Chapter 29

Things feel easier now. I”m getting into a routine. I”m starting to believe that everything might really be okay.

I’m walking with Steph to the coffee shop as she chatters away, but my mind is elsewhere. I do try to stay focused on her words. That is, until we’re interrupted.

“Hey Cora,” a masculine voice says, and I look up. My first thought is of Slater, but instead it’s some guy from one of my classes. When all I do is stare at him, he grins. “It is Cora, right?”

“Um yeah.” I look at Steph, hoping she knows why this guy stepped into our path and interrupted her mid-sentence, but her expression is as blank as mine.

“I’m in your Psych 101 class. Derek.” He offers his hand for me to shake and I take it absent-mindedly.

“Okay,” I say, making him grin even more.

Is this guy alright? What’s his damage? No sane person walks around grinning like that. Why is he so damn cheery?

“I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie with me tonight?” he asks, glancing at Steph, then back to me.

“I”m working tonight.” I shake my head, ready to step around him and continue on our mission to procure coffee.

Dylan? Devin? Whatever his name is, doesn”t seem to be willing to give up so easily.

“Tomorrow night?”

“Working,” I reply blankly, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Where do you work?”

“A bar.” No way I’m telling David where I work.

“The one just off campus?” Shit. I didn’t expect him to guess it so easily.

“Sorry we have to go,” I say instead of answering, and this time when I step around him, I don’t let him block my path.

“Maybe I’ll see you tonight!” he calls out as I drag Steph away.

“Well, he was persistent and annoying,” I grumble, making Steph chuckle.

“Aww, he just wanted to take you out on a little date,” Steph teases, and I stick my tongue out at her.

“Whatever. I don”t have time to date right now.” That’s not entirely true, but I’m not giving Steph any ideas about setting me up. She’s like a dog with a bone when she gets an idea in her head.

After grabbing coffee and parting ways with Steph until tomorrow, I head to my college class feeling a bit unsettled. The encounter with Derek has left me with a strange feeling, like I’m being watched again.

I glance around nervously as I take my seat, but there’s no sign of him anywhere. Oh yeah, he said he was in my psych class, not this one.

There’s no sign of Slater either - not that he’d be in my class - but I can’t shake the feeling of being watched, and if not one of those two guys, who would be keeping an eye on me?

My thoughts briefly flit to the masked man again - as they too often do - but I dismiss the notion. I need to get over him. It. I’m not hung up on him, just what he did to me. It’s time to move on. He’s not coming back and even if he did, I should probably kill him for what he did to me anyway. I need to stop…pining for a glimpse of him.

Throughout the lecture, I can’t shake off the feeling of being observed, but I try to focus on the material. Yet, every time I steal a glance around the room, I come up empty-handed. Maybe it’s just my nerves acting up again.

As the class ends, I gather my things and make my way out of the lecture hall, relieved to be free from the sense of scrutiny. But as I step into the bustling campus courtyard, the feeling returns, stronger this time. I quicken my pace, trying to shake off the unease.

I had planned to go to the library to study, but the ants on my skin feeling has me all out of sorts, so instead I head back to my dorm room, grateful for once that I don’t have to share with anyone, and I study there until it’s time for work.

I love working at the bar already. I may have only had a handful of shifts so far, but I like seeing Slater at work, making my own money, and how being busy distracts my mind from all the things I don’t want to think about.

I’m just getting through the early rush for food - everyone coming in and wanting to order right before the game is due to begin on the big screen - when I catch sight of someone familiar in the corner of my eye.

My heart skips a beat as I realize it’s the guy from earlier, leaning against the bar with a smug grin on his face. My stomach twists into knots as I remember our last encounter. What does he want now?

I try to ignore him, focusing on my tables and hoping he’ll leave me alone, or just leave altogether. But it’s no use. Before long, he’s sauntering over, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud.

“Well, well, well, look who it is,” he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Fancy seeing you here, Cora.”

I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure. “What do you want…David, was it?”

I kind of hope deliberately getting his name wrong will get the message across that I’m not interested, but it backfires when his eyes flash with rage momentarily before he pastes a slick grin on his face.

He leans in closer, his breath reeking of alcohol. “Just wanted to see how my favorite little server is doing. You know, after our little chat this morning.”

