Saving Bliss

by Rachael Brownell

  Owen doesn't seem to mind. I've caught him staring at my chest more than once. Right now, I'm giving the bartender a nice glimpse. Not because he's good looking, and not because I want free drinks—I can afford to pay my bar tab. I'm giving him a glimpse to see how Owen reacts. Apparently, he doesn't like it. The way he’s glaring at the bartender like he might strangle or kill him with his bare hands is a clear indication.

  Standing up straight and clearing my throat, they both look in my direction, but I have no idea what to say. I wasn't expecting an immediate reaction from them. I smile at bar boy and turn to face Owen. He still looks pissed. He's looking over my shoulder, sizing up the bartender, studying him in a way. I've started something that I don't want him to finish.

  "Owen," I say, trying to get him to focus on me instead of the poor kid stuck in the middle of the game I don't want to play anymore. "I'm going to grab us a couple of drinks. Why don't you grab us a table."

  He doesn't break eye contact with the bartender, and he doesn't move. Fine, let him be stubborn.

  Turning, I order our beers, this time all business. The bartender pours them and sets them on the bar top in front of me, his eyes on Owen the entire time. I hand him my credit card and ask him to start us a tab. He doesn't say a word, taking my card before turning to help the customers at the other end of the bar.

  A glass in each hand, I turn to find Owen standing only inches behind me. He takes both glasses from me and leads us to a table in the far corner of the bar. The fact that he hasn’t said anything in a while concerns me. I wanted to get his attention, and I did, but I also pissed him off. That was not on my to-do list today.

  "So, are you going to talk to me or are you going to sit in the corner, drink your beer, and be pissed off all night?" The smile on my face is a direct contradiction of the uncertainty in my voice.

  "I'm not pissed off, Bliss," he lies.

  "I call bullshit. I see the look on your face right now. You're about to burst at the seams." This is not what I wanted tonight. I was hoping for an honest and refreshing conversation. He needs to relax and start talking.

  "Fine. I'm pissed. Can we drop it now?"

  "No. I want to know why you're pissed. I want to hear you say it."

  "No, you don't," he says, turning to avoid looking in my direction. "If I tell you why I'm mad, then I open a door that can't be shut again. You don't want me to walk through that door. Not right now, probably not ever."

  "What if I do?" I try not to sound unsure, but I can't help it. If he’s suggesting what I think he might be…I wouldn’t turn down a chance at something with Owen.

  Owen looks at me for a long time before finally speaking. It’s the most honest thing I’ve ever heard him say.

  "My past comes with me. It’s part of who I am, who I've become. You can't want me to walk through that door until you know what you are truly signing up for."

  What if I want to sign up for anything involving him? "Will you tell me?"

  "Depends. What do you want to know specifically?" he asks, taking a sip of his beer. When I don’t reply right away, he tilts his head slightly, looking deep in my eyes.

  I don’t even know what I want to know about him, not specifically. Right now, I know practically nothing about him, and I’m intrigued. I want to know everything. That's probably too much to ask. I didn't realize that, by flirting with him, I was opening this door. I had no idea that he would respond this way. Maybe I should change the conversation? Maybe I should start with something smaller?

  "How about we start with why my father hired you.”

  "I told you I don't know why. The only thing he told me is he feels that you need protection, so he wanted me to watch over you."

  "That doesn't make sense, though. I've been on my own up here for the last three years. It's not like I cause trouble. I’ve never given them a reason to worry about me."

  "Maybe he's afraid that you will?" he asks, a hint of doubt in his voice.

  "No. I'm not a rebel. Well, not normally. He's making me want to be, though. The worst I've ever done was get a tattoo he didn't approve of, and even then, he blamed Avery's influence. There has to be more to the story."

  Owen takes a drink of his beer, and I follow suit. I can see the wheels turning for him. He's thinking about something, and he's thinking about it hard. He squints his eyes a little when he's concentrating. It's cute. If he doesn't like what he's thinking about, like right now, he frowns just the slightest bit and he gets a wrinkle across his forehead. I want to reach up and smooth it out.

  "I think you're right,” he finally says. “There has to be more to the story, but I don't have the answers you're looking for. Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to share them with you. You father hired me to protect you. From what is my question. If he's concerned with your safety, then so am I. If he wants to tell me the real reason why, great, but I can't force him."

  His answer sucks. I want to argue with him, but I know it's not worth it. He has a point. If he knew the real reason and he told me, I might be putting myself in more danger. That's probably why he hasn't told Owen. Owen could be in danger, too, if he knew. It doesn't make me want to know any less; in fact, it makes me even more curious. It makes me want to dig until I find answers.

  "I get it, and I understand, but that doesn't mean I don't want to know why. I need answers, and that's something that my father has never given me. He's always sheltered me from the truth. He's sheltered me from everything. I'm an adult. If he's truly grooming me to take his place, there has to come a time for him to trust me. Why not now?"

  "You never sound like you want to follow in his footsteps, so why are you?"

  That's a good question. One I ask myself all the time.

  "I'm a Cooper." I want to elaborate, but why bother? It all comes down to expectations.

  "That seems like a stupid reason if you ask me."

