Break My Fall (14 page)

“How could you not tell me? Why didn’t you tell him?”

Cam scrunched her nose, “He fired you didn’t he?”

I frowned. Her question sounded like more a statement.

“Look Lee, I didn’t tell you because Kyle is weird about people knowing. He doesn’t like people knowing how much he’s worth; it wasn’t my place to say anything. I didn’t tell Kyle because he doesn’t hire girls as young as you. He had a lot of shit with some girl a while back and it’s like his cardinal rule. When you told me you got the job, I partly guessed he didn’t know. I was just trying to have your back.”

That was a solid explanation.

It made much more sense than the crazy theories I had rushing around my brain.

“Oh,” I said sheepishly.

I felt bad that I overreacted.

Cam always had my back.

“I’m sorry for being a bitch Cam.”

She smirked at me, “Don’t worry about it babe. I’d be furious if my roommate fired me too.”

She stood up and stretched her back out, “I’m gonna go kick his ass.”

She moved to the door.

“He didn’t fire me,” I said quickly.

He just gave me the time of my life in his office, before ripping my heart to shreds in his car.

Cam swung back to face me.

“For real? What happened when he called you into his office?”

I ducked my head to cover my burning face.

“Um, nothing. He said job was safe for now.”

Her eyes narrowed, “Did anything else happen?”

I shook my head.

“No, nothing.”

Chapter Twelve

KYLE

I didn’t see Lee around much after our talk in my truck.

Well my talk, she hadn’t said more than a few words.

I couldn’t figure out what she was thinking when I told her that we had to stop.

But it was pretty obvious from her absence around the house that she was avoiding me.

I saw her at work, but I kept my distance.

I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.

Linda had her covering a few shifts waitressing in the main restaurant.

I wanted to tell Linda to fuck off and keep Lee upstairs out of harm’s way, and out of view of all the bastards who ogled her.

I also wanted to rip the tight little black server skirt and white blouse off her hot little body, but I couldn’t do a thing.

Linda was already suspicious as to why I kept Lee on, instead of firing her as I originally planned.

I couldn’t be angry with Linda for being suspicious; the woman had razor sharp intuition, and she knew my ass better than anyone.

She was on to me and I knew it.

I never could hide much from Linda, not even when she showed up at the McMullen’s house with my grandfather, to take me away my fifth and final foster family.

I had been a lonely eight-year-old kid, with a dirty mouth and an even worse attitude.

I never told anyone that I thought saw was an angel that day, sent down from heaven to save me.

From that day to this, Linda had been like a mother to me.

She was all I had in the world that I could call family.

I had blood relatives in the form of my father, his wife, and their son.

However, I’d rather chew my fucking arm off than concern myself with them.

I could barely tolerate them.

I had no remorse for feeling like this.

My ‘father’ didn’t deserve remorse. And only feelings I had for him were of pure hatred; hatred for knocking up a sixteen-year-old girl with a fondness for white powder, and walking away without a care for the repercussions.

Well I was a big motherfucking repercussion.

It was no wonder I was such an asshole.

Having a cold-hearted whore for a father didn’t exactly bring out the warm and fuzzies out in a person.

I was an asshole for pushing Lee away though, for being the reason she locked herself away in her room as soon as she came home from work.

I guess the apple never falls too far from the tree.

However, it was better this way.

This way she wouldn’t get hurt.

As much of a heartless prick that I was, I never wanted to hurt Lee.

Cam was right in what she had said; Lee was fragile.

I knew from Derek that Lee had been out with Cam and him.

It just put proof to pudding that it was me she was avoiding.

I should feel relieved that she was keeping away from me, but instead I just felt….empty.

My phone rang, and I answered it without checking the screen.

“Hey handsome.”

Her voice said in her usual fake sultry tone. It sounded like someone was scraping their nails down a chalkboard when she spoke.

“What’s up Rachel?”

I leaned back in my chair, shifting my feet to rest on my desk, and reminding myself to check my fucking caller ID in future.

“I’m in the lobby. I thought we could have lunch?”

Yeah right.

Having lunch with Rachel meant she was looking for something.

And that something usually came with a big fat price tag.

“Grab a seat in the main restaurant,” I muttered, dejected, “I’ll be there soon.”

LEE

“What can I get you?”

I stood with my notepad and pen, braced to take their orders.

Kyle was sitting in a corner booth with Rachel next to him.

She was sneering at me.

He was staring wide-eyed and fumbling with his keys.

I focused on keeping my breathing even.

I wanted to run away and cry.

“How’s your hand little girl?” she sniggered.

I didn’t dare make eye contact with the evil redhead. She really didn’t like me. It didn’t take a genius to figure that much out.

I pretended not to hear her and focused my attention on Kyle instead.

It was the first time I’d faced him since the office incident.

