He took a small step toward me and gently cupped my chin, bringing my gaze back to him. My heart skipped a beat and felt like it might leap out of my chest at the warmth of his hand. “If you ever need anything, even a shoulder, I’m here. Always.” The caring sincerity in his voice showed me that he really meant it.
He slowly took his hand away from my chin. I swallowed wishing he would touch me again. “Thank you,” was all I could manage to whisper.
I turned to leave, hoping to break some sort spell he had me under. “I better get back out there. It sounds like it’s getting busy.”
“Good luck out there,” he called out as I reached for the door handle.
“Thanks.” Was all I could manage to say, a bit too breathy, before I tried the door handle. I fumbled and for some reason it wouldn’t turn. As I continued to struggle with the handle, I felt the heat from his body as he came closer. A surge of excitement shot through my body. When the warmth of his hand covered mine to help me turn the handle, my heart almost leaped out of my chest from his touch. I glanced quickly to see him smile. I smiled back feeling ridiculous for having trouble just opening a door.
“Like I said, if you ever need anything…” He chuckled. “Let me know.”
The night seemed to fly by. Mark and Sandy were fun and quick witted. Their easygoing banter made it enjoyable to work there. I managed to help out with all the beer orders and stay out of their way. All the waitresses were fun and carefree. I was relieved that there wasn’t any catty weirdness among the staff. The patrons were great too. It was fun to watch everyone trying to hook up just like the college crowd I used to watch. I didn’t have too many obnoxious guys. Just a couple that lingered too long on my chest area—not that I could blame them since the “uniform” gave a pretty good peek at my chest.
Flynn and Melanie stopped by for some drinks. They seemed to have fun dancing with each other and played some pool. I was still trying to figure out their relationship. It seemed like they were into each other, but they were more friendly with a little playful flirting. Z came out and sat at the bar with them joking around. He seemed to be watching me to make sure I didn’t over pour my beers or waste any. He had an acute eye on me most of the time, which made me feel self-conscience. I tried to fluff it off that maybe he was trying to decide if I fit in with the rest of the staff.
Before I knew it, the night was over and we were closing up. We were all joking around while washing the glasses and putting them away and wiping up. Flynn and Melanie hung out with us as we cleaned, both a bit tipsy, Flynn more so than Melanie. He seemed to keep eyeing and touching her a little more than a friend would; more than Brad or Mack ever would have, that’s for sure. With everything all cleaned up, it was time to leave.
The others seemed to have scattered and I was alone with Z at the bar. He smiled at me and asked, “So, how did you like your first night here?”
“I loved it,” I exclaimed, smiling bright. And I really did mean it.
He reached out, touching my arm and squeezed gently. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. We’ll see you on Tuesday then?” I barely heard his question concentrating on the touch of his hand that shot warmth through my body. I tried not to blush though I was positive I failed miserably.
I swallowed hard and choked out, “Absolutely.” His gaze was so strong; I immediately cast my eyes down. There was no way I could have any composure around him.
A sound of someone making a quick clap spurred me from my fog. My head turned to watch Clark walk down the back hallway with what looked like lipstick on his neck.
Clark swung his arm around me, giving me a sexy smile. “Ready to get out of here and go home?” For whatever reason, I peeked at Z. The murderous glare he had for Clark made me want to laugh.
Melanie scoffed at Clark. “Get your paws off her, you dog. You have lipstick all over yourself.”
He removed his arm from my shoulders and wiped at his face. “Do I?” He chuckled again and waggled his brows. He shrugged when he examined his lipstick stained fingers. “Let’s get going.”
“What no one agreed to come home with you?” Flynn asked laughing.
“She didn’t need to come home with me, I gave it to her good in the bathroom.” As if he remembered his boss stood next to him, he shrugged. “It was on my break.”
And with that, we called it a night.
