Unbeautifully Loved (Breathe Again) (5 page)

Mollie hiccupped a sob as she wiped away her tears and pulled me into her arms for a hug. “Now, tell me why my family is involved.” I asked her my voice sounding thick. “Last time I saw him and my mom Finn was just a couple hours old? And now he’s buying a house for us, I don’t get it.”

When my parents kicked me out for not getting rid of the baby, I went right back to Dex. I didn’t see or hear from them until Finn was born. They showed up at the hospital with flowers and gifts, thinking it would buy their way back into our lives. But part of me, the stubborn part, blamed them for everything that was going on and I was still upset they had turned their backs on me. No amount of flowers or gifts at that time could help me forgive and forget.

“When I called my dad back, your father was there. I was pissed, I almost said fuck it and hung up but dad told me to hear him out, so I did. He told me they’ve been worried since they found out we left town, I guess he would call dad almost every day to see if there was any word. Dad gave him a quick brief on the situation with Dex and everything that has happened and, well you know your dad,” Mollie said, stopping and looking at me with twisted lips.

“Probably freaked and wanted to kill him.” Knowing my father, this is what he would do.

Mollie nodded, “Dad was able to calm him down and talk him out of it, to keep you and Finn safe, told him if he wanted to help then do this.” She motioned to the house. “They took care of everything, somehow worked something out with the old owners to leave some things behind, but it’s paid in full; we just have a couple of bills to look after.” Mollie stopped and I saw her turn in my direction from the corner of my eye.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” I said, turning to look at her.

“Well your dad...” she trailed off.

I stared at her waiting. “My dad
what
?” I asked sharply.

“He put some money into a bank account, a couple thousand dollars, told me I could tell you if I wanted or not, that it was my call just as long as it went to things for you and Finn. He just wanted to make sure you guys got what you needed, plus he said I could use some of it on myself as well,” she chuckled softly.

“Guilt money, they probably feel shitty for turning their backs on me when they did and this is their way of making it up.” I wasn’t angry or bitter, I was more disappointed that after I turned them away at the hospital it took something like this for them to try but I guess it wasn’t entirely their fault that they didn’t have a clue about Dex.

“Maybe, I don’t know Lexie. Just think about it and when you’re ready, call them. I know they’d love to hear from you.” She reached and squeezed my hand. “I guess it’s not so bad to come from a rich family after all.” She said teasingly trying to ease the tension.

I nodded my head in agreement. Both of our fathers were lawyers so we both came from money, but we weren’t spoiled rich girls who used daddy’s money for everything; we worked for what we wanted.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, gently squeezing her arm, telling her everything was good. This was a huge step in a completely new direction, but I owed Mollie and if it meant staying in Camden and trying to start a life, one that didn’t involve looking over my shoulder while living in constant fear, then that was the answer.

But it didn’t mean I wasn’t going to be ready if the time came and we had to leave.

Mollie started talking about how she wanted to turn the side room into a play room for Finn so it gave him a place to keep all his toys without cluttering his room when I heard the loud growl and rumble of the motorcycle coming to life.

Mollie’s voice faded into the background as my stomach clenched in anticipation at seeing the guy from last night. I wanted to see him up close, see what he looked like since I couldn’t get a good look the night before.

And I had no idea why I cared. I wasn’t interested in meeting anyone or dating for that matter. It was the last thing I wanted to think about.

I saw his bike turn out of his driveway from the corner of my eye and drive in our direction. As he approached the front of our house it was like a movie, everything went in slow motion. My eyes were glued to him, taking in what I could make out of him, from his broad shoulders all the way down to his jean clad legs.

My heart skipped a beat as his head turned in my direction. His aviator covered eyes landed on me, pinning me to the porch. I may not have been able to see his eyes but I could feel them travel over my body, leaving a hot trail behind. I swallowed the breath that had caught in my throat.

He…was…
hot
. I mean, I may not have been able to see him right up close but from what I could see he was definitely
hot.

Fuck. Me.

I heard Mollie’s voice in the background but it sounded too far away for me to comprehend a word she was saying.

Just watching this gorgeous guy on his bike caused my whole body to feel like it was on fire! It was the simplest look, a half grin but it was a sexy half grin, the sexiest I had ever seen in my entire life and with that one look, I felt it. The butterflies in my gut, the spasm between my legs. Oh. My. God. He nodded in my direction before he took off around the corner and I stood there just listening to the sound of his bike till it was nonexistent.

“Who was
that
?” Mollie’s voice echoed in my head, bringing me back from my thoughts.

I shook my head. “I uh… I don’t uh…know,” I said breathless.

No matter how much I wanted to push whatever it was I was feeling aside, there was not a chance in hell of that happening; not when the heat between my legs felt so intense I was afraid to move.

Oh fucking hell
.

Mollie and I had talked a lot over the course of the week and after coming to the conclusion of not being able to live much longer on the money my dad had sent, I decided to start looking for work.

It was Wednesday morning, and we’d been in Camden just over a week when Mollie suggested driving around to see if any places had ‘Help Wanted’ signs in their windows. So she and I went, thinking it couldn’t hurt.

