Alisa: Rough night of drinking and partying?
Mick: No parties. Not my thing.
Alisa: So, being the big bad wolf at the bar wasn’t normal?
Mick: Only with you. Do you want to go to dinner and celebrate your news?
I chewed on my lip wondering what he’d meant. I suspected he could be a wolf with any woman, not just me.
Dinner I could probably do, though. If I could manage changing when I got home and leaving without having to answer any questions about where I was going.
Yet another reason why I needed to move out. Nothing remained private there. The expectation to live like a prisoner in that house with occasional parole if your outings involved family, was like a life sentence. If they knew about Monica, that would probably be looked down upon, but since she was family they might not care.
It felt like, even at twenty-four years of age, I was still having to bend to their rules, cater to their whims and live life according to their terms.
I should have never moved back. That was the truth. But I was here now, and surprisingly, a small part of me was glad, simply because I’d met an intriguing, but strangely dark man at a bar.
Alisa: I’d like that. What time, where? I’ll see if I can.
Mick: Just do it. Downtown. There’s an Italian place called Lucianos. Seven.
Alisa: I might meet you there at seven then.
Mick: You will.
I shoved my phone in my purse and wondered what tonight might be like. I could almost imagine the smug smile he had on his face right now, knowing I’d meet him. Which again led to dirty thoughts of him in bed, being bossy while he texted me, and chuckling with that deep masculine voice of his.
Somewhere in the back of mind I pictured it all going well at dinner. But he was probably going to warn me off again, or at least attempt to. Then again, with Mick, he might suggest something lewd. The thought made me smirk with the possibilities.
Chapter Five
Mick
I was ten minutes early to the restaurant, not knowing if she was going to make it or not. I hadn’t received a text indicating that she wasn’t going to show, but she was probably busy.
She was surprising. I’d tried to back off from her after my appointment three days ago. I’d hoped that she wouldn’t show up Saturday night. I thought that maybe if I didn’t text back, she’d move on and forget about everything. A girl like Alisa could find another man easily.
The problem was, it cost me. Although it was probably better for her, it ripped me up in a way that I hadn’t felt before. It was strange because I didn’t know her. Not really. I knew things about her based on a buzzed moment between the two of us, but not the details that most people should know. Details were important and bound people together from my own experience. So, I questioned why she affected me for three days and nights, burrowing into me, making me want to see her again. Something was there but I didn’t know what it was.
I had a good day with my brother after the appointment, as short as it was. Met with his new employer, congratulated both of them and talked with Alex for a moment or two. He seemed decent enough. I couldn’t find a good reason to dislike him. Although he didn’t do it in front of us, he had an addiction to putting pens in his mouth when he was typing, maybe even when he was reading. Whatever the case, I could see the indentations of teeth marks on the ones on his desk. I suspected that he was an ex-smoker or liked to smoke, but hid it at work.
Jack was still a wildcard to me. Last name Hunter according to his certificate. He’d been less jazzed than Mason at lunch, but still excited. It was in his eyes and the smile that occasionally appeared.
While Mason showed his happiness by pounding me on the back and grinning, Jack seemed reserved and extremely professional. For someone who had some very questionable tattoos so visibly on display it was contradictory to what I assumed. He was closed off, observant and struck me as someone who was constantly looking for the “catch” if something good happened. Mason had slapped his license several times, talking eagerly, while Jack had reverently looked at it and kept it in his unmoving palm.
Afterward, I’d done exactly what I’d planned on doing. Bought two bottles of whiskey at the store, drove home, and after a quick workout, drank myself into oblivion. And yet, the nightmares were still there.
I thought about texting her the next day while staring at her last message and feeling like hammered shit. Concluded that I was a fucking mess she didn’t need in her life, and drank again. It didn’t take away the waking nightmare of someone taking advantage of her, touching her, kissing her soft lips and tasting her.
I wanted that someone to be me. Even with the darkness constantly threatening to spill over every day. Why hadn’t she run that night? Why had she stayed? It was a thought that still plagued me.
I was greeted by a hostess that led me to a private booth at the back. Lucianos screamed stereotypical Italian, which was why it was considered a nice place to eat in Kingston. Although a little dramatic with the wine country murals, extremely low lighting, candles and semi-private seating in high-back booths. I knew it was the type of place that a woman might enjoy on a date, even if the place was ridiculously contrived.
Loosening my tie, I wondered if I was a bit overdressed for just a small date. It felt like a noose around my neck due to not wearing one these last few months. I’d dug out a nice shirt from one of my boxes earlier, and put on some slacks. I hadn’t shaved, but trimmed the stubble on my face. When I’d walked out of my bedroom, Mason’s shit eating grin said it all. I’d cleaned up for her somewhat compared to my regular go-to of jeans and shirt.
The waitress handed me a menu and I ordered a whiskey. The candlelight barely gave off enough light to read, but I preferred it over the harsh glare in other restaurants.
