Queen POV
The last hour passed excruciatingly slow as I wiped tables and stacked chairs, waiting for the stragglers to finish. My attention drifted back to the corner booth now and then. When I peeked this time, the handsome stranger still sat there. Was he waiting for something? Or someone? I couldn't tell. Jessica cleared his table before she left, and he hadn't ordered anything else. While he was nice to look at, he needed to get moving because I really wanted to get out of here.
A couple approached the register, and I redirected my attention before taking their payment, counting it, and closing the register. Almost done.
"Damn, you really gonna keep ignoring me all night?" My body stiffened. Manny was right behind me.
I turned slowly. "I'm closing."
"And I'm talking."
"You can talk from over there," I said pointedly, gesturing to the booth where tweedle dee and tweedle dumb sat watching. He stepped closer anyway, invading my space.
"Why you always act like you better than everybody?" he said with a low sneer.
"I don't think I'm better than anybody. I just don't want you touching me."
He chuckled. Then his hand landed on my waist, fingers curled inward, pressing into the fabric of my apron. My breath hitched.
"Move. Your. Hand." I said, punctuating each word through clenched teeth. He didn't.
"If you don't—"
"Everything alright over here?" The voice cut clean through the tension.
Manny's hand dropped instantly. The cowboy stood a few feet away now, posture relaxed, fingers tucked into belt loops, his attention completely locked in on Manny, like a predator on prey.
Manny scoffed, stepping back. "Mind your business."
The cowboy tilted his head, "Looks like I am."
Silence stretched and the air felt thick, heavy. Manny glanced at his friends but they weren't backing him up. I almost rolled my eyes…. as expected.
"C'mon," Manny muttered, gesturing to his friends. "Ain't worth it."
They all moved toward the door, but as he passed me he flicked my ponytail.
"This ain't over, pretty."
The bell jingled. Cold air rushed in then it was gone just as quickly, taking the tension with it when it left. I let out a breath slowly.
"Thank you," I said, turning. "But I had it handled."
I locked eyes with this beautiful man and my breath caught. Wow, he had the best eyes I had ever seen. Emerald green with flecks of gold. One corner of his mouth lifted and my heart leapt, "Looked like it." He said.
Damn he was fine. I rolled my eyes. "I don't need saving."
"Didn't say you did." He leaned against the counter, watching me intently.
"Then why step in?" I asked, clearing my throat.
He shrugged. "Didn't like the way he was standing."
I blinked. That answer… wasn't what I expected. He pulled out cash, setting it on the counter.
"For the food." I looked at the wad of cash on the counter and blinked again.
"You overpaid."
"Keep it."
"I can't just, " But he was already turning away.
"Have a good night, Queen."
I paused, a crinkle in my brow.
"How do you?"
He stopped, turned and nodded at my name tag. That same perfect lilt to the side of his lips. Oh, right. My cheeks heated with embarrassment but if he noticed he didn't give any indication. He tipped his hat with gentlemanly grace…and then walked out. Just like that.
******************
By the time I finished the books and shut down the register, the diner was completely silent. No people and no music, just the faint buzz of the overhead lights and the low hum of the fridge. I turned them off one by one, the room dimming until only the glow from outside filtered in through the windows. My feet ached. My back ached. My patience? Long gone.
I grabbed my coat, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed for the door. Locked it. Checked it, then checked it again. I stepped outside and the cold hit sharper than before, biting at my skin as I pulled my coat on tight around me. The parking lot was empty and quiet. One street lamp flickered on the street and I rolled my eyes. What's the point of one if they hardly work.
I began walking toward the trees, toward the dirt path at the right of the diner and not the street in front of me. The woods were faster as they have always been and I wanted to get home fast so I could say goodnight to Demi.
Leaves crunched under my feet as I made my way down the familiar path, the trees stretching tall and dark around me. I usually found comfort in the way the wind blew through the trees but tonight just felt off. Maybe the long night and Manny's mess got to me more than I wanted to give it credit. I shoved my hands into my pockets.
"You're fine," I muttered. "It's just a walk."
But that unsettling feelingdidn't go away so I began to walk faster. Halfway to my house, I began to feel like I was being watched. I slowed, glancing over my shoulder, but saw nothing. I let out a breath and kept walking. Suddenly I heard the snap of a branch and my heart jumped. I froze. Slowly, I turned. At first, I didn't see anything. Just shadows. But then something or someone stepped out from behind the trees.
