Page 301 of Bad for Me

Last week my stepfather cornered me at the house, asking me a bunch of uncomfortable questions about who I spend my time with. I told him that I’m typically at home or at work. It was his answering “good girl” afterwards that made me spend half an hour scrubbing my skin in a hot shower.

Fuck, I despise that man. I don’t know why my mother is still married to him. It’s obvious that he has money, but Gerald insists that my mother continue to work all hours as a nurse. She comes home so exhausted, I never get to see her anymore.

Forcing myself to pull together my cheery facade, I glance over at Tesa as I make the next drink for a customer. Bear leans over her, a slow smile on his lips as he teases her about something. The lust-filled expression on Tesa’s face makes me pause before chuckling under my breath.

You go, girl.

Bear is a good man, and whatever they’re getting up to tonight will certainly end in lots of orgasms. She’s a big girl, her brother certainly doesn’t need to know. I’m cock blocked enough in my own life, I never want anyone else to be.

They disappear fairly quickly after that, and I get lost in the music and hustle of slinging drinks. This is what I needed, the ability to forget what a shit show my life is.

The club closes down pretty quickly, and I help clean up the bar. There will be a cleaning crew that will come in the morning, but I like to make sure my area is spotless. It also ensures that I stay back an extra forty-five minutes after the club is closed.

Sighing as I take all of the rags I used and put them in the basket for the cleaning service to laundry, my lips twist in pleasure as I see it’s three in the morning. Time to go home before my stepbrother and his friends notice I’m gone.

They typically don’t check on me after they lock me in my room. Jameson always looks a little guilty, but reminds me that it’s for my own good.

I don’t understand what’s happening in my own house, which is something I’m worried about. I’ve adopted a ‘stick my head in the sand’ mentality recently, which isn’t usually how I live my life. The last year has changed me a lot, making me feel like a shell of my former self.

Checking my pocket for my keys, I walk out from behind the bar after cashing out my tips.

“Kyna,” Miguel calls out, walking toward me to intercept me. I really hope he’s not going to ask me about Tesa, because I will flat out tell him it’s none of his business.

The fire I feel over a girl I don’t even know makes my heart swell. I’m glad to see there’s still some passion left inside of me.

“Yes, boss?” I ask, turning to talk to him. Miguel Rodriguez in a suit means business, and I can see how he built this club to be one of the most successful clubs in Georgetown. He’s been talking about possibly expanding to a smaller venue, I just wish I was around to see it.

I need to get the fuck out of this town. I’m losing myself here. If I stay, pretty soon I won’t recognize who I am anymore.

“You’ve been working a lot of hours lately, and while I appreciate it, I can see the signs of someone who doesn’t want to be home. Is everything okay?” he asks.

Biting my lip, I’m suddenly glad Miguel didn’t ask me about his sister, because his intense gaze would have had me spilling all kinds of secrets. Damn.

“Uhh yes?” I squeak, shifting my stance. What am I supposed to tell him? My stepbrother and his friends torment me every day, and my stepfather makes me want to scrub my skin off whenever I speak to him?

These are not the kinds of things you dump on your employer and expect to stay employed.

“Kyna,” he says, blowing out a breath. “I really hate pushing, because everyone deserves their right to privacy, but I don’t want something to happen and not have said something. Link was in a really shitty relationship for a long time. I recognize the furtiveness when no one’s looking.”

Woah. My shitty home life looks like a domestic violence relationship. I really do need to get the fuck out of here.

“My stepbrother is a douche-canoe,” I explain. “There’s no one to reign him in, and his friends are just as bad. So yes, I come to work as a way to get away from them… even if it means crawling out the window to do it.”

Miguel’s eyes narrow, and I know he’s not going to pat me on the back for being such a reliable employee. Pulling out his wallet, my lips are already opening to refuse his money. My tips were good tonight, I may even have enough money to be able to leave tomorrow while everyone is asleep.

“Do you have an escape plan?” he asks dangerously. Miguel’s body is vibrating in anger, and I finally allow myself to acknowledge how tired I am. I should be able to live my life the way I want to, and not how my stepbrother and his friends believe I should.

“I’m working on it.” I wince weakly. “I have all of my tips from bartending hidden away, I just need to make sure I have enough to be able to disappear.”

“Kyna, no,” Miguel growls. Pulling out a business card and a wad of cash, he hands it to me. “We’re going to miss you around here, kid, but I need you to be safe. My anxiety will make me crazy every single time you walk in here. Take this, and call the number when you run. Greg is my best friend and he’ll make you disappear so no one will be able to find you.”

“I can’t take that,” I tell him, shaking my head as I gingerly take the card from him, leaving the cash. “You’re an amazing boss, Miguel, but this is going above and beyond.”

“It’s really not,” he grunts. “If you take this money, will it mean that you’ll make that call tomorrow and go?”

There’s more than enough money there for me to be able to leave, even not including what I’ve saved. My mind is spinning, and I force myself to breathe as black spots appear across my vision. I know I’ve been planning to leave, but it felt like something in the future and now it’s right in front of me.

“Yes,” I rasp, blinking rapidly. “That’ll let me disappear even without the thousand dollars that I have hidden.”

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