Corps Security in Hope Town: Deliverance (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by S. R. Watson

  I don’t want to be rude after she has been so generous, so I go with the truth. Well, a fraction of it. “I don’t know yet. I was just going to pass through town long enough to decide where I was headed next.”

  She grabs my hands across the table, and my first instinct is to pull away, but I don’t.

  “I’m not looking to pry. You obviously have some decisions you need to make without anyone meddling, but until you do, I could use some help around here if you’re interested.”

  My ears perk up at the word help. Is she offering me a job? That is definitely first on my to-do list.

  “Help?”

  I want to make sure I understand her correctly. Who offers a complete stranger a job without knowing their experience? Wait … what exactly did Beau tell her? Couldn’t have been much considering I didn’t tell him anything.

  “Yes, help. I opened this place just a week ago, and it’s already almost to capacity. Word of mouth alone is bringing more and more customers through the door. I don’t have enough wait staff as it is, so I need to hire more.” She gives my hand a squeeze. “The pay is only minimum wage, but I have no doubt you’d do well with tips. Also, I have an extra room you can use upstairs until you get your first check. After that, we can agree on what you’ll pay for rent or if you want to move somewhere else.”

  Rosalita has said a mouthful. I can’t believe my luck. I only have $313 to live off after buying the gum at the store in the middle of nowhere. How can I pass up such a blessing? A place to stay and a chance to save some money before I move on. But that’s just it. Will she still want me if I tell her I don’t plan to make Hope Town my permanent home? Though, I did say I was just passing through.

  “Rosalita, your offer is one that is too good to pass up. Your hospitality and generosity have been more than I’ve experienced in quite some time.”

  “But?” she prompts. “I’m sensing some hesitation.”

  I look over and see that Beau has taken a seat with some older muscled guys at the table over. Something is definitely up. He’s making sure he doesn’t interrupt our talk. I look back at Rosalita, and she’s staring at me … waiting for me to answer her.

  “The thing is,” I start. “I was only planning on passing through. I would love to stay a while and take you up on your offer instead, but I don’t know for how long. I wasn’t planning on making Hope Town my home, so I wouldn’t want you to be disappointed when it was time for me to leave.” I have to look away, but she squeezes my hand again to make me look at her.

  “My dear child, I’m aware of that. I heard you when you said you were passing through. Your help would be appreciated while I hire more staff to meet my already growing business. All I ask is that you just give me as much notice as you can. The job is yours, and the room upstairs is yours starting tonight if you want it.”

  “In that case, I gladly accept. Thank you so much for the opportunity, and I won’t let you down.”

  She surprises me by pouring herself some wine in the glass that Beau was drinking out of and then refilling mine. She holds up her wine glass for a toast, so I do the same.

  “Welcome to the Rosalita family, dear. I’m ecstatic to have you. Be down here at eight a.m.” We toast and both finish the entire glass. Beau picks this moment to walk over.

  “What is the celebration about?” He looks at us both as if he doesn’t already know.

  “Bleu here is joining our Rosalita family. She starts early tomorrow, and she will be staying upstairs. Why don’t you show her to her room?”

  “Congrats, Bleu. Welcome to the family. I have your goodies here,” he says, pointing at the food he has for me in the bag. “But now you get to experience all my mother’s delicious food while working here.” Beau chuckles and gives his mother a hug as she stands. She then turns around and hugs me too. I hug her back, feeling overwhelmed. For the first time in a long time, I feel safe.

  The upstairs is nothing like down below. It is immediately obvious that this part of the house was not included in the mentioned renovation. It holds an old charm with original wood floors and oil paintings. It’s like stepping into another era. Beau opens the door to my room, and inside is just a full-size bed and a dresser. It’s not much, but I’m thankful. I recognize this room for what it is—a blessing.

  “Let me get you some sheets and blankets for your bed,” Beau says from behind me.

