Denial

Lior wasn't sure how he was breathing, or thinking, but he hated the fact he was still awake. That he could still hear her voice in his head. He knew he must have been the one at fault. He must have done something wrong. He just couldn't do anything right. He couldn't even... make his Mate love him.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. Pain racked through every bone in his body. A part of him screamed at the fact that she was right, she had been the only one to tell him to his face. He was truly useless, worthless, without a true purpose, but Goddess, he would have loved her. He would have been anything she wanted.

If she had just given him a chance—

More tears fell. Another part thought back on how she had looked at him. Was that truly how she had seen him all this time? Or was it just how he had seen her? Lior had been so in love with her that he had managed to ignore any wrong side, but now that he thought of it, he could see her for her true self.

There had been a time when he had found a cat, after the loss of his dog some years ago, and he, in his love dazed state, tried to show her his feline, but Sophie had kicked it so hard, without any single remorse that it died and she never even cared to ask about how he felt when that happened.

More instances came up to his head, when she had showed him her true self, but he had ignored it. Fuck, he still loved her. Even though she did this, he loved her. Love didn't go away so easily. Did she truly expect him to just let go of her? Of all he had known?

He had already driven his car to the farthest part of Raester, deep down to a place he knew no one would find him, or guess he would ever be, and switched off his phone so he wouldn't be tracked, but of course, there was also the problems of the paparazzi outing him so he had to change into a more concealing appearance. Plus,  there was no need to overthink on his decision  anymore. He couldn't possibly care now, could he? If the one person destined to spend the rest of her life with him didn't want him, then nothing else nothing mattered.

He'd do what he wanted. Damn the consequences.

‡

Nine stared at the counter. Finally, she had managed to get the stain off, and in the next hour, her shift would finally be over. Thankfully, the pub was already empty, leaving her with her boss and some other chores she had to do, but asides that, she was grateful.

Just one more day, she though, one more day, and I'd be a free person.

It was mantra that kept her sane, because for someone like her that had nothing else holding her down to Earth, freedom managed to keep her happy.

Though her happiness died out when she saw a customer walk into the Pub.

It was already so late and she could barely stand on her feet as it was. Plus, she wasn't sure she could stand one more person for the night. Nine had to spend most of her time ignoring people jeering at the way she looked, or grabbing her roughly. Even though she hated it, there was nothing she could do. No one ever did anything to Mom's girls, unless they wanted her wrath, but since Mom saw her as more of a liability than an asset, other people liked to toy with her for it.

Nine watched her Boss walk to the male who was now seated on a bar stool. He had on a black hoodie and pants, the hood up, and sunglasses, she wasn't sure, with his head bent down. They seemed to talk for a few minutes before the hooded male brought out a huge wad of money and set it on the counter. 

Her eyes widened at the sight, her hands now gripping the handle of the broom she was holding tighter. She had worked in this pub for years and she hadn't seen that much Yudats in this place before.

Her Boss stared at it too, but only for a few seconds before he  quickly pocketed it. As he began walking to her, Nine quickly went back to her cleaning. Heavens knew how many lashings she would have gotten if he had caught her staring instead of being useful 

"You,"

She had a name, yet no one ever called that. "Yes, sir?"

Her Boss was a thin looking, mouse faced man that always had a sneer on his face for her. "That customer has paid for a whole night of drinks so make sure you keep topping him till he's ready to go. You hear me?"

Till he was ready? "But it's already late and if I'm not home in an hour—"

"Are you trying to tell me what to do?"

Nine's mouth stayed open for a second, but she shut it and quickly shook her head.

"Good," She watched him take his coat off the rack and wear it. "Make sure you close up." Then as he walked away, muttered under his breath. "Ugly faced bitch,"

Years ago, those words would have cut deep into her but she had grown immune to it. Nine had jet black hair that she kept long since she was too busy to cut it and the last time she did, had made a horrible mistake that got her bullied for a very long time. Still, that hadn't been the problem. Nine was pale skinned, and had barely any meat on her body which gave her a plain scarecrow look but  the one thing that got people freaked out were her eyes.

They were round and completely onyx black. Like two void holes that promised to suck everything in it's sight.

Nine sometimes wished they could.

She did as she was told anyway. Refilling the man's glass while she glared at him with her eyes, hoping he'd get disgusted and leave, but he seemed to stuck on his misery to give a care about an urchin like her.

Great, the one time she wanted attention, none was being given.

As she topped  his fiftieth glass and proceeded to walk away, he held her hand and mumbled something under his breath that made her freeze in her steps. "S-Sophie. D-Don't go,"

His voice sounded completely ethereal, like the wind tickling her ears. It made her want to stay and hear him talk again, but the moment she thought it, she knew to step away. "Sir, I think you've had too many to—"

"My head hurts," Oh Goddess, that voice.

The male looked up at her now, the shades he had on dropping a bit so she could now see his face. He had eyes that reminded her of the sun when it was rising. Making her want to stay and see how beautiful it'd look when it was finally all out in it's gloriousness. "Can you— Can you take me somewhere?"

"I—" Don't look into his eyes. And ignore the voice! "Sir, it's late and—"

"Here,"

Nine watched him bring out another wad of money. Equivalent to whatever he gave her boss. She swallowed. Her brain quickly thought on how much of her debt she could pay if she presented this to Mom. It meant less pub days and grabby hands. It meant closer freedom. Plus, she could drive exceedingly well, since she had done something along the lines to get more money for Mom.

But men weren't to be trusted. She knew that first hand, and if she was more late—

"More?" He sounded completely ready to please now. "I'd give— More," He tried standing, nearly falling over until she held him. "I don't— I don't wanna go home. Nothing's— There... For me. So— So hotel, but can't— Drive—"

What was it in his voice that made her want to stay? Was it the fact he made her ears want to lean in more or her ears recognized the same sadness her heart felt every single day she woke? "What hotel?"

"G-Golden Lily,"

That five star hotel? Not that it surprised her the more she thought about it. He looked rich enough to afford a friend even, but she shook the thought away. Nothing about him was her business. All she had to do was get him in his hotel room, and take the money he gave. Easy peasy.

Goddess. She hoped it'd go that way.