Mercedes
THE COFFEE SHOP WAS, once again, insanely busy after school on Wednesday. Hurrying out back, I dropped off my backpack before pulling my overly long hair into a loose ponytail and slinging my apron on over my uniform.
The after-school rush was in full swing when I took to the floor, taking orders and clearing off dirty tables for awaiting customers.
I had served fifty-six coffees and nineteen iced teas when Rourke walked through the door just before closing that night.
Donning our school’s regulatory grey V-necked sweater and navy slacks, Rourke walked into Madame Jory’s like he owned the place.
The sleeves of his sweater were rolled up, revealing the best pair of forearms I’d ever seen. Like seriously, the corded veins and muscles made me ache. Talk about forearm porn.
Knowing the hands attached to those forearms had touched me in places no one else has, made me feel a little lightheaded.
The moment his eyes landed on my face, my heart slammed against my ribcage and the air thinned around me, making it hard to breathe.
Goddammit…
“Evening, Six,” he acknowledged with an incline of his head. The smile he was wearing did little to calm my frazzled nerves.
“We’re closing,” I blurted out. I was having a hard time trying to get past the last conversation we’d had; the words ‘I’m willing to fuck you’ still haunting my every waking hour.
“I’m not here for coffee,” Rourke replied with a wink.
“Then what are you here for?”
“You.” He grinned, revealing those deep dimples.
Goddamn…
“Me?”
“Yes, you,” he replied, still grinning. “We need to talk.”
“But I’m working.”
He raised a brow. “I thought you said you were just closing?”
I flushed bright red. “I still have clean-up to do.”
“Then I’ll wait.”
My jaw fell open and I watched as Rourke walked over to a table and lowered himself onto a chair. He began to drum his fingers impatiently against the table, a clear sign he was restless.
“Does he want something?” Alec asked, appearing at my side. His face was set in a deep frown as he glowered at Rourke. “He knows we’re closing, right?”
“Me,” I whispered, cheeks burning. “He’s waiting on me.”
“Why?”
“Because…” When I didn’t finish, Alec looked over to where Rourke was sitting and then back at me.
“So, Owens is the reason you’ve been turning me down?” He didn’t sound mad, but he didn’t sound thrilled either. “Bad idea, Mercedes,” he added quietly. “That guy has serious issues.”
Yeah. I had gathered that.
“You done here, Six?” Rourke asked then, coming to stand by the counter, eyes focused on Alec.
Embarrassed and desperate not to draw attention to an already screwed up situation, I nodded and rushed out back to grab my bag.
When I walked back into the café, Rourke and Alec were eyeballing each other and both were wearing murderous expressions.
“I’ll see you later, Alec,” I called out as I slipped around the counter to follow Rourke.
“After you,” he said, holding the door for me.
“Um, thanks.”
We walked side by side, not saying a word, all the way to where I had parked my car. When I reached the driver’s door, I paused and swung my gaze up to meet his. “What was that about?”
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he replied, not missing a beat. “What did you expect me to do?”
“Accept it?” I offered, pulling open the driver’s side door and getting in.
Rourke smirked and reached for the passenger door. “You don’t know me well, Six.” He sat into the passenger seat and smiled. “What?” he offered, smirking devilishly, as he fastened his seatbelt. “I need a ride.”
“Don’t make jokes.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m serious, Rourke.”
“I’m just smiling at how cute you are.”
“Cute?” I shook my head and gaped at him. “I’m on the verge of throwing you out of my car and you’re commenting on my cuteness?”
“You’re not going to throw me out,” he replied confidently.
Choosing to ignore his cocky remark, I turned my attention back to my car. I cranked the engine and dutifully ignored the asshole sitting beside me before pulling out of my parking spot and into the street.
“Are we not talking now or something?” Rourke had the nerve to ask and I almost caved and gave that son of a bitch a piece of my mind. But then I remembered the best way to piss a person off was ignorance so I remained stoically silent.
“Six,” he repeated in his deep, raspy voice. “Talk to me.”
I tightened my hands on the steering wheel. “No.”
He chuckled. “Why not?”
“Because I’m pissed at you.”
“Because I asked you to fuck me?”
