Chapter 4

Work consisted of handing out drinks to drunken college guys on break. I was working behind the bar tonight and I was getting pretty good tips which turned my fake smile into a real one. The music and chatter fell to the background and I let my mind wander. Joey had been getting slowly better, it was taking a long time but that was understandable.

We had met when were younger and he saved me. There were men, big men, trying to have "fun" with me when he ran up and started swinging around a bat. He was only thirteen then but he managed to land a few good solid hits and they ran off. He never really got over that, and when I had gone to Florida to get him he picked up that routine again.

He kissed me about a month after he moved in and since then we've belonged to each other. He was always a little possessive but so was I; we had grown up in a world where everything we cared about was just out of reach or taken away. So we held each other close, yes sometimes too close but we both needed that. Slowly he started getting less and less paranoid and protective.

Then three months ago happened. I had been coming off a shift at an all night diner and getting on the train to head home. Seems I looked like an easy target to a very large and awful looking man. I had noticed him the moment he noticed me and so I was ready for his grab. I fought him with a wildness I thought I would never have to use again. He broke two of my