Protect Me (9 page)

“There you are Isabelle, I have been looking for you everywhere, and our booth is finally ready in the back. So who do you have here?” She turned to Jace and smiled.

“I’m Jace and this is my buddy Ryan. What can I get you to drink…” pausing as if to ask her name.

“Oh, I’m Mindy, gin and tonic please.”

The bartender motioned to Ryan that the drink was ready. “Just put that on my tab please. And hers as well,” motioning to the redhead.

“So, what brings you two boys out tonight?”  Isabelle chimed in.

“Oh you know, just spending some quality time together, exchanging recipes, knitting patterns, the usual.” Jace said sarcastically.

“I see. Well if you gentlemen would like, we actually have a table over in the back waiting for us. Would you like to join us?” Isabelle looked hopefully at Ryan.

“Sure, I think we could do that. I can let Sonny know he can have these stools back that we reserved.” Jace joked as he stood putting his arm around Mindy and walking off into the crowd.

“After you.” Ryan motioned with his hand to Isabelle.

As they made their way to the back of the club the scenery began to get more intimate. The lighting was much lower and the music in the back of the club played more subtly than in the front. Candles flickered on tables placed around the large couches while chandeliers bounced sparkling light off the walls. Isabelle made her way to one side of the couch while Jace and Mindy sat down on the other, already snuggling up together. He wasn’t sure why but suddenly Ryan felt very uncomfortable. He had come here on a mission to find a no strings attached piece of ass, and here he had one sitting next to him that a lot of men would kill for. For some reason though he just wasn’t feeling it. Something inside of him longed to just get the hell out of there, before the shit got too deep. But reluctantly he stayed.

“So Ryan, tell me something about you that I haven’t heard in the newspapers.” Isabelle scooted closer.

“Well, I am not sure what you have heard. I can speak three different languages: English, Spanish, and French.” He really didn’t feel like making small talk.

“An educated man, that’s very attractive.” She reached over and placed her hand on his leg.

“Yeah, well my mom always stressed the importance of school.” He took a sip of his drink. If he was going to keep this up he was going to need something stronger.

“Well mothers are always right. So your bodyguard service, I hear a lot about it. You must be very happy with how well it has taken off.”

He suddenly felt as though this was more of an interrogation than it was small talk. “Yeah, we have done well for ourselves. I don’t think anyone is struggling to pay their mortgage.”

“It has to be dangerous though, risking your neck for people you don’t know.” Isabelle sneered.

“Gotta take the good with the bad, if I wasn’t willing to take that risk I wouldn’t have a job.” Ryan motioned for the bartender working the back area. “Could I get a couple shots please, tequila. And some limes and salt as well.”

“Sure thing Mr. Dixon.” The bartender smiled at him as she headed off towards her computer in the back.

“Ugh, working class.” Isabelle mumbled under her breath.

“I’m sorry?” Ryan sat up in his seat.

“Oh, nothing. So Jace how is it having Ryan as your boss?” She changed the subject.

“Well, we are kinda on an even keel. So it’s not bad. Although he is a pain in the ass at times.” Jace laughed as Isabelle smiled and scooted a little closer.

The bartender made her way back over with the shots. Ryan reached quickly grabbing one of the small glasses and a slice of lime. Isabelle lifted hers up making a toast.

“Here’s to chance encounters.” She clinked her glass with Ryan’s before shooting back the amber liquid. “Here, do you want to lick the salt off of me.” She shot Ryan an evil grin.

“I’m actually watching my salt intake.” He said through gritted teeth. Oh yeah he was going to need a few more of those.

Over the next two hours he tried his best to keep up the banter. He had learned all about Isabelle’s college days, which was where she had met Mindy. They were in a sorority together and they’d had a few experimental sexual encounters which made them closer. He also heard a great deal about her dog, Snickers, and a number of other pointless details about her life. Ultimately Ryan knew he really didn’t care and the shots of tequila were doing nothing but burn his throat going down. He had to end this. Jace had been too occupied with shoving his tongue down Mindy’s throat to see the irritation building in his friends face. Trying to get a moment alone he excused himself to go to the restroom.

