Sinful Mates (Savage Series Collection)

Book 2 Chapter-3

Evelyn POV

I sleep terribly. Nightmares plague my sleep, making me toss and turn, and I wake in a sweat. My anxiety forces me to get up and check all the locks again.

Then, lying in bed, trying to go back to sleep, my mind won’t stop questioning if I really checked the lock on the windows or the door. And that, inturn, makes me even more paranoid, so I’m forced to get out of the bed to check again.

By the time the noise of my alarm blares next to my head, I feel like a zombie. Dragging myself to my feet, I make my way to the bathroom and turn on the faucet. Only nothing comes out. The pipes shudder and groan, but no water. “f**k!” I scream, annoyed, realizing the water has frozen in the pipes overnight. This has to happen the morning when I need a shower to wake myself.

Walking into the kitchen, I pick up the jug to find it empty.

“Not today, Satan!” I yell, flipping him off with both hands, as I march to my room and grab a fresh blouse from the closet and some black slacks.

Quickly getting dressed, I throw on my flats only for my toes to go straight through the end. “Really? Can this day get any worse?” I groan, as I get up and dig through the kitchen drawer.

Duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything. Grabbing a roll of black tape, I tape my flats that now have a mouth for my toes to play peekaboo. Giving my toes a wriggle, they seem to hold, but just in case, I wrap more around the end of my shoes to make sure they hold in the snow.

Buttoning up my blouse, I go into the bathroom and brush my teeth. Then, I make the mistake of looking at my reflection. My god, I look like s**t.

I haven’t slept in a good week, which is easy to prove by the huge, dark bags under my eyes. Any bigger, I could smuggle my wallet in them. When I think of my wallet, I quickly rinse my mouth, drop everything, and run to get my bag. I reach into it and dig around for the wallet.

Panicking, I tip my bag upside down and the contents spill on my bed. My wallet is gone, and I don’t remember picking it up.

I could try going back the way I came to see if I can find it. The thought alone makes me shiver in fear.

Throwing my phone into my bag, I toss it over my shoulder before grabbing my sweater and pulling it over my head. Pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I unlock my door and take a deep breath, willing myself to leave the safety of my trailer. When I swing the door open, I quickly rush out before locking it. As I turn around, I see something sitting on the top step. Looking around, I eye the package suspiciously. It is a cardboard box. Bending down, I pick it up and open it.

My blood runs cold, and my heart hammers in my chest so hard I think it might bounce out. My breathing comes in short pants, as panic takes over. Anxiety is my biggest weakness. It takes nothing and everything to set it off. Nothing feels worse than the adrenaline that pumps through your veins, just because your brain becomes a little irrational.

I know I’m not being irrational this time, though. As I look down at my wallet, I know I have a reason to panic and burn bridges in fear. They know where I live.

What if they come back to finish off the job? I look around to make sure they aren’t lurking around.

Gripping the handrail of the stairs, I try to ground myself. Something I can feel: the wooden handrail. Check. Something I can see: snow. Check. Something I can taste: my toothpaste. Check, check, f*****g check. Yep, very much alive still.

I will my heart to stop racing and beating erratically. Forcing my feet down the stairs, I practically run the entire way to work, bursting through the glass door.

The bell jingles loudly, as Lisa spins around from serving someone and stares at me, bewildered. “Geez, Evelyn, the way you burst in, I thought we were being held up again,” she says, coffee pot in hand.

“Sorry,” I gasp, trying to catch my breath as I place my hands on my knees.

Standing up, I look around. The cafe is retro, with its red and white checkered flooring, brightly colored bench seats, and table decorations. I notice the person Lisa is serving is watching me. I drop my eyes, but I can feel his eyes on me as I walk behind the counter and grab my apron.

Lisa sets the coffee pot down and I grab a mug, filling it before gulping down the liquid gold.

“Rough night?”

“You have no idea,” I tell her, finishing my cup and pouring another.

“Vick isn’t in yet. Hopefully, he doesn’t stop in today,” Lisa says, walking past and squeezing my shoulder.

