Not that there was a chance of getting comfortable at Carver’s, what with the customers being so charming and everything. She had a little bit saved up now, not anywhere near what she’d had before, but it was enough to put first and last month’s rent and a security deposit on a small apartment. Jenna had offered to pay rent with the money she’d earned watching Liam for however long it took for Eden to find a job in real estate. They’d both formulated a tentative plan on their futures, nothing set in stone, but they were going to be there for each other regardless. That was exactly what Eden needed. Distance, time alone, time to think, time to recuperate and a start fresh. She would only be setting herself up for more heartbreak if she did otherwise.
It was packed. No surprise there. The game playing on the flat screens mounted high on the four walls had everyone riveted, erupting every now and then in a chorus of cheers or disgruntled jeers. It made for an interesting evening but no less demanding. Eden was kept on her toes as the crowd clamored for more salty food which led to their need for more liquor. Mickey had her mixing drinks, but halfway through the night, she was pulled away to help with Brenda’s tables. It was while she was coming back from getting a drink order that she saw him, and Eden frowned, not actually recognizing him until she saw the skulls and crossbones tattoo inked into his arm. Her frown deepened as she approached the table he was occupying. There was someone else seated across from him.
Rail thin, stringy ash blond hair, and enough makeup to make any clown jealous, the woman—and Eden used the word rather loosely—appeared to have seen better days. She was scarfing down a basket of fries, a napkin splattered with ketchup just to the right of her. Pulling her eyes away from the professional eating contestant, Eden looked at Jenna’s ex and couldn’t help her disgust from morphing her face into a scowl. It was a slight consolation that he looked worse for wear but not by much. Eden would rather he be buried in a hole somewhere very far from here. The last time she’d seen him, he hadn’t looked this bad. He was wirier, and his gaunt features would look better placed on a corpse, making him look like the grim reaper. There was a stench oozing from him and the clothes that hung off his diminished frame. Cracked lips drew up into a smug grin as his glassy blue eyes raked over her with a look that made her skin crawl. She pulled back from the dirt caked hand that reached out to touch her.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Tsk, tsk, that’s no way of talking to a customer.” He spread his legs and fisted himself through his jeans. “Come have a seat, we need to talk.”
“You need to get the fuck out.” Trying to keep her anger under control was no small feat.
“What the fuck you doing working in this place? Your sugar daddy leave you high and dry?”
Eden turned to leave, resolved to flag down either Carver or one of the guys he hired to handle the crowd when they got out of hand. But Alex was faster, shackling a hand around her wrist in a surprisingly tight grip that hurt far more than she let on. With one forceful tug, he jerked her to him, setting her hand, palm side down on the table. He grabbed the steak knife and held it over her hand. “Make a fucking scene, and I’ll drive this into your hand. Got it?” In the absence of his lascivious look, his cold eyes stared back at her with dark intent.
She nodded jerkily, holding onto the retort that burned her tongue.
“Now smile like the good cock sucking waitress that you are and answer my fucking questions. Why the fuck isn’t Jenna answering my phone calls?”
“I don’t know,” she said icily.
“Don’t fucking bullshit me. I know you’re telling her not to talk to me. You’ve been pulling this shit since she’s met you. You’re going to—”
“Dude, what the fuck?”
Thank God for April! The redhead jumped into action, tossing her plate of hot food at the table causing the much needed commotion she’d anticipated. Alex’s grip on Eden’s wrist slackened, along with the grip he had on the knife, and too soon he was out of his chair, looking for an exit. The woman who’d been sitting with him was screaming bloody murder as she batted away at remnants of mashed potatoes and mushrooms from her hair and body.
“Carver!” April’s cry of help to their boss was loud enough that more than a few heads turned in their particular direction. “He pulled a knife out on Eden!” she explained frantically once the tattooed man jumped into the fray. It all it took was the word “knife” to have him lunging for the other man, but Alex was already making a run for it, his lady friend scurrying behind him.