"Hey, Queenie."
My stomach dropped. It was Manny.
He leaned against a tree like he'd been there for a while. Waiting. My grip tightened on my bag. Before I could say anything another shape moved. Then another. It was Chris and Derrick, aka tweedle dee and dumb. And they were blocking the path, my only way back and my way forward. I stilled.
"Funny," Manny said, pushing off the tree slowly, "how you always take this way home."
The air became heavy. I swallowed, forcing my voice to stay steady.
"What do you want?"
He smiled. Not the sloppy, drunk grin from the diner. Something colder. "You already know."
My heart started to pound as Manny slowly closed the distance between us. His boots crunched leaves as he took measured steps, his eyes never once leaving mine. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb stayed where they were, watching, still blocking my only paths out of the forest. I was cornered.
"Funny," Manny said again, dragging his gaze over me, "how you always take this way home."
He wanted me to know that he had been watching me, stalking me. The fucking creep. I fought the urge to snap at him but chose not to answer and give him the satisfaction. This wasn't the diner, and there were no lights, no people, and no witnesses.
He raised his eyebrows and a smile that reminded me of the Cheshire Cat spread across his face.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" I almost snorted at the irony.
"What do you want?" I asked, clearing my throat. I tried to keep my voice calm even though my pulse was pounding in my ears.
He tilted his head, like he was considering the question. "An apology would be a good start."
"For what?"
"For embarrassing me."
I let out a short, humorless laugh. "You embarrassed yourself."
The smile on his face was gone instantly.
One of the twins snorted behind me. "Told you she got a mouth on her."
Manny's expression hardened, the last bit of that fake charm disappearing.
"You real bold for somebody out here alone," he said tartly.
"I'm not scared of you," I said, jutting my chin out. I was definitely scared, but he doesn't need to know that.
That creepy ass smile returned, "You should be."
My stomach squeezed, "Move," I said firmly.
Instead, he stepped closer.
"You thought that cowboy was gonna walk you home?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "You thought he was gonna save you?"
"I don't need saving," I snapped.
"Yeah?" he said. "Then prove it."
My eyes flicked behind him. That twin was watching us, but he had moved closer. Think. Think. Think.
"Look," I said, forcing my voice to drop, take on a sweet lilt like I wasn't fighting bile in my throat. "It's late. I'm tired. Whatever you think happened in there, can you just let it go?"
Manny looked at the twin behind him and I took a small step to the side. He didn't move. Good.
"What you think? Think I should 'just let it go?'" He asked him.
"I didn't mean to make you look stupid," I added quickly. I shifted my feet trying to appear like I wasn't slowly moving toward the forest.
The twin behind me laughed. "She just did it again." Manny spun around and shot him a look, then turned back to me.
"You got a funny way of apologizing."
"I'm trying," I said. If he realized I moved, he didn't show it.
"You got a real smart mouth on you," he sneered.
"And you don't listen," I shot back before I could stop myself. His eyes darkened. Yeah, that wasn't smart. He stepped forward quickly, closing the gap between us in an instant.
"Maybe you just ain't been taught right, but I could teach ya. I can teach ya a lot, sweetheart" he said, voice low. His hand came up and he dragged his dirty pointer finger down my cheek. He then leaned in close to my ear. A cold chill snaked down my spine, as he said, "Your skin looks like chocolate, I wonder if it tastes the same."
His tongue then licked my ear and I lost it. I grabbed him quickly by the shoulders and propelled my knee right into his groin, quickly releasing him and bolting outta there. I didn't see if he fell as I heard a pained groan echo, I just sprinted and held my purse tight to me.
"What the fuck?!"
"Catch that bitch!"
I didn't look back, just kept running.
Branches whipped against my arms and cheeks as I pushed through the trees, my breath ripping out of my chest in sharp bursts. My feet slipped every third step as I cut left, then right, weaving through the trees. I had no idea where I was going, the path behind me, feet slamming against the ground. I wasn't far enough though, I could still hear the sounds of their voices echoing through the trees.
"You bitch! You fucked up now!"
"Where you think you going?!"
Too close. They were too close. I pushed harder, lungs burning, legs screaming.
Don't stop.
Don't stop.
Don't stop.
