SIX

I can feel my back aching as I lean and roll my neck, returning to wiping the tables. Once they are done, I gather the dirty glass cups and plates, heading to the kitchen to wash. It has been two weeks since I've worked here at B&M bar things are working great, and the money is good. Although I work every night, I also work in the daytime too. Doing laundry, cleaning dishes, cleaning each room, and grocery shopping. I don't mind the hard labor in my cousins' home.

Back in Wellington, London, we have maids and one butler, Reuben. Old man Reuben has been with the family since his father served my grandfather, my father's dad.

Reuben is loyal to my father and the family. While my parents have always been busy, he took care of me. He lost his wife and daughter in a car accident, so he's very cautious about me. He's always there for me.

Reuben has also helped me escape the biggest mistake of marrying Eddie. He protected me more than my father.

I miss Reuben.

I hope he isn't punished harshly for helping me. I'm very worried about him every day. Father would punish him with a cut pay, but Mother would scold him for over an hour.

I sigh.

"Claire, after you are done with that table. You can leave."

I look over my shoulder with a confused expression at Billie and look down at my watch. "I have an hour left. Still have other tables that have not been cleaned."

"Don't worry about that." Swing the towel rag over her shoulder. "I heard about your little boy, a single mother like you shouldn't stay here at the bar late."

"How do you know?"

"Oh, a little bird told me."

Hypothetically, neither of my cousins told Billie about Leo's incident on the bed. Since he wet the bed, Leo felt ashamed and stayed in the room.

He apologized and cried not to do it again. I only did what any mother did and calmed him. I told him it's natural for boys and girls his age to make mistakes. But I couldn't tell him why he did it. It will stress him out thinking about his father. I reassured him that his mother needed to earn money to support them both. He understood, but his face gave it away that he didn't like the idea of me working late.

I want to argue with my boss, but Billie says before I can open my mouth, "I'm not going to cut your pay in half. After two weeks of working here, you're a natural. Though you ignore some men here who tried to hit on you." She chuckles. "Anyways, to the point. However, you are fast at work and good at the job. Have you ever thought of working someplace else? You can't stay here forever, you know."

I never thought of that.

I need the money to earn enough for a place Leo and I can call home. I think of not staying at my cousins' home because they have too many people. I love the company and the comical acts in the morning between Ares and Thea or Seth, who seems pretty down this pasture weeks since Terry had gone to Guatemala last month. He always smiled and laughed, but only to hide his true feelings. Thea told me Seth pesters Terry a lot because they are about the same age and considered best friends, but I know no one else is aware.

Terry is a woman.

I know another woman when I see one. The only clue to distinguish between the opposite sex is the Adam's Apple on the man; women have smaller hands than men. Unless Terry had a sex change, then that is a different story.

I'm surprised no one noticed about Terry.

Well, I'm going to investigate more about her life. If she wants to be a man, that is her life. Like Jessi, we used to date in high school, and I know she is different from other guys who cared about her hair and getting a manicure. Should all men care about their hygiene? Jessi was way too obsessed with herself for being perfect.

After that small talk with Billie about what I will do after I leave this place. I went to my locker and grabbed my purse. Tomorrow I'm getting paid, and I can buy a new phone with good tips. After, with a new phone and number, I could look for a place. Effie told me finding a place here in California the homes are expensive. Apartments are too costly. There is no leaving the bar until I figure it out.

I left the bar but missed the bus.

Oh, bloody hell!

It's dark, and I must wait for another bus to arrive. I'm standing outside, staying under the light to keep myself visible. I look around to find the streets busy, and people are passing by. I looked around to make sure some stranger wanted to talk to me.

"Hey beautiful," a drunk man approached me. His walk is unstable as he tries to walk right. He's like a baby who just started walking with their chubby legs.

I remember Leo first walk made me go in awe, but that man made me gag.

"Want to have a drink?" He leans in, and I cover my nose from the stench of alcohol on his breath and his clothes.

"No, thank you."

"Oh, sweet Jesus, I love your accent. Foreign girls turn me on," the drunk man licked his lips, making my stomach churn in disgust. "Come on. You, me, and one night at a motel." He gropes himself.

I look at him with a sour face.

"Sorry, sir. I'm waiting for my boyfriend." That's alike. But I'm dead serious wish someone would come and get me.

"Boyfriend? Fuck him. He won't know. Come on." The drunk man grabbed my wrist and pulled. "I can make you feel good."

I pull my arm back, fighting him. "Get away from me!"

 "Hey!"

I stopped, saw Donovan get out of his hummer, and felt my heart at ease.

Oh fuck, he looks angry.

Donovan looks dangerous and scary but in a sexy way. He approached us, grabbed the drunk man out of the way, and pulled me close to his hard chest.