“No, Rourke. Because you offered to fuck me.”
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out.”
“I don’t care.” It hurt all the same…
“I’m not perfect, Six.”
“Oh, I’m fully aware of that, Rourke.”
“You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” he chuckled.
I fought back a smile. “Nope.”
“Good,” he teased. “I like it when I have to work for what I want.”
“I’m not an object, Rourke,” I shot back, disguising my hurt with bitterness. “I’m not a trophy you’re working towards either. You can’t win me.” I released a weary sigh. “You don’t even like me.”
“I do like you, Six,” Rourke countered in a gruff tone. “I like you a lot.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” I muttered, tightening my hands on the wheel.
Rourke had the good sense not to respond.
Several minutes of silence passed between us before he spoke again. “I’m guessing Molly is the one who told you about Amelia?” he finally offered, tone void of humor now.
“Um, yeah.” I cleared my throat, surprised as hell he was talking about this with me. “She mentioned it the other night.”
“Josh was the son of wife number four,” he informed me.
“What does that make him in stepsiblings; Five?” I cringed the moment the words slipped from my lips. This was no time for joking.
“It makes him a rapist bastard that needs locking up,” Rourke snarled.
Whoa.
“He…raped her?”
Rourke nodded stiffly.
My heart sank. “I’m so sorry, Rourke.”
“He should have been locked up for what he did to my sister.” He clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring. “Bastard manipulated Amelia. Fucked with her head and screwed her up real bad.”
I was having a hard time concentrating on the road; Rourke opening up to me was causing me all sorts of problems. “How long did it go on for?”
“I don’t know,” Rourke confessed in a torn voice. “She wouldn’t tell me, but I’m guessing a hell of a lot longer than the two months she reported to the cops.”
“That’s so horrible,” I choked out. “Molly mentioned the DA didn’t take it further because he was close in age to Amelia.”
My words sparked outrage in Rourke and he turned to glare at me.
“Are you saying it’s not abuse because he was fifteen?” His words were menacing and cold. “Do you think his age is an excuse to take advantage of someone?”
“No, not at all,” I squeezed out, as I pulled into our driveway. “A predator is a predator.” It didn’t matter if they came in the shape of a teenage boy or an alcoholic, middle aged creep dating your mother.
“I’ll never forgive my father for it,” Rourke muttered after a pause. “Fucking never.”
His dad? I pulled into my usual spot and killed the engine. “Why your dad?”
“He brought that bastard into our lives,” Rourke said grimly, staring up at the house. “All our lives, he’s been traipsing women and their kids in and out of our fucking house. Never gave two shits about how it made us feel. My baby sister is the one who ended up paying for his mistakes.”
“I’m sure your father never thought that would happen to your sister,” I heard myself say in defense. I wasn’t a fan of Gabe, but I didn’t believe the blame for Amelia’s abuse lay entirely at his door either, just like I didn’t believe the blame for my own personal hell solely belonged to my mom.
“I’m sure he never thought about her, period,” Rourke countered. “Especially since he was so quick to bring another fucking woman and her spawn through our doors.”
Meaning my mom and me.
“I’m not listening to this again.” Stiffening, I unfastened my seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “I get why you’re upset, Rourke. Really, I do. But do not compare me to that creep.”
“I wasn’t,” he muttered. “Hell, I didn’t mean to.”
“Whatever, Rourke.” I didn’t care. I was tired and fighting with Rourke was something I didn’t have the energy for.
“Six, wait!”
I didn’t wait.
Climbing out, I stalked away, leaving him sitting in the passenger seat of my car to deal with the issues that were obviously crippling him.
Rourke
MY SISTER WAS ABUSED.
It wasn’t an easy thing for me to speak about, partially because I felt so guilt ridden. It happened under my nose. Over and fucking over again.
I wasn’t sure why I told Six all of that tonight. I only knew that I needed to. She had something in her, something I was drawn to, and I wanted her to know me.
I wanted her to understand why I was the way I was.
She needed to know that I wasn’t inherently born a bastard; it was something I had turned into over the years.
Somewhere deep down inside, I knew the fascination I developed over Six was about a hell of lot more than sex, but I wasn’t ready to acknowledge it.