Camden wasn’t that big of a town, it was quite small with only the usual gas stations, fast food, local eatery’s, liquor stores and of course an adult video store; along with some local shops. Driving around I got lost, more than once. I wasn’t sure how it happened but a few wrong left turns and I was driving down a street lined with old red brick buildings falling apart and most of them were closed and had been for a while, probably well before I was born.

I drove past Bobby’s, a mechanic shop that from the looks of the old building it had clearly been around for awhile but looked to be doing well business wise with all the cars parked in its lot.

A few building’s down and across the street was Tiny Pops, a one pump gas bar that looked like a place you did not want to go to once the sun went down. Next to them was Burger Hut, drive thru only, another place that looked to be doing well for business regardless of its surroundings.

I kept driving, until I came to the end of the street seeing the last building on the left. It looked like the rest of the buildings only somewhat newer, only because the outside of it had some work done to it. The buildings on both sides of it were closed as well as the ones across the street.

I’m not sure why or what made me do it but as I came to the turn I pulled into the parking lot and pulled up in front just by the front door. Leaning forward I looked out my window seeing the black and green sign above the door that read Fisher’s Bar. There were windows on either side of the door but I wasn’t able to see in. Looking around the lot there were no cars parked and there was no sign on the door or windows stating if it was open or not.

After sitting in my car for a few minutes, hesitating and deciding whether I wanted to go in or not, I grabbed my purse and jumped out of my jeep. Approaching the front door I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked inside. Looking around there were wooden tables scattered around the place, each table having four wooden chairs that looked anything but comfortable. I noticed a few tables were surrounding a stage to my right, you could tell it was only a couple years old since it was the newest looking thing around. Looking around the place I could tell it had been around for a while with work being done to the walls through the years.

I spotted the bar at the back, directly in line of the stage. A man standing behind the bar had his back towards me, while another man was sitting on one of the few wobbly stools lining the bar. I thought about turning around and going to the adult video store, thinking it couldn’t be that bad of a place to work, but decided to suck it up and made my way to the bar.

No one heard me approach. “Excuse me?” I called nervously, standing between two stools, away from the man drinking.

Both heads turned to me at the same time, my eyes sliding between the two then landed on the older man next to me. His body turned in my direction, his small rounded belly hung over the top of his black jeans, the white shirt he wore was tucked into the top and covered in what looked like grease stains and over his shirt he wore a red flannel long sleeve shirt, buttons all undone. His grease covered hands were wrapped around a bottle of beer, it was just a guess but I assumed he was a mechanic of some kind.

My eyes scanned his face, taking in his scruffy beard surrounding his small tight mouth then up to his hard brown eyes and his hair was shoved under a ratted old red baseball cap.

My eyes drifted behind the bar to the man leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his wide chest. His light blue eyes locked on to me, traveling over my face slowly then down. He was tall, his dark brown hair short with a slight spike in the front.

“Whatcha lookin’ for darlin’?” Red baseball cap asked his voice scratchy and rough like he smoked a pack a day.

I looked at him, my eyebrows knitted together as I glanced back at the guy behind the bar. “Umm...” I said nervously, looking between the two.

“Don’t mind Bobby love,” the guy behind the bar said in a smooth British accent. “He doesn’t work here. He just seems to think he does.”

“Fuckin’ hell, I should I’m here every goddamn day givin’ you my business,” Bobby snapped. He looked to British guy, then snapped, “Now are you going to find out why, of all places in the shit hole town, this lovely lady walked into here?”

Looking at the grease stains on his clothing and hands I had no doubt he was the owner of Bobby’s, the mechanic shop I had passed earlier. My eyes swung to the guy behind the bar as he spoke. “So, you going to tell me? What can I do for you?” he grinned, and it wasn’t a grin I would call sexy or even hot, it was more on the creepy, slimy side.

This is where you open your mouth and start speaking so you don’t look like an idiot, I thought to myself.

“I’m looking for a job, thought I’d come in… see if you’re hiring.”

His brows rose as he looked me up and down. “You dance?” he asked almost sounding thrilled as if someone was offering him a winning lotto ticket.

“Um…dance?” I asked confused and hoping he was not gonna go
there
.

He didn’t answer. Instead he smiled, tilted his chin up and motioned over my shoulder. I followed his gaze, and my eyes fell on the stage, my question instantly answered.

My eyes bugged.

Oh shit balls, I turned and looked back at him behind the bar.

“I think that answers your question Colt,” Bobby roared with laughter. “Don’t worry darlin’ this ain’t no strip joint, only your typical bar with weekend dancers.”

My body relaxed. The bartender, who I now knew as Colt, looked from Bobby to me with his lips pulled into another creepy grin. He leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s your name love?”

“Alexia,” my voice came out higher than I wanted. I cleared my throat, “Alexia Todd, everyone calls me Lexie.”

He didn’t say anything, just continued grinning, making me uncomfortable as his eyes traveled down my chest, and lingered over my breasts.

I cringed and made a mental note to self. No more fitted shirts when around Colt.

I didn’t like the look he had in his eyes. They were blazing with hunger and want, like he could eat me for lunch and possibly even dinner.