Brighton

 

My first night at work was not going that great.

I kept messing up orders and forgetting everything. What Nicole affectionately deemed my ‘pregnancy brain’ was going to cost me my job if I wasn’t careful.

I knew David was already losing his patience with me. I kept apologizing, but he’d ended up having to comp two tables’ meals already. At this rate, I probably wouldn’t even have a paycheck.

I’d hoped to be eased into it, but the place was completely packed out. It was a little more overwhelming than I expected, and my feet were already killing me. But I plastered a smile on my face and told myself I could cry later when I was home in the safety of my bed.

“Hey!” Some guy in one of the booths snapped his fingers at me. “Where the hell is our food?”

Shit.

I glanced down at my pad of paper and realized I’d never put their order in. And this was the second time he’d asked me about it.

“It’ll be out soon.” I gave him a shaky smile. I was going to lose it any minute now.

“That’s what you said ten minutes ago,” he bellowed.

He was obviously drunk and very hungry. And now he was pissed at me. His dark eyes narrowed when I just stood there, unable to conjure up the words I needed.

“Are you retarded?” he barked. “Do you speak English? WHERE’S. MY. FUCKING. FOO…”

The moment the last syllable flew from his mouth, a fist slammed across his jaw. I stumbled backwards and bumped into a table when Ryland swung his gaze from the man he just punched back to me.

I had no idea where he’d even come from, or how the hell he knew I was here. But his eyes were glazed with ice and his voice deadly calm when he gestured towards me.

“Apologize to my girlfriend.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the guy in the booth cut me off as he stood up and slammed his palms against Ryland’s chest.

Ryland held his ground, looking scarier than I’d ever seen him- in a suit and tie no less. His face hadn’t been shaved in what looked like a week. Dark circles marred his normally beautiful eyes, and his jaw seemed more prominent than I remembered. And yet, his chest heaved with the force of adrenaline, like he was looking forward to pummeling this guy. Like he needed to purge himself of his darkness. I’d seen it happen a thousand times, but never in this way. He was solid and strong and completely unshakable.

The guy he’d punched spat blood out of his mouth before a crazy grin spread across his face.

“Your girlfriend’s a fucking idiot…”

Again, he was cut off by Ryland’s fist. I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my face in my shirt as I heard his body crumple to the ground. I knew he was out cold this time.

I darted back towards the kitchen, but a hand wrapped around my arm and stopped me.

“You’re coming with me,” Ryland clipped out.

“I’m not going anywhere with…”

“It’s cute how you think you have a choice.”

He grabbed my hand and tugged me along behind him. Everyone in the bar was dead quiet as they watched the show, including David. I was humiliated.

“Ryland,” I hissed. “Let go of me.”

“What’s going on here?” David asked.

“You can consider this her resignation,” Ryland informed him.

I panicked and shook my head. “That’s not true, David. I’m so sorry about all of this. Could I just have one minute, please?”

David gave me a sympathetic glance and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Brighton. But this isn’t going to work out.”

I nodded and gave him a watery smile. I’d never been fired from a job before, and I was absolutely mortified. Ryland walked on, pulling me along with him, and I didn’t resist this time. But as soon as we were in the parking lot, I jerked away from him.

“I hate you!” I spat. “How dare you come in here and pull that crap. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Tears streamed down my face, and Ryland didn’t look the least bit guilty. He tried to pull me back into his arms. I wouldn’t let him. No way could I allow that. I wasn’t strong enough to fight the comfort he provided right now.

“Brighton, you can’t work here,” he stated. “Let me take care of you. You have a card, I want you to use it. I’ll pay your rent, whatever you want. Just tell me where you’re living…”

“You mean you don’t know that already?” I accused. “I know you’re having me followed.”

He tightened his jaw and looked away. “You make it sound so…”

“What?” I interrupted. “Crazy? Because it is crazy, Ryland.”

“It’s for your own safety,” he said. “I’m worried about you.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” I insisted. “And I’m not going to humor these tactics of yours just to put you at ease. You need to let me go, Ryland.”

He looked like I’d slapped him as his eyes fell on mine. “I can never let you go, Brighton.”

“You have to,” I croaked.

“No.” He shook his head. “I know that isn’t what you really want. I can see it on your face, baby girl. So why are you still pushing me away?”

I couldn’t answer him. Because my reasons wouldn’t sound convincing enough with the mood I was in. My resolve was already wavering after being in his presence for five minutes. What the hell was wrong with me?

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Let me take you home.”

“No.”

“Brighton…”

“No,” I said again. “I’ll have Nicole come and get me.”

“Then I’ll wait with you.”

“I don’t want you to!” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Can’t you understand that, Ryland? I don’t want you here. I don’t want anything else from you. So just go!”

His eyes filled with pain, and I had to tear mine away. I couldn’t look at him. I knew I was hurting him, but it was necessary. It was the only way I could truly do this.

“If that’s what you really want…”

“It is what I want,” I assured him in a shaky voice.

He nodded and gave me one last glance before he walked away.