I went to work at Kiki's over the weekend, and to my horror Ace came in both days. He must have figured out I was working weekends, as the other waitresses commented that he hadn't been in all week. I refused to wait on his table, and besides his constant glare, I had no contact with him. I came home Sunday night to find a note from Alaric informing me he was covering another fireman's shift and would be gone overnight. It wasn't unusual for him to work overnight, but I always hated it. The condo was always too quiet and lonely. Tonight though was an exception. Brock was still visiting, and he seemed eager to unload his adventures with someone. After a long dinner of listening to his recent dart competition, I headed up to bed. --- I slowly opened my eyes, unsure why I was awoken. I rolled over, trying to go back to sleep when I heard the thumping. It sounded like something banging against the condo. I slowly sat up in bed, glancing around my dark bedroom when the doorbell chimed re

I ended up catching the bus and going over to my friend Catherine's house. She wasn't home, but she had given me a key a long ago when I had been with Ace. She had wanted me to have a safe place to go whenever needed. I stayed at her house, internally brewing over Alaric until she came home and I unloaded the entire story upon her. She looked at me with a thoughtful expression as she wound her long blonde hair around her fingers. "You know, they have that saying distance makes the heart grow fonder." I blew out a breath as I leaned back into the couch in her living room. After my morning and afternoon of thinking, I had come to the same conclusion. I needed to move out. I needed to put some distance between Alaric and I. We were too close, too always there. "I kind of thought the same thing" I confessed. "Girl!" she squealed as she slapped my thigh. "You can stay here!" I cocked an eyebrow at her. "You and Fred are getting married next month. The last thing I want is to live with

I didn't know what to say to Alaric after his confrontation. I replayed his words over and over again in my head. I knew they were truth. Every single word of them. I was a total hypocrite. I had stayed with Ace, while using the excuse of being a prostitute to be with Alaric. I had wrongly thought the entire time that Alaric had been using me, that I was nothing more than a sex toy to him. But I hadn't been. I had meant something to him, something much deeper than I had ever realized. As I watched him throughout the day with Ally, smiling and giving her his attention, I realized with heartbreaking realization I had been the one who had used him. He had shown me kindness and compassion. I was too fucked up to return it. Maybe I never deserved him, maybe I never would, but despite that he loved me. He loved me with my flaws and my past and my disgraceful occupation. He had loved me at my absolute lowest. He had never waived by my side, despite what the world or his friends or even his g

Ace showed up once again during my shift, only this time he came toward the end. I clocked out and headed toward the door. In the corner of my eye, I saw Ace stand up. My pace increased as I hurried toward the door. Alaric walked in and was immediately greeted by Jessica. He looked deliciously handsome dressed in his skinny jeans, white undershirt, and cream-colored button up shirt left open. His brown, wavy hair fell out from beneath the deep brown fedora atop his head. He smiled politely at Jessica as I could see her rambling away to him, but as his green eyes caught sight of me, his face lit up. I returned his smile as I approached as butterflies erupted in my belly. I couldn't wait to be in his arms again, and in his bed. Jessica turned and headed toward the register. As she passed me, she whispered "this is so awkward." My eyebrows crushed down in confusion over what she was referring to. I turned to ask her what she meant, but my eyes told me the answer. Ace strolled behind m

We stopped at a local deli on the way home and picked up sandwiches and chips. Once home, Alaric carried the bags into the kitchen and set them on the table. I followed behind him and went to the refrigerator to get some drinks. He came up behind me, his hands snaking around my waist as his lips gently kissed my neck. I tilted my head to the side so he had better access as I slowly closed the refrigerator. I relished in his touch and kisses and the fact I was here with him right now. He had been such a brilliant light in my life, such a source of kindness and a reminder that there really was good in the world. And now he was mine. I was the one he kissed and held and slept beside. I was the one to make him smile, to make him cry out my name, and the one who held him after a hard day at his job. I turned slowly in his arms, his lips moving from my neck, to my cheek, to my lips. My body sprung to life with forceful desire. Butterflies still set flight within my stomach and my head got