Chapter One

Edward

First week living in Chicago and somehow I managed to piss off my neighbor's below me when I forgot to shut the water off when I dozed off in the tub and now my new boss decided to have a go with me in front of my new co-workers, why, I don't know. He didn't like me when I was hired by his father. I wasn't certain what I had done to deserve the shitty attitude emanating from him, but I was almost positive it had something to with me getting the position rather than his old high school buddy that he tried so hard to get the position for. I didn't know about that until a co-worker named Jessica whispered to me yesterday that he won't ease up off me because of this so now while I walk down the street in the bitter Chicago air, I contemplate whether or not I should just take it lying down like the fucking man I am or if I should take this to his father. Either scenario didn't set well in the pit of my stomach, so walking past an Irish pub pissed off and needing to calm myself down just seemed like the right thing to do. Calling a cab was sure on my agenda later; I knew I would not be able to drive after this. Drinking was something I indulged in more often than not, but I never binged. It just wasn't me.

With my temper on edge I walked into the pub ready to warm my insides and make my problems disappear. The first thing that hit my senses was the old stench of stale beer. The second was the acute feeling of being stared at. The sound of the voices chatting away right before I entered had come to a halt the instant I walked in and before I could shake off the bitter cold as I simultaneously pulled my coat off, I raised my eyes to take in a full view of my surroundings which needless to say, all eyes were on me. Can we say creepy? I finished pulling my coat off and headed towards the first corner of the bar taking a seat as I heard all the voices pick back up where they left off before my entrance. Fuck, all I wanted was an ice cold beer and time away from reality.

"Hey JB, didn't you hear the damn door? You gotta a customer."

I was shocked that a customer would speak to someone like that that worked in this establishment. Her high pitched voice carried throughout the bar and everyone took notice but not how I had taken it. Everyone smiled and laughed in a menacing and cold hearted way and I couldn't figure it out. Why would anyone put up with that? Soon, I saw a small framed woman with long dark hair round the corner from behind a closed door with her head down and she was walking in my direction like a coward kitten. One would believe on first appearance that she was extremely shy.

"What can I get you?"

I all but lost my voice when I heard her voice hardly raise enough for me to hear her correctly. Something in her voice made me uncomfortable, but not in the way of fear or anything, more like…well I wasn't sure how to describe it. I shifted in my seat a little trying to get a better look at her face but not once did she raise her head enough for me to see so I politely asked for a beer.

"What kind?"

"Oh, uh, it doesn't matter just anything cold will do." I wasn't sure what to make of her and I noticed quickly that I wasn't even sure what to make of me right now. I knew damn well what kind of beer I preferred but for the life of me I couldn't form a clear mental image of the name of it right now.

"Um, okay." Was all she said as she walked to the center behind the bar and grabbed an ice cold Bud Light in her thin hand and sure enough that was the beer of choice for me. I smiled at the thought of it being my favorite and of course that smile radiated throughout the bar when I searched the eyes that were again resting on my form. What the hell is wrong with these people? The woman popped the top off and sat the beer down in front me. I couldn't help myself with the stares and all to try and go out of my way to be nice to this woman. Something was really off with her and how that red headed woman chose to speak to her like cattle just made me want to be nice to her even more. I smiled down at her, it was a genuine smile too and I softly said, "Thank you." I didn't receive a reply instead her head hung even lower and I could visibly see her form begin to tremble. Again I moved uncomfortably in my seat wondering if I had done something wrong.

"You owe me three dollars." Is all she said even quieter than she spoke before.

I knew damn well that I didn't say anything wrong to begin with but just in case I missed something here I whispered to her that I was in fact sorry if I had been out of line in some way and with that said she walked back from where she came. To say that I was a bit dumbfounded was an understatement. Of course this day would just get fucking worse.

"Oh fuck, I'm so tired of her shit." The red headed said raising her voice while she smacked the bar on her end and lifted from her seat to walk around to the inside of the bar while her halter top hardly covered her chest. This was not my type of establishment but it was right where I needed it to be for moment. The red haired woman walked towards me with a smile that made my whole body cringe and said, "It'll cost ya three bucks for that Mr."

I fumbled for my wallet and handed her a five. The look on her face as she eyed the money and raised her eyes back up at me was one of sexual innuendos I thought. A look that I was none too comfortable with and then she smiled at me with her red ruby lips and said,

"Do I get to keep the change for my hard work or would you like to take it out in trade, green eyes?"

