to calm down.
I try to step away from the stranger but I only get an inch before he pulls me back into him, shielding me with his body.
“You should go inside and get some rest.” The stranger says as he leads me to the door. He holds it open and walks me up the stairs to my floor, keeping his hand on the small of my back the whole way.
We stop outside of my door and he waits for me to fish my keys out of my purse and unlock the door. I open the door but before I can step inside, I turn back to him one more time.
“What’s your name?” I ask as I turn back to him.
He pauses but finally he steps closer to me and brushes some loose hair behind my neck.