Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,12

I mean. You think I didn’t notice him holding you when Cooper and I were talking at Fierce?”

“Oh,” I blush. “I was trying to hear what you guys were saying. He had the better spot so I stepped a little closer to him.”

“And his hands found their way onto your hips?”

Now it’s my turn to look around, to avoid her.

“Layla?”

“I don’t know honestly.” I say with a shrug because it’s the truth. I really don’t know why he did it or why I didn’t take a step away when he did. It was like we were locked in a trance.

“Uh huh.”

“I felt like he was watching me all night too. At first I thought it was because he was just making sure everything was running smoothly. But he kept doing it, kept finding ways of keeping me close I feel.”

Jaylinn nods. “I noticed that too and I’m sure it didn’t make it any easier on you with Brian breathing down your neck.”

I huff. “Not at all, Brian was pissed. Maybe Eli sensed that something was up and was just trying to stick close not knowing that Brian wasn’t some drunk asshole in a bar wanting to get my attention or something?”

“Why did he even come?”

I shrug my shoulder. “I don’t know really. I guess to check it out, to see where I work.” That’s not totally true. He came to keep an eye on me to make sure I wasn’t lying to him about the job.

That seems to satisfy Jaylinn as she pulls out her Kindle and starts reading. My mind wanders away from studying to that night after the bar closed.

On the way home, Brian peeled out of the parking lot. He wasn’t happy with my new boss. “Did you fuck him, Layla?” He asked whipping the car around the corner.

I grabbed onto the door with one hand and my seat with the other holding on for dear life. “What? No, are you insane?”

“Why was he watching you all night then?” He slammed the brakes when the traffic light turned red. “He wasn’t watching anyone else the way he was watching you.”

Sighing in frustration and wanting to cool him down so he didn’t kill us, I reached over and placed my hand on his thigh. “Babe, you have nothing to worry about. He was probably just making sure I didn’t fuck up is all.”

He huffed. “Well, you do that a lot.”

Biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying anything I keep my hand on his thigh rubbing circles with my thumb. Anything to keep him calm so he didn’t kill me.

We pulled up to Jax’s, Brian put the car in park but didn’t turn the engine off and I sent a silent prayer that he wouldn’t get out of the car because all I wanted to do was go upstairs, take a shower and go to bed.

“I want you to quit, Layla.”

I whipped my head around. “What? Quit? I just started and I need this money, Brian. I can’t rely on you to pay our bills.”

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “You’ll never make enough to pay for everything yourself, Layla. Plus, I don’t mind paying them.” He reached over, I flinched thinking he’s going to hit me but he slowed his movement and caressed my face. “I like that you depend on me.”

This is why exactly I needed this job. I didn’t want to depend on him but right this second I needed him because he’s the one keeping food on our table.

“I can’t quit.” I whispered.

His hand slid around to my neck where he grabbed a hold of me roughly and pulled me closer to him. His breath smelled of the whiskey I was pouring him all night and it made me want to gag. “You can and you will.”

He shoved me away and I quickly reached down for my bag and was out of the car in the next second. The tears were there but I refused to give in to them. I would not cry over doing this for my sister. And I would not quit.

Thursday afternoon, in between classes, Jaylinn and I sit under one of the trees in the courtyard. I’ve been working at Fierce for three weeks now. The money is flowing in, although it’s not enough for everything and I don’t get all the hours I need because of my class schedule and needing to take care of Fallon when my mom decides she doesn’t want