Tortured Beginning (10 page)

Lynette and I pull up to Chap's and park in the back. As we get out of the car, I notice that they are pretty busy. Good, that way I will be distracted by everyone. I know the questions will start coming from Lynette as soon as we sit down, she kept giving me the look in the car. She doesn't know me as well as Anne, but pretty fucking close.

As soon as we walk through the door we get blasted with music, and my eyes have to adjust to the dark room. The bar isn't huge, we walk down the short hall, past the stage and small dance floor to the bar area. They have a restaurant off to the right, that is packed with diners, eating a late dinner. They have all you can eat fish and chips every Friday, it's a great meal and they always have a big turnout.

We find a small table, and the waitress takes our drink order. I don't look around, not wanting to talk to anyone. At least not until I have a couple of drinks in me.

"Okay, what's going on?" Lynette asks.

I sigh, "Nothing."

"Bullshit, Jay! You forget I have known you a long time and know when your lying."

Just then, the waitress sets our drinks down in front of us. "Can I bring you ladies anything else?"

I decide to order something to eat, if I'm drinking I better eat. "Yeah, can you put an appetizer sampler in for me."

"Sure, hun."

I watch her walk away and see Lynette texting on her phone. "Who are you texting?"

"No one. So are you going to talk to me or what?"

"What?" I hate being a smart ass, but she asked for it. She shakes her head and grabs her drink. I don't want her to be pissed at me, but I really need a few drinks first.

We sit there in silence for awhile, the waitress brings us food and I dig in. I'm starting to feel a little better when I get smacked in the back. Oh hell no! Someone better not be trying to start something with me. I turn to see who it is and smile.

"What the fuck are you doing her? I thought you had your kids this weekend, bitch!"

Anne sits down, "Well I heard through the grapevine that my best friend might need me." She looks over at Lynette and she shrugs her shoulders.

"What about the girls?"

"They are at my dad's. He hasn't had them over for a sleepover in a long time, they were so excited to go."

I grab my drink and down it. Great now these two are going to badger me to tell them what's going on. I know I shouldn't be like this, but I don't like putting my problems on other people. But I know they won't let me off easy. The waitress comes back and takes our new drink orders.

Once the waitress leaves, Anne looks over to me with that worried look on her face. I fucking hate that look, why do people do that. I look around, trying to find an escape. As I look towards the bar, that's when I see him.

Jason drove to the bar after we left that asshole's apartment. I wanted to kill him, or least wipe that fucking smirk off of his face. As soon as we walked into the bar, we sat at two empty stools. We ordered a couple of shots and beers. As soon as the bartender set them down, I downed the shot.

"So what the fuck was that?"

"Shit, I don't know."

"I have never seen you lose your cool, like that."

"I know." I take a long drag of my beer, replaying the scene in my head. I have to get a grip of myself. I don't know what it is about Jaylah, but I can't get her out of my mind. I look as if on que and see her walking through the back door. "Shit," I say under my breath, hoping Jason didn't hear me. But of course he does, and follows my gaze.

"Well speak of the devil and she shows up," he says with a chuckle.

I put my forehead on the bar, "Fuck."

Anne looks at me and follows my gaze. She finally sees who I'm looking at and smiles.

Lynette looks at us both confused, "What?"

I reply, "Nothing." Anne starts shaking her head at me.

"Bullshit! You guys need to start telling me what is going on, because I'm getting pissed!"

I look at each of them and try to look to Anne for support. She shakes her head and crosses her arms over her chest. I sigh, "Fine. See the guy at the end of the bar?"

"Yeah. The really fucking HOT guy at the end of the bar?" Lynette asks.

"Yeah. He is the detective working on my case about Ben." I stop talking and take a drink. I wish that would be end of the story, but not with Lynette. I love her, but she can be such a pain in the ass when it comes to shit like this.

She loves to gossip. She isn't one of those people that runs around telling everybody's secrets. She is a great listener and will give you advice, wether you want it or not.

