Unbreakable

12

Sunday nights are such a fucking drag.

It was the same 5 cheap ass regulars tonight which means I didn't make shit.

The cherry on top was being stuck working with Marisol since Ava had the night off. She's a nice chick but she's boring as fuck. At least Ava makes the shift bearable.

Luckily, Lorenzo offered to take the girls back to his house while I went to work, which worked out perfectly since they hadn't seen Ava for a couple of weeks.

I finish up with the last customer for the night around 10. I send Marisol home 20 minutes before I lock up and head home myself since it's much easier to get things done without her hovering.

I do my register count and cash out on my tips. Fucking $53. Not even enough to cover my phone bill for the month.

It's hard to admit, but if it weren't for the money the tattooed stranger left me, I'd be pretty fucked on bills this month.

I'll figure it out before the end of the month anyway, I always do.

I shut off all the lights and take my keys out of my purse as I put my phone against my ear to call Ava and let her know I'm coming to get the girls.

I squeeze my ear to my shoulder as the phone rings and I struggle with my keys to lock up.

"Hi Cairi."

"Holy fuck-"

I drop my phone, screen first, on the ground as I nearly have a heart attack.

God's perfect creation, mystery man, stands a few feet away from me leaning against the wall of the bar.

No way in fuck tattoo guy is here to see me.

He lets out a low chuckle.

"My bad. Did I scare you?"

I fumble with my words as I bend down to grab my phone.

"What? No, I- Oh shit."