  I stare at him for a few minutes. No one's ever said it, but I've seen the look before. It’s a stupid reason, I know that, but it's the truth.

  "I know, but it's what we do. There's a long tradition of Coopers holding the mayoral position in Freeman Falls. I couldn't even begin to imagine the backlash from my father if I were to push back or break tradition." Imagining the look on my father’s face if I were to defy him brings a smile to my own.

  "But you don't want the position."

  "No, I don't. I also don't want to disappoint my parents."

  "If it wasn't an obligation, what would you do?"

  That’s easy. I want to travel. I want to see the world, to experience it. Then I want to share my vision with everyone. I want my camera to capture the world as it is, au naturel.

  "I don't know."

  "The way your face lit up a moment ago tells me that you do. You don't have to share, that's fine. I just wish you would tell your parents. Maybe they would support your dreams instead of forcing you to live theirs."

  Owen's words strike deep. He makes me believe I could stand up to my parents someday. He makes me believe I can have a life that’s not mapped out for me. He makes me want more for myself, for my life, for my future. Most of all, he makes me wish he’ll be a part of it.

  5

  Owen

  After my conversation with Mr. Cooper, I was hesitant to tell Bliss my thoughts on what might really be going on with her father. I need more information. I need to dig a little deeper to find out what his motives for hiring me might actually be. I was able to distract Bliss for a few minutes by changing the subject, but I know that it's not going to last forever.

  The tension between us is mounting, so I excuse myself and give her time to let what I said sink in. As I make my way to the bathroom, I scan the bar quickly. I see two guys, probably a few years older than me, drinking near the pool tables. Then there's a single guy with his back to me sitting at the end of the bar watching the football game. A small group of people is on the stage, more than likely the band. The rest of the place is empty. For now. Looking at my watch,
we've got about an hour before this place fills up with college students.

  Once I slip into the bathroom, I lock the door behind me. Pulling out my cell, I scan my contact for the one person who can help me shed light on this situation without raising any red flags. I send him a text, only one word, knowing that he'll call me immediately.

  My phone vibrates in my hand seconds later.

  "Hudson."

  "What do you want? I thought we agreed that you would never contact me again?" Jay's agitated. He has every right to be, but he should also know I wouldn’t be contacting him if I didn’t feel it was necessary.

  "I need you to look into something for me." Feeling my emotions threatening to creep up, I keep my voice as calm as I can.

  "I told you we were done. I don't owe you anything."

  "No, you don't. I actually owe you, but I need this favor, and you're the best man for the job." Maybe if I feed his ego he'll agree to help me. "I don't trust anyone else."

  All I can hear is him breathing on the other end of the line. I picture him grinding his teeth, his jaw ticking from the anger he's holding in, while he decides whether or not he's going to grant me my favor. This isn't easy for him. Dealing with me, talking to me, brings back memories of her. Memories that are hard to let go. It’s hard for me, too.

  "What do you need?" he finally asks.

  "I need for you to look into Mayor Cooper of Freeman Falls. I'm working for him as a bodyguard for his daughter. He hasn't given me any reason as to why he hired me, and when I spoke with him earlier tonight, he sounded off. I have a feeling he's keeping information from me that I need to keep her safe. Find out anything you can and let me know. Please."

  It about killed me to say please, but I have to stay on his good side. He could be the only way to get answers. Right now, he's my only hope.

  "It's going to cost you, I hope you understand that."

  "I do."

  "Good. I'll be in touch."

  He hangs up without another word. I know that if there's something going on, he'll be able to figure it out quick. Glancing down at my watch, I realize I’ve been gone more than 10 minutes. I need to get back to Bliss. If something bigger really is going on, I don't want to leave her alone for any longer. In fact, we should probably finish our drinks and get the hell out of here before this place gets busy.

  She's not alone. The guy from the bar is sitting in my chair. He sees me approach, and his body stiffens. Not enough for Bliss to notice, but I do. He's uneasy, and he should be. I'm his worst nightmare, especially since he's sitting too close to Bliss.

  "Hey, man. Who the hell are you?” My tone should have implied surprise, but it didn’t. Anger, irritation, and frustration are all I hear.

  "Owen, this is Brian," Bliss says, gently placing her hand on my arm as I approach.

  "Well, Brian, I think it's time for you to move along. You're in my seat." He takes my hint and stands immediately. Looking between me and Bliss, he walks off without a word.

  "That was rude, Owen. We were just talking. In fact, he was very nice." Bliss sounds irritated with me, and she had every right to be, but I don't care. He waited for me to leave the table before he approached. He knew what he was doing.

  "I shouldn't have left you alone."

  "That has nothing to do with it. You didn't have to be such an ass, Owen. We were having a nice conversation. It's not like he was trying to get me to leave with him. If I didn't know better, I would think you were jealous." She lifts her eyebrow, challenging me to confirm or deny her accusation.

  "Jealous? No. Concerned for your safety? Yes. He's a stranger, and until I know more about what's going on with your father, your safety is my top priority. If that means keeping you from having a nice conversation with a stranger, I apologize."