The morning is abnormally quiet. Like, no one comes in, except the man that Lisa served. When I watch him from behind the counter, he looks up and I avert my gaze. Something is off about him.

He is gorgeous, with dark hair, thick lashes, and a strong jawline. He is bigger than most people in this area. This man clearly works out; by the size of his biceps alone, I assume he lives at the gym. He is dressed nice too, which is a little odd for this side of town. He doesn’t fit in, he stands out like a sore thumb. His button-up shirt hugs him tightly, and I can tell his chest is just as muscular as his arms. Lisa pulls me out of my daze when she taps me on the shoulder.

“It’s quiet, I am going for a smoke. You alright on your own with Mr. Hotty?” she says with a wink.

I chuckle and watch her leave out the front, placing her apron on the empty table next to the door. As soon as she walks out, the man moves, making my eyes snap to his. They are emerald green, and I can’t look away as he approaches, sitting on the stool at the counter. I watch his lips move but don’t hear what he says, hypnotized by his eyes.

“You okay?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

“Huh?” Good going, Evelyn.

“I asked if I could have some more coffee,” he says, pointing to the pot behind me.

“s**t, sorry, I spaced out,” I mumble, turning around and grabbing the pot before refilling his cup.

“Evelyn,” he says, looking at the name tag attached to my shirt.

I nod before looking to the door for Lisa, hoping she will be back in soon to save me from my awkwardness.

“I’m Orion,” he says, making me look at him. Hmm, that surely is one weird name.

“Nice to meet you, Orion,” I tell him, and Lisa walks in.

She puts her apron on before tossing me her smokes, giving me a wink. I take my apron off and walk outside. As I walk around the side, the chill in the air blasts my face. I sit on the milk crate, light up a smoke, and inhale deeply.

“Smoking is bad for you.”

I hear his familiar voice before I see him. The sound makes my eyes snap open. Not creepy at all.

“Gotta die of something,” I tell him, waiting for him to leave. He leans on the side of the building, watching me. “Can I help you with something? Are you lost?” I ask, a little annoyed.

“No, I was looking for you, actually,” he replies, looking down at me.

“Well, you found me, so you can leave now.” I wave him off, and he chuckles.

“That’s not very nice,” he says, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Last I checked, you’re invading my personal space so I don’t need to be nice,” I tell him, quickly finishing my smoke and putting it in the ashtray. Walking back toward the entrance, I groan when I see my boss’s yellow car pull up out the front. Orion opens the door and waits for me to enter.

Quickly stepping past him, I put my apron on and warn Lisa that Vick is here. She walks out to the front counter, while plastering on a fake smile. I don’t bother hiding my disgust for the man, especially after yesterday when he told me I had to blow him if I wanted my tips. Filthy asshole. I am the same age as his daughter.

The bell jingles and Vick walks in. He is a middle-aged man who is overweight and balding. His white shirt is covered in grease, probably from last night’s dinner. Oh, and he is ripe today. I have to fight the urge to gag when he walks past and I catch a whiff of his body odor.

“Ladies,” he says, walking out the back. I roll my eyes, and Lisa groans loudly once he is out of sight.

I notice Orion watching us. A strange look crosses his face as his eyes follow Vick. Then, all of a sudden, I hear Vick shout out my name, and I look past the kitchen to his office with a groan.

“Maybe we can make a run for it?” Lisa jokes, light-heartedly.

“Evelyn!” Vick screams from his small office.

I grab a mug and fill it with coffee to take to him. I hope he is distracted with something, and doesn’t remember me calling him a perverted pig before I stormed out of work yesterday.

As I enter his office, Vick is sitting at his desk. He runs his hand over his bald head, a cruel grin on his face. “Shut the door,” he snaps, as he reaches forward and snatches the mug from my hand. Coffee sloshes all over his desk. I grab the tea towel tucked into my apron, mopping it up.

“Do you have anything to say about yesterday?” he asks, raising his unibrow.

