Being Mrs. Kane

Chapter 6

Every human being is a mixture of light and darkness, trust and fear, love and hate.
-Jean Vanier

I can never forget the day my twenty year old self stumbled into the bar where her big brother hung out.

It was a local pub that hosts indie bands on Fridays and served one of the best tequilas in the area. They were well known for their pizzas and tacos but eating-in never crossed my mind throughout my time there. It wasn't the first choice in my job hunt but it offered a more reasonable salary than any other bars and cafés in the neighborhood.

I was going to meet the owner. I fidgeted slightly, not liking the stares I got from some of the customers. I noticed the waitresses were in boots and cowboy's hat- apparently tonight was a cowboy-themed night. Would I get to dress up like this as well?

Soon, I came to realize that that would be the least of my worries as I met Jack Adams, the man with round and ratty features who called me a pretty face on our first meeting.

I was hired instantly with barely any interview and I could have taken that as a cue to leave, heck- I should have also taken the way Adams eye-stripped me as a cue to leave and never return but I didn't. Yet, I ask myself over and over how I got here.

"They helped you move out clean," Dorian's voice pulled me out of my thought as he joined me in the little space I called my sitting room while I tried to process the fact that I had just been burgled.

The apartment was almost empty with my couch, coffee maker and computer gone. I didn't have much but the most important ones were all taken.

Old editions of Vogue and Harper Bazaar were sprawled on the floor alongside my drawing book where my wannabe designer side scribbled sometimes.

"This is just a terrible case of breaking and entering and to think that the culprits were right in front of us all these while," Dorian's voice was as calm as summer sea, providing me with a little comfort enough for me not to scream my lungs out.

"We need to report this case to the cops right now. The criminals wouldn't have left the city," He said as he paced the length of the almost empty room.

The mention of cops caused bile to rise in my throat. If this incident was what I think it was, the police would be the last people I involved.

A whole month free from Ratface's trouble was too good to be true, he just had to make a grand come-back.

As of my last visit to Dean, I thought I was ready for whatever RatFace had under his sleeves but again, I was wrong. Adams knew how to play his games, how to catch me unaware and wreck havoc in my already troubled life.

"Dakota?" I looked up to find Dorian right in front of me with his face creased in a frown.

"Sorry I can't call the cops," I said looking away but not before catching the intense look he threw me. Uh those looks again.

"Really?" His voice was edged in between something that seemed like wonder and annoyance. It was probably a prompt for me to explain why I would not report the people who took everything from me.

"It's of no use," I said feeling a little a mad at myself for coming up with a feeble excuse. I could feel Dorian's eyes on me probably trying to pry out the hidden information.

I shivered slightly, as the chilly night breeze infiltrated my apartment. I stood up to shut the blinds of my window.

I cannot involve the cops. The money I owe Ratface was as a result of the illegal business he and Dean did, which makes it difficult to involve the cops because doing that, means involving him and I have learnt the hard way not to mess with that man.