“You’re so fucking good to her too. Sleeping outside the doorway to protect her. If only she knew the sacrifices you’re making for her.” He makes fast work of unbuttoning my pants and dragging them down my legs. “But you know I appreciate it.”
I push him off me, shoving my pants out of the way. I’m not doing any of it for him, but I will take his prayers any way he wants to give it to me.
He pulls my hair sharply at the nape of my neck. “So greedy.”
“For you, absolutely.”
Chapter 20
Dove
The next three days go by in a blur of serving drinks and wiping down tables. The other staff have accepted me as one of their own, and in a strange way, I’m starting to feel like part of the Beach Bar family. It’s nice, comfortable even. And the best part, I have only seen the boys on a few occasions, mostly from afar when they were having a drink with River. They didn’t even attempt to talk to me which I thought was strange, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel their eyes glued to me wherever I was in the room. They were talking about me, I’m sure. River is around most of the time, in fact I’m pretty sure he’s sleeping in the stairwell just outside the apartment.
The past few days I haven’t really wanted to do much more than work, swim, and sleep. When I have left the bar, I have felt like I’m being watched. Like that creepy bucket of ice water tipped over your head kind of feeling. And as I walk back from the little café around the corner from The Beach Bar with my bacon-and-egg roll, it happens again. I glance over my shoulder, but there is no one behind me. It’s just a gut feeling, I think, or paranoia. Being back in this town is messing with my head in a way that is starting to make me feel kind of crazy.
Even though I know it’s probably nothing, I move a little faster, almost running through the door to The Beach Bar. When I close it behind me, I suck in a full breath. Shit, what is wrong with me?
I take a seat at the bar and unwrap my breakfast. The brioche bun and tomato chutney make it worth the walk every morning. I take a big sip of my coffee, letting the caffeinated goodness bring me back to life. I don’t mind the late nights of working behind a bar, but I do appreciate a decent coffee in the morning to wake me up, and this stuff is the best.
I jump as the front door opens with a click, and I turn to see who it is. There are only a few people with access, the boys obviously, Melanie, and the cook. But I’m surprised when I find Slater approaching me. He takes the seat beside me. “How’s your week been?”
I glance at him like he’s sprouted horns. “Fine. Yours?” I ask, simply because what on earth is he doing right now.
“Interesting.”
“Okay,” I mutter, getting back to my breakfast. I take another bite and groan. It’s that delicious.
He drags his eyes over the brown paper bag in my hand. “What have you got that has you so enthused?”
“Bacon-and-egg roll, you want a bite?” I hold it up so he can see.
“Alright.” He takes it from me and sinks his teeth into it. “Not bad,” he says with his mouth full when he’s done. Then he hands it back to me.
My mouth pops open, and I stare back at him. Why is he acting all normal with me? It’s weirding me out. “Right, out with it, what the hell is going on here?”
“Just checking in.”
My eyes narrow to slits. “You don’t just check in on me.”
“Used to.” His calculating eyes run over my face like he’s looking for something. Maybe his old friend. Well, I have news for him, he’s not going to find her sitting here making small talk and pretending the past ten years hasn’t happened. “I hear you have been asking questions round the bar about your mum.”
My skin prickles. Who would have told him that? Not even River was around. “So?”
“So, people were always too scared to talk about anything involving Keller. You know… in case they end up at the bottom of the drop.” The way his dark eyes bore into mine I think is supposed to scare me.
I lift my chin to match his intensity. He might have the rest of the town shaking in their little boots, but I’m not going to let him intimidate me. “Are you saying Keller had something to do with her death?” I push back.
He huffs out a half laugh. “I’m saying you should be more careful who you talk to. Not everyone has good intentions.”
Like him. I sip on my coffee while I think on that comment. It’s hard to tell if he wants to help me or if he’s trying to threaten me so I stop asking questions. His threats won’t work, because I didn’t get this far just to stop now.
He slips his hand into his pocket and produces a USB drive. “The police pulled this off a laptop found at your parents’ place the day after your mother was murdered.”
My heart kicks up a beat. This is exactly what I have been looking for. “Why are you giving this to me?”
“To stop you from making a nuisance of yourself round the bar.” He places it in my hand and closes my fingers for me. “Make your own assumptions.” He taps the bar and gives me one more intense look, then he walks away, leaving me with my mouth gaping open. Did hejust do something nice for me? What kind of wacked-out world did I wake up in this morning?
“How long have you had this for?” I ask him, but he doesn’t turn back to answer me, the front door closing with a click behind him as he leaves. That was so strange. But Slater doesn’t do anything without intention, he was here for a reason, and giving this to me at this exact time has to be part of his play. The only question is why?