  He disappears only briefly before he comes back with an arm full of bedding. He busies himself making the bed, and I take a moment to stare at him once more. His back muscles stretch his muscle shirt to capacity. His arms are a sculpted dream. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not interested in the male species, courtesy of Ethan, but I’m not blind. I’m sure glad he turned out not to be an ax murderer. A girl may just surrender willingly to a body and face like that. The way his jeans hug his ass is downright tipping the scale of unfairness. No man should have that much perfection. He has to be flawed somehow. Good looking and sweet. I’ll have to keep my distance from this one and keep my mind on the purpose of me staying here.

  “Bleu?” He is now looking at me expectedly. Apparently, I missed his question while drooling over his physique.

  “What was that? I missed the question,” I admit.

  “I asked if I could get you anything else.” He eyes me suspiciously. Does he know where my thoughts drifted off to?

  “No. Thank you so much for everything. You and your mother have been more than generous. I appreciate the kindness.”

  “Well, the bathroom is down the hall to your right. Rest up. You start work in the morning, and it’s already late.” He turns to leave, and I have a moment of clarity. At his mention of it being late, I realize I have no idea what time it is.

  “Wait. How will I know when it’s time to get up?” I ask worriedly.

  “Well, your job is right downstairs, so you don’t have to get up terribly early. If you’re up by seven, you should have plenty of time to get ready.” His eyebrows knit in confusion. He probably doubts I can even do the job with a question that basic.

  “I meant how will I know when it’s seven? I don’t have an alarm clock or a phone, remember? I don’t want to oversleep.”

  “Oh. That’s right. Hold on a sec. I think I saw an extra alarm clock in the hall closet.” He leaves the room once again and returns moments later. He plugs it in and sets the current time for 11:00 p.m. before setting the alarm. He places the clock on the dresser across the room from the bed, so I have no choice but to get up in the morning to turn it off. Nicely played.

  “Okay, good night, Miss Hitchhiker,” he teases. I can’t help the silly grin that spreads across my face. I can’t remember how long it’s been since I smiled this much, but it feels nice.

  “Good night, my shiny knight,” I say to his back, but he’s already leaving the room.

  Once he’s gone, I reflect on today’s events and how far I’ve come. I’m sure Ethan knows I’ve left by now. Will he come looking for me? Will my parents? I left a goodbye letter for him, so he knows that I left on my own free will and that I’m okay. I left behind all the material things he’s ever bought me including my phone. The phone I only said I lost. Unfortunately, that means I don’t have many possessions with me since he threw out nearly all my stuff when I moved in with him. They weren’t up to his standards for a man of his status. The only thing remaining that was originally mine fits inside my backpack. He can have everything else back. As one last act of rebellion, I withdrew five hundred dollars from one of the credit cards he had given me. Although a lot of it went toward my bus fare, I figured he owed me at least that much for my things he tossed without my permission. More than that actually. I don’t know what the actual value was but definitely worth more than the money I took, so I feel good with my choice.

  I’ll take a shower in the morning since it’s already late. I pull the only pair of jeans I own out of my bag, a pair of panties, and a worn Stanford t-shirt that once belonged to my dad. I’ll have
to find time to buy a bra as soon as possible since I didn’t bring any. Ethan preferred me braless or in the overpriced crap he purchased from La Perla. Let him give it all to the next woman he decides to play dress up with. I lay everything across the dresser next to the clock and hop into bed. Tomorrow starts my new journey.

  The hot water pelts down my back as I take myself in my hand. My cock hardens as I admit my defeat and can’t push my little hitchhiker from my mind. I gave in last night, promising myself it would just be that one time so I could get some sleep. The way her tits strained against her tank plays on a constant loop. This morning brings me no reprieve. I picture her petite body underneath me as I slam inside her, her yellowish green eyes watching me as I push deep within her walls. My hand grips my cock tighter as I stroke the grip I imagine her cunt to feel like. I pump faster as I feel my release nearing. My head falls back as I explode inside my hand. Aftershocks rock through me, yet I’m not sated. I know I won’t be until I have the real thing. Fuck. I need to find some pussy and quick. Bleu obviously has shit she’s dealing with, and she doesn’t need me as an added complication. I fuck, and I move on. Last time I was in this town, my manwhore ways spread quickly. I had a different woman in my bed every night. I was told I was a dick quite a few times, and I don’t dispute that fact. My reputation this time around precedes me so I’ve been lying low. I’ve been too busy helping my mother to even bother. Regardless, I’m not going to change who I am for a piece of ass. I’ll just have to find a woman who knows what I’m about and still wants to fuck. My contact list hasn’t failed me yet.