“Are you alright?” It took Eden a moment to answer, her nerves shot to hell, her heart thumping furiously in her chest, speaking proved a little difficult.
“Yeah,” she nodded, more for everyone’s assurance than her own, “yeah, I’m fine.”
The odd, quiet hush that fell over the bar was disturbing on so many levels as hushed murmurs made Eden feel like she was under a microscope highlighted by stadium lights. Carver instantly rectified the situation. “This round’s on the house! Cheers to our girl, April!”
“April!” everyone chorused, and just like that everything returned to normal, the patrons returning to their heated game and equally stimulating conversations.
“Thank you for saving my ass, April.”
“Jesus, who the fuck was that guy? Did you know him?”
“He’s my best friend’s ex. I didn’t know he was going to show up here.” God she didn’t even think he knew where she worked! “I’m so sorry, Carver.”
“You sure do keep interesting company, Eden,” he remarked teasingly, a lopsided grin putting on display a dimple in his left cheek.
She flushed red. “Not willingly,” she murmured.
“Well, whatever that was, Carver is buying us a drink, so come take a shot with me. It’ll calm your nerves.”
It didn’t. She was still very much rattled by closing time, the one thought crawling through her mind was that if he knew where she worked then it more than likely meant he knew where they lived. Suddenly the conversation she had with Jenna a month ago about telling Dominic about Alex didn’t seem like such a bad idea now. In fact, it was imperative that she do so now before things spiraled out of her control. Yes, she resolved silently, cleaning out her locker and brusquely shoving her items in her bag. She was going to tell him tonight; as soon as she returned to the mansion she would call him.
“You can head out, girls!” Carver called from the back office.
“Sweet! I’ll see you later, guys. Got a hot date with Spence tonight.” Brenda waved goodbye, her bag in hand, and raced for the car waiting for her outside.
“You coming, Eden?” April asked from the doorway, Maria a few feet from the front entrance.
“Yeah, you guys go ahead. I’ll be right behind you,” she said with a small smile, tugging her hair down from the messy bun and running soothing fingers against her sore scalp.
“Alright, girl. Great work tonight.”
“You too. And thanks again for—”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done for me. We all look out for each other. I’ll see tomorrow.”
“Yeah, tomorrow.”
God, she needed a shower. But first she needed to find the keys to her car, otherwise that shower was going to be only wishful thinking. After some vigorous searching, her bottomless bag finally yielded her set of keys. Checking the clock on the wall, Eden saw how late it was and sighed.
“Hey, Carver, I’m heading out!”
“Alright, almost done. I’ll close up.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure thing.”
One o’clock in the morning brought with it a cool, yet warm breeze attributed with a summer night. The breeze felt good against her sticky, fevered skin, but with that shower sounding more and more appealing, she bounded for her car, too preoccupied that she didn’t notice him until he shoved her against her car.
“Didn’t think you’d see me again, huh, you stupid bitch?” He was strong despite his frail appearance, strong enough to subdue her attempts to free herself. “Scream and I’m going smash your head against this car,” he said, his rancid breath blowing hot against her ear. The hold he had on her arms prevented her from twisting around. Her mind was in chaos, but Eden kept control of her nerves while hastily trying to formulate a plan of escape. “First, you’re going to call your sugar daddy and tell him I need more money. The amount he paid me the first time wasn’t enough. And then you’re going to kick Jenna out of that nice little mansion she thinks she belongs in. Once she’s out on her own, she’ll come running back to me, and I’ll have enough money to take care of her.”
“You mean beat her to a bloody pulp until she does everything you say?” She needed to keep him talking. The good thing in all of this was that he wasn’t armed, so she wasn’t in any immediate danger. She’d dropped her keys when he’d apprehended her so there was no way setting off the panic alarm to alert anyone in the vicinity. “Even if I could convince Jenna to leave, she’s not going to go back to you. She’s done being your punching bag.”