"Well damn, he is hot. I know you told me he was hot, Anne...but not that fucking hot."

I look over at him, he doesn't look my way. He really is an incredibly good looking man. He is not what I normally would go after. He is a little to GQ for me. He has that well groomed, I haven't shaved look, with short well maintained hair. He wears suits, that he obviously has made. Those beautiful blue eyes, that I swear I could get lost in and full lips I want all over me.

"Earth to Jaylah," Anne says.

"What?" I was obviously very lost in my own thoughts. I see them both shaking their heads and laughing.

"I asked you what was going on with Ben. And don't try to tell me nothing, I see you everyday and I know something is going on. We are worried about you."

I sigh. I know I can't keep telling them, nothing. So I give in and decide to tell them the mild version of what is going on.

"I need a cigarette." I say to Jason.

He nods, and we head out the front door.

As soon as I step outside, I light my cigarette and take a long drag from it. I need to clear my head from all that is going on. I'm having feelings for Jaylah and I'm not sure how to react to them. She is not what I'm usually attracted to, she has a wild look to her and I love that about her. I've always dated woman that were the perfect girl next door. Maybe that's what my problem has been all of these years.

"Damn man, you are really lost in your thoughts." Jason says breaking me from my thoughts.

I look over to him and nod my head. "I know, sorry. What the fuck is wrong with me?" I say the last part more to myself than to Jason.

"Well I would say you have it bad for this girl."

Before I can respond, Jason nudges me. I look over to see Jaylah walking up to us.

"Hi Trevan." She smiles at me, looks at Jason and back at me.

"Well since this asshole isn't going to introduce me, I'm Jason Turner." Jason wags his thumb in my direction.

"Nice to meet you," Jaylah replies. She grabs a cigarette and Jason lights it for her.

I stand there like a dumb ass, still not saying anything and staring at her. She takes a long drag of her cigarette and I imagine her lips on me.

I clear my throat, "How're you doing Jaylah?"

"Better, thank you."

I can see Jason watching our interaction and smirking. He is getting a kick out of this, what an asshole. I'm never going to hear the end of this from him.

"Jason and I paid a visit to Ben. I wanted you to know that we reminded him of his restraining order and that he is to stay away from you."

I could see the fear in her eyes when I mentioned Ben's name. I wish I could fix all that for her, and she would never have to worry again. I want to be the man that makes this woman feel safe again.

"Let's go get a drink," I say to break her from her thoughts.

She nods her head and we all head back into the bar. I walk up to the bar and order shots for all of us, including her friends. We walk back to her table and she introduces me to her friends.

"Well hello, hot stuff," Lynette says in greeting. I smile not really knowing how to respond to that. I hear Jason chuckle next to me.

"Nice to meet you ladies, this my friend Jason."

"Well I see Jaylah has brought us some eye candy to look at tonight," Lynette says looking between Jason and I.

I can't believe Lynette is talking like this. I kick her from under the table and she just laughs at me. I look over at Anne and she just shakes her head. I try to ignore the comments and slam my shot. Normally I don't care and talk just like her, but this is different.

As the goes on and the more I drink, my troubles seem to get smaller. I keep stealing looks over at Trevan. The thing is every time I look, he is looking at me. He stirs feelings in me that I thought were dead a long time ago.

I watch as Lynette and Anne go out onto the dance floor, they wave me to come out with them. I put on my sexiest smile for Trevan as I go out to the dance floor. I can feel his eyes on my the whole time, and I find it sexy as hell.

After a few songs, we head back to the table and find more drinks waiting for us. I down the shot, and take a drink from my beer.

"I will be right back, you ladies want to join me?"

They both get up and follow me to the bathroom. I know it's childish to all go to the bathroom together, but it was to loud to talk on the dance floor.

"Holy shit, Jay. That man is fucking hot as hell," Lynette says as soon as the door shuts behind us.

"I know. He isn't usually my type, but there is something about him."

"It's crazy to see you like this," Anne says and gives me hug.