Mina
The impromptu picnic Lev and I had been on came to an end soon after Lidiya had fallen asleep. The poor thing started to sweat in the mild heat, so we took her home to finish her nap in the comfort of her own bed.
I left Lev to do whatever it was he did in the afternoons, and went upstairs to shower and change for work. I decided on comfort over class and wore a plain black tee over my blue jeans, finishing off with the black pumps that were clearly going to be the death of me—that is, if I couldn’t learn to walk in them.
It was like walking on stilts, for crying out loud!
I zhuzhed my long, wavy hair, taking it into my hands and scrunching it as I lightly sprayed it with hairspray, and then I washed my face and reapplied my makeup, thickening the eyeliner a little for that dramatic cat’s eye effect. I lightly glossed with something that was pink and smelled of cake, and the scent was so delicious that I wanted to eat it.
Don’t worry. I didn’t. Licking your lips didn’t count.
My feet bare, I took the stairs two at a time, being as quiet as I could as I made my way to the kitchen. I was hungry and remembered there being leftover brownie bites from our lunch. I opened the fridge, held onto the door, and peered inside, leaning in to get a closer look.
The brownies had disappeared.
Hmmm.
I looked harder.
So had the apple slices, the cheese, and Ada’s muffins.
My brow bunched. I wasn’t going crazy. I know I put them in there when we got back to the house. I even hid the brownies behind the juice so no one would touch them.
I checked again, looking deeper into the fridge than was necessary.
Nope. They were gone.
The fruit bowl sat on the kitchen counter, and although it had ripe bananas, shiny apples, and bright green pears in it, I wanted those damn brownies. So I started to search for them.
While I was downstairs, I went to check on Lidiya, and smiled when I saw Mirella sitting on the chair by her bed, reading. She spotted me and lifted her hand in a wave. I returned it, my eyes sweeping over the little princess sleeping soundly in her toddler bed.
That only left one place.
I made my way back up the stairs, but turned right and walked the length of the hall toward Lev’s office. He told me he went up there to work, but I had the sneaking suspicion he might also have another reason to go up there.
The door was open a crack, less than an inch, and I peeked inside.
I knew it!
I swung open the door and uttered a victorious, “Gotcha.”
Lev paused, a brownie bite halfway to his mouth.
My feet carried me over to his desk, where his laptop sat open. I took the brownie out of his hand, threw it into my mouth, groaned with pleasure as the bitter sweetness hit my tongue, and then straightened and garbled, “Oh, I’m sorry. Were you going to eat that strategically hidden brownie?”
His lips thinned and he glared at me. “Yes, I was.”
I had to cover my mouth and laugh by how put out he sounded. “I’m sorry. I know better than to take food from someone. On the streets, that kind of thing could get a person killed.”
His expression grew somber at the mention of my time without a home. “It’s okay.”
Without waiting for an invitation, mostly because I didn’t think I’d get one, I pulled out the guest chair and sat opposite him. I know it had only been a few days since I asked him, but I wanted to know if any progress had been made. “Any luck finding the Petersons yet?”
His jaw set, he pulled his laptop close and began typing. “No.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Suddenly, he shut the lid of the laptop and asked, “Why do you want to find them? Nastasia told me what they did, that they’re the reason you were homeless.” He paused. “They aren’t good people, Mina.”
Well, someone was a little judgey today. “You don’t even know them, Lev. They took me in when I was twelve years old, hating on the world, and they gave me a home.” I stressed, “One mistake doesn’t undo all the good they did. And, by the way, they didn’t force me into the street. I did that on my own.”
He leaned over the desk, his golden eyes hard. “Because they made you feel unsafe.”
True enough, but I wasn’t about to admit that. I shrugged, feeling helpless. “If you don’t want to help me find them, that’s fine. I’ll find someone else to help.” I stood, turning toward the door.
His voice had me stopping mid-step. “I can’t control the report, Mina. It might not be all good news. Do you understand that?”
