by Holly Carter
The bar is empty.
Not even David sits in his usual spot, which is strange. He normally eats his breakfast and lunch in the bar while he watches racing on the wall size television. He’s the one you hear yelling out, “asshat,” or “let him past you fuck stick.” I taught him those words. I’m a proud bad influence on the elderly.
I do a count of the alcohol, so I know what stock I need from the cellar before heading down and getting the right amount of stock. I carry up box after box until the boxes line the bar floor. I’m going to be here for hours doing this and by tonight my arms will look like Rumbles! I pick up the pocketknife and start opening the first box. An involuntary shiver racks my body and I drop the knife on the floor, turning slowly.
“I still make you shiver, sweetheart,” he says, walking around the bar. I watch his finger run along the wood, tapping his fingers as he moves towards me. “I’ve missed you.”
“Well, I haven’t missed you.” I bite back, attempting to step back but can’t move because of the boxes that surround my body. “That wasn’t a shiver either; you make my fucking skin crawl.”
“Oh baby girl, you know as well as I do that I make you shiver with delight.” he bends down to pick up the open knife that’s on the floor.
“What do you want?” I watch as he runs his fingers along the blade.
His eyes meet mine and I will myself to look away, but I can’t.
“That’s a loaded question, Kat.” He steps forward, bringing the knife up to my throat. “I want what every man wants. Plus some,” he says, trailing the tip down until it sits at the top of my breast.
“Simon.”
“Kat.”
We stare at each other for long minutes. I can feel the blade against my skin and know if I move it will slice me open. I know Simon well enough to know what he wants, he gets. He will hurt anyone and everyone to get it, too. I think about screaming out to Rumbles, but when Simon smiles I know he knows what I’m thinking.
“Meet me at our place in an hour, don’t be late Kat.” Simon leans forward and runs his nose along my throat. “You smell as good as you taste. Mmmm.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” I say breathlessly.
Simon places a kiss on the corner of my mouth before he pulls away and removes the knife from against my skin. I let out a sigh of relief. He folds the knife and puts it in his pocket before he steps back. He doesn’t take his eyes off me and I don’t him until he’s over the other side of the bar and walking through the open area. He whistles a tune and I cringe.
I look at the time, but kick myself for even thinking about doing as he asked. I hear the front door open and close before I slide down to the ground. I had this crazy feeling something big was going to happen and when it did, I feared who would hurt the most. I look at the boxes next to me and decide to keep my mind working for at least the next half hour.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I stand against the tree and wait. I ran out of the palace without telling anyone were I was going and I hoped that I would be back before Hunter woke or anyone knew I was even missing. The cab I caught here idled in the background; I had to bring some security with me. I hear the crunch of dry leaves and turn quickly. Simon walks through the dead leaves, his boots crunching them into shattering pieces.
“You came,” Simon says, putting his arm on the tree I lean against.
“What do you want from me?” I push off from the tree, but Simon’s hand comes to my chest and pushes me harder into the biting bark.
“I want what is mine. And you’re going to get it for me.”
“What are you talking about?” I say, clearly confused with where this whole thing is going and why I’m actually involved to begin with.
“Money, baby girl. I want Hunter and Arrow’s money.” Simon pulls out the knife from his pocket after he speaks.
“If you’re going to kill me, do it. I don’t have time for your stupid games, Simon. I never fucking have.” I push his hands off me and turn to walk away.
“I can destroy you all, Kat. Every single one of you.” Simon calls from behind me, no humour in his voice whatsoever. “I know everything. I know about your feelings for Hunter and your friendship with Arrow. I know Rumbles likes to visit Starbucks for coffee after you and him work out of a morning. Hell, I even know that David is at church right now; he’s praying to god that his son will come home one day and all his boys can be a family again before he dies.”
I freeze mid step.
I turn back towards Simon who pushes off from the tree and steps towards me. He twirls the knife in his hand before he turns and throws it towards the tree we stood against. The knife blade digs into the bark on impact. When he turns back around, his eyes are aggressive.
“You’re bluffing,” I say as I look from him to the knife and back again. The knife remains stuck into the tree.
“I don’t bluff Kat, and you should know that.” Simon’s tone is dangerous. It reminds me of moments when we were younger, well, I was. Simon was always older in my eyes.
“I don’t know how to get you what you want.”
“Yes you do, and you will.”
“You won’t hurt your family, Simon. No matter how mad you are, you won’t hurt them,” I say, stepping towards him. My voice is cautious. Testing almost.
Simon smiles and reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cell. He presses a button and brings it to his ear. I watch as his eyes rack my body.
“How’s sleeping beauty?” Simon says into the line when someone answers. “Oh, still asleep. How long does it take to suffocate someone in his or her sleep?” he asks afterwards and I almost retch.
He has someone in the house looking over Hunter. My skin crawls again and I panic. Whether Simon is bluffing or not is now unknown, but I don’t trust him. I sink to his level.
“Stop,” I shout, putting my hands up. “I’ll fucking help you.”
Simon looks to me and smiles. His wicked green eyes narrow at me and I nod. He speaks an unknown language into the line before he hangs up the phone and puts it back into his pocket.
