𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐾𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛.✔️

#27

Essence

"Hey gorgeous."

I stood at the bar, wiping down the counter with a rag, when I heard a voice across from me. I looked up to see a pair of brooding dark eyes staring back at me."Hi?" I awkwardly smiled, unsure of where this was going. Did he need a drink?

"I've never seen a pretty face like yours around here before," he remarked, flashing me a wide grin. The man had platinum blonde hair tied back into a bun, his skin was pale with light freckles spread across his long nose. He was good looking much like all of the men that came by the restaurant.

This hadn't been the first time someone had hit on me at work. Usually id go along with it if I was helping them, but as he held onto a full drink I knew that there was no room for me to make any tips from him so I keep it simple. "I just started like two weeks ago," I replied, my smile faltering as his gaze lingered on my face intently. I chuckle awkwardly and start to walk off.

"Where are you going?" he asked, standing up from his stool and following my retreating movements.

I stopped and turned towards him, crossing my arms. "Is there something you need?" I keep a small smile on my face though I felt weary.

"Say, sweets, whats your name?" he inquired, his eyes drifting down to my chest where my name tag was hidden beneath my hair. I shifted uncomfortably, tucking my hair behind my ear to reveal it.

His eyes on my chest grow wide for a few seconds, making me feel uneasy."Essence," I said, trying to maintain a polite demeanor despite my discomfort. He looks back to my face with confusion filling his.

"Essence, what an interesting name," he mused, taking a step forward. I chuckle taking one back and rubbing my neck.

"Yeah," I replied dryly, hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone. Instead, he continued to scrutinize me, making me feel increasingly uneasy. I interrupt him "Well, if you don't need anything, I'll just go—" I began to turn away, but he grabbed my arm tightly."Let go of me," I exclaimed, pulling away from his grip. I refused to let any man lay their hands on me again.

He released my arm, raising his hands in surrender. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He takes a step back but keeps a hard gaze on my face, it was as if he was studying it. "Why do you look so familiar?" he pondered aloud. "Do you have any siblings?" I had never seen this man a day in my life, there was no possible way for us to have crossed paths especially since I lived towns away.

"No, it's just me," I replied cautiously, taking another step back. His eyes search mine. "Who even are you?" I asked, growing irritated by his probing questions and overall presence.

He extended his hand towards me. "Jackson," he introduced himself with a smile. I didn't shake his hand, keeping my arms wrapped around myself defensively.

"Well Jackson, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

"Can I ask one more thing?" he pressed, ignoring my attempt to end the conversation.

He looked desperate which was the only reason I nod. "What now?" I sighed, feeling increasingly frustrated.

"What's your last name?" he inquired. I hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much about myself to this stranger. If there was anything I had learned about living with criminals it was to never tell the honest truth about myself. I had always left white lies in everything I said not trusting anyone a hundred percent.

"Smith," I lied, hoping he wouldn't push further.

He studied me for a moment before speaking again. "You're lying." He says reading me like an open book.

"What?" I scoffed, feeling defensive. "No, I'm not. And how would you even know?"

"I can tell when people lie; it's my specialty," he boasted.

"What were you trained to tell?" I retorted, growing more bewildered by the second. He was only getting more and more suspicious each time he spoke.

He shrugged, avoiding my question. "Forget it. Why did you lie?"

"What's with all these questions?" I snapped, feeling my patience wearing thin. "I don't have to answer to anyone. Especially not a stranger in a bar."

He leaned  in closer, and I resisted the urge to step back. "Essence." He says to himself. "You're one special girl," he remarked cryptically a small smile spreading onto his lips.

Suddenly Seth appeared by my side, catching me off guard. "Jackson." Seth says stepping in between us.

"Seth," Jackson smirks crossing his arms and holding his head high. With their postures confident as ever I couldn't tell exactly who held the dominance in this situation.

"What are you doing here? You know this is place is off limits to your people." What does that mean?

"My people," Jackson snorts giving me a glance as if it were to offend me as well. I furrow my brows trying my best to understand what they were even speaking about.

"Leave." Seth says, "you don't want Lorenzo to see you talking with her do you?" Killian? I start to look around the bar incase I missed Killian as Seth's presence went unnoticed from the start.

"Ah, Lorenzo. I see," Jackson eyes flicker to mine once more. "Alright." He nods before walking off slowly scanning the entire place.

"What the fu-fudge. Since when were you here?" I exclaimed. Killian wasn't even here, why was I stopping myself from swearing?

"Someone's watching you all the time, buttercup. Didn't you already know?" he teased, laughing at my surprise. "But why were you talking to him?" He says watching as Jackson left the bar with one last curious glance at me.

I rolled my eyes. "He was just being creepySs and hitting on me."

"Stay away from the guys that come to this club; they're all bad news. Especially him." He was?

"What's wrong with him?"

"Just.." he struggled to find the words, "stay away, okay? You don't want to have another man's eyes on you. Vain's are enough to get Killian's head spinning, just keep that interaction with Jackson between me and you ok?"

"Ok. But it really was nothing. He was just being nice and complimented me," I insisted, trying to brush off the encounter.

Seth narrowed his eyes at me. "Oh, so he can be nice and get away with it, but when I try to be nice, you hit me with a bat?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, I don't regret that. You were trying to keep me from escaping, kidnapping is a crime you know." He looks at me as if what I said was the dumbest thing on earth

"We are criminals." I shake my head at him, "and boss's orders, little girl," Seth reminded me, his tone turning playful.

"Yeah, well—fuck you." I start to walk off.

"Boss doesn't like it when you swear," Seth retorted with a smirk.

"Killian will get over it," I shot back as Seth chuckled. Suddenly, I bumped into something soft and round. I looked down to see Juli's boobs right near my face, I take a step back and look up at Juli who stares back at me with a disgusted expression.

"Killian?" she screeched. "You mean Boss," she corrected me, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Hmm," I mused, pretending to ponder the correction. "No, I think I mean Killian."Juli grabbed the rag I was holding trying to pull it towards her vastly in attempts tussle for it, but I quickly let go watched as she stumbled and spilled her drink, staining her uniform.

"Look what you did, you skank!" she yelled, her face turning red with anger now matching her top. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"You might wanna fix that; it's kind of see-through," I quipped, enjoying the momentary victory.

"You'll be in big trouble for that, whore," Juli spat out another insult before storming off. I smirked, feeling satisfied with myself until Seth approached me with an apologetic smile. Sliding his phone into his back pocket he chuckles nervously when my gaze turns hard.

"Seth?" I ask intrigued by his sudden change in demeanor. What did he do?"