Holding the doorframe, I kept my back to him and reiterated, “I just want them to know I’m okay.”
I didn’t listen for a response. My feet took me back to our room, where I spent the remainder of the afternoon lying on my back in the giant bed I had fallen in love with.
***
Mina
The night started off well. Learning that my shift behind the bar would be shared with the tall, African-American beauty with the crazy-beautiful afro, Birdie, rather than Anika, made me mentally cheer and do cartwheels.
I didn’t mind Anika, but we didn’t have a common interest…apart from Lev, of course. And I had a feeling we wouldn’t be seeing eye-to-eye on that matter.
Men flocked to the bar to be served, and although it was busy, Birdie and I kept it under control. During the night, I’d seen Birdie clink shot glasses with men and down them. She’d done this multiple times, and I wondered how she wasn’t stumbling over her feet. The girl could hold her drinks.
So when a group of men bought a round of shots and added an extra for me, I looked to Birdie. She smiled and nodded. So I went for it.
I picked up the glass, lifted it to my mouth, and tipped it back, listening to the men hoot and cheer as I sputtered and coughed.
Holy shit, that burned.
Coughing up a lung, I raised my hands and grimaced through a smile, showing them all I was okay. They shouted and applauded some more and, thankfully, stayed close to my side of the bar.
I knew the tips would be off the charts tonight. The men had money to burn, and with every round, I was left a nice, neat sum for myself.
My body started to feel warm all over and my head spun lightly. And this was only after the first shot.
After the fifth, I could barely stand without swaying from side-to-side.
The sixth shot had done it.
Laughing to myself, I held onto the bar, because the ground was spinning in circles. It was sucking me in.
I should tell Lev about that. That’s an occupational health and safety issue, if I ever saw one.
Birdie was by my side before I knew I was lying on the floor behind the bar. “Mina, baby, what’s wrong?”
I laughed out loud. “Oh, God, Birdie. The floor won’t stop moving. Make it stop. My stomach hurts.”
“Shit,” Birdie uttered as she moved away from me.
A minute, or it could’ve been an hour later, she returned with Nas who knelt by my side, taking my arm and helping me stand. She took me out the door behind the bar and into the backroom. She helped me sit and sighed, “Jesus, Mina, what the fuck? You’re not supposed to drink when you’re on shift. You’re in a ton of trouble if Sasha finds out.”
What?
I blinked away the rogue white lights attacking my vision. “But, I saw Birdie do shots. When I looked at her for the go-ahead, she nodded. I thought it was okay.”
“Wait, what?” Then she chuckled. “Oh, my God.” Her laughter intensified. “Please tell me that Anika told you about the marked bottles we keep behind the bar?”
At that point, Anika strolled into the backroom. “Hey, is Mina okay? I thought I saw her faint.”
Nas stood, holding down her laughter. “Did you tell Mina about our special blend?”
Anika frowned. “No, I thought you did when you brought her for your lesson.”
Nastasia couldn’t hold it in. She tipped her head back and burst into laughter.
While I burst into tears. “Am I fired?”
Anika spoke quietly to herself. “Oh, God, she didn’t know.” Then she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. “She didn’t know!”
They laughed loudly, whooping and doubling over. And there I was, howling as tears trailed down my cheeks. “Am I fired?”
“No,” Nas uttered through a chuckle. “No, Mina. It was my mistake. I’ll take the rap for it. You’re not fired, I promise.”
I didn’t believe her. I threw my head back and wailed, “But Sasha won’t care.” I took in a deep stuttering breath and blurted out, “Because he’s an asshole!”
From behind me came a calm, “Please, Mina. Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.”
I turned to see Sasha scowling at me from the door and did the only thing I could do. I threw my drunken ass on the ground and cried some more.
Nastasia snorted. “I forgot to tell her about the special blend. This one’s on me.”
Sasha shook his head. “This is bad for business. She needs to go.”
Nas’ face turned dramatically. She sneered at her brother. “For one mistake? One that wasn’t even her fault?”
