I'll Come out Fighting

Chapter 7

Jayne

Should I have been so blunt with Ryder. Probably not. I mean, he will probably find out for himself. Plenty of people in this town like to gossip, especially some of the woman from the office that Jamie and Jay work in. Maybe I should speak to him about my reasons behind it all. I am no way ashamed of what happened to me. In fact, I have no real issue about talking about it. It seems other people are more scared to approach the subject in case the upset me, which sometimes can be the case but I’m so much better than what I was six months ago.

After locking up the office I head downstairs, deep in my own thoughts and head straight to the VIP bar to check on everything.  I see Jamie and Ryder sitting at the end of the bar in Jamie’s favourite spot.  I stand for a little bit at the other end of the bar and observe the pair.  They are both laughing and joking about with Graham who is busy serving them their drinks.

The few girls that are in the area clearly eyeing up my brother and his sexy companion, Jamie nudges Ryder just as two of said females head over and start flirting. Jamie seems all up for it but Ryder, I’m not sure but it is almost like he is not interested. Which makes me feel bad. Have I managed to dent his ego?

Shaking that thought from my mind, I head over and collect some of the empty glasses and head behind the bar to get them in the washer.  Checking the time on the till I see it is just coming up to midnight which is when we shut the VIP area.  I give the nod to Gio to start moving the punters out and down to the main bar.

Graham goes along with the crowd knowing that the bar will be busier down there, with the VIP area cleared, leaving me and Bobby to clean up.  Ryder and Jamie are still floating about but the girls they were chatting to seem to have disappeared.  Ryder starts to again collect glasses just like he did last night.

“Ryder, you don’t have to do that” I shout to him over the bar as he piles the glasses up

“I don’t mind. Keeps me out of trouble” he winks at me and heads over to get more.  I shake my head as I help Bobby re stock some of the drinks and fill the washer up with the last load of glasses.

Grabbing the till and any belongings lying about I head to the office with Jamie and Ryder following behind.  Jamie heads down to the main bar, leaving Ryder floating around at the end of the corridor.  He seems to be in a total daydream just staring of into space.  Once I deposit the til and lock up the office again, I head back up to VIP with Ryder still floating about at the door.  Bobby has just finished off lifting the chairs and switching off lights and is now on his way downstairs.  Gio locks up the room after doing a final sweep to make sure no-one sneaked back in and no-one is left in the toilets, which has happened before.  Leaving me and Ryder loitering around the VIP door and the top of the stairs,

“What night?” I blurt out as we head downstairs

“What?”  Ryder says puzzled by my sudden outburst

“What night do you want to take me on that date?” I ask, blushing. Stupid Jayne. I bet he changed his mind after you blew him off earlier.

“Any night you can make it. I will work around you” he says with the sexiest smile on his face, making me blush even more. I mean come on Jayne. Get a grip.

“Well, put your number in there and I will call you once I check the rota for next week and speak to Jeff” I say as I hand him my phone, feeling nervous all of a sudden.  He takes my phone and types away on it then his phone starts ringing,

“Now I have your number so we can organise it” he winks to me as he hands me back my phone and we head downstairs.

We go our separate ways, he heads of to find Jamie, who is sitting in his usual seat at the end of the bar. Looking over the crowd on the dance floor, where I try and find Jeff.  Spotting him at the DJ box I head over with a pep in my step, actually excited about a date with Ryder.

Ryder

Well, this night out has turned out to be the best one so far. Not only have I had a laugh and met some other folk from the town, I’ve managed to bag a date with Jayne.

All last night and today I have not been able to stop thinking about her. I was pretty glad Jamie invited me out tonight, sitting in my apartment was pretty boring and I had finished with all the last wee bits of unpacking. This place looks more like a home now.

I just don’t know what it is about Jayne. I have never been like this with any girl, not even at high school or University. I have to admit she is stunning, and I’m actually surprised she hasn’t got a boyfriend, but then I remember what Jamie said last night, about an ex, and the look on Mia and Aaron's faces just make me think that it ended really bad.

As the club is beginning to empty, Jamie and I end up helping out again by collecting glasses and cleaning up a bit. Jayne and Jeff busy helping the security staff get the last of the punters out.  There was a few scuffles with the drunks, but they handled it pretty well.

“Guys, you can head out now. We’ve got this covered” Jeff says as he takes the empties through to another room at the back of the bar.

“I’m staying at Jayne's tonight so I will hang about and wait for her.” Jamie says as he sits at the end of the bar and finishes off his bottle of beer.

“I’ll wait a little bit and see if I can grab a taxi, if that’s alright” I say to Jeff, wanting to make sure I don’t out stay my welcome.

“Yeah sure. Just can’t serve any more drink now the doors are closed.” He chuckles as he starts cleaning down the bar

“Where did Jayne go?” Jamie asks as he looks around and she is nowhere in sight.

“Office with the til” Jeff answers.   Just as she comes down the stairs, like a goddess may I say.

“You guys hanging about again?” she chuckles as she sits beside Jamie who is now drinking a bottle of water.

“Yip. You can be my taxi home” he says resting his head on her shoulder

“yeah. You not worried about your reputation getting into my car or is it dark enough that people won’t see you” she scoffs as she nudges him in the ribs.

“Its dark enough” he shouts as he jumps from his seat and runs away from her laughing his head off.  I tell you this pair are hilarious.  Jamie disappears to the toilets, as I take his seat beside Jayne.

“Hey” I say nervously.

“Hi” she replies, blushing

“You going to tell you brothers I have asked you out?” I whisper, not wanting the other staff to hear us

“Maybe. They will only worry if I tell them I’m not working. They are protective of me” she replies, as she sips her water.

