Marked. Part I: The missing Link (8 page)

Chapter 8

Friday, January 10

7:11pm

On Wednesday, Jay had abruptly called me to come over to learn more moves. He kept asking about my nightmares and making sure I was doing okay. I lied to him and told him his technique was working. It was more of a white lie, because it has helped me. I am getting more sleep. However, I think now my lack of sleep is me preferring his bed to my own.

We practiced kicking to the groin but I made a mistake and turned the wrong way so I rolled into him. I had lost my footing thinking I could still try and escape, causing me to stumble and fall back and bringing Jay with me. I landed flat on my back with his heavy body pressed on top. His forearms were on the sides of my face, making our noses centimeters from touching. We stared into each others' eyes and all that could be heard was our heavy breathing.

I had nervously licked my lips, but his face had been close enough that the tip of my tongue grazed his bottom lip. His eyes squeezed together before opening and staring down at me. His face was hard, serious, and devoid of any emotion, but he didn't get up. Instead of our heavy breathing subsiding, it seemed to increase the longer we stayed like that. He eventually got up, mumbling something about having errands to run and I was pushed out the door.

The rest of my time has consisted of job searching and going so out of my mind with boredom that every nook and cranny of my mom's house is polished, scrubbed, and dust free. So when Naomi called during her lunch break to complain about her shitty day and she's picking me up at seven to get drinks, I was thrilled.

As I'm getting ready, I realize I'm ecstatic for a completely different reason than boredom and seeing my friends: I know we will go to The Recovery Room and I will see Jay. I can't seem to stop my mind from wandering to him.

I can't decide what to wear and end up calling Stevie for advice. We decide on my pleated navy-blue summer dress. I look at myself in the mirror and instantly hear Will's voice telling me I look like a whore and I feel sick. I know it's not true; the dress hits my knees and covers most of my breasts, but I'd let him control my thought process for too long. Every tiny part of me begs to put on a blazer and cover up, but there is a small part of me that shines through, telling me that I can dress sexy and not be any of the horrible things Will once told me.

Stevie's horn blasts and I reluctantly place my blazer on my bed.

I pause at the door to turn back for it.

No, Lily, you need to do this.

I was fully covered the last time I went out and that didn't stop those men from attacking me. Will is the only man I've had sex with – if you can even call it that – so I'm definitely not a whore, slut, tramp, harlot, or any of the other nasty words he'd used to get me to change clothes. I grab the blazer anyway, using the excuse that it's winter and I might get cold even though we live in Mesa, Arizona and it never really gets cold, but I don't put it on.

It feels good to see my friends and hear all about what has happened to them over the week. We agree going out Friday nights will be a weekly tradition. We sit in the parking lot behind the bar for twenty minutes while they listen to me talk out my fears of getting ready and how much I still allow Will's voice to control me. Being the amazing friends that they are, they naturally reassure me that my clothes would be considered conservative compared to what most girls wear nowadays. Stevie points to herself and the tight tapestry corset she's wearing that causes her breasts to pour out, her mini leather skirt that she's wearing with purple platform pumps that have a five inch heel. I think she looks hot.

We step out of the car, and right before I shut the door I grab my blazer; there
is
somewhat of a chill in the air. I put it on and button it in the middle, ignoring the frowns of my friends.

The moment we round the corner The Recovery Room is in sight. I see Jay and my stomach does an over-the-top twirling sensation. The sight of him has me wanting to leap into his arms and kiss every square inch of him.

He doesn't acknowledge us when we approach, just steps aside for us to enter. As we head to the bar I look over my shoulder to find him texting, which looks odd coming from him; he doesn't seem like a texter.

When we reach the bar the bartender is texting too, and finishes typing before she looks up to greet us. Naomi orders her usual: Captain Morgan and 7-up. I start to tell her mine but she stops me.

“Vodka gimlet on the rocks,” she informs me, taking us all by surprise.

She makes our drinks and places them on the bar. Naomi and I hand her our money. She takes Naomi's but doesn't reach for mine, “Your drinks are on the house tonight.”

I must have given her a confused look because she follows it with a “just following orders” before leaving us to help someone else.

I place a tip on the bar and when she walks past she snarls, shoving it back at me, “I'm not in the mood to get chewed out by Jay tonight. I have strict orders not to take money from you.”

My mouth drops open, and she chuckles, “You think you’re getting free drinks because I think you're pretty? If that were the case I'd make you pay and the other one wouldn't.”

This perks Stevie up and she leans over the bar, letting her cleavage spill out and giving the bartender a seductive smile, “You play that way?”

“I play it all.” She struts off to go get a man his drink.

“
I think I'm in love girls,” Stevie swoons, admiring the bartender's ass. Which I have to admit, as far as butts go hers is exceptional.

Naomi hasn't stopped scrutinizing me since we got here.

“Out with it,” I order, “I know you have something to say, so say it.”

We sit and make ourselves comfortable at the bar. If I get free drinks all night I'm not moving.

“Are you two seeing each other?” She pries, trying to come off casual but I can tell it bothers her.

I look over to Jay who has his back to us at the main door, “No, just friends. Well, not really that either. Right now I think we're just friendly neighbors.” I don't want to tell them about our sleepovers or that he's teaching me how to defend myself.

Stevie snorts, “Ha!”

“
What's that supposed to mean?”