I stare
"Is it broken?" He asks, clearly feeling a little guilty.
"It's okay, really. It was time for an upgrade anyway." I lie, sliding my now broken phone into my back pocket. "We're uh, we're closed." I point at the closed door to the dark bar.
"Yeah, I know. Oscar told me that you usually close on Sunday nights. I thought maybe I'd try to catch you before you left."
I stare back at him, not knowing what to say. He came to see me? Why?
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.." he says gently.
I give him a small smile. "Um, no it's okay. I do have to go though. I gotta pick up my kids."
I remember my phones broken.
"Actually, can I use your phone real quick?" He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and takes out what looks like the newest iPhone. Meanwhile I'm carrying around a prehistoric brick. "Fancy." I say, teasing him and he laughs in response. His soft fingers brush against mine as he lays his phone in the palm of my hand. I feel my body buzz from the small touch.
"Thanks." I say and dial Ava's number.
She answers on the third ring.
"Bueno?"
"Ava, a que no adivinas con quien estoy." I say half whispering.
"The fuck- who's phone you calling me from?"
I don't answer.
I can hear her gasp on the other end of the phone line. "Yo! No fucking way. Your tattooed lover? Why are you with him?"
I'm quiet. "He's right next to you?" She asks.
"Yep." I start laughing.
"Look I'm leaving now to come get the girls if you could have their stuff ready?"
"Yeah, about that. They're already asleep. I think you should just let me keep them for the night. Maybe Kila can stay home from school tomorrow? You just go home and enjoy yourself." I hear little baby giggles and the sound of a Disney movie in the background and realize my daughters are obviously awake. One day off from school for Akila to be able to sleep at Ava's house won't hurt.
"I hate you." I whisper to her.
"Okay I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow!" She quickly hangs up on me.
I face him, and hand him his phone back. "Thank you." I smile.
"Adivino correctamente?" He gives me an amused look and I feel the color drain from my face.
"You speak Spanish?" I laugh nervously. "Wow, I'm embarrassed as fuck." I giggle.
He smirks and runs his hand through his light brown hair.
"Im fluent, I've had to learn over the years."
I fidget with my fingers.
"So, I never actually got your name.."
"Malakai Phoenix."
"Malakai." I repeat. "So I can't call you tattooed mystery man anymore?"
Did I just say that out loud?
He chuckles. "You can call me whatever you'd like."
I feel my face get hot. Is he flirting with me? Ugh, I can't have that.
"Hey listen it was nice talking to you but it's getting kind of late and I gotta head home."
"You don't have to pick up your kids anymore?" He asks.
"No, they're going to stay the night with their tia. But I'm going to miss my bus if I don't head over to the stop soon."
"You don't need to take the bus, I can drive you." He gestures to his car. I look over to see a shiny, sleek, black Audi. Just by looking at it I can tell it's expensive as fuck.
"Thanks, but I don't get into cars with strangers." I start to walk towards the bus stop.
He starts walking beside me. What is he doing?
"Not even if I told you I got candy in the trunk?" He says laughing. His laughter is contagious and he makes me giggle.
"Considering I don't like candy, that probably won't work on me."
He stops walking and puts on a face of fake shock. "See, i feel like I should be the one more worried about getting into a car with you. Anyone that doesn't like candy is obviously a crazy." He says teasing me. He's nothing like the way I imagined him to be. He's kind of funny, and seems sweet, even playful. Yet he can command the attention of an entire room when he puts on his face of stone like the one I saw the first night I met him. It's enough to strike fear into a fully grown man like Oso, who I'm sure has seen a thing or two during his lifetime of gang activity.
And that scares me a bit.
We get to the bus stop and I sit on the bench. My feet are tired from working the last six days in a row. I finally get a day off tomorrow and I ain't doing shit.
Except maybe trying to find a way to fix this phone for cheap.
Malakai stands near me with his hands in his pockets.
"You sure you don't want a ride?"
"Nah, I'm good. Thank you though."
"My pleasure."
He sits down on the bench next to me. "Oh, you don't have to wait for the bus with me. I make this trip every night."
He looks at me with a soft look on his face "I'm not. I'm going with you. What kind of man would I be if I didn't make sure you got home safely."
I look at him confused. "You don't have to do that. I grew up in this neighborhood. I know how to protect myself."
His lips turn up into a smirk. "I don't doubt that. I'm still going to walk you home though."
He gives me a reassuring smile as the bus pulls up. He gestures for me to get on the bus ahead of him. I walk up the steps and slide my card twice. I doubt he has anything but big bills.
"I appreciate that." He says in a low voice behind me as I head for two seats at the back of the bus.
A guy that usually tries to get at me on the bus, looks down at his feet as Malakai and I walk past his seat. If Malakai is one of the big guys of the Verdugo Gang then I'm sure most people know of him or know that he's in the area. And I'm not really sure if I should be seen with him.
An older lady clutches her bag as we sit in the seats across the aisle from her. I'm sure she made an immediate judgement based off of the ink plastered all over both of our skin. I roll my eyes and lean my head against the window.
"So you ride the bus every night?" Malakai asks looking at me with a curious expression. I nod my head in response. I take a second to study him. I look into his bright eyes, and admire his long lashes. His nose is without imperfection as it slightly curves up towards the end. His pouty, pink lips are slightly parted. I glance at them wanting to run my thumb along his bottom lip. They look so soft. His neck tattoos creep out from underneath his black T-shirt and frame his sharp jawline. The things I wanna do with this man.
I force myself out of my thoughts because I can't go there with him. The shit he's involved in is the type of shit I need to stay away from.
His phone rings in his jeans pocket.
"I'm sorry, I have to take this."
I nod my head.
I turn my head towards the window and lean my forehead against it as he answers the phone call.
"Hey, little man." His voice has immediately become soft and soothing.
"You going to bed buddy?" He's definitely talking to a child. Does he have a son?
He chuckles, "I miss you too Ax. I'm sure mommy can read you the book since I won't see you this week"
Mommy. He's got a son and what? A girlfriend? Wife?
The fuck does it matter what she is. He's just out here leaving them behind to run gang shit. Probably leaving them to fend for themselves. You don't do that to your family.
"Sure Ax. Daddy will send you some tomorrow, okay?"
Money. Money doesn't solve everything or make up for your lack of being around.
"I love you too, goodnight."
He hangs up and turns slightly towards me in his seat. "I'm sorry, that was my son." And to think I thought he might've been different.
I just nod my head and turn back to the window.