Fifteen minutes and another drink later, she walked in and looked around. Her blonde hair was pulled back on the sides, showcasing her long neck. She was dressed casually, black pencil skirt and a cream blouse. Nothing fancy and definitely not the revealing number she’d worn over the weekend. Her makeup was minimal, but she was beautiful enough not to need it on any given day. Her gaze landed on me, and a light pink blush graced her cheeks. She was fucking adorable, a refreshing contradiction to the women I usually associated with.
When she slid stiffly into the seat across from me, she gave me a nervous smile.
I shook my head. “Where is your seat at?”
She blinked at me, confused for a moment then her eyes slid down my chest.
“I can’t sit in your lap in the middle of a restaurant, Mick,” she replied.
I smirked, pleased that she’d caught my reference. “Well, you could but it would make eating a little difficult. So, we’ll have to settle for you sitting beside me.”
She let out a small laugh. “Oh, okay. If you want.”
I nodded as she stood up and came around the table. Guiding her hip, telling myself that I was only helping and not burning to touch her, I eased her into the booth.
She gave me a slight sideways glance. “Hi. Sorry I’m late.”
“That’s okay. We all get busy. You look beautiful.”
She glanced down at her clothes. “Sorry, if I’d known you were going to dress up I would have put on something different, but I was in a rush.”
I leaned over to her ear, which she gently tilted up. I could smell the soap on her skin and the delicate floral scent of her perfume.
“I’m going commando under the slacks, so I didn’t dress up completely.”
She giggled and pressed the back of her hand against her mouth. “You didn’t.”
“If you want to confirm, you can slide your hand into my lap.”
Her giggling increased and she shook her head. “I think I’ll keep my hands above the table and take your word for it.”
I chuckled at her embarrassment. It was obvious by her darting eyes, trying to look at anything but me.
“Good girl,” I said as I gave her a sm
all kiss on her temple.
“You say that like you don’t want me to, but you put it out there anyway.”
I breathed against the side of her neck and she shivered. “The choice is always yours, Alisa. Would you like me to give you more choices to choose from while your hand is down there? I can think of half a dozen things that I’d like you to do, if you want.”
“Like?” she whispered.
I chuckled. “Like unbuttoning my slacks and having those delicate fingers of yours slide along my cock. Like putting it in your palm and stroking slowly while we pretend we’re just having dinner in front of all these people.”
“Oh,” she responded on a shaky breath. “You’d want that?”
“Of course. You’re a good girl because you’re making us both behave.”
“I guess I’m kind of a bore.”
I gently took hold of her chin and tilted until she was looking up at me. “Never.”
Leaning down, I gave her a gentle kiss that I wanted to deepen, wanted everyone that might be looking to see. Instead, I tasted just enough of her to have my already hardening dick twitch and regretted it immediately when I resisted the urge to continue.
Letting go of her chin I asked, “Have you been here before?”
She shook her head. “No. I always wanted to see what it was like inside, though. It’s been here a while I guess.”
“Do you like it?” I asked, wondering if my choice in places to meet had been correct.
She angled her head to stare up at me. “Yes, of course. But we didn’t have to do anything fancy. I would have been just as happy with a burger. As long as you were there.”
It was my turn to blink at her in confusion as she studied the menu in front of her. As I stared at her, I noted the delicateness of her nose and curve of her cheek. She was too damn good to be here with me. And I was terrified to walk away.
“Do you know what you want?” she asked after a moment.
I wanted her in whatever fucking way I could have her.
“Yeah,” I said, as I motioned the waitress over.
We ordered, she sipped her wine and we sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.
Moving her hair off her neck, I asked, “So where is your new place? Have you started moving?”
She chewed on her lip for a moment. “Well, I know where. It’ll be over on Rose Street and Hunsley. Do you know the apartments there?”
I nodded, thinking of the area. Decent neighborhood, not too seedy but not too high-end. Middle-class, close to a park and only a ten-minute drive to downtown.
She described the people that lived in the building from a visit she’d had on Monday. According to the apartment manager, mostly young couples and some college age kids. Then she went on to listing the amenities. The words, gym and pool, didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want anyone to see her in anything but a fucking coat and three layers of jeans.
“First floor, second floor, how many bedrooms?”
“Well, I haven’t seen it yet. I think it’s two bedrooms.”
I frowned, but my question was interrupted by the delivery of our food. She’d ordered fettucine and I’d ordered lasagna. We both took a moment eating, and oddly, shared some of our meal. It was the first time I’d ever let someone feed me, but I enjoyed watching my fork slip past her kissable lips to taste my food. Her tongue slid across her lip as she watched me and chewed.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was trying to tease me with a view like that. It was hard enough not to study the curve of her shirt over her ample breasts, or the tightness of her skirt over her hips. And such a simple involuntary gesture like licking her lip nearly had me dragging her to the car.
I was going to be walking around in a constant state of full erection and ball of nerves if we continued to see each other. Which I was slowly accepting might not even be a choice for me. She had something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but I needed desperately. The realization of that crept up on me the longer I spent time with her.
