by Michelle Amy
My heart felt like it stopped beating and then tumbled down into my stomach to hide. I blinked at him, wondering if I was hallucinating. When he failed to disappear, I concluded that my tormentor was actually here, in the flesh, grinning at me the same way he had that night that he hovered over me as I sat in a crumpled terrified heap on the kitchen floor.
“Alice,” he purred, “you’re looking as lovely as ever.” His eyes did a clean sweep of me and lingered on my cleavage. “A little too lovely for such a public place, but, that’s a quick fix.”
He leaned over my bar and reached for my hand. I recoiled from him and backed up until my lower back hit the counter behind me. “What the hell are you doing here, Chris?”
He raised a blonde eyebrow and frowned at me. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart. I wanted to see you. It took me a long time to find you. I didn’t expect you to be in such a... colourful place.” He cast his gaze around and didn’t try to hide the distaste that curled his mouth.
“You need to leave,” I muttered, hating how weak my voice sounded in my own ears.
He disregarded my request and sat down on one of the barstools in front of me. “What beer do you have on tap?
“I’m not serving you, Chris.”
“Come on, sweets, I’m all the way on this side of the bar. I just want a drink. And maybe we can catch up. Just a bit? No harm in a little chat.”
There was harm in everything he said to me. I could feel my soul trying to squeeze itself into a tiny little ball so that it could hide from his prying eyes. “No.” I said.
He bristled under my defiance. His shoulders tightened and I could see him mentally coaxing himself to keep his cool. He looked down at the bar and gripped the edge of it in his hands. As he took a slow and steady breath I heard a commotion to my right.
I afforded a glance and spotted Jack weaving through a throng of regular patrons who were all asking him about the fight the other night. He was waving them off with a polite smile as he made his way towards me.
The tension in my gut confused me. I didn’t know whether or not I felt relieved that Jack was there, or if I felt more panic stricken. My two worlds were about to collide, and the likelihood of it ending well were slim to none.
Jack shot me a childish grin as he lightly hopped up on to the stool one down from Chris, completely ignorant to the fact that the man who scared me more than anything else in the world was within arm’s reach.
Jack tapped his knuckles on the bar playfully. “The regular, woman,” he demanded with a goofy demeanour. “Don’t you know who I am? I’m practically famous here now.”
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Chris snapped, looking up from the bar.
Somehow, my soul shrank to an even smaller size.
Jack’s eyes slid from me to Chris. “It was a joke,” he said evenly.
Chris was scowling. “That’s my girl you’re talking to. You’d better-”
“I’m not your girl,” I said, the words spilling out of me before I realized I had even spoke. I clenched my jaw and lifted my chin. “I’m Jack’s girl.” I nodded at Jack, who still hadn’t taken his eyes off of Chris.
That anger I was so afraid of was building in Chris. I could see it morphing beneath his skin, turning him into a wild animal ready to explode. “Jack’s girl?” He asked, his voice low.
I nodded.
Jack looked at me for the briefest moment. He looked at the way I clutched the counter behind me, and how I had myself pressed back as far away from Chris as I could get. I knew I probably looked like a meek little mouse trying to blend in with her surroundings.
Jack returned his gaze to my ex and straightened. “You must be Chris.”
Chris blinked.
Jack nodded. “I could tell by the smell in the air. At first I thought I was imagining it. But, now I’m sure, it’s just cowardice, and it’s definitely coming from you.”
I knew Jack’s arrival would only result in disaster.
Chris stood from his stool. His fists were clenched. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Jack remained sitting. He turned lazily to face Chris. “I think I might be the guy who’s going to give you what you deserve.”
“It’s not worth it, Jack,” I muttered, trying to appease a situation that I knew I had no control over.
“Oh, it’s worth it,” Jack said, not looking at me. “It’s fate. He’s going to get what’s coming to him.” He slid off his stool.
I swallowed.
Chris rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. People were starting to turn and stare. Jack’s name was on every pair of lips, and people were nudging each other to get their attention and direct it to the two men who were preparing for a brawl.
Chris let out a bellow of rage and rushed forwards. Jack met him by dropping his shoulder, and the two of them collided with more force than I expected. It wasn’t the same as the fight the other week. This one was vicious, and the two of them were not holding back.
It only took moments for Jack to have Chris’s neck wrapped under his arm. His other fist engaged in a succession of three quick punches to the nose. Blood covered Chris’ face, and he tried to pry himself free.
Jack wasn’t letting go. He hooked one leg behind Chris’ and used it as leverage to knock him on his back. Chris fell with a solid thump and remained on his back, blinking up at the ceiling.
Jack dropped down on top of him and gathered the front of Chris’s shirt in both fists. “If you ever come near her again, I will destroy you. Do you understand me?” Jack’s voice was steady, and the promise in his threat made my skin crawl.
Chris was snarling up at him, refusing to submit. So Jack struck him again. When Chris still refused to back down Jack buried his knee in his gut. “You can play tough guy all you want,” Jack growled, “but we both know that you’re no match for me. Now, tuck your tail between your legs and get the fuck out of here. And don’t come back.”