“It’s not my problem, Nas,” he muttered, and I cried louder.
“Oh, God,” Sitting up, I panted. “Please don’t fire me. I’ll do anything. Please.”
Anika spoke then, and I was stunned by her support. “Sash. Don’t do this. She needs this job.” She paused a moment before she murmured, “Have a heart.”
Sasha stared at Anika a long while before he turned to walk out. “This is the first and only chance she gets. No more. Next time, she’s gone.”
My blotchy face turned upward to land on Anika. I blinked a second before I whispered, “Thank you.”
To my further surprise, she helped me off the ground and sat me down on the leather sofa. Nas brought me a glass of water and a couple of aspirin. “We’ve still got a full night ahead of us. You may as well lay down and sleep it off, boozerella.”
My head was whirling, and I didn’t need to be told a second time. I lay my head down just as my stomach gave a sharp pinch of disapproval at my night’s choice of drinks. I groaned, “I am never drinking again.”
“That’s what they all say,” she muttered as they both moved toward the door, turning the light off and leaving me to sleep off the night that never should have happened.
***
Lev
It didn’t take long for me to notice that Mina was no longer working the bar. Nas had taken over for her.
I waited. And waited. And the longer I did, a cold feeling passed along my spine.
An irrational protectiveness passed through me.
Standing, I strode across the floor, moving around tables and patrons to get to the bar. Nas saw me just as I leaned over the bar. I hadn’t meant to, but I growled, “Where is she?”
She put her hands up in a placating gesture. “Don’t you go off on her too. It wasn’t her fault, okay? I forgot to tell her about the house blend.” She sniffed a laugh. “She’s had a couple of aspirin and is sleeping off the liquor.”
It had been close to half an hour since I noticed her missing. My eyes immediately went to the side of the stage.
“Shit,” I barked. Eyeing Nas, I asked accusingly, “How long has Jeremiah been away from his station?”
Her face paled.
I shook my head in disappointment, moved behind the bar, through the door, and made my way down the long hall, finding myself behind the closed door to the backroom. Lifting my hand, I tried to turn the knob, but felt resistance.
“Open the door,” I sneered.
“Occupied,” he called back in annoyance.
My chest began to heave. I breathed heavily through my nostrils, my anger burning, bubbling like a river of molten lava in my gut. “Open the door,” I uttered through gritted teeth.
“Fuck! Piss off!” Jeremiah called back.
That’s when it happened.
Everything shut down. My pulse slowed. The lights dimmed around me. The sounds turned dull in my ears until there was nothing.
The silence took over.
I had always feared it would arise again. I controlled it so well. It hadn’t struck me in years. Not like this.
But I wasn’t scared this time. I embraced it and let it empower me.
My hands balled into fists, and I took a single step back before rushing the door with my shoulder.
I felt it crack under my weight, but it did not break.
My legs walked me back and I threw my shoulder at the door again.
Another whining creak, and the wood prepared to give way under the slightest amount of pressure.
Nas yelled from behind me. “Lev, what are you doing?”
Jeremiah called out in disbelief, “You’re fucking crazy!”
I pulled back, lifted my leg, and kicked as hard as I could.
The door came apart from its lock and flung inwards. My eyes swept the room and I found him standing by the leather sofa, tucking his tee into his pants.
I saw red.
Nothing could have stopped me from getting to him then.
Nothing.
Mina groaned quietly and squirmed weakly on the couch, passed out, and Nas ran to kneel by her side.
“What did you do?” I asked the startled man, gripping his shirt in my hand.
Jeremiah stood his ground. “Nothing,” he said behind his beard. “We didn’t do anything.”
“Lev,” Nas spoke quietly. I turned to her, watching her run her fingers over the side of Mina’s neck. “She’s got a hickey.”
Just as I reared my arm back to beat the life out of Jeremiah, arms came across my stomach and my chest. I turned to glower at the person, but found Viktor standing there, looking me in the eye. “Calm down, bro. It’s okay.”
