Page 8 of A Tortured Temptress
She turns around and looks behind us and I turn too. There is a man sitting on a motorcycle at the end of the block as we get our morning beverages.
"Do you know him?" I ask her as I look down into my wallet and calculate in my head what I have in my bank account. I'm going to have to give up on this splurge soon or find another job.
"No," she grits out in a huff. "But I have a feeling that arsehole, Tiernan sent him."
I pause in my thoughts and look at her. I can feel my brows furry in question. "Why would Aidan set a guard to watch you? I thought we were safe now that Patrick is gone?" I can't help the chill that runs down my spine.
"Ugh." She throws up her hands and turns with a stomp. I'm really intrigued now. Moira doesn't normally let much get to her. "It's not Aidan. It’s his fecking brother, Brody. That arsehole thinks I want to date him. He keeps sending his biker brothers to follow me."
"Brody does stare at you a lot." I try to hold in the giggle.
She swings around to look at me her eyes squinting. "Kind of like how Shane stares at you?" Her lips pinch, an eyebrow raises as a smirk appears.
I can't hide the blush.
"I heard that he brought you home last night." She full on smiles now.
"Yeah, he took me to dinner." I drop my head to hide the smile.
Her shoulder bumps mine as she shoulder checks me. "Do you like him?"
I bite the inside of my lip as I think about it. "I do, but I can't." I answer her honestly.
"Why?" she asks as she grabs her tea and hands me my mocha. I take a sip before I answer her letting the warm chocolate and espresso slide down my throat and jolt my sluggish system after my late night.
"It's a long story, but I don't do relationships. He wants me to give him a chance and I said I'd try but I don't see it going anywhere." I don't tell her that I know I'll be leaving soon.
She sighs long and loud, her shoulders raising. "Sometimes I wonder if I was different, if I didn't want to be a cop or have the family I did, if I could be with Brody." She pauses and looks back as we both hear the pipes of a motorcycle. Brody pulls up to the bike and even with the sunglasses on I know he's watching her. Staring her down. "But then I see that smug look on his face and I want to slap it off." She huffs and turns away from him. We head onto campus, and I ignore everything but my classes.
It's really hard right now because I'm beginning to doubt my decision to study social work. It's what I wanted to do to give back to the people that helped me, but I love art. It calls to me.
During my lunch break I talk to Ronan and Deandra. They ask me about Shane, and I tell them about dinner.
"But I can't do that anymore. I need to find another job."
"I know someone who's hiring. You can serve and have sexy legs," Ronan offers.
"I'm interested." I hate that from the sounds of it I'm going to dislike the job, but I have very little choice now.
After lunch I head to the library where I sign into an email I only use if I absolutely have to. I've never sent a message from it, and I don't receive messages in it either. It's an email that Declan set up where we can leave each other messages. I open the drafts folder and there it is.
Compromised. I can't get a hold of you without exposing you more. According to latest intel Britain could be heading your way. Stay secure and safe. Contact me soon to let me know. As soon as I can I'll extract you and get you somewhere safe.
I look around me and delete the draft before I start my own. I don't know what to tell him because I'm stuck now. If he's compromised, I could be soon, and I can't expect him to help me. The good thing is that he taught me what to do if this ever happened.
Getting money ready and will take off soon. I'll keep you posted.
I don't sign it but save it to drafts and close the window. As a precaution, I erase the browser history so that no one can search the computer after me.
I have no choice now I have to take the job with Ronan's friend and pray that I can get enough money to run soon.
A week later I'm staring at myself in the mirror and hating the outfit. The short tuxedo dress jacket barely covers my butt. My breasts were on display along with my cleavage when I first put it on last week. I got permission to wear a flesh-colored tank top under the jacket to cover my scar that runs between my breasts. Ronan's friend runs a new club that I went to months ago with the other girls for Fiona's hen party to her ex-fiancé, Patrick. At the time I didn't know it but suspected that she didn't want to marry him. She was being forced to by her parents. Aidan saved her and that night I learned what kind of man Aidan and his men really were. Yes, they saved us all, but people were killed, and I've wondered about that since. Wondered because I should be upset. I did question Fiona about it. If she was concerned that he could hurt her because he was violent, but she told me that he wasn't to her. It took me some time to process it all but after spending some time with Shane, I get it. Aidan won't hurt Fiona but will others hurt her to get to him. Shane is similar. He's so gentle with me. Well, he was when I wasn't avoiding him like I have for the last week and half. He's called and text messaged. Every morning I wake up to a message saying good morning and have a good day. I love it. I love that he wants me to know he's there for me, but I worry what's going to happen when I have to leave.
I still don't know where I'm going to go or for that matter how I'm going to do this. Yes, Declan taught me how, but I never thought I would have to do this. I figured Britain would be put in jail or would just forget me.
I grab the high heels that I have to wear and slip my long winter coat over my outfit. It's October now and the weather is starting to turn. It's been raining most of the day. When I step out onto the front walk the Uber is pulling up, but a chill moves along my spine. I feel like I'm being watched. I look around and don't see anyone. I know that Shane watches me, maybe he has one of the men that work for the Tiernan company watching me now too. Just like Brody sending someone to watch Moira.
When I slip into the back of the car I turn and look again to see if I'm being followed but no one catches my eye. I calm my nerves and try to get into the correct mindset for working tonight. I'll be completely by myself tonight not following another server around to learn the ropes. This is an exclusive club with bottle service and private booths. In order to get in reservations have to be made and since it opened in April it's been booked solid. Crystal Style is what it's named and if I didn't have to wear this short dress, I'd love it. The amount of crystal and glass in the establishment sets it apart from other clubs.