“
Call it 'friendly neighbors', but I saw your reaction when we got here. You're totally into him. You were getting wet in your panties at the sight of him.”

My mouth falls open then quickly snaps shut. She's right and we both know it.

“Don't be embarrassed, he's fucking hot and I'd totally be doing him tonight if you didn't want him,” Stevie licks her lips, ogling Jay's backside.

“
I know he helped Lily, but he still gives me the creeps,” Naomi gives an exaggerated shiver. “I'd let her have him, Lily. That guy is trouble.”

“
He saved Lily!” Stevie fires back, “He can't be all bad.”

“
Just because he's not a rapist and helps girls to not become victims doesn’t make him a good guy,” Naomi retorts.

“
Can we please not talk about this?” They are getting louder and I'm afraid Jay might hear them. “We're neighbors. That's it. End of discussion.”

Stevie whistles to get the bartender's attention. As she heads over she makes me a fresh drink, even though I've hardly made a dent in mine.

Stevie sticks her hand out, “Stevie.”

“
Nina,” she replies, shaking her hand.

“
What's the deal with the drinks?” Stevie asks.

“
I've been ordered to make sure she never has an empty glass, and no money is to be taken from her.”

“
By Jay,” Stevie confirms.

Nina nods before focusing her attention on me, “You his girl?”

I squirm in my seat, “No.”

“
Then why is he sending me threats if I don't let him now the minute a guy hits on you?”

“
When did he tell you that?” Naomi demands, her protective friend mode in full force.

“
He texted me the minute she walked in the door.”

“
What'd he say?” I gush out too quickly, and I can instantly tell they know I like him.

“
Basically he texted me to make sure the fucking adorable, tiny as shit girl, had VIP service all night, and I better fucking tell him if a guy is hitting on her. Jay tells you to do something, you do it.”

Can't argue that.

“He called me adorable,” I say a little too enthusiastically, completely embarrassing myself.

Nina assesses me, “If you're not his girl, who are you?”

“Neighbor.”

She tilts her head to the side, “Neighbor?” She asks as if she has never heard of such a thing.

I shrug.

“
You sleeping together?”

I flush and they all stare at me open-mouthed. Shit.

“No.”

Nina seems suspicious, but she doesn’t press it and goes back to work.

“Be careful, okay?” Naomi says before heading into a long discussion on her shitty boss and how he treats her like his personal assistant. It's not long until Naomi has had too many drinks and she and Stevie head off to dance. I stay put; dancing and me don't get along.

A guy slides into the bar stool Stevie just exited.

“Hi,” he smoothly says.

I angle my body better to view him.

“Hi,” I smile back at him.

“
I'm John,” his smile is definitely on the flirtatious side.

As I'm about to return my name, a strong, hard warmth is pressed against my back and I inhale the familiar scent of Jay.

I naturally lean back into him, letting my body sink in.

A look of horror and panic crosses John's face and I know Jay must be giving him one of his sinister stare downs.

“Sorry man, didn't know she was taken,” John scurries off.

Jay stays firmly against my back and the longer he stays there the more I mold into him, loving how good it feels.

He leans forward so his fists are planted on the bar and his massive arms trap me in – not that I mind. His left fist straightens out, slaps a key in front of me, then resumes it's position.

“
You stay with me tonight,” he commands, not giving me a choice.

I brush my fingers on the rough edges of the key, “Why?”

“I like having you in my bed.” His response sends a zing straight to my core, “I won't be home until three, so don't use the dead-bolt, only the bottom lock.”

I hold the key in my hand, “How will you get in without a key?”

“Just remember to only lock the bottom. I'm not in the mood to deal with the deadbolt.”

“
You can pick locks,” I say out loud what I'm thinking in my head.

“
Yeah, baby, I can.”

Not surprising.

Cold air suctions to my back as the presence of Jay is gone. I turn around to see him standing back at the entrance, pulling his shades back down.

“
Sure you're only neighbors?” Nina smirks as she goes to the cash register.

I don't respond, I'm too busy replaying what just happened and the fact that he likes having me over...in his bed.

Nina comes back over and hands me a slip of paper.

“
For your friend. It's my number.” She's about to retreat but stops, “Not Stevie, the other one.”

“
Got it.”

She smiles, knocks on the bar, and leaves me with another drink. I now have three drinks in front of me, none of which are finished.

I tuck the number in my pocket and hope I remember to give it to Naomi, who is, in fact, a lesbian. It's not something I ever think to mention. She informed me at fourteen she thought she might be, and by sixteen she had confirmed it. Her dating girls is as familiar to me as if she dated boys.

I start getting bored as the night carries on. Stevie and Naomi haven't left the dance floor. Before I let myself over think it, I get up to talk to Jay. The bar is slow for a Friday night and there's no line.

“Hey,” I say leaning on the door frame from the inside.

He faces me and rests his back on the frame across from me. He gives me a slight twitch of a smile, “Hey,”

“Thanks for the drinks.”

“
I was hoping it would give you incentive to bake me a pie.”

“
Well, I guess now I know what I'm doing tomorrow. What flavor?”

“
Pumpkin.”

“
Good, since that's the only kind I know how to make.” I start chewing on my bottom lip, “Why'd you stop that guy from hitting on me?”

“
Would you have liked it if you saw a girl hitting on me?”

Instant jealousy hits me, taking me by surprise, “No. I would have hated it.”