My heart pounded. I needed relief from the rage. Without relief, it would only get worse, and then I would hurt someone I cared about.
Like last time.
“It’s not okay,” I panted. “It’s not okay.”
Sasha appeared by my side. “It’ll be okay, Lev. I got you. We’ll take care of this.” Then he spoke to someone behind him. “Shut it down. Party’s over. Get everyone out.”
Anika frowned as she leaned over Mina. “This doesn’t make sense. She wasn’t this bad before.” She looked up at Viktor. “I think he might have slipped her something.”
A loud growl escaped me. I stepped back from the man, knowing full well I would kill him if I got my hands on him. My fisted hands came up to my head and slammed into my forehead.
Sasha took my hands, lowering them, stopping me from hurting myself.
Seeing red, my nostrils flared as I tried to get my breathing under control. Jeremiah didn’t look so confident now. He looked terrified.
I was glad. He should be.
Sasha cussed under his breath. “Nas, take Mina back to Lev’s. Call Pox; get him there to look her over.” He turned to Jeremiah, but spoke calmly. “What did you give her?”
“Nothing,” he said defensively. “She’s drunk.”
Sasha left my side and walked over to the sofa. He lifted Mina’s hand high and dropped it. She didn’t move an inch. He placed a gentle hand on her brow and frowned before moving toward Jeremiah. “I’m going to ask you one last time, J. What did you give her?” He opened his mouth to answer, but Sasha cut in, “I have a medic on standby. He can take care of her in a discreet way. If we take her to the hospital—and we could—and they find something inside of her that shouldn’t be there, you’re going to jail for assault at the very least. Even worse if they charge you with drink spiking. If you tell me what you gave her, you’ll leave here a free man…after you’ve had your ass handed to you, of course.” He eyed Jeremiah. “A pretty boy like you in jail…” He titled his head. “You’d be mighty popular.”
Jeremiah flushed; his pupils were dilated. He was high. He was sweating. “GHB.” He swallowed hard. “I gave her GHB.”
Vik’s arms loosened on me. I could hear the growl coming from low in his throat. Sasha sneered at him, his eyes low in disgust. “Nas, get her home. Ani, she’ll need your help.”
Blood roared through my ears as I bit out, “He’s not to remove her clothing, Nas.”
It was a warning and knowing Pox, he wouldn’t dare go against me.
The women helped Mina up with ease, due to the fact that she was so tiny. I watched helplessly as her head lolled to the side, her eyes partially open but clearly not seeing a thing. A sheen of sweat had beaded across her forehead, and she had a large hickey on the side of her neck.
My blood boiled.
This man thought he had the right to touch my mouse?
No one had the right to touch my mouse.
I found her, and I was keeping her.
The thought stunned me. I didn’t know it until this very moment, until I thought she was in real danger.
I wanted Mina.
I wanted her more than anything, but she was so fragile right now. I would wait until the time was right.
She would be mine.
I would show her that life with me could be good. I would make her see past the damaged part of me to the little good I had inside. I couldn’t give her romance, or offer her marriage. I couldn’t give her more than I had to give. But I would provide for her, give her whatever she needed. She would laugh and smile like the mother she loved, and she would be happy with me. I vowed it right there and then.
The three of us alone with Jeremiah, I flexed my hands, cracking my knuckles.
Vik pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Have fun, you two.”
He motioned to Sasha and, reluctantly, he followed behind Viktor, leaving Jeremiah’s fate in my hands.
Jeremiah looked up at me from his place against the wall, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not,” I responded as I slipped the brass knuckle-dusters over the fingers of my right hand. “When I’m done with you, you will be.”
It took a solid hour to relieve myself of the fury. With every yelp and groan pulled from the disgusting excuse of a man, my rage ebbed.
As my calm was unearthed, Jeremiah found fear.
And with every punch, kick, and head-butt, Jeremiah discovered what sorry felt like.