Vulnerable (Book One) Complete!

chapter four

Jensen

"Please tell me you at least won." I turned my attention to the source of the voice, knowing exactly who I'd be seeing. I rolled my eyes at him, focusing back on my swollen knuckles.

     "That looks pretty bad, love." He sat beside me on the bench, his sun-kissed skin showing a glimmer of sweat. I raised an eyebrow at his orange shorts and yellow blouse with only about four buttons secured, showing off the two swallows along his collarbone and a few other markings of black ink I didn't care enough to make out.

     "Yeah, well, so does your outfit." I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. He looked down at his clothes and then back at me. His mouth was pulled into a straight line, eyes narrowed at my comment. I smirked at him.

     "Someone's back to being their grouchy self today." He almost sang the words, pulling his pink sunglasses out of his hair. I ignored his comment.

     "Someone's early today," I pretended to look down at my non-existent watch, "You don't usually show up until I'm closing or like two hours before." He sighed at my exaggerated words, placing both elbows on the picnic table and leaning back into the sun.

     "What happened to your hand?" He changed the subject, not changing his position. I glared at him.

     "Some asshole grabbed my sister's ass so I told him to leave and when he didn't, I punched him." I stated proudly. Harry lifted his sunglasses off his nose, eyebrows raised at my comment. "What?"

     "You told me something about your personal life." He smirked at me, the indent in his cheek showing through. I narrowed my eyes at him again, getting up from the picnic table without a word. I didn't let him in on anything. He asked me a question, so I answered. I could have told anyone that.

     I walked back into the bar, running into a few of our regulars who high-fived me for my "heroic" actions. I smiled at them politely, bowing to add a dramatic effect. I moved my way behind the bar, pouring myself a shot of tequila to hopefully dull some of the pain.

     "There's my bad ass daughter!" My dad slung his arm around my shoulders before looking past me. "Who's this dude?" I gave him a confused look before turning around and noticing Harry staring at me from across the bar. I downed my shot before rolling my eyes.

     "Remember the Brit that kept coming in here the nights I closed? Well that's him." I gestured to Harry with my injured hand.

     "Jerry, nice to meet ya kid." My dad stuck his hand out to Harry. I watched them shake hands, my lips pursed at the idea of them being friends. "What can I get ya?"

     "I'll take a-"

     "Jack and Coke, Dad, it's what he always gets." I interrupted Harry, already pouring his drink and setting it in front of him. He smirked at me again as I walked away. I served a few more customers before it was just the regulars, my dad and sister, and for some reason, Harry.

     "Reese, get home. Start the laundry will ya?" I asked her. She nodded before getting her tips from Dad. "See you later tonight!" I shouted as she walked out the door. She shouted back that she loved me. I picked up a few glasses with my right hand, trying to pick one up with my left and dropping it instantly at the shooting pain.

     "Fuck!" I was pretty sure I'd broken something. My hand was twice it's normal size and turning a deep shade of purple . Dad came up behind me, sweeping up the broken glass. "I'm sorry, let me clean it up." He shook his head at me.

     "You gotta go to the doctor for your hand, kiddo. Pretty sure if you broke that kid's nose, your hand is broke too. I'll close up tonight." I sighed, knowing he was right. He pretty much always was.

     "Okay, let me call for an Uber and I'll head out." I hollered back at him as I moved behind the bar to find my phone.

     "I can take you, don't waste your money on an Uber." I shot my head up from the bar, almost laughing at the idea of Harry taking me anywhere.

     "I think I'd rather take the Uber, thanks." I gave him a sarcastic smirk, still searching for my phone under the counter. When I finally found it, it was dead. "Of course this would happen to me today."

     "Just let me take you, it won't be that bad and I promise I'll try not to annoy you." I bit my tongue, considering the offer. I could give him some cash so it'd be like an Uber. He'd only be talking to me more than an Uber would.

     "Fine, but no personal questions." I pointed my finger at him. He lifted his hands up in defense. He made the motion "cross my heart and hope to die" making me roll my eyes at him for the millionth time since I'd met him.

     "Dad, Harry is going to take me to the ER. My phone is dead otherwise I'd take an Uber." He nodded at me before turning to look at Harry.

     "Keep my daughter safe. I'd tell you not to try anything funny but I think if you did, you might end up like the poor guy who got his nose broken earlier this afternoon. I don't have to worry about this one." He smiled at Harry while patting my back. "Let me know what you find out J."

"I'll text you! Love you!" I shouted as I headed out with door with Harry.

"Love you too kiddo!" I sighed as we made it to his car. I almost scoffed, of course he drove a black Range Rover. I wondered what he did for a living considering I could never afford a car this fancy. I shook the thought out of my head as quickly as it had come, knowing full and well that I shouldn't care what he did to earn his keep.

As I buckled myself in, I prayed that I wouldn't regret taking a ride offer from Harry. The last thing I needed today was to be pestered about my personal life.

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Guys I suck because I started another story and ended up hating where it went so here's this and I'm not publishing it until it's finished and I know that I'll follow through with it.