My throat instantly closed and I was sure my eyes were livid in disgust because she no more than let those words slip from her filthy lips when her so sure of herself attitude turned into a look of, fuck you asshole mode as she turned to the register while slamming the tray shut and coming back only to give me my change which I adamantly denied.

"Why don't you want your fucking money?" She asked with a harsh coldness in her voice lacing my insides with vomit.

I stood off the bar stool and told her that I didn't want anything that her filthy hands had touched and proceeded to the front door. The voices in the bar became hysterical with laughter when I heard the red haired woman scream profanity after profanity towards me which I couldn't give two shits about to tell you the truth.

After leaving the pub I soon realized that with my current mood of choice, buying a twelve pack and staying at home would be best and so that's what I did, but the more I sat there the more I thought of that shy woman at the bar. She just looked so out of place as if it weren't in her natural character to be in a place like that surrounded by rude and solicited woman as that red head. I knew that I didn't know her from Adam, but something just wasn't right about her being there. It bothered me all that night and I couldn't get any rest. For some damn reason I felt the need to run back there but knew that I shouldn't. I slept restlessly over a woman that I did not know and hardly saw her face. I was perplexed by my thought process as a whole. I was so fucking happy to know that it was the weekend and I wouldn't be going into work half asleep and deal with that on top of my fucking asshole of a boss. Relief for the weekend being upon me washed over me in waves.

I knew that I had only been in this city for only a week now, but I believed whole heartedly that I was a nice individual and undoubtedly would have made a decent friend already, but I was very wrong. I began having a sick feeling that maybe it was me that was putting people around me off somehow, but as a second thought I knew that wasn't it. I just haven't had the time yet to get use to my surroundings nor has my fucked up boss given me any time to do so. I worked long late hours for my first week while everyone else were able to lead normal lives outside of work right at five on the dot. I hoped like hell that it wouldn't keep on this path for very long, but after Jessica's comment yesterday my hopes were smashed like a fucking cock roach just like that which probably didn't help my mood any.

When I threw a picture frame across the room I knew I had to stop thinking about all this. Why in hell did I move away from my family all this way just to deal with an asshole like my boss? To be honest with myself, I wasn't sure I could keep this up for too long. I had a great job in Seattle and I was closer to my family there, but I just couldn't turn down this opportunity that presented itself to me. I didn't go looking for it so why all this animosity towards me? Ah the hell with it all for now. I needed to calm down and by the looks of the empty box of beer, I knew it was time to try and get some sleep. One that thing I knew for sure though, no matter if that slutty red headed woman was there or not, I was going back there, I just had this overwhelming need to check up on that shy woman.

******Bella**********

I heard the bell alerting me that a customer had entered but I really didn't give a shit. It wasn't that I was preoccupied by no means; I just didn't feel like getting up. My back hurt for one after…screw whoever it was. My life couldn't get any worse and besides if Victoria by the grace of god himself actually got off of her lazy ass for once and did her job than I wouldn't have to do it for her. I wasn't allowed to work when that son of a bitch wasn't here anyways and she knew that, but instead, what do I hear coming from the bar area? That bitch yelling at me like I'm a puppet to come and do her job. In this moment I knew what was going to happen to me when he came back and she knew it too when she yelled for me to come out there. I inhaled deeply and accepted what was to come because of her lazy ass and walked out there only to come around the corner and quickly look to see who came in and quickly look directly at me feet. Whoever he was he certainly didn't belong in this fucked up place, but wow was he something to look at? I wanted to look at him more but thought the better of my options if I did so, so as usual I stared down at my feet.

I rested on my side because frankly my back hurt too damned bad to have that option. I wanted to get some resemblance of sleep before he came in to scar me even more than he had already. No doubt Victoria had her hands in him coming home tonight pissed off over that man trying to talk to me and after what I heard him say to her which had me rolling on the floor because not just anyone would have spoken to her like that if they only knew. With both being said to him, I knew I would be woken up just to be hurt so I lingered on the couch relaxing as much as possible after I took a handful of Advil to help ease my future pain that was to come and sure enough by the time I relaxed and the back pain lessoned from the pills, he came in the door with fire in his eyes and I knew I was in for a long night…