  Her face falls a little. I'm sure she wanted me to admit my jealousy. Am I? A little, but I also know that no matter what I want, right now, I need to focus on keeping her safe. I can't do that if I'm blinded by my feelings for her. Would I like to be able to keep her safe while keeping her under me? Of course, but it's not the best idea.

  I take a sip of my beer, and Bliss follows suit. We sit in silence for a few minutes, watching as people begin to migrate into the bar and meet up with their friends. Brian is sitting back at the bar, talking to the bartender. After a few minutes, a friend joins him. Never once does he look in Bliss' direction, and that makes me wonder. I wouldn't give up that easily on a girl like Bliss. There's no way he has, either.

  "Tell me about you," Bliss says, breaking my concentration on Brian.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I want to know more about you. Where are you from? Do you have any siblings? What are your hobbies? Anything, really."

  "I thought we already went through this. You don't want to know." I stare blankly at her, keeping all my emotions firmly in check. If I allow myself to talk about it, or even think about it, I’ll get upset.

  "I'll take any scrap of information you're willing to share. You know more about me than I want you to, I'm sure. Give me something. Anything."

  What can I tell her that won't scare the crap out of her? I can't tell her about Chelsea. I can't tell her about my parents. I can't tell her where I was before her father hired me. I can't really tell her much. I want to, don't get me wrong. I would love to tell her more about me if I thought that once this job was over, she might want to spend time with me, but I know she won't. If anything, she'll want to run away from me. I don't want her to fear for her life when we're alone. Hell, we live together.

  "There's not much to tell. I grew up like everyone else in small town America, and then I joined the military. End of story."

  Hopefully, that will suffice.

  "There has to be more to your story than that. You were in the military?"

  "Yes."

  "Care to elaborate?"

  Not really, but I have a feeling she's not going to let up on me anytime soon. I glance over Bliss' shoulder and catch Brian looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't see me staring at him. The look he's giving her causes me to take notice. There's an evil gleam in his eye. He's talking to his friend as he's staring at her, too.

  Thinking back, I remember something Mr. Cooper said to me.

  "I want you to scan every room, remember every face. If you see the same person on more than two occasions, I want you to leave wherever you are immediately."

  I need to remember that face. I need to watch for this guy everywhere we go. In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea if I trailed him to figure out who he is. I need a second set of hands and a second set of eyes. I've got Jay investigating Mr. Cooper. Now, I need someone here in the city, following us.

  Things are starting to make sense. The pieces are starting to fall in place. My gut is telling me someone is looking to get their hands on Bliss. But who? Why? And how am I going to stop them from getting to her?

  Bliss

  What an ass. It’s obvious he doesn't want to tell me anything for a reason. I'm just going to have to find out more information about him on my own. His silence won't stop me. They invented Google for situations like this.

  I give up trying and finish my beer. We walk back to the apartment in silence. Owen seems distracted, but I don't ask why. He keeps checking his phone like he's waiting for it to ring at any given moment. It never does.

  Shutting myself in my room, I need to get away from him for a while. Opening my laptop, the first thing I do is type Owen's name in the search bar. Owen Hudson. Damn it! There are too many to narrow it down without more details. I need to know where he's from at least.

  I slam it closed, even more frustrated than I was when he refused to answer my questions. The military. That should narrow it down a little. Maybe. I try again, and this time, I get fewer results. I start to narrow it down even more, searching through picture after picture, hoping to see Owen's handsome face.

  Jackpot!

  Owen Hudson. Eclectic, Alabama. Population 1,012.
r />   Damn. That's a small town. I'm sure everyone knows everyone. No one has secrets.

  Before I power down my laptop and call it a night, I look at photos of Eclectic. I can find more information on Owen tomorrow. In a town that small, he shouldn't be able to hide much. I'll search the local newspaper archives in the morning.

  As I crawl under the covers and am about to close my eyes, I hear it. Owen's screaming. It sounds like he's having a nightmare again. I jump out of bed and rush to his bedroom only to find the door locked. I can hear him inside. He's yelling for someone. Telling them to run. Telling them to stop. He's not making any sense.

  I listen, my ear pressed firmly against the door, until his screaming stops. That’s when I hear him get out of bed. I scramble back to my room when I hear him unlock his door. I'm about halfway there when I hear Owen call my name.

  Busted!

  Might as well get this over with. I turn and walk back down the hall, but I can't bring myself to look up at him. I know that whatever was just happening has caused him pain, and the fact that I was outside his door listening probably made the situation worse.

  "Look at me, Bliss." It's a command, not a request.

  I look up and find Owen searching my eyes. "Are you okay?"

  "I'll be fine."

  He steps toward me, and I take a step back. There's something about the way he's looking at me that's frightening. Calm, but powerful.

  Another step toward me, and I back up again. One more time, and I’ve run out of room, trapped between the wall and Owen’s body. I'm sure if I wanted to step around him he would let me, but my body won't move. I will it to, I do, but nothing. I'm frozen, my eyes on Owen's and his on mine. He's still searching mine for something.

  "What did you hear, Bliss?"

  "Nothing. Just you screaming for someone to run. That's all. I swear." I swallow hard. Why does he want to know what I heard?

  "What else?"