Just the three of us...

Chapter 12 Alice

I'd been having a good week since Mel had helped me out when my period had soaked through my jeans. How embarrassing! My cheeks still get hot when I think about it. I was worried she'd told Tag, but now I'm pretty sure she didn't. I'd washed her jeans and returned them the next day. 

My dad had been going to work early and staying until late, so going to and from work was not such a nightmare. Mrs Holmes was still keeping my secret, even going as far as making sure my dad had seen her folding my old leotards. 

Harrison hadn't been in touch all week, and I hadn't seen Caine either since he took me for drinks. Claire had text to say there was a party happening on the weekend, and I was actually considering going for a change.

Kelly was really happy with my work, and had asked whether I could do any more hours. I'd had to tell her maybe, even though I'd love to work there full time. Maybe I would make enough to be able to move out....maybe.

I was steadily working my way down the list of rooms, and had my little portable cd player on with the buds stuck in my ears. Humming along with Courtney Barnett, I stripped the bed and pulled the new sheet down to tuck in the corners. In the mirror I catch a movement behind me. It looks like Harrison? I quickly spin round and out of the room, pulling the headphones from my ears. Stood in the corridor, talking in low voices, are Harrison and Caine. Caine looks up sees me, an evil grin creeping across his face. He points towards me and Harrison turns towards me. 

"Well, well well....what do we have here." Harrison smirks at me and takes a step forward. "Caine told me he saw you here, but I had to see it myself." He shakes his head, tutting. "Your father is going to be very upset when he hears that his only daughter is out here cleaning up after other people."

I step away from him shaking my head, already feeling tears snaking their way down my cheeks. Caine says something else into his ear, and Harrison takes another step towards me.

"My good friend here tells me you are also hanging around with undesirable people. Tattooed freaks." He growls. I keep shaking my head. This can't be happening. He steps closer, toe to toe with me now, my back up against the trolley which holds the piles of clean sheets. "If you think I'm going to marry a fucking maid you've got another thing coming." I feel his spit land on my cheek. He leans past me and grabs a handful of sheets and pulls them out. I stifle a scream and move back into the bedroom. I watch as him and Caine pull everything off the trolley and chuck it down the corridor. Once it's empty they walk away, leaving me and my sobs. 

I don't know how long I've been sitting in the doorway. My ass in numb and my throat is sore, but I can't bring myself to get up, my legs still feel like they won't be able to hold my weight.

"What the...?!" I hear Tag's voice. "Alice? Alice! What happened? Are you ok? Babes, please look at me." I feel his hand under my chin, lifting my face until I look at him. He wipes his thumbs under my eyes at the wetness there.

"Harrison....he knows....my dad.....my dad...." I dissolve into tears again. Tag sits down next to me and pulls me into his lap, his strong arms encircling me. I wrap my arms round his neck and cry into his neck. "Shhh...it's gonna be ok sweet. Hush now." He runs a hand up and down my back, and I try to control my breathing. I sit back from him and wipe my nose on the back of my hand. "So what the fuck happened here?"

I take a deep breath, looking round at the mess. "That guy....the King Douche? He figured out that I work here and well, he's told my fiance Harrison." I see Tag's surprised look but continue. "They came here, and they did this." I wave my arm at the chaos around me. "And he's called off the engagement and he's gonna tell my dad, and he'll stop me from working here, and he'll never let me get my inheritance." I let a shaky breath and sniff again. Tag studies my face, chewing on the inside of his mouth. 

"So you were engaged huh?" I nod, then shake my head.

"It wasn't like that. His dad has a business my dad wants to be a part of, so they arranged the marriage between me and Harrison. My grandmother left me an inheritance which I was supposed to receive when I turned eighteen, but my dad changed the terms so I could only get it when I turned twenty-one..... or when I married. Whichever came first. He knows I want to get out from under his control so he used it as a way to get me to agree to the marriage."

Tag runs a hand over his face. "That's fucking heavy. You really think this Harrison guy will rat you out?"

"Without a doubt."

"Come on." Tag moves me off his lap and stands up, pulling me with him. "Lets get this shit cleared away at least."

Once we'd cleared the mess, I put my arms round his waist and hug him tightly. "Thank you." I mumble into his chest. He squeezes me a little and presses his lips to my hair.

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My father is locked away in his office when I get home, so I sneak past and hide in my room. He call out a couple of hours later that he's going to the clubhouse. I curl up in bed and hope Harrison reconsiders telling my secret. I must have dozed off, because I'm suddenly wide awake when my door flies open with a load crash. My fathers frame fills the gap. I jump up from the bed, trying to pull the duvet around me as if it will protect me in some way.

"Alice Mary Jane Kent!" His voice booms, I feel it in my chest. "What is this I'm being told about you working in some...some...hotel? A daughter of mine working as a fucking chamber maid. You have bought nothing but embarrassment to my name." He snears. My stomach clenches hearing him utter a swear word. "No self respecting man will ever want you as a wife if you carry on sneaking around like that!"

"I'm only nineteen! I don't even know if I want to be someone's wife, you never gave me a choice!" I shout.

My dad's cheeks get redder as he sucks in a breath. "Well, the Brentwood's don't want anything to do with you now, you little whore! Not after being seen cavorting with lesbians!"

I gasp. Caine! He was spreading evil rumors about me! My dad strides over to me and catches me with a strong back hand against my cheek. The power of the strike spins me round and I crash into my chest of drawers. Pain blossoms in my chest and my head throbs. 

"You are no longer welcome here." His voice hisses in my ear. "I no longer have a daughter." His fingers dig into my bicep and he pulls me up to my feet and across the room. Before I'm really aware of what's happening he pushes me out of the front door. I fall onto my hands and knees on the sharp gravel. The heavy front door slams shut behind me, and I'm left with the light of the street lamp at the end of the driveway. 

I slowly make my way to my feet. I feel numb. The door opens a crack and Mrs Holmes peeks out. I hear a clink as she drops my car keys onto the floor.

"I'm sorry pet." She whispers, before quietly closing the door again.

I grab the keys and run to my car. I gun it hard as the little engine will go, all the way to Tag and Mel's. 

Please, please, please be there. I need you....