  I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my semi-hard, unsated cock. I need to grab more toothpaste from my room. I’m halfway there when a frozen Bleu catches my eye. She just stands there—staring. My bulge twitches, and she quickly looks away. Yep, she was looking at my dick. To be fair, it’s pretty hard to miss.

  “Morning, Bleu,” I greet. She keeps her eyes on the floor and gives a small wave.

  “W-what are you d-doing?” she stutters.

  “Well, first, I’m going to get toothpaste, so I can brush my teeth, and then I’m going to get dressed,” I say, dragging out the play by play.

  “I mean, what are you doing here?” She rephrases her question.

  “Didn’t my mother fill you in last night when she offered you a place to stay? I’m your roommate, and this is my room,” I add, pointing at my room. She’s wearing the same clothes she was in yesterday, so my guess is that she was heading to the bathroom for a shower.

  “I didn’t know you lived here too. Rosalita didn’t mention it.”

  “Does it matter?” She sneaks one more small peek before turning on her heel to walk away.

  “No,” she mumbles.

  My dick twitches once more as I watch her ass in those cutoffs. I need to get laid quick. The sooner, the better.

  I’m in the kitchen with mother, helping to prep for the lunch crowd, when Bleu appears. The ratty white Stanford shirt she’s wearing is worn just enough for me to see the shape of her perfect tits. Fuck me, she’s braless again. I swallow the lump in my throat, willing my cock to behave. I’m standing next to my mother, for fuck’s sake. I’m speechless, but my mother doesn’t miss a beat. She sees the disaster this has written all over it. Her new waitress would be the talk of the town—distraction is an understatement.

  “Morning, dear. Beau and I were just talking about you.”

  “You were?” She steals the words right out of my mouth. I’m curious too.

  “Why, yes. I was telling him that before you start, you should have a day to get yourself settled. Sorry I didn’t think about this before. You just got into town last night, so I’m sure you need to pick up a few essentials. Beau has volunteered to take you. While you’re out, stop by and see Dani over at Sway’s for a little pampering. Her mother, Isabelle, is a good friend of mine. She works wonders with hair. Tell her I sent you.”

  I don’t think my mother was as smooth as she’d hoped. She was pretty transparent actually. Bleu runs a hand along her two messy pigtail braids. She looks down at the floor before speaking; the shade of red that now covers her face is a telltale sign of her embarrassment.

  “Sorry, I don’t have much, Rosalita. I left it all behind. Material things couldn’t be a part of my new life. I never wanted …” She trails off, realizing she had already said too much.

  My mother glances over at me, and I can see the weariness in her eyes. I know her intent wasn’t to offend. She goes over to Bleu and lifts her chin until she is looking her in the eyes. “I don’t know your story, Bleu, and as I’ve said before, I won’t pry. You don’t have anything to apologize for— to anyone. I may have gone about it the wrong way through vague suggestion, but I just want you to have what you need before starting work. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable because people are distracted by your bosoms.” Bleu crosses her arms over her chest to hide her breasts, but you can’t hide those things. “Take a day to pamper yourself and get what you need. I’ll give you an advance on your paycheck.”

  “No. No,” Bleu says suddenly. “You’ve been generous enough. I will feel bad. Please. I have some money.”

  “I won’t take no for an answer, dear. Don’t think of it as generosity. This is your money before you earn it, but you’ll still have to work for it. Besides, it’s a small guarantee that you’ll have to stick around until your first check.” My mother nudges her. That earns her a smile. “Go on, Beau, before she changes her mind. Use the company card.”