Chris’ lips peeled off his teeth in a defiant snarl. “Fuck you.”
And then they were at it again. I watched in horror as Chris managed to get out from under Jack by kneeing him in the gut. The two both tumbled to their sides and then scrambled to gain their footing, but Chris ended up with the upper hand.
He sent Jack reeling with a blow to jaw. Jack braced himself on the bar and turned back to face Chris, who was already surging forward with his arms outstretched. His fingers wrapped around Jack’s throat and I saw him begin to squeeze. As his grip tightened, he let loose a manic laugh that shook my bones.
He wasn’t releasing Jack, whose face was turning red as he tried to reach for Chris’ eyeballs. I screamed for Chris to let go. It was like talking to a wall. He ignored me. I wondered dimly where the bouncers were.
Jack didn’t have much time to waste waiting for them. I watched in horror as Jack lost his footing and slipped. Chris hauled him back up to his feet and never loosened his chokehold.
I braced myself on the bar and hopped over. I pushed my way between an on looking group of men. One of them reached out to try to grab my arm and pull me back. I knew he had good intentions. He didn’t want me getting into the fray of the two battling men. I yanked my arm out of his grip and rushed forwards.
I pounded my fists on Chris’ back. “Let him go!” I cried, my voice cracking as I desperately pleaded for him to release Jack, who I couldn’t see anymore. He was hidden behind Chris’ bulk.
My ex ignored me. “Christopher!” I hooked my arm around his and tried to force him back a couple steps.
He let out an angry growl, wrenched his arm free, and then shoved me backwards. My hip bashed into a nearby table, sending glasses of beer cascading down to the ground. I let out a startled yelp and winced when I struck the table.
Then there was an explosion of sound that vibrated the air around me.
Chapter Fifteen
Jack was loose. He somehow managed to break free from Chris’ grasp, and he was overrun with rage. I could see it in his eyes and the
hard line of his mouth. He was ready for battle, and he was going to win.
Jack wasn’t fighting clean anymore. His boot smashed into Chris’ groin. Chris let out a howl of agony and the whole bar seemed to recoil in pain for him. Jack wrapped his fingers in the back of Chris’ shirt and hauled him forwards until his head slammed into the wall of the bar.
Chris landed in a dazed tangle of his own limbs on the floor. Jack kneed him in the face and kicked him in the ribs. Then he braced himself on the bar and went to kick him again.
Jack paused with his leg in the air behind him. Chris was cowering at his feet. Jack looked over his shoulder at me. There were bright red marks on his neck from Chris’ hands. He turned back to Chris and I could feel the tension in the air. I knew Jack wanted to keep going. He wanted to make Chris suffer more, and part of me wanted the same thing.
But I didn’t want it at this cost.
Jack lowered his leg and pushed himself off the bar. He turned away from my ex, who was still a pathetic crumpled bloody heap on the floor, and came to my side. His fingers gently touched my hip that had struck the table. “You alright?”
“It was nothing,” I said. “Just a bruise.”
His jaw hardened and his eyes lowered. “Let’s get you out of here.”
I nodded and fought off the welling of tears in my eyes. Jack wrapped an arm around my shoulders and let me bury my face in his chest as I started to cry. He held me tightly and brought me outside, where he loaded me into his car.
“He’s not going to bother you anymore,” Jack said when he got into the driver’s seat. “This is all behind you now. You’re safe. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
I shook my head. “How did he find me?” I managed between shaky breaths.
“I don’t know.”
I pressed my face into my palms. Jack grabbed my wrists and pulled my hands down. “Don’t let him do this to you, Alice. You’re safe. You’re with me. I’m going to watch out for you. Don’t let him control you with this fear anymore.”
“I can’t just turn it off,” I said.
“I know you can’t.”
“Then don’t act like I can.”
Jack released my wrists and I turned away from him, using my arm as a pillow against the passenger door. As he drove me home I resisted the overwhelming urge to vomit. My body was rattled. I was shaking and I wanted to be sick. I was cold and sweaty. All I wanted was to be alone.
When Jack dropped me off at home he offered to come in and spend the night. I reluctantly agreed and the two of us slipped into the apartment as quietly as we could to avoid waking Brooke.
Jack watched me wash off my makeup and brush my teeth out of the corner of his eye. I could feel concern emanating off of him with every movement he made. His hands constantly touched me when they didn’t need to. He grazed my lower back with his fingertips and touched my bare shoulders. He gave me small kisses when he saw my eyes get glassy again.
When we curled up in bed Jack turned me to face him. He put a finger under my chin and tilted my face up to his. “I didn’t mean to imply that you could turn it all off,” he said, “I didn’t phrase it right. What I meant to say is that you are a strong woman. You don’t need to be afraid of him because he doesn’t own you. You own you.”
I tried not to cry again.
“You stepped in to fight him on your own tonight, Alice. Don’t you think that means something?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Would you have ever done something like that when you were with him? Intervened in a fight like that?”
I shook my head.
“Exactly. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. He took a lot from you. You got away from him, and you got everything back that was yours. Don’t let him take it back so easily. You fought him. You weren’t afraid for those moments.”
“Because he was hurting you.”