“Nope, I am pretty sure what I said was pretty accurate,” I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at the vile man before me.

“You should watch who you are talking to, girlie. I am not firing you only because we are understaffed, but I am cutting your shifts as punishment.”

“Who are you punishing, Lisa or me? She can’t run the place by herself,” I state.

“She will manage. Unless…” he says, uncrossing his legs and looking at his pants zipper.

I walk out, no way am I degrading myself for my shifts. I need the job, but I will manage without it. I have some savings to last a week or two till I find another job if need be. Slamming the door, I walk back out to Lisa.

“What does he want?” she asks, staring at me worriedly.

“He is cutting my shifts because I wouldn’t blow him,” I whisper, and she frowns.

She knows what he is like, but mostly, he leaves us alone. He used to be only touchy-feely, but he has taken it to an entirely new level of disgustingness since his wife passed.

“So quiet this morning,” Lisa says, looking out the front windows.

I turn to look out and notice Orion glaring at the office door. His anger confuses me, as he shoots daggers at the door.

“Probably because they spotted the dark ones,” I tell her, taking my eyes off him and turning to Lisa.

She nods. “Yeah, I heard they destroyed the north side of the city. They need to just f**k off. This world is hard enough to live in without them killing everyone, and destroying everything. I heard a hundred people died when the bank collapsed because of that psycho,” she whispers.

Suddenly, the office door opens, making us look toward the kitchen. Vick strolls out, a cruel smile on his face. He walks over to the register and retrieves the tip jar before walking out.

“Vick, that’s bullshit!” Lisa calls out to him, but he ignores her and keeps walking out. We both huff.

“Not like much was in it. I haven’t seen one customer besides him,” I say, looking in the direction of the man named Orion. Only, he is gone. I look around, but he isn’t anywhere. “Where did he go?”

Lisa looks up, noticing him gone too. She walks over to the table he was at before coming back.

“I have no idea where he went, but he left a $500 tip!” she says, waving the cash in front of my face.

I chuckle as I walk to his table to clean it.

Once he left, after an hour or two I notice the place was filling up with customers again. We're run off our feet for most of the day. Lisa and I take turns cooking and serving, because the place has no cook after Merander left. She was sick of Vick’s constant harassment.

By closing time, we both notice Vick never came back, which is odd, considering he always stops by before the dinner rush. When closing time comes, Lisa empties the new tip jar and gives me half of it. I place the cash in my wallet, toss it in my bag and help Lisa lock up the place.

Lisa catchest a bus to and from work, which pulls up out the front as we walk out the door. “s**t!” she hisses.

“I will lock up,” I tell her.

She tosses me the keys and quickly races over, just before the doors shut. I pull all the shutters down and quickly place the padlocks on before locking the screen door. Once I am done, I turn around. It is dark now, seeing that it is nearly nine o’clock. Wrapping my arms around myself, I start walking. I have this strange feeling I am being watched, which makes me pick up my pace. I keep looking over my shoulder every few minutes, convinced someone is following me. When I come to the alley, I freeze, and look down at it. I look further down the street, deciding whether to take the shortcut or the long route, which will add twenty minutes. I opt for the streetlights, taking the long route. When my trailer comes into view, I start jogging, wanting to get inside to safety. Closing the door, I quickly lock it. The first thing I do is check the taps.

I do a little victory dance when I see the pipes are no longer frozen. Tossing my bag on my bed, I walk into the bathroom and turn the lights on.

My phone buzzes just as I am about to enter the shower. After letting the water heat up, I walk over to where I left my phone and pick it up. Vick has sent a text.

Going on vacation, you and Lisa will take over the cafe until I return.

Wow. To be honest, I am a little taken aback after the day’s events, and this message just adds to it. Yet, I am glad I won’t have to see him for a while. Lisa and I are more than capable of running the cafe. At least for now, we won’t have to put up with his s****l advances.

Sure, Vick, have a pleasant vacation. I reply, before dropping my phone on the bed and walking to the bathroom so I can have a shower.