Good timing as there was no one else standing in line. He made his way into the small restroom. After doing his business he walked over to the sink placing both hands on the sides as he stared into the mirror. What was happening to him? Sitting next to a beautiful woman that he knew would jump at the opportunity to see even his backseat; he had no interest in her at all which was an even more confusing feeling because most of the women he had been with had approached him. They were all beautiful and attractive women, enough to clear any flaw from his mind before taking them home, he had always been interested. Jace was right he shouldn’t compare anyone else to Abbi and that’s because he knew they weren’t even on the same level as she was.

He wrestled with his conscious for a moment as he rinsed the lather off of his hands, before heading back out of the door. Making his way over to the back booths he had made up his mind. He was going home. There was nothing in this bar that he wanted and he knew that with time he would work this whole situation out in his head. But there was no sense in leading some girl on, no matter what her intentions were with his wallet or his manhood. As he approached the table he saw Jace and the two girls laughing.

“I’m back you can stop joking about me now.” He sat down a few feet away from Isabelle. He noticed the confused look on Jace’s face. “Hey man, you good here? I think I am gonna head out.”

“What? We just got here. You should stay and have a few more drinks.” Jace had a stern look on his face.

“Nah man, I’m good. Just tell Sonny to put it on my tab and send me the bill.” Ryan stood and as he did Isabelle stood as well, so much for making a clean get away.

“Are you sure? I mean the ladies went through all the trouble to get this big comfy booth. We owe it to them to stay.”

“No, really man. I’m good.” He tried to get the point across to Jace without being a dick, but it looked like he might have to take that road.

“Suit yourself, the more for me.” Jace eyed the blonde that was now standing next to Ryan.

“So, do you wanna go back to my place or yours?” She whispered as she stepped closer to him placing her hand on his chest while blocking the walkway between the couch and the table.

He stepped back and around the table so that she was no longer blocking his exit. “Uh, listen. I don’t want to lead you on or anything but I am not looking for a relationship.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about that. I just thought that maybe we could spend some time alone.” She stepped closer and ran her finger down his chest. “You know, just have a little fun.” He could see her eyes starting to flame. This was obviously a girl who wasn’t used to getting turned down.

“Yeah, that’s probably not going to happen tonight.” He didn’t want to be mean, but he knew that she wasn’t going to drop it easily.

“Are you seriously turning me down right now? Listen buddy, I have a phone book of guys who would be begging to have a chance with me tonight.” She stepped closer to him.

“Well then I don’t think you will have a problem finding someone to keep you warm.”

“You’re making a huge mistake you know that.” She said eyeing him furiously.

“No, I think the mistake was coming here in the first place.”

 Ryan turned to head out of the door. He could feel her eyes burning into the back of his head. He didn’t even bother turning back around to look at her; it was a waste of his time.

He walked out into the crisp night air. Well so much for drinking Abbi off his mind. It seemed like the more he drank the more he had thought about her. Walking up to the valet he handed him his ticket.

“Yes sir I will be right back.” The boy grinned knowing he would be getting to drive the Challenger again.

As Ryan waited he saw a young couple come out of the club. Hand in hand as if they were the only two people that existed in the world. It was a raw moment of affection between two people in love. At that moment Ryan knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted that person who could laugh with him, the one he could wrap his arms around and kiss anytime he wanted to. The person he could walk hand in hand with and let the world know she was his girl. But he knew that even on top of his baggage he had a hectic life. Would she even want to commit to that? Meetings that took place halfway around the world and paparazzi snapping pictures of your every move, constantly having every mistake or error put out for the world to judge. It wasn’t fair to bring Abbi into that life, but he knew he wanted to. He had to bring her into his world. He could no longer keep up the fight with his own heart.

As he heard the familiar rumble of the Challenger’s exhaust pipes, he stepped up to the curb. This wasn’t something he could solve in one night. But as he got into his car and headed out towards home he hopped that fate would at least give him a chance to work it out. And maybe he would give fate a little bit of a hand, after all wasn’t the idea all about teamwork. And he had the resources to put the odds in his favor. Though he couldn’t quite show up at her door step unannounced, maybe he could run into her around the area. Guess it’s time to steal Trish’s grocery list and go shopping.  