Although I was really tired from my exhaustive day, I tossed and turned in my bed. I kept thinking about him and our whole relationship. How we met and how sweet he was to me in the beginning. His strong, domineering personality had drawn me to him. The way he was able to command attention with just his presence in a room was incredibly attractive. He did the same with me. He was so strong and took possession of my mind and body so quickly, but I loved it. I felt I needed it. His strength turned me on. Even how he controlled little things I did, seemed exciting and addictive. Maybe it was more that he cared so much about everything that I did. No one else had ever done that.
Does he miss me? I was with him for so long, I couldn’t help but miss him. I missed the smirks he would give me if I spoke out of turn. I never knew if those cute smirks were because he liked what I said or because he was thinking of a punishment for me.
The good punishments were fun and exciting. Our incredible sexual nights were filled with the most intense pleasure that were beyond my wildest dreams. Some were romantic and sweet. Others were filled with animalistic, primal force. He would spank me in the most sexually intimate way and want to please me in every way possible. If it were a really good punishment, he would make me come endlessly throughout the night—on command, of course. I could never come without him telling me to. Just thinking of those made my heart beat faster. I loved those nights. I tried to think of when they seemed to stop.
Had he gotten bored with me? Is that why the bad punishments started? It seemed like they increased during the past several months. Why couldn’t it stay the same as in the beginning? He seemed so caring back then; I missed that.
Then I started thinking of the bad punishments, the nights he claimed he was teaching me “life lessons.” Those were the horrible nights, which I only experienced a couple of those during the first year. Some nights they felt like an eternity. Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered those nights. Kneeling naked in the middle of his bed, blindfolded, he would make me wait…and wait. Always wondering if it was a good punishment or a bad one, although I think deep down, I knew. And then he would come in and use my body any way he wanted—for his pleasure only. Always taking me to the brink, but never letting me climax.
The worst were in the chains. That’s what I called them anyway. He would shackle my hands and feet, standing as if making an X, and then spank, paddle and whip me as he pleased. He knew I feared those nights the worst. The threats were always there. He had started doing those just recently and I couldn’t understand why. I had tried over and over again to comply with his wishes.
I had a safe word, of course—Como. I decided I wanted that name as my safe word because it reminded me of the wonderful times we had at his vacation villa in Lake Como. I had it in my mind that using a word reminding me of such a good time would bring me instant relief if I needed it. I had never used it although there were many times I had wanted to.
And then, there was that last night. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he removed my blindfold allowing me to see what I had done.
I let the tears fall thinking of that night. I started crying, but then heard Flynn yell from downstairs, “The fucking bitch! I knew it, Z! I told you she was a cheating whore.”
I sat up wiping my eyes and tried to hear more. He said a couple of things more to him that I couldn’t make out and then the front door slammed closed.
I guess Melanie was right about Z’s girlfriend.
CHAPTER FOUR
Z
MY HEAD WAS POUNDING. I tried to open my eyes slowly, but the room kept spinning. What the hell happened? Oh yeah…fucking whore. I
attempted to sit up but couldn’t. I felt like shit. I felt the bile coming up my throat and ran to the bathroom. I made it just in time. I heaved several times and sat there on the floor for a while. I put my head against the cold tub. It was instant relief and I didn’t want to ever move from this spot.
I tried to remember what happened. After closing the bar, I had walked up my front stairs to my door and I could have sworn I heard moaning. I opened the front door and there was Sheila bent over my couch taking it from behind from some asshole. It took me a second to register what the fuck was happening. It was all in slow motion. Reliving it in my mind, I got sick again.
I remembered grabbing him and beating the shit out of him. Sheila was grabbing me trying to get me to leave him alone. I threw him out the front door and turned to her. She was pissed. Why the fuck was she pissed at me? She was the one cheating on me.
She had yelled at me that I was always at the club and never gave her any attention. I still don’t get that. It’s not like I didn’t try to spend time with her, but she was always busy making plans with her friends. I thought having her move in with me would bring us closer. Wrong.