Adjusting in my seat, I asked, “So you haven’t seen the floor you’re on? Is that what you meant?”
“Well,” she said as she avoided my eyes. “The deposits are paid as of today. And I did see a layout but not which one. I told Melanie just to pick one…”
Her eyes got round when I scowled down at her. “Who’s Melanie?”
“Uhm, my brother’s secretary. I couldn’t afford to move right now, but he offered to pay for some of it as a loan because I need out of the house. It’s a loan, though, I’m going to pay him back. Please don’t think badly of me.”
I shook my head but felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff wondering what was going on at her home. It wasn’t the first time she’d said something. What home? Where? With whom? A million different answers flooded through my brain and they were all ones that pissed me off.
I grabbed her arm and turned her so that she was squarely facing me. If she lied to me I wanted to see it in her face, not guess as she looked at anything else but me. “I’m just wondering. Are you living with a boyfriend? Husband? Is that what this is about?”
“No, no,” she said quickly. “I’m at my parent’s house. I told you I just moved back here. Last weekend Monica took me out for a welcome home thing. I’ve been back a week.”
The tightness in my chest eased somewhat and I realized I was squeezing her arms too tight.
I loosened my grasp but didn't release her. “What’s going on, Alisa? No one just fucking pays for an apartment without looking at it. Do you even have furniture?”
“No. I’ll figure it out. I’ll get a blowup mattress or something. I have some money, I can get a few things when I move in.”
“That didn’t fully answer the question,” I growled.
“Please, Mick. Can we just forget I said anything?”
Her blue eyes pleaded with me as they began to fill with tears. They were truthful, and she hadn’t lied, but there was something she was holding back. This wasn’t the place to pressure her, though.
“Let’s go,” I said as I threw some money on the table. “We’ll talk somewhere else.”
When she turned to slide out of the booth I noticed a red spot on her back.
“Wait,” I said as I grabbed her hip. The red spot wasn’t from the food we’d eaten earlier. It would have been a smudge that clung to the fabric. This coated the back of her shirt near her shoulder blade.
“What the fuck is this?”
“What?” she asked as she twisted back in her seat.
I gently pressed on it and she gasped. Blood. Pure and simple. A wound. It made sense why she’d stiffly sat down earlier.
“Get up. Walk in front of me. When we get to the door make a right. We’re going to my car.”
“Mick…” she began, her eyes pleading with me not to ask.
Had she simply said it was from yard work or given me some story, I might have let it go. But that look said everything. Whatever happened, it was from some sort of trouble and that I couldn’t tolerate.
“Don’t think about it. Just do it.”
She did as she was told until we got outside. Then tried to walk away from me.
When I grabbed her arm, she started crying. I hauled her across the parking lot, feeling every bit like an insane bastard, but I needed to know. Needed my questions answered and had to see the fucking wound.
I unlocked the doors on the car and put her in my vehicle as she cried in earnest. I felt locked down, suddenly numb and focused on one thing. What the fuck happened to her?
When I climbed in the car I started unbuttoning her blouse. “I’m sorry, I need to see.”
She nodded and didn’t make a move to stop me. The freed buttons revealed the undershirt she had on, and at any other time, I would have been pleased to find the lace against her skin.
Maneuvering her, I slid the blouse down her shoulder, the thin strap of her lacy undershirt following. There was a patch of gauze that looked like
it’d been hastily taped to her back, the area red with irritation.
Looking at her back in the low light of the street lamp, I inspected the injury closer. This wasn’t the first wound she’d received. There were a few older scars that had healed so well that to the normal viewer, they wouldn’t have looked out of place.
Peeling back the tape, I stared at a puncture mark that was smaller than a pea. It was deep enough that it bled profusely without the gauze holding it, but not so big that it wouldn’t heal quickly. The area around it was red and irritated. It appeared to be a welt of some sort, but what caused it, I couldn’t guess.
“Who did this to you?” I growled between my clenched teeth.
Taping up the wound again, I eased her shirt back over her shoulder. She sat crying for a moment before I pulled her back against my chest gently. The blood would be on both of us, but I couldn’t stand hearing her pain.
I’d dealt with violence and pain for years. It wasn’t something new to me and wasn’t the first time I’d heard it from someone. But, not in my life, had I ever heard the wail of a victim or the cries of a family member that affected me like this. I’d learned how to shut it out, control the volume and leave it behind. But hearing this sweet girl cry, wrecked me in ways that I didn’t really understand.
“Alisa,” I whispered. “It’s okay. Baby, please don’t cry.”
I smoothed her hair back from her neck and planted kisses along her tear stained cheeks. I held her there for the longest time. Whispering to her, that things would be alright, until she calmed, and her breathing became steady again.
Moving the hair off her face, I kissed along her cheek again, determined to fix this with something. Although I couldn’t remember the last time I’d showed it, the only thing I had now was my tenderness.
“If you don’t want to answer me, it’s your choice, but I do need to know a couple of simple things.”
Mick: Kingston Corruption, Book One Page 6