The Devil Behind Me(34)

“How do you know about Frank?” I asked, nervous at what she knew.

“I overheard Daimon and Darren talking, something about your old boyfriend sniffing around you,” she said nonchalantly.

“Frank…Frank.” I stopped and exhaled.

“I'm assuming it’s pretty bad.” She put her fork down and waited.

“Frank was really nice when I first met him. Sweet even. He was supportive with everything. He knew how much I had to work and why and didn’t care. Said I made him happy. That’s until the whole economy decided to go south. He lost his job and lost, I guess, his confidence. He went out looking for work, but no one was hiring. He started to drink and kept taking from his savings. I tried to help as much as I could, but he changed, becoming strange and obsessive. Telling me I’d leave him.” A memory came back and I cringed. ‘You stupid bitch, you’re going to leave me too, now that I'm a failure.’ I shook it off and continued. “He started to…hit me. At first it was a slap here and there. I kept making excuses for him. Trying to rationalize it all, but it kept getting worse. Until one night,” I said grimly.

“What happened that night?” Elissa asked softly. The bistro sounds became muffled as I closed my eyes, remembering that night as it flooded back. The memory became vivid and so real. I took a deep breath and exhaled, reminding myself of it was long ago.

“He was pretty drunk. I remember beer bottles everywhere. I had enough and thought maybe tough love would work. But it didn’t. He beat me and then reached for a beer bottle and…” I stopped and opened my eyes; my body shook at the recollection of that night. “My father was with me when I woke up in the hospital.” I swallowed the giant lump that was nearly choking me.

“Jesus Christ, Addie,” she murmured.

“He was arrested and I was left with a scar on my lower back for it. I hadn’t seen him since, until now,” I admitted.

“So what does he want now?” Elissa’s voice trembled with worry.

“I don’t know,” I murmured. “I really don’t know.”

The suspense song came ringing through my iPhone. Elissa looked at me curiously making me smile. “It’s his ringer.” I shrugged as I took it out of my pocket and read my text.





Daimon:Where r u?





Me:At French Roast





Daimon:Which one?





Me:Downtown





Daimon:Ill be there in fifteen





“He’s coming to pick me up,” I moaned.

“You have the sizzle, the guy adores you,” she smiled. “He might be an asshole, but he’s no Frank.”

“I guess,” I said, knowing it was probably more the fact he wanted answers for something. What answers? I didn’t know. Him? Adore me? Not in this lifetime.

I left Elissa at the bistro and headed outside, it was well past four o’clock in the morning. I didn’t see his car anywhere, I kept looking but he wasn’t there yet. I was tired, beat and exhausted, but glad I had come out with Elissa. She was completely understanding about Frank and actually wished evil things on him, which kind of made me happy. I suddenly heard a low rumble from a black motorcycle, the kind which races in the streets. It stopped right in front of me, the driver with his helmet on nodded when he saw me. I stepped back as he straightened up and removed his helmet. Daimon just smiled.

“You have a motorcycle?” I asked, looking at it.

“It’s called a sport bike,” he argued.

“I’ve heard them referred to as motorcycles,” I refuted.

“Whatever, Addie, just get on,” he thumbed behind him.

“You can’t be serious. I'm not getting on that thing,” I snapped.

He turned to the left of him and unhinged a helmet. “Put it on and get your ass on my bike,” he bit out as he threw the helmet at me. I caught the helmet in my hands looking at him and his sport bike suspiciously.

“I'm not going to kill you. I know how to use one of these things,” Daimon smirked. I put the helmet on and jumped on the back of his bike. “Hold on tight,” he chuckled, “or else you’re going to fall off.” I grabbed at his black leather jacket and held onto him. “Put your hands around my waist,” he snapped.

I exhaled heavily and relented. I slowly put my hands around his waist and held on nervously. He started the engine and off we went. I yelped surprised at how fast he was going. He weaved in and out between the spaces of the cars, making me feel scared and exhilarated. The ride only took about twenty minutes, when we finally stopped in front of my restaurant. I jumped off the first moment I could and took of the helmet. He laughed at me saying I was a natural but didn’t know it yet. I rolled my eyes at him.