My phone was rang out somewhere in the distance. Where was that sound coming from? Shit. It kept ringing. I wished it would stop and realized it was in the living room somewhere. I stood up slowly and walked out. It stopped by the time I reached for it. Ten missed calls. Four from Sheila. Fuck her. The other calls were from Flynn, Mel and my brother, Matt.
The sound of the front door flying open jerked my attention from my phone. Relief swept over me as Mel and Clark strolled in.
“Second shift is here,” Mel chimed. She came over to hug me, but I put a hand up and ran back to the bathroom.
“Flynn said you were pretty messed up. He said he made sure you were still breathing when he came home for a shower and to get some sleep,” she called out from the living room. “I think we need a trip to Rita’s for the hangover cure.” I heaved some more wishing I had eaten something during my binge.
“Maybe we’ll wait just a little bit,” Mel called out.
Clark started laughing. “Holy shit. Look at this place. What’d you do, start punching the walls or something? What was wrong with the pictures?” I heard Mel saying something to Clark and he said, “Ah, right, bitch bought all that shit.”
Mel came in with a glass of water and two Advil, handing them to me. All I could do was just sit there staring at the wall. “When are you going to fix the kitchen faucet? I almost got soaked again.” I ignored her.
“Why Mel? What the hell did I do to her?” I whined like a pussy as she slumped to the floor next to me.
She rubbed my back as she tried to reason with me. “You knew she was wrong for you to begin with. You even said that. Why were you even trying to make it work?”
I closed my eyes. “I don’t know. I thought I could make it work. Uhh, I just want what my parents have.” She patted my shoulder and stood.
“That shit only happens with the right girl. And that girl…was not the right girl. You’ll find her Z. Shit—you have a bar full of them coming in nightly,” Mel said and then laughed.
Clark’s body filled the door frame. “What is wrong with you that you keep wanting relationships? They’re bullshit. You just wind up following a chick around like a damn puppy dog. And the sex? That shit goes down after a couple months.”
I winced when he said “sex” although he did have a point. Sheila and I hadn’t had sex in a long time, only to come home finding her having sex with someone else on my couch.
“You’ll get over her. I promise. Just like…” She snapped her fingers. “What was her name?” Mel asked glancing up at Clark.
He smirked. “Marie. She was just an idiot.”
“Can we stop bashing my choices in women just for now, please? At least ‘til my hangover dies down,” I choked out.
Mel got up and walked over to the living room. I heard her start to clean. “Holy shit. How many bottles did you guys go through?” I had no idea. I knew I was pounding them to try to get the vision of Sheila bent over, taking it from behind from some dickwad, out of my head. Then we started on hard liquor when we ran out of beer. I didn’t bother responding to her.
“Come on. Are you done hacking it all up for now? Let’s hit Rita’s,” Mel said as she pulled on my arm. “Fresh air will do you some good anyway.”
We started walking to the door. All I could see was the huge mess I made. All her shit was still here. What the fuck was I going to do with all her crap? I’d have to see her again.
Mel noticed my inspection of the room. “We’ll come back and throw her crap out on the lawn when we get back.” I nodded, thinking the sooner we get it out the better.
The walk to Rita’s was tough. I think I puked again on the way but couldn’t really remember. We finally made it there and took our usual table by the window.
Flynn walked in looking like I felt and sat down at the table. A round of hangover specials were ordered for the table and we sat there in silence for awhile.
Flynn started up. “So, how ya feeling now that all your questions have been answered?”
I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands. “Fuck. I guess it was going to happen, right? Who the hell can deal with me being at the club all the time?”
“It’s not that Z. You just need the right girl to put up with a club owner, that’s all,” Mel said. She had way too much cheer in her voice and I decided I liked her better when she’s hung over too.
Flynn clapped my shoulder. “Nah, that’s not it. You just need someone who has your same interests. Sheila did not have your same interests.”