Abbi yawned as she climbed out of bed. She had made it through her first weekend at Mist and still had her job. She hadn’t caught anything, or anyone, on fire either. Nothing was broken, and she had managed to make bank in the three nights she had worked. At this rate she would be paying her rent early and still having plenty left over for groceries and maybe a few more shopping trips. Today was her first day off. She had written out an extensive to do list on her small dry erase board stuck to the fridge:

1. Sleep in (she crossed this one out)

2. Buy groceries

3. Pick up darker curtains

4. Get a week supply of cinnamon rolls/ Bun Ladies

She opened her fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. Taking a sip, the cold water instantly made her feel more awake. Yeah, she would definitely have to go buy some food for the house if she intended not to starve. Her stomach was beginning to rebel against the constant protein bars she had been living on the past few days. Thank God Trent usually had snacks available for the girls while they were working.

 Getting a piece of note paper and a pen out of the junk drawer in the kitchen she began to jot down certain things she wanted to get from the grocery store. Since she knew she would be working so much, most of it would be in the form of to go food, and able to be heated in the microwave in the employee kitchen at work. Hot Pockets (a rednecks survival meal, her friends used to cook them on the engine blocks of their trucks), individual granola packets, water, a few other items she liked to keep in the pantry for snacking and she couldn’t forget coffee. Luckily the apartment complex had given her a small house warming package that included some single serve packets of instant coffee. It wasn’t the real stuff, but it had done its job. Tonight however she would be cooking a real meal in her fully stocked kitchen. She finished her list and shoved it into the side pocket of her handbag.

Reluctantly Abbi made her way back upstairs to get dressed. She wasn’t even going to worry about a shower. It was just the grocery store and since she was in a huge town full of people she didn’t know, she wasn’t worried about running into anyone of importance. She grabbed her phone and checked for messages. One missed call from Ashley and a text from Judy that had come through around ten that morning, damn those two must have partied after getting off work.

Judy: I just heard a song on the radio by Mr. Dirty, thought you might want to know. 

Abbi smiled and hit the reply button.

Abbi: Damn I knew I should have asked for his autograph!

As she went to set her phone on the bed she heard the ping of a message. It was already late afternoon, were they really still up?

Judy: Would you have asked him to sign Mr. Dirty or his full name? LOL. Did you text your man meat yet?

Abbi: No, just woke up and I hope you did too... Going grocery shopping. You wanna come?

Judy: I am going to take a rain check on that one. We had a few drinks when we got off and I am pretty sure I’m going to die at any moment now. And yes smarty pants I just woke up to get some water.

Abbi: You’re a rockstar! TTY soon. I will let you know what JEFF says 

Judy: Good luck with your MAN MEAT. Oh and BTW we all have off this Wednesday night, girl’s night?

Abbi: Sure!

Abbi threw her phone down onto the bed and made her way over to the closet which was beginning to look somewhat fuller with her recent purchases. She grabbed out a white bra and a bright blue tank top. She pulled a pair of jean shorts over her white lace panties, shorts that were appropriate length and covered the bottom of her ass cheeks, before pulling on her tennis shoes.

She made her way back downstairs to the bathroom. Leaning over the sink she splashed some water in her face and wiped the sleep out of her eyes with a fluffy hand towel. Her hair was too crazy to wear down and she didn’t feel like taming it, so she tied it back into a pony tail. One thing she didn’t skip was moisturizer and mineral powder. Her mother was an avid user of Mary Kay and she had been reprimanded enough by her to know the importance of skin care. She smeared the moisturizer on her face and neck before dusting on a light layer of powder. One last look in the mirror, oh yeah she hoped she didn’t see anyone today not even the powder could hide the dark circles under her eyes, and she was headed towards the door. Her purse and keys in hand she headed out of the building into the LA sun. There was a small grocery store just a few blocks down so today she thought she would walk.