"Touch my girl, brah?" He ask the drunk man.

His girl?

That made my heart jump.

"You the boyfriend?" The drunk man backed away and asked kindly. "Didn't mean to touch your girl, man."

"That's fine. We are cool. But I have one thing." He let go and stepped in front of the drunk man, blocking my view as I heard a click. "If you ever touch her again. You will regret it."

The drunk man seems sober because once Donovan warned him, he fell on his ass and scurried away. He ran as fast as he could, screaming like a little girl.

I stand beside him, waking the drunk man running for his life and bumping into him.

"You have a gun?" I ask while I stay calm and relax.

Eddie has a gun, too licensed. After a beating from him, he would clean the shotgun he keeps in his closet safe in front of me as a warning not to make him angrier than before.

"It's license and," Donovan pulled out his pistol and unclipped the mags. "No bullets. I just gave him a friendly reminder when it comes to drinking."

Liar.

I heard you threatening him. But I'm not going to say anything.

"Are you okay?" He asks as he puts his pistol back in his holster.

"I'm fine. But why are you here?"

"I was just in the neighborhood."

He's lying again.

"What about you? Are you waiting for the bus?"

I sigh. "No, I missed my bus. So I'm waiting for another."

"You know the next one will take thirty to forty minutes. Why don't you ride with me? Because it's busy here at night, public buses will have difficulty passing by."

"I can wait," I tell him.

"Waiting for the next drunk bastard to touch you. No, you are coming with me, or else Effie or Thea will have my ass."

I look up at him with my brows furrowed. "You are afraid of girls who weigh less than you?"

"Like my brother Logan, I'm a lover, not a fighter. But I will protect any girl who requires my help."

I scoff. "Oh yeah, any girl will need your protection. Give one girl who needs a muscle man's protection."

"You."

Our eyes met, and feel the spark of intensity coming off him. It's like he can see right through me.

I smack my lips and look away before anything I regret happens. "I don't need your protection. I can take care of myself."

"Okay, but let me ask." He says. "Who are you protecting yourself from?"

I didn't answer.

"It's not my place to say nor be nosy to ask your real purpose of coming here."

"What are you talking about?" I cross my arms and glare at him.

"You came to our home-"

"My cousins' home." I correct him.

"Me and my brothers are living with your cousins together, so it's technically our house too."

Damn him and his regulation.

He and his brothers combined their homes with my cousins' and lived together under one roof.

"I got nothing to say to you. I don't have to give you a reason." I snap.

"You came to the house unannounced with your son and with those bruises on your face, and your telling me there is nothing to say to me."

Why is this dick bringing that up?

"I told Thea I was fighting with this other lady because she wouldn't let go of the purse I wanted," I told that lie to Thea when we talked privately. She doubted I was telling the truth but didn't pressure me.

"That is fucking bullshit." Don scoff. "You're telling me a high-class British woman can cause those bruises. Don't lie to me."

"It's the truth."

"Bullshit."

"Fine, don't believe me. I got nothing else to say. If you don't want to believe me, that is fine."

"Oh, fucking god," Donovan groans and rubs his face. "I can see stubbornness runs in the family. I don't know how Rex put up with Thea or Logan with Effie. Lily is okay and isn't stubborn; she's more understanding.

"Is it wrong for me to visit my cousins? Have my son met his aunts and uncle?" I grunt.

"No, but you are hiding something. You mention him. Are you referring to your fiancé?" Donovan pause. "Is he hurting you?"

I look away.

Why is he bringing Eddie up?

Before, I was frantic and afraid that Eddie would find me and my son. But, I told Thea nothing was wrong with me, Eddie. I lied to her as I told her my reason for my visit. For Leo to meet his other side of the family.

"No, it's not my fiancé. He loves me." I'm such a bloody liar. I need to change the subject before he interrogates me more with my abusive fiancé. "I'll get in your car, but I don't want to talk about that topic again with you. Never bring it up, Deal?"

He sighs. Don opens his mouth and wants to ask about that topic but instead says, "Alright, I won't pressure you anymore. But if I ever find out he's hurting you. My gun won't be empty." Don went to his car.

I made a face behind his back and followed him. To my surprise, he was by the passenger side and opened my door. With his other hand, I look at him and then at his hand. I know the gesture and take it. Sparks fly throughout from my hand and into my body. Don help me up and shut the door for me.

I've met gentlemen through my parents' fancy parties but always knew their actual color for being that way. Eddie was a gentleman before he punched me in the face. I feared him for years when his fist touched my face and stomach. Don, he could hit out of the ballpark with Eddie, but with his touch, I feel safe and butterflies swirling inside my belly.

I don't know what this feeling is, and I wish it would stop before I make the mistake of falling in love again.