“Not to mention, she was just a bitch. Hot, but really a mean bitch,” Clark added in.
I was just glad the food and Bloody Mary showed up. The Bloody Mary hit the spot just right.
I looked up out the window and noticed a hot chick running in a tiny bra top and little shorts. She looked familiar. Her hair was up in a ponytail swinging from side to side. Holy shit, she was hot. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Mel noticed me looking, followed my stare and exclaimed, “Hey, there’s Izzy!”
“Izzy? My new bartender Izzy?” I asked.
Mel started laughing. “Yes, my hungover friend.”
“Man, she is so freaking hot,” Clark said looking out the window watching her until she was out of sight.
Shit, he was right. She’s really gorgeous. My mind wandered back to just yesterday and how I couldn’t stop thinking about her even when I had a girlfriend. Guess that’s not an issue at all now. I couldn’t help but smile at that thought.
“Off limits, remember? She’s got stuff to work out, Superman.” Mel said laughing at him. I felt a bit jealous that he was even talking about her. The guy seriously couldn’t keep it in his pants. How he does not have a disease by now was beyond me.
My foggy brain tried to remember what her deal was. I cringed when I remembered all her mannerisms when I had asked about her ex. He had to be a psycho.
“She seemed like she picked up pretty well last night at the bar,” Flynn said.
“Yeah, but she was just serving beers. Tuesday I’ll have her start mixing drinks.” I said, trying to keep my thoughts about her as business-y as possible. At least she was keeping my thoughts away from my…well, my ex.
We chatted about different things to keep the conversation going. Well, they kept the conversation going. I mostly listened, trying not to think about…that whore. My attention turned back to the conversation when Flynn asked Mel and Clark if they’re going to the block party at our parents’ house in two weeks.
“Nah, I’m out. Last time I went there I had to hold babies and be nice to little kids. Not my thing,” Clark said sitting back with his hands clasped behind his head.
Flynn laughed. “We drink and always wind up playing some football and stuff.”
Clark shook his head. “Nah the only chicks there are either underage or married with little kids. Not my thin
g, dude.”
“What about you, Mel?” I asked.
“You know I’m always in. I love both your parents. I always have a great time with them.” Then she asked, “Mind if I bring Izzy? I’m sure she could use a fun gathering like that. Something ‘normal’ people do,” she added in, glaring at Clark. I thought of Izzy in her little running outfit. Hell yeah, you can bring her.
“Yeah, bring Izzy. My parents will probably love her as they love you, you know that Mel,” Flynn said winking at her. She smirked. I wish they would just get together, I thought as I sat there staring at them too long. Seriously, I would have sworn that I was still drunk.
We paid our bills and headed back to my place.
Mel insisted we throw all Sheila’s shit in garbage bags and throw them on the front lawn. And that’s just what we did. It took us about an hour since we were literally just bagged everything into garbage bags.
As we tossed the last bag out onto the lawn, Sheila pulled up in her car and jumped out, wailing on the front lawn. “My stuff! What are you guys doing? This is all my stuff.”
“Yeah, it is.” Mel spat out smiling smugly. “Now take it all, along with your nasty slut ass, and go.”
“Screw you, bitch! Are you fucking him now?” Sheila’s screeching probably could’ve been heard through the entire neighborhood. I felt a catfight coming on especially when I noticed Clark’s eyes light up.
“He can have sex with anyone he wants because obviously, you do,” Mel screamed out. Flynn stepped in and pulled Mel behind him as he watched Sheila starting to stalk over. Mel didn’t care. At that point, she was ready to fight her and reached from behind Flynn to grab at Sheila. I stepped in before it got full blown. As I started walking to her, I heard Clark groan, “No, Z let ‘em go. This’ll be awesome.”
I stepped directly in front of Sheila. “Look. It’s over between us. You screwed someone else in my damn house. Just take your shit and go.”
“You know this is all your fault, don’t you Z?” Sheila asked.
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