He had the decency to blush.

“I’ll have a milkshake, and the soup, please Lee.”

I nodded, and wrote his order down.

Rachel clicked her fingers against the table, and I forced myself to look at her, with as much of a smile that I could muster.

“Lee? What kind of a name is that for a girl?”

I cringed, my face glowing with embarrassment.

“It’s short for Delia. It was my mama’s name. I was named after her.”

She smirked, her green eyes gleaming, “Well then your mama’s name is disgusting too, ‘Delia’.”

The pen fell from my hands, as I struggled to reign in my temper.

That bitch crossed the line, bringing up my mother.

“Would you mind taking my order? I know you’re a little slow on the uptake, but that is what your job entails.”

I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my face.

They were angry tears.

I bent down to pick up the pen.

“Back off Rach,” I heard Kyle say quietly, making me cry more.

Why did he have to be involved with such evil?

“Are you okay Lee?”

Mike bent down and handed me my pen.

He must have seen what happened.

I couldn’t talk.

I shook my head.

“Why don’t you go take your break? I’ll serve these two.”

I nodded grateful for the escape.

I heard Kyle call my name, but I was too annoyed to stop.

I shuffled to my feet and fled.

KYLE

“Keep your bitch on a leash Carter,” Mike snarled, as he glowered at us, “Lee doesn’t need your skanky girlfriend in her face.”

I was up and in his face in seconds.

“Say it again asshole,” I warned.

Mike sneered at me, and I wanted to stick my fist down his throat.

I hadn’t realized Lee and Mike knew each other.

The thought made my blood run cold.

“Oh boys, are you fighting over me again? I thought we did that already?”

I glared at Rachel.

She was enjoying this.

“Why don’t you get back in your coffin Rachel,” Mike snapped.

Rachel stood up; I could feel the anger rippling off her in waves.

“Screw you Mike,” she hissed.

“We already did that sweetheart, and it wasn’t that memorable,”

Rachel snorted, and stormed past the both of us.

“Stay away from her,” I warned.

Mike focused his attention back to me and smiled darkly.

“Who, Rachel? You can have her.”

He turned and headed back to the kitchen.

“That’s not who I meant,” I shouted after him.

He turned and grinned, his brown eyes full of malice,

“I know.”

LEE

I was exhausted by the end of my shift.

I finished stacking the chairs on top of the tables with a heavy heart.

I picked up the mop bucket and headed out back to empty it.

Walking past the office I noticed the light on inside.

Huh, I thought everyone had left? I was closing up tonight.

Thank god, I was rostered on for the morning shift for the rest of the week.

These late night shifts had me beat.

I knocked on the door, and poked my head around the door.

Linda was sitting at her desk, which was covered in papers.

Mike was sitting on the chair on the other side of the desk, with his foot propped on the desk.

She looked exhausted.

“Is it okay if I take off Linda?” I asked, blushing when she jumped. I had clearly startled her.

Linda stood up and stretched.

“Of course I’ll lock up. Thanks again for covering that extra shift.”

I smiled and went to leave, when Linda called me back.

“Hun, I heard about what happened earlier.”

I froze, waiting for her to chastise me.

“I’m sorry that happened to you, that Rachel is a shark. I’ll put you on the housekeeping shift for the rest of the week.”

Mike smiled at me with a guilty look…

So he had told Linda.

“I’m still rostered for morning shift from tomorrow though right?”

“Yes, yes,” Linda said.

“Okay thanks, see you both tomorrow.”

I was by the front door when Mike stopped me.

“Is somebody collecting you tonight, or can I give you a ride?”

We ate lunch together every day, but I didn’t know Mike well enough to take a ride from him.

“My friend Cam is waiting on me,” I lied.

“Oh that’s too bad,” he muttered, “I was thinking we could have dinner some time, grab a movie?”

Wait, was my Mike asking me out?

“You barely know me?” I blurted out.

Smooth.

“But I want to know you.”

Mike had a great smile, but I didn’t feel anything when he smiled at me, not like the way I felt when Kyle did, not that Kyle smiled at me very often.

“Um, maybe. Goodnight Mike.”

That was not going to happen any time soon.

I did not need any more compilations in my life.

 
Chapter Thirteen

KYLE

“Come on Kyle, it’ll be fun. You do remember the meaning of fun, don’t you?” Cam joked as she pulled on her coat.

“Ha Ha,” I retorted. She clapped her hands

“Very good,” she praised me in an over excited voice. She was a wise ass.

It was Friday night, and that usually meant hitting up a few bars, and a club or two.

I wasn’t feeling it tonight.

“No, go on without me. I’m tired.”

Cam frowned, “Kyle, I swear you’re sounding more like Lee by the minute.”

I forced a laugh, but my chest hurt when I thought of Lee.

I fucked up big time today.