A branch snagged my sleeve and I quickly yanked it free and kept moving. The voices started to fade. Then, nothing. I slowed. Then stopped completely, bending forward. My hands slapped to my knees as I gasped for air.
"Oh my God…" I huffed, trying to catch my breath. Damn, I was definitely going to hit the gym after this.
I did a quick look around and didn't see them. The forest was dark, still, and empty.
"I lost them…" Relief hit me so fast it made my knees weak.
I let out a shaky laugh. "Okay… okay… you're good…"
I straightened and froze as my eyes scanned over the trees. Fuck, I had no clue where the hell I was now.
"Check here!" I heard them yell suddenly, once again closing in on me.
Shit! These fuckers were fast. I looked left and right finding dense bushes to hide in and ran over, I winced as my foot caught on fallen branches and I fell to the ground. Fuck! That shit hurt so much but I could hear them getting closer. I quickly dragged myself the rest of the wat into the bushes, lying flat on my stomach to blend in with the dense area. Hand clamped over my mouth to silence myself, I watched as their shadows got closer.
"Damn that bitch is fast" huffed Derrick. Chris, appeared at his side, breathing hard as he scanned the area. Soon, Manny joined them, irritation and anger clear on his face in the moonlight. The night rattled with the sound of their heavy breathing. I prayed hard that they wouldn't see me in my hiding spot and squeezed my eyes tight, shoving my chest further into the ground. Suddenly, a low, heavy sound rolled through the trees. My eyes opened wide as the men turned fast toward it, breathing quieting.
"Oh hell naw man let's leave her" Chris whispered forcefully. Manny cursed, chest heaving as he glanced around him. For a moment, I could have sworn his eyes locked on my exact position before he shook his head.
"I'm gonna get that little bitch," he spat. "C'mon"
I watched as their shadows disappeared into the darkness. A breath I didn't know I was holding was released from my chest. I waited a moment before trying to get to my feet. I cried out in pain as my ankle throbbed. I couldn't put any weight on it. The crisp air blew through the gap in my jacket and I closed my arms tightly around myself. I was still lost, no idea how far my feet had taken me off the path and now I had to deal with this.That freakin jerk Manny was the cause of all this shit
"Slimy bastard," I muttered to myself. My mind suddenly went to the knee to his balls and I smirked in triumph but stopped when I noticed the massive shape in front of me, my victory was short lived.
I sat frozen as I processed what I was seeing. I could make out fur and a snout in the moonlight.
""SHIT!" I tried to stand but the second I put weight on it, my leg gave out and I collapsed again. Hot tears began streaming down my cheeks.
"No, no, no…"
I scrambled backward, dragging my body across the dirt trying to put distance between me and whatever this was.
"Back up!" I yelled, grabbing my purse and swinging it wildly. "Go! Get away from me!" It didn't stop. Didn't hesitate.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each one heavier than the last.
"I'm serious!" I cried, voice breaking. "I will hit you!"
I threw my purse, it landing just a few feet in front of the wild animal. The closer it became, I could see what it was more clearly now.
A massive white wolf stood there, gold eyes locked on mine as it continued to approach me.
"Please don't," I whispered. I dragged myself back again, hands trembling.
"Stay back." It didn't. It came closer. Close enough for me to see every detail from the thickness of its fur to the rise and fall of its chest.
"Please," I whispered.
It lowered its head to me, nose sniffing my hair. I couldn't move. I watched as the wolf sniffed down my leg, pausing there… and nudged my ankle. I flinched.
"Don't." But the wolf was surprisingly gentle. Careful. Confusion cut through my fear.
"What are you…"
It nudged me again, softer this time, letting out a low sound that kind of sounded like a whine. The wolf stepped back slightly. My breathing slowed just a little. It then lowered itself to the ground and looked at me. Then forward. Then back again I blinked. What was it waiting for?
The pain in my ankle throbbed harder. My vision started to blur. Everything began hitting me at once. The fear, the pain, the shock. Was it wanting me to get on its back? Maybe, just maybe this wolf was my savior.
"I've officially lost my mind," I whispered.
The creature was as beautiful as it was frightening. There was a need to touch this creature that I didn't quite understand. It really was a beautiful wolf. The need continued building in me and I reached out anyway. My fingers brushed against its soft fur. I gasped as a sharp but warm tingle shot up my arm. Then the world spun and everything went black.