  There is no company card. She just said that to make it sound official to Bleu. The truth is, I will use my credit card, and my mother will try to settle up later. Only she doesn’t know that this one is on me. Bleu runs upstairs to get her wallet while I head to the truck. I just need to keep my focus off how much I want to fuck her. So much for spending the day finding a conquest for my bed tonight.

  “So where to first?” Bleu asks, interrupting my thoughts. She gets in and slams the door.

  “Sway’s. I’m taking you to the hair salon to see Dani.” Danielle Reid is Axel’s daughter. I used to have a small crush on her, but I never pursued her. The mere size of her dad alone was enough to give any guy pause. I was never in town long anyway, so it suited her better to end up with a guy name Cohen.

  We pull up to the salon, and I’m out first to open the door for her. I watch as she tries to make sense of the gold glitter along the sidewalk and leading up to the door. She looks back at me unsure. I’m prepared to assure her she’ll be in great hands when the door to the salon swings open.

  “Well, who do we have here, looking like a scared kitten?” a short black guy with long blond hair and four-inch heels greets. It’s Sway himself.

  “I’m Bleu,” the scared kitten in question speaks up. “Um, Rosalita sent me.”

  “Oh, I’m just pulling your leg, sugar. We’ve been expecting you.” He runs his hands through her long tresses, assessing the work needed. “I’m Dilbert Harrison III, but all the cool people call me Sway. I’m the owner of this fine establishment,” he says as he continues to study her.

  “Nice to meet you …” She is unsure if she is one of the cool people he’s referring to.

  “Sway, sugar. You can call me Sway. You have fabulous hair to work with, but girl, you’ve come to the right place to transform that hair into something extraordinary. Dani girl is back there waiting to get her hands on you.” He looks over at me as if he’s just realized I was standing there. “It’s going to be a while, handsome. Come back in a few hours, and Sway will have her ready for you.”

  I guess that’s my dismissal. Sway swings his long blond hair and ushers Bleu inside. She gives me one last look over her shoulder before disappearing. Glad I was let off the hook. The last thing I wanted to do with my afternoon was sit around a hair salon with women I didn’t plan to fuck. Suddenly, a light bulb goes off, and I get a grand idea. One I hope Bleu will like.

  A few hours later, I arrive back at Sway’s to
pick up Bleu. I have this great day planned for us, so I hope she likes it. I can tell she’s had a rough go of it, and I decided to do something nice for her as a welcome to Hope Town day. I’m adding to the pampering my mother suggested. Well, sort of anyway. She comes out of the salon, and I almost don’t recognize her aside from her clothes. Her blond locks are now gone. She’s a brunette. I knew she was a bottle blonde from the natural color of her eyebrows, but this color really does suit her better. It brings out the freckles on her nose. She resembles a wholesome girl next door even more now, but her body still rivals that of a porn star. The struggle to resist temptation is real. Her green eyes sparkle as she waits to hear what I think.

  “Brunette?” I ask as she climbs into the truck.

  “Yes. I wanted to go back to my natural color. Do you like it?”

  Is that a trick question? I’m already wondering if the curtains match the drapes, but of course, I don’t say that. “It looks very fitting on you. I like the soft layers too,” I add. She beams, and that crimson shade of red is back. Only this time, my little hitchhiker is blushing. What the hell am I even saying? Soft layers? Since when do I care about that kind of shit? All I usually care about is how well it would wrap around my fist as I pound a woman from behind. Just shoot me now.

  “Thank you,” she murmurs.

  “Of course. Now let’s get this shopping over with so we can get to the surprise I have for you.”

  “You don’t have to take me shopping. I can go on my own. I don’t know many men who wouldn’t be daunted by that task.”

  “Are you kidding me? My mother would have my hide. We’re going.” I chuckle.

  “Wait. Did you say you had a surprise for me?” She is just catching that tidbit.

  “Yes. Yes. I did. I don’t want to hear your excuses either about not accepting all the kindness. It’s what us Southerners are all about, so please enjoy the hospitality.”