“Get him to give me my share of the money and the palace and I will make sure no harm is done.” Simon walks towards me and crosses his hands at his front.
“You will leave,” I say, pointing my finger into his chest.
“No, Kat. I will stay. I happen to like being here.”
“Simon, I want you to promise me, no harm will come to anyone.” I lower my voice; it’s not on purpose, and it’s in fear.
“I won’t hurt anyone, baby girl. Only you.” His hand reaches out; he trails the backs of his fingers against my breast. “I didn’t lie when I said I missed you.”
“Well, I didn’t miss you,” I bite.
“You did, otherwise you wouldn’t have gone to the cottage yesterday.”
“How did you...”
“I have eyes everywhere baby girl, best you remember that.” He leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth like earlier, but this time he lingers. My lips part, for some fucked up reason. Simon takes it as an invitation to slide his tongue into my mouth. I go to push him away, but stop. For what reason...I have no idea.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I run straight past the bar and to the bathrooms. I just make it to the toilet before my breakfast ends up in the porcelain bowl. I can still feel his hands touching me, and it makes the sick feeling worse. I retch until I’m heaving and can’t breathe. I sit on my heels and put my head in my hands, sobbing softly. I slap myself hard to snap myself out of it before I stand. I can’t do this. I can’t be the weak girl I once was. I’m strong, I’m invincible.
I flush the toilet and walk out of the cubicle to the sink. I wash my hands and wet my face, trying to hide my reddened eyes. I wipe my face on the towel and take a deep breath before walking out and going back to work. I didn’t see anyone in the bar as I ran past it, so I hoped no one saw me. I had this incredible urge to go and check on Hunter, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I walk into the bar and start unpacking the boxes I had left half done when I ran out of here to meet Simon. I unpack the wines first; putting the extras I don’t need into the storage cupboard before I start on the spirits. I stand to stretch my back and catch movement out the corner of my eyes and jump, holding my chest in fear. I see Hunter in the glass...
Hunter just stands in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. I turn around quickly and take him in. He looks as good as he did this morning, with his faded jeans, button up shirt, and boots. He hadn’t shaved today and I can see his rough outline of facial hair, his lips are tempting, and his eyes...tell me he’s angry.
“Where have you been?”
I had two choices here; I could fess up and tell the truth or lie...
“Nowhere.” I lie.
“Bullshit.” Hunter growls, stepping towards me.
I watch as he takes large steps until his feet are planted firmly in front of me. My eyes meet his chest, but I close them.
“I will ask you again, where have you been?” Hunter brings his hands up; one grabs at my throat, the other entwines around my hair and pulls, so my eyes would meet his.
“I ah...” I swallow hard.
His green eyes reminded me of Simon. Not a good thing when all I wanted to do was forget about him. I wanted to think about Hunter and only Hunter. I had to tell the truth, I couldn’t lie to this man who I was starting to feel strongly for, or could I?
“Answer me.” he pulls my drifting eyes back to his.
“I went to see Simon.” I whisper, dreading the outcome of my confession.
Hunter’s eyes change in flash. Hunter lets me go and steps back, putting distance between us.
“Why?” he asks, shaking his head clearly not understanding.
“Because he-he...” I clear my throat, which threatens to close. “He came in here looking for you this morning and I knew there was tension between you so I thought I’d try and talk him around.”
I lied.
I fucking lied...
“What, what the fuck, Kat?” Hunter shouts.
“I’m only trying to help, I know you’ve been stressed lately and he is just adding to that stress.” I raise my voice to get my lie across.
“This has nothing, and I mean nothing to do with you.” Hunter throws his hands in the air.
“He just wants his money and then he said that he will leave.” Another lie.
“How the fuck do you know all this?” Hunter roars his voice echoes through the sleeping palace.
“He told me.” The emotion is too much. I chock back a sob.
“Did you fuck him too?” he shouts, stepping closer to me again. “Stay the fuck out of my business, Kat. You’re not fucking wanted in it.”
Hunter storms out of the bar. He punches the wall in the walkway and plaster flies everywhere. I suck in a breath as my heart starts to shatter. I bend over and hold my chest; the air is being sucked from my lungs and I hate it. I can’t breathe.
“Kat.” David’s voice is soft, as his hand touches my back.
I hold up my hand to indicate for him to give me a minute.
“It’s okay, just breathe. Deep breaths sweetheart.” He coos gently.
“Thanks,” I say, in between those almost gasping breaths.
David helps me stand up straight and walks me over to a stool. He helps me onto the stool and tells me to wait there. I watch him walk around the bar and grab a glass and a bottle of Gin. Go figure. He comes back and sits next to me, putting the glass and bottle in front of me. I look at him and he opens the bottle and pours a drink before sliding the glass towards me.
“Drink,” he instructs.
I pick up the glass and take a sip before putting it back on the bar.
“Hunter is a little hot headed at times.” David says, coming to Hunter’s defence.
“You think?” I say.
“Something that you and he have in common.” David jokes and I get the impression he’s trying to play matchmaker is some fucked up kind of way. “You know, when I first saw you, I saw something special.”