I tense up, memories of our last encounter flooding back. “I told you I’m working, so it’s best you leave me alone,” I say, my voice trembling slightly.

He chuckles darkly. “Come on, Cora. You know you can’t resist me.”

I grit my teeth, trying to muster up the courage to stand my ground.

As Derek continues to hassle me, I feel my frustration growing. I can’t understand why he’s so persistent, especially after I made it clear that I’m not interested. But before I can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the tension.

“Hey, buddy, I think the lady said she”s not interested,” Slater’s voice booms from behind Derek.

I turn to see Slater approaching, his presence commanding attention. Derek’s smug expression falters for a moment, but he quickly regains his composure.

“Back off, man. I’m just having a friendly chat with my girl here. We know each other,” Derek retorts, trying to sound confident.

Slater steps closer, his gaze intense. “Doesn’t look like she’s interested in your company. So why don’t you take the hint and leave her alone?”

Derek glances between me and Slater, weighing his options. Finally, he grumbles something under his breath and backs away, disappearing into the crowd.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. Slater may not be the knight in shining armor I always imagined, but in that moment, he was my hero.

“Thanks,” I say, offering him a grateful smile.

Slater nods, his expression softening slightly, even though his jaw is still clenched in anger. “No problem. Just doing my job.”

With Derek gone, the tension in the air dissipates, and I’m able to relax once more. But as I glance back at Slater, I can’t help but wonder what his intentions are. Why is he always showing up when I least expect it? And why does he seem so determined to protect me?

As I ponder these questions, Slater catches my eye, offering me a glare that seems filled with anger, before disappearing into the crowd himself to collect glasses. I watch him go, feeling a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling inside me. Whatever his reasons may be, one thing is for sure: Slater is definitely not someone to be messed with.

I don’t see Derek again for the rest of my shift, and I’m not sure if that’s because he got bored and gave up, or if Slater tracked him down and had a little word in his ear.

As the night wears on, Slater seems to get angrier and angrier, though no one else seems to notice it. I guess no one else knows my stepbrother quite like I do. Slater may have grown up and changed a lot from when we were kids, but he still has the same tells, and I can sense the frustration coming off him in waves.

When the bar closes, and we work together to clean up before leaving, he won’t even look at me. Attempts to engage him in conversation just result in him grunting like a caveman.

I’m so close to losing my shit with him and demanding to know what his problem is when the sound of breaking glass has me jumping out of my skin.

“Asshole,” I hiss, clutching my chest in fright. Slater just threw all the empties into the bottle recycling and the sound was so ear-splitting I almost shit myself.

He doesn’t grin at me.

“What’s your problem?” I sigh, unable to let it go any longer, but not wanting to start a fight either.

“You are.”

“Me?” I gape at him. I wasn’t expecting him to say that. “Why me? What did I do?”

“I told you I didn’t want you working here. It’s not safe. And that creep tonight just proved it!” Slater seethes.

“That creep tonight started bothering me on campus this morning, so it has nothing to do with my working here!” I retort hotly. I won’t let Slater push me out of this job. I need it, but I actually like it too.

“A busy bar with guys like that is not safe.”

“Oh, and you think if I was working in a clothes shop on my own, I’d be safer? Just me and him? Do you think he’d take no for an answer if he got me alone? At least here, it’s busy enough that someone will step in and help me out like you did.”

“I won’t always be around to save you, Cora,” he mutters darkly.

Don’t I know it, I silently reply, thinking of his dad and the masked man. Slater is no hero. Not really.

“I’m not going to quit,” I say stubbornly.

Slater must read the determination in my eyes because after a beat he sighs.

“Fine. When the fuck did you get so headstrong?”

“I was forced to grow up,” I reply with a shrug. “I can handle myself, Slater.”

He snorts. “Course you can. Come on, let’s go.”

“What?”

“I’m not letting you walk home alone, Cora. That jerk could still be out there waiting for you. No fucking way.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Slater growls - freaking growls - at me. It shouldn’t sound sexy, but it does, and I clench my thighs together and swallow.

“Do not even try to challenge me on this, Cora,” he grumbles, grabbing the top of my arm and dragging me out of the bar so he can lock up. “Or so help me God…”

Why do I suddenly have the urge to push him and see exactly what the rest of that sentence entails?