Right. Now.
I feel the booth cushion depress and Nik slides in next to me. He hasn’t been in the booth a second before I’m on him. I’m not entirely sure why but I feel like I’m about to burst into tears.
And I do.
The first of the tears streak my face and I bury my face in Nik’s neck. Nik stands, holds me close to his side and leads me to the door behind the bar. When we’re in the familiar hall Nik stops, picks me up bridal style and carries me over to the sofa in the ‘chill out’ room. As soon as we sit, I cry a river.
Nik coos in my ear and gently rocks me, “You’re breakin’ my heart, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. He’s not even allowed here, I let his uncle know and he’s pissed as hell.”
“He- he- he- he said he was your fr- fr- friend!” I hiccup my reply.
Nik strokes my hair and says, “He lied, baby. Omarr is bad people. I need to know what he said to you. Can you tell me?”
I nod. Still crying, I respond, “He asked if I was one of your women, th- th- then he told Ghost I was free rein a- a- and he told me he wanted me in his b- b- bed!” I finish on a wail.
When I mention the last bit, I feel Nik’s body stiffen so solid I’m sure he’s turned to bronze.
Nik would look great as a bronzed statue.
Getting off the subject, my dear.
Nik says carefully, “If that’s something you don’t want to happen, Tina. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Omarr doesn’t take the word no very easily though, so he might need some persuading.”
I sputter, “Th- th- this is why you need the gun, isn’t it?”
I lift my head and I see conflicted emotions run across Nik’s face. He whispers, “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Tina. I’ll tell you all about ‘em one day, I promise. But not yet.”
I nod under his chin and whisper back, “Okay, Niki.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sleepover
After my sob fest on Nik’s lap at the club on Sunday night, he held me in a way I’ve never been held before. It was so loving and almost desperate.
I’m developing some pretty intense feelings for Nik. And while this scares the bejeezus out of me I remind myself that everything will be alright as long as he never finds out.
I find myself watching him when he’s not looking, just doing everyday mundane things like how he stirs his coffee clockwise then counter clockwise. Or how his eyes narrow and he scratches him chin when he’s thinking hard about something. Or how he rolls up his shirt sleeves to his elbows when he’s stressed out.
I can’t believe I’ve worked across the street from The White Rabbit for two years and never knew him. All that time I could’ve known him seems wasted.
That makes me sad.
But I was a different person two years ago. There is no way I would’ve let him in then the way I have now. I’m glad he’s a part of my life now. I’m not letting him go.
And Omarr can shove it!
There is something about being played by someone that leaves you feeling broken. I’m sure that’s why I was so emotional on Sunday after the Omarr fiasco. I remember similar feelings from a long time past. It just triggered a rush of emotions in me that I couldn’t halt. I felt overwhelmed.
Nik came to my rescue.
My dark knight in Versace armor.
We held each other for a long time before I told him I wanted to leave. He got me back to my girls and we left a little after midnight.
This morning Nat and I open up the store and a little past nine a flower arrangement delivery comes to the store.
I smile because I assume it’s for Lola from Trick. Things are heating up between them and I wish they’d just get together already. They’re smitten.
I sign for the delivery and Nat bounds over. I set the arrangement on the counter and we both take a good look at it. There are approximately eighteen perfectly white lilies surrounded by baby’s breath.
Good going, Trick!
That’s an expensive arrangement. At least two hundred dollars’ worth of lilies.
Nat and I look at each other and smile huge. She takes the card, looks over it then hands it to me.
I take in her frown and hard eyes. This is not going to be good.
Think about what I said. You can do better than him. I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Come see me. –O
Oh, for the love of all things holy!
They’re from bad guy Omarr. I don’t like the situation he’s putting me in. He’s coming between me and my friend. I hate that!
I told Nat what had happened and she was livid. I told her Ghost and Nik took care of me and she seemed slightly placated. I think she didn’t like to think about me being upset while everyone else was having a good time.
We look at each other a long time before she motions to the phone.
I sigh and walk over to the phone, dial the number and wait.
“Ghost? Yeah, I’m okay. Can you come over here please? Thanks.”
Within a minute Ghost is at the store with a garbage bag in hand. He doesn’t greet us, just walks straight over to the beautiful arrangement and shoves it roughly into the garbage bag. Then he walks over to me and says in a kind voice, “Good girl.” Then he leaves, garbage bag in tow.
***
“I’m going to kill that motherfucker!” I roar.
Max puts a hand on my shoulder and quietly replies “Calm down, bro. You know Tina, he isn’t gonna take her away from us. No way. We’re family.”
Omarr is a dead man.
First, he comes into my club knowing he isn’t meant to be there. Second, he comes on to my girl.
…not that she knows she’s my girl. But, anyway…
Third, tries to treat my girl like a free rein whore. And, lastly, sends her expensive flowers with promises when he really just wants to fuck her and leave her broken as a message to me.
The only thing Omarr wants is for me to suffer. He blames me for his brother’s death. This all goes way back to when I was just a teenager. Dad had just died and I was given a choice to join Chaos.
Chaos are a Russian-American gang. My dad was what you could call the vice president of the gang. They were criminals but my dad was a good man. I joined them and to my complete disapproval, so did Ghost and Max. We we’re just kids doing the hard lifting for old men. When I say hard lifting, I mean we were enforcers. We would go out and collect drug money, debt money, and bribes. They would give us a list and we would collect. By any means necessary. Mom was devastated when she found out. She didn’t want that life for us. My dad was trying to get out when he died.
Omarr is a part of the Sixes. Most of them went to school with me and we were all cool til Marcus died.
Marcus was Omarr’s older brother. He broke into our family home to steal something Chaos related from my dad’s office. My dad shot him and he died in hospital later that night. My dad was going to go to jail. I had to do something. Just as the officers asked who fired the first shot, I spoke up and said, “I did.”
I was just about to turn sixteen. I got a suspended sentence. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Anything for my dad.
Ghost, Max, and Trick all know this. Ghost and Max were there. I told Trick some years later.
Omarr is out for revenge. His uncle has forbidden any retaliation on me.
Uncle Jerm leads the sixes. The first time we met he questioned me about Marcus’ death. I know he knows I didn’t kill Marcus. I was flustered and defensive. I left too many questions unanswered because I simply didn’t know the answers to them. This is why Uncle Jerm has forbidden any vengeance. He knows I didn’t do it. But I confessed. I’ve made my bed, now I have to lie in it.
It never bothered me before. Just carry a gun and hope for them best.
This is different.
This affects Tina.