I look at David and he smiles. This man warms my heart something fierce and if he wasn’t so old and vanilla, I could marry him. I put my hand on his shoulder and watch as his hand comes up to cover mind.
“I knew you were trouble when I saw that bad attitude plastered in the way you walked and talked. I thought, gee, Hunter has himself a challenge here.” David laughs. “And my god, he got one hell of a challenge. You Kat are a fucking handful.”
“Thank David, I love you too.” I giggle. David laughs a little than stops; he wipes a tear from his eye and I almost break.
“You have imprinted something good in Hunter and Arrow and I could never thank you enough for that. Those two boys have changed and while you may not see it, I do. Simon is a lost cause and I don’t think he will ever come home again.” David sheds a tear and I bring my hand up and wipe the tear with the back of my fingers.
“You love them don’t you?”
“More than anyone could ever know. Those boys are my world whether they are here or not. I hate that Simon is the way he is, but you can’t help someone who won’t help themself.” David looks up through glassy eyes when he says the last statement.
“David.” I say, partly warning his next words.
“I know who you are, Katie. And I think of you as my daughter, but know when I tell you, the guilt from your secrets will eat you alive and everything you’ve built to protect yourself and your secrets will be destroyed in a matter of seconds in the wrong hands.”
Arrow walks into the bar whistling whilst David and I have a staring match. Tears stream down my cheeks and I push them away the moment I feel one hit my chest. David reaches his hand out and takes mine in his. When he brings it to his lips and turns it over, kissing my palm, I choke.
“The world is in the palm of your hands Kat, and so is your next move.” David closed my hand into a fist storing his kiss.
I jump from the seat and go in search for Hunter. I needed to tell him the truth and I needed to do it now before I changed my mind. I ran up the stairs and towards his room. His voice drifted down the hall as I approached; he was clearly talking on the phone.
“I will be there in about half hour to pick you up,” he says, his voice rough. “And sweetheart, wear white.”
I stop just before my knuckles tap the door. I wish the floor would swallow me whole in this second. The truth I wanted to tell had left the building and fucked off with, “and sweetheart, wear white.” The chance to make things right had left, along with the happy ever after that would never come for me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I wake to Arrow yelling. When I open my eyes, his face is in mine and he’s screaming something about smoke and fire. At first I think it’s a joke and roll over ignoring his desperate attempts to get me out of bed. But when I smell it for myself I bolt upright in bed.
“Get the fuck up, Kat. There’s a fucking fire in the bar,” he yells, grabbing me in his arms and carrying me down the stairs.
The smoke is thick and as we go past the entryway to the bar, I see several fire fighters with hoses dousing the fire with water and other forms. Smoke bellows from the bar and flames can be seen up to the roof. The cool night air hits my feet when he carries me out the front door and to the footpath. He puts me on my feet and I wrap the thin sheet tighter around my body.
Hunter’s car pulls up with a screech and he and Rumbles jump out, both running straight into the palace. The fireman rush in after them screaming and shouting. I look around and see David sitting on the back of the ambulance with an oxygen mask on talking to the paramedics. I leave Arrow’s side and head over to David. He looks up when he sees me coming but turns his head back to the paramedic who starts to do his observations.
“Are you okay?” I ask, squatting down next to David.
“Fine,” he says, speaking through his mask.
“Are you okay ma’am?” the pa
ramedic asks me.
I nod my response as I place my hand on David’s for comfort. I watch as he takes slow deep breaths. He closes his eyes and leans back to rest. I look back towards the palace and see the police arrive. The first guy out of the car is someone I know a little too well and I contemplate hiding before I think better of it.
“Will you be okay for a minute, David?” I ask him.
He nods and keeps his eyes closed.
I get up and walk over towards the police car, the sound of his voice travels over the footpath. I pull the sheet tighter as I get closer; the cool chills my skin. Arrow talks to the police and as I approach, Commander turns around like he can sense me. I roll my eyes when he whistles and abandons his conversation with Arrow.
“How the fuck are you, pussy Kat?” Commander picks me up, and swings me around.
At six foot six, Commander is a huge fucker. His arms are bulky, and his body is rock solid. He’s shaved his head since last time I saw him and his blue eyes still pierce through my soul.
“It’s good to see you, boss,” I say. My body feels like it being crushed.
“Staying out of trouble?” He plants me firmly on my feet and I stumble back a little.
“Always.” I wink.
Hunter exits the palace and walks straight to Commander. They shake hands and start talking about the fire. I stand to the side next to Arrow who puts his arm around my shoulder when I shiver from the chill. I see the back of the ambulance doors close and the ambulance officer walk around the side of the car. I look to Arrow and see he notices the same thing. He rubs my shoulder, and tells me David will be okay.
“The fire was started in the bar itself. The damage isn’t as bad as it looked on first inspection, it’s now mostly water damage,” the fireman says to Commander as he writes down notes.
“Have you made any enemies lately, Hunter?” Commander asks, patting him firmly on the back.
“I know who did this, and when I find him, I will kill him.” Hunter says through gritted teeth.
“Anyone I know?” he asks Hunter.