“Because you had something to fight for. You should fight for yourself just as hard.” He wiped my tears away with his thumb and kissed my forehead. “Thank you for trying to help me.”
“It didn’t do much good,” I sulked.
“It would have gone differently if you didn’t get involved. He had me beat.” I could hear in his voice that he didn’t like to admit it.
I snuggled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. “I couldn’t let you have all the fun,” I muttered, breathing in his cologne and listening to his even breathing.
He chuckled. “Thatta girl.”
Chapter Sixteen
In the morning Jack helped me fill Brooke in on everything that had transpired the previous evening. She listened with her mouth hanging open in horror and her eyes constantly darted from me to Jack.
“Are you okay?” She asked when we had filled her in on all the details.
I nodded. “I think so.”
“So it was him the other day.”
I nodded, and then had to explain to Jack that I had thought I saw him before our date the other night when we were leaving the Red Rose. “I thought my mind was playing tricks on me.”
“You should probably call the police and let them know he’s followed you here and broken his restraining order. You have a lot of witnesses at work who can vouch for it,” Jack said.
I nodded. “I’ll call on my break this evening after I talk to everyone. Claire was there, she probably saw. She would give them a statement.”
Jack rubbed my back. “You could probably miss your shift tonight. Max would understand. We could watch a movie or something?”
Brooke cleared her throat and crossed her arms.
“When I say we I mean all three of us,” Jack hurried to clarify under her stone cold stare.
Brooke nodded her approval and smiled. “Yeah. Stay home. We can make an evening out of it.”
“I appreciate it, you guys, really I do. But I need to go back. I can’t let him scare me out of going to work. I can handle it.”
Jack’s smile was wide and white and made my heart soar. He kissed me with warm lips and eager hands. “A girl after my own heart.”
I couldn’t help but grin back. When I showered him with kisses of my own Brooke excused herself with an exaggerated sigh. “You two love birds enjoy the rest of your afternoon. I’ll just be in my room, alone, as usual.”
We let her leave and soon after took our kisses into my bedroom.
Chapter Seventeen
The Red Rose was busy that night. It seemed like everyone was out to celebrate something. There were a lot of bridal parties and birthday parties swimming around my bar, and I indulged them all in some flair bartending. I poured shots of tequila into a guy’s mouth when I knew none of my coworkers were watching. I did a lemon drop shot with a twenty year old girl who was getting married in the morning. I maid doubles for people who only paid for singles.
I felt powerful being back at work. I had chosen not to let Chris manipulate my decisions, and being back here so shortly after he had shown his face proved to me that I was getting stronger. Jack had been right. I could handle myself. I was a strong woman and I refused to let someone as wicked and ignorant as Chris control my decisions.
Claire and Max had both seen the altercation the previous evening and both agreed to give the police their statements if I called it in. Max was particularly insistent that I report Chris’ clear violation of the restraining order. He handed me the bar phone.
“There is no reason to dilly dally,” he said, “call them. Your ex can’t think he got away with it. The cops should be knocking on his door right away.
I took the phone and thanked Max. He waved over his shoulder as he made his way out to the front of the bar and to his office through the kitchens.
I started dialing the non emergency number for the police, but was distracted when someone spoke my name.
The hair on the back of my neck and my arms stood up and I spilled the rye over the side of the cup. I looked up and my eyes fell on him.
Tall. Blon
de hair. Square jaw. Muscled arms concealed by a denim jacket. Brown eyes. His nose was crooked and I knew Jack had broken it last night. His jaw was bruised and there was a cut in his hairline from when Jack had slammed his head into the bar.
Chris.
My heart tumbled down into my stomach and I scrambled to hand off the rye and ginger to the teenager in front of me. Chris budged in front of the girl who was next in line and ignored her as she tried to tell him to get to the back of the line. He leaned over the bar until he was close enough that he could reach beneath the bar. “Nice to see you without your guard dog, sweets.”
I took an uneasy step backwards. My tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth and my brain had come to an abrupt stop in my skull. I had no idea what to do.
“Let’s get out of here, baby. Come on.” He tilted his head to the exit.
No words came. I just stood there like a deer in the headlights staring at him and trying to fight the rising terror that was clawing at my insides.
“I’m not asking you again,” he said, his voice hardening and his eyes narrowing on me. “You think you can just walk out on me like that? Get your ass over here. We’re leaving.”
My feet started moving despite my internal protest. I screamed at myself to stop. To not go with him. But my feet and my legs had other intentions. I came out from behind the bar and he wrapped his fingers around my upper arm. He pulled me out of the crowd and I felt the eyes of some of my regulars on me. Someone hollered after me, and Chris picked up his pace, weaving around drunken dancers on the dance floor.
My eyes looked for my manager. Max was usually doing the rounds with the bouncers around this time. If he saw me he’d stop us. He’d help me. But I couldn’t see him anywhere. The place was too busy and there were too many bodies blocking my view.
He took my out the emergency exit around the back of the bar where employees went to have a smoke break. I had been hoping someone would be out there, but we were alone. He dragged me through the parking lot and as we got closer to his car that terror in my stomach morphed into panic and I tried to stop walking.