It scared the hell out of me, and if I had stronger willpower, I would have tried stay away from her. But whatever self-control I had was shot to shit every time I locked eyes on that girl.
My gaze followed Six as she hurried around the side of our house in the direction of the shoreline.
“Wait!” I demanded, springing to life. Throwing my car door open, I jerked out and stalked after her. “Wait a minute, will you?”
She didn’t wait. In fact, she broke into a small run, stumbling, obviously trying to get as far away from me as possible.
“I didn’t mean you,” I shouted, closing in on her, taking the steps two at a time.
“Yes, you did,” she shot back angrily. When she reached the gated entrance that separated our property from the beach, she swung the tall gate open. “You always mean me, Rourke. Always.”
“Listen!” Reaching out, I managed to snag her arm and pull her back to me. “Just listen to me for a second,” I repeated, breathing hard and fast, eyes locked on hers. She was fucking beautiful. Goddamn. “I don’t think of you like that anymore,” I told her, and surprisingly, I meant it. I was well aware she wasn’t the girl I had once thought her to be.
She was different.
She was more.
“I don’t care who your Momma is,” I added gruffly.
Six shivered and I slid my hands up and down her arms, trying to warm her.
“I’m not used to this,” I admitted, never taking my eyes off her. “You, Six? You have me tied up in knots.” Another truth. “I’m trying not to be an asshole here, but it’s hard as fuck when being an asshole’s all I know.” Reaching up, I cupped her cheek with my hand, forcing her to look up and meet my eyes.
Six trembled in my arms. “I’ve already told you.” She bit down hard on her bottom lip, grey eyes dark and heated. “I’m not sleeping with you.”
“What can I do to change your mind?”
She opened her mouth to say something, but then quickly snapped it shut.
“What do you need from me?” I pressed, exhaling a ragged breath. It was so fucking hard to stand here with her and not put my mouth on her. “List your demands, Six. Tell me your terms, whatever the fuck you need from me to make us happen, and I’ll meet them.”
“Oh my god!” She jerked away from me, red-faced. “I’m not a fucking contract, Rourke.”
I frowned. “I know that.”
“I’m a human being with feelings,” she continued to say, silver eyes glaring up at me. “Not some challenge for you, or notch on your bedpost.” Swinging around, she wrapped her arms around herself and walked towards the shoreline.
“I never said you were,” I shot back, trailing after her.
“You cast me with the same brush as my mother right from the get-go.” She kicked off her shoes and walked into the water, shivering violently when water splayed over her feet. “When the truth is, I’m about as opposite to my mother as you can get.”
I followed her into the water, not caring when my sneakers filled up with sea water. “I was wrong.” Reaching out, I clamped my hands on her hips and pulled her against my chest. “I see that now.”
She released a loud sigh, but kept her back to me. “You do?”
I nodded, wrapping my hands around her tiny waist. “I see something in you,” I admitted gruffly, leaning close to her ear. And it scares the hell out of me. “I can’t stay away anymore.”
I felt her small hands reach up and clasp my arms and it felt fucking amazing. “I need…” She paused and tried again. “I just need…”
“You need?” I urged, tightening my hold on her. My heart was hammering in my chest. She needed to tell me. I had a feeling I would do whatever it took to have her regardless of the consequences. Dropping my head, I pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Tell me and I’ll do it.” I wanted this girl so fucking much. “Come on, Six.”
“I don’t do this,” she finally said. “With guys.” She hesitated before adding, “I’m not the girl you think I am.” Bitter disappointment filled my gut when Six pushed out of my arms and stepped around me. “You should stay away from me, Rourke,” Six added before hurrying back towards the house.
This time I didn’t follow her.
It wasn’t an easy thing for me – stepping back and not going for what I wanted. I was usually selfish.
Six walked back to the house and my eyes followed her every step of the way. It was like I couldn’t get enough of her. She fucking mesmerized me. It was unsettling. I didn’t want to feel like this. I didn’t want Six to have this control over me, but she did.
Maybe she was my punishment for being a shitty son. I’d spent my life tormenting my father’s new families, and now Six was here, torturing me by just existing.