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Blake didn’t move; he couldn’t move. All this time he’d wanted to leave the house but after his mother’s words he was paralyzed. His mind painted more and more pictures of Niev being hurt and he couldn’t stop them. The pictures became more and more gruesome, until he realized that he didn’t have to stop his mind from forming these scenarios, but instead could change them into something positive. As soon as his mind outlined a new one, he changed it by adding himself, standing over Niev and protecting her from the evil that tried to hurt her.
He was her savior, her protector and deep within him he knew that he would do exactly that.
Sharing A Secret
Niev had just finished her morning shift and yawned as she walked down the street to the bus stop. It had been a busy morning at work and without Berta, Niev’s days had become longer and more exhausting. She didn’t regret giving Berta away, but she’d forgotten what a nice feature it was to have a car. Berta had made her life so much easier.
Niev worked at a popular restaurant and bar called The Gardens. The place was well liked for their beautiful outdoor space. It was a green oasis in the middle of Clemont’s downtown and a bit of a hidden gem. During the summer it was packed, and people even stood in line to be able to have a seat.
Being a waitress had never been her dream job, but over the past few years she’d learned to appreciate it. With hard work and lots of overtime she’d worked her way to being the top waitress. She now worked the most popular tables in the back of the garden. Not only did they bring the most tips but they were also far away from Mr. Hartman the restaurant owner.
He was a selfish and obnoxious man who loved sitting around while everyone else worked without a break. He was lazy and spent all his time at the bar, criticizing everyone and everything. Most good waiters left because of him and his horrible attitude. Over time, he’d stopped bothering her because she was his best employee and took care of things outside of her job description. A few months ago, she’d persuaded him into giving her a raise for all the extra things she did. He hadn’t been happy, but he couldn’t risk losing her.
That pay raise had helped her save up some money and lessen her financial stress. Standing on her own two feet had been challenging, especially because she knew she could never go back home. Her heart ached at the thought of her family and how much she missed her mother. Some days were easier, others were harder, but no matter how much time passed she loved her parents, and she missed them both.
She reached the bus stop right on time and hopped on the bus that would take her home. She sat down and looked out the window as the buildings and streets passed by. Not only had the last two weeks been more exhausting because of Berta, but because her thoughts kept returning to Blake. Her every thought ended up being about him. It drove her crazy because she couldn’t explain her strong feelings and even obsession toward him. She barely knew him, yet she missed him. Her whole soul ached for him.
During the day she’d managed to keep herself busy so that her thoughts weren’t overwhelming her. Though in quiet moments like these, it was hard not to think about him. He’d filled a void in her heart that she hadn’t known existed and now her body was longing for his closeness.
Her phone vibrated and she looked down to see a text from Jason, her roommate.
Hey gorgeous, just got off. Do you still want to go shopping today? Could pick you up from work?
Niev couldn’t help but smile. Jason and her were complete opposites but since she’d moved in with him a friendship had formed. He was an outgoing, party obsessed man with more partners than he had underwear.
Yes to the shopping and no to the pick up. I’m already on the bus. Wanna meet at the store?
I’ll see you in a little bit.
It had taken them both a while to get used to each other because they were polar opposites. With time, both had opened up and Niev had been able to see past his façade. They both had learned to appreciate the other and became good friends.
The bus stopped a few blocks away from the store and she walked the rest of the way. Jason was already waiting for her, leaning against his cabrio sports car. She grabbed a shopping cart and walked toward him.
He came over and embraced her in a hug. “How are you, gorgeous?”
“Exhausted. Glad I’m finally off. How was your day?”
“Oh my god girl, it was crazy. If I wasn’t getting paid so well, I would totally tell them to go to hell.”
She laughed and they both walked into the store together.
At the same time, just a few blocks away, Blake was sitting on the front steps of Niev’s apartment, waiting for her to return home. He’d managed to convince his father to let him run some errands with Seth. After having his father’s permission to leave the Timber Territory, he’d pleaded with Seth to let him take Berta back to Niev. It had taken a while, but in the end, Seth had caved in. So Blake had worked night after night to get Berta running again.
Now, Blake was sitting in front of her apartment hoping she would return home before Seth picked him up. He’d never felt this nervous before, and the past week had been a challenge for him. After his father had allowed him to leave his cabin, Seth had kept him busy and under close supervision. During the day he’d done whatever his father and Seth had asked of him, but in the little free time he’d had, he’d fixed up Berta. It had felt as if Berta was his only connection with Niev, and working on the car kept her close. He knew it was insane to think like this, but he couldn’t help it. She was the only person who was keeping him sane.
His heart started racing just thinking about her. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and right away knew she was close. He could smell her gorgeous vanilla scent in the air. Not even a minute later she walked around the corner, holding grocery bags in her hands. She was wearing tight high-waisted jeans and a nice, white blouse. Her curly, ebony hair was tied up in a knot and her skin glowed in the sun.
As soon as he saw her, he jumped to his feet. She was walking next to a tall, skinny man covered in tattoos. To Blake’s discontent, the man was very good looking. She seemed to be in a good mood and smiled as the man talked to her. Immediately Blake’s hands formed fists, and he heard a low growl escape his throat. He was shocked at his own reaction toward another man being with Niev. He’d never been possessive toward any woman. This was a side to him that he hadn’t known before. He saw as she caught sight of him, and her blue eyes lit up.
“You came back.” She beamed at him with a smile that blew away any dark clouds hanging over his mind. Her companion on the other hand seemed confused, which brightened Blake’s mood even more.
Blake tried to look casual, but miserably failed to hide his feelings. “I came to talk. Do you have a minute?”
She turned to her companion and handed him her bags. “Would you take these inside for me please?”
The man crooked an eyebrow and seemed annoyed, but curious. She gave him a stern look and he took the bags without any further questions, walking up the stairs and disappearing inside the apartment.
Blake nodded toward the parking lot to their right. “Let’s walk,” he said as he started to move, Niev following him. “How have you been?”