“I’m ok with that. I know you are close to them, I have no issue at all.” I tell her as I sit nervously, finding it hard to keep the conversation going.

“You might end up changing your mind once you find out my history though” she whispers as I see Jamie returning from the corner of my eye.

“Everyone has a history, Jayne.” I tell her as I stand up and get ready to leave.

After saying more goodbyes to the staff, Jamie and Jayne, I head outside and pretty much jump straight into a cab and head home.  Even though I have been in the club since 630pm and its not nearly 3am, I’m not in the slightest bit drunk. I definitely managed to pace myself tonight and keep the drinks to a minimum.

Getting into my apartment, I head straight to my room and strip off and climb into bed.  Just as I switch of the lights I get a text from Jayne

‘before we get into anything you will need to know my history.  Meet me this afternoon before the club opens’  it says. 

Her history must really be holding her back from even agreeing a day for our date.

‘sure. What time?’

‘3pm?’ she replies. 

‘will see you then, gorgeous’  I sit for a few minutes waiting on a reply, but I don’t get any. So I turn over and fall asleep.

Waking up around one in the after completely sober and with no hangover is a first for me in a long while. As I stretch out my body I quickly grab my phone, hoping to find a text from Jayne but there isn’t. Feeling a little disappointed I head for a shower and get changed.

I make myself something quick to eat as I wait for 230pm to arrive so I can head to the pub to meet Jayne. If I’m honest, I’m really intrigued by her. She seemed so adamant to not go on a date then she changed her mind, not that I’m complaining. Clearly her history has a lot to do with her decision. But I’m more curious as to why she changed her mind.

The drive to the pub us taking longer than I wanted but I left with plenty time to spare, I literally couldn’t wait any longer.  As I pull up in the carpark in the back, Jayne is just climbing out of her car.  She spots me just as I close my door and head over to her.

“You are early” she chuckles as she goes to unlock the back door.

“Yeah, I was a little impatient to wait in my apartment.” I say as she holds the door open for me to follow her through.

As she heads up to the office I follow her a few steps behind her.  As we enter and take a seat on the sofa there is a slight awkward silence.

“Before we go on a date, I feel like I need to tell you something about me. It might just change to way you think about me, which is totally ok. I’m not expecting you to hang around so don’t feel bad about it.” She says all in one breath, almost like she is nervous.

“Take a breath Jayne. Relax. As I said last night everyone has history.” I tell her as I get comfy on the sofa.

“I know we all have history but mine is probably going to freak you out and make you regret asking me out on a date.” She says as she turns her body to face me.

“Well, only one way to find out” I tell her as I focus on her.

“I was dating Max for just over a year, we had not long moved in with each other when he attacked me one night.  He raped me more than once and I lost a lot of blood. I was unconscious lying on the floor of my apartment for two days before Jay and Jamie found me. Max was passed out on the sofa the whole time. He was high and drunk, and I couldn’t stop him.” She tells me, looking past me the whole time, her focus on the wall.

“Shit.” I whisper out. She shakes her head and looks back to me.

“There was that much damage that I had to have a hysterectomy, it was the only way to save me. I was rupturing and my brothers made the decision, so I can’t have kids. I was in hospital for a long time then I spent a few months in a psychiatric ward.”  I sit there silent as she continues to talk. I’m lost for words, but it doesn’t change the way I’m feeling. I still want to get to know her better.

After she has finished talking she gets up from her seat. I am not sure what to say, I mean that is a whole lot of messed up s**t. Clearly that is the reason that she has not dated since, I mean she is still healing.

“Do you still see your therapist?” I ask, breaking the silence.

“At least twice a month.” She answers as she looks out the office window.  As more silence follows, I really don’t know what to say.

“You can go if you want, I need to get set up for opening” she says as she heads for the office door.  I still don’t know what to say, she is going to think I want nothing to do with her, but I do. I want to get to know her. I want to be there for her. Just over the last few days I’ve not been able to get her out of my head.

As I sat in my thoughts, I look up to see she has left the room. I head down to the bar to see her stocking up the fridges. I stand at the side and watch her. She really is stunning, how could anyone stoop that low to hurt someone they are supposed to love. That guy Max must have been an absolute bastard to do something so cruel to someone as lovely as Jayne.

I head over to the bar and sit on the seat that Jamie normally sits in. Just as she goes to open the doors, I pull her by the arm and into my chest. I hear her gasp at the sudden movement,

“What day?” I ask her, she looks at me with a puzzled look on her face  “Our date, what day?”

“Seriously, you still want to after what I just told you?” she looks down and plays with the buttons of my shirt.

“Absolutely. As I said, everyone has history. But that does not change the way I feel, I want to get to know you” I let her go as she takes a step back. Clearly shocked that I want to go ahead with the date.

She shakes her head slightly and chuckles as she opens up the doors of the bar.  As she heads back around the other side of the bar, she has a little grin on her face,

“Why you grinning like that?” I ask, seductively.

“I was just thinking you must be crazy to still want to go out with me. Not a single man in this town has been brave enough to even flirt with me and here you are, a week into moving here and already asking me out on a date, even after you know what happened”  she says as she hands me a coffee.

I shake my head at her. Smiling like a fool. 

“Crazy. Did you think I would run for the hills after you told me?” I asked her just as a few punters walk in.  They don’t even order anything they just sit down in a booth, but Jayne still gets drinks and takes them over to them, clearly regulars.

“I did think you would run. You might still run, and I would not blame you” she says once she is back at the bar.

“The only running I will be doing is running around after you” I state, she bursts out laughing.

“Well, you better have good running shoes” she chuckles.