Goddess

Goddess

1 Week Later

Every day is just a little bit harder than the one before. I’m hurt, and I’m angry, and together, the conflicting emotions are draining my will to remain here. I told Rosalita that I’d try to stay until she hired and trained my replacement. It’s the very least I can do as a thank-you for her generosity, but each day is a challenge. How did I let Huxley sneak past my guard? I promised myself that I’d take a break from men, and after only two days in a new town, I do the exact opposite. I’m angry I let myself fall. I’m angry I let myself hope. He warned me that he could only give me one night, but I didn’t take it at face value. It’s been a week since he’s talked to me. He hasn’t even slept in his room this entire week. I saw him once in passing during my shift a couple of days ago, but he was gone before I could get the nerve to apologize. I crossed the line and gave my unsolicited assessment of his life, and he shut me out.

I’m taking an order for a table of five when I catch a glimpse of Huxley coming down the stairs. It’s like I conjured him up from my thoughts. My heart thuds against my chest. I quickly finish the order so I can catch up to him, but I pause mid stride when I see that he isn’t alone. A petite blonde is sifting through her purse, and he’s obviously waiting for her. She flips her hair, and her face becomes visible. It’s fucking Target girl. You have to be kidding me. He looks up at me, and our eyes meet. I want to look away from the train wreck, but I’m frozen. Huxley doesn’t acknowledge me. He whispers something to her before holding the door open for her. I swear I try not to look, but I’m a glutton for punishment. I watch her get in his truck and don’t avert my gaze until they drive away. I want to find a hole to sink my head into, but I have a job to do. When I spin around to put that family’s order in, Rosalita is right there. She doesn’t utter a word, but her knowing look is telling. I’m sure she knows something is off since her son hasn’t been here. She lets me pass, and I’m thankful for her letting things be.

Today, I turn twenty-one, and I’m alone. All these people around me, and I have no one. I have one hour left on my shift, and I just want a hot bath before crashing early. I’m about to take another order when I hear Rosalita call my name from near the restaurant entrance. She waves me over, so I head to see what she needs. I’m not expecting my worst nightmare to be staring me in the eyes. For the second time today, I’m paralyzed. Only this time, it’s from fear. Arlo stands there in a dress shirt and tie, always so put together—a demon in disguise. How in the hell did he find me?

“Good evening, sweetheart,” he says with a menacing smile. I know it well. I give a small wave, unsure what to do. I don’t want to cause a scene. I’m terrified. “Happy Birthday.”

Rosalita studies me. She had no idea what today was, but she is finally getting an inkling that I was not expecting to see this person. “Goddess, can I see you in the kitchen for a second?” She smiles over at Arlo, but he isn’t fooled.

He comes over and grabs my arm. I can feel his fingertips digging into my skin. “She’ll be right there. I have a pretty urgent matter to discuss with her. I came quite a long way. You understand, right?” He doesn’t give her a chance to protest because he is already leading me outside. Once we’re outside, I try to pull away, but he only grips me tighter.

“Settle the fuck down,” he growls. I see the Mercedes he must have come in, but there is no way I’m getting in the car with him. He will have to kill me in this parking lot. “Do you know what lengths I went through to get to this hick town?”

“How did you find me?” I’m only half curious. I’m more concerned with buying time until I can figure out how to get away.

“Your iWatch, dumbass.” He yanks my arm as he pulls me closer to the car. “You know that nifty little ‘Find My Phone’ feature that can find any of our devices?”

Damn. I forgot that stupid watch was in my backpack. It must have pinged my location. “I’m not leaving with you, Arlo,” I argue as I try even harder to pull away. This ignites his fury. He charges us both to the car and swings me until my back hits the door. I wince in pain.

“Look here, bitch. I’m afraid that isn’t an option. I’m trying not to embarrass you in front of your new friends peering out the window right now, but we can make this as hard as you want it to be.”

“Please. I don’t want to be with you. I can’t live like this. It’s over, so just let me go, and I promise I won’t say anything.”

“Say anything about what?” He snarls. “Are you threatening me? Because the way I see it, this is only going down one way, and that’s with your ass in this car.”

“I’m not threatening you,” I sob. I feel more hopeless than I ever have. I’m sure we have an audience just as he predicted, yet nobody is coming outside to stop this. My tears fall harder at the thought. Just when I’m sure that I won’t win, tires skid through the parking lot. It’s Huxley. He is out of his truck within seconds, and damn, does he look pissed.

He doesn’t give Arlo any warning. He takes one look at me in tears as he charges toward us, and it confirms everything he needs to know. He yanks Arlo from me and punches him in the gut. Arlo doubles over in surprise and, no doubt, pain.

“Motherfucker.” Arlo grunts. Huxley gets in a few more body shots before Rosalita screams at him to stop. I didn’t even realize she had come outside. The police roll up, but Huxley still gives Arlo a final punch to the face. He then puts his hands up and backs away as the police get out of the car.

Arlo calmly wipes the blood from his lip and straightens his tie. He didn’t get to throw one punch, but it serves him right. “I’m glad you’re here, officers. I want to press assault charges against this hooligan who attacked me out of nowhere. I was having a discussion with my fiancée, and he stormed in with his fist. My guess is he is a jealous lover.”

“That’s not true,” I speak up. “I don’t call you trying to force me to leave with you having a discussion.” I don’t even realize I’m trembling until Rosalita comes up behind me and wraps her arm around me.

“Is this man your fiancé, ma’am?” one of the officers inquires.

“Does it even fucking matter? He’s a coward who beats women. He had her against the car, hurting her, when I drove up. You have a whole damn restaurant of witnesses, I’m sure,” Huxley seethes.

“Try to calm down, sir,” the officer warns. Huxley paces, giving Arlo death glares, but he just smirks.

“It’s true,” Rosalita says from my side. “I called my son first and then the police. I could tell he was hurting her, and I could tell she didn’t want to go with him.”

“This is all a misunderstanding, I assure you, officer. My fiancée left me because we had a disagreement. I tracked her to this town and came to get her back where she belongs. I don’t know what lies she fed these people, but they’re meddling in something they know nothing about. I’m a respected surgeon—”

Huxley lifts my shirt, exposing my still healing bruises. I yank my shirt down in embarrassment. Renewed tears follow the tracks of the old ones.

“Does that look like a misunderstanding to you, officer, because that looks like bruises in various stages of healing to me. A fucking repeat offender. She didn’t need to feed us a lie. Her body bears the proof.” I watch as Huxley clenches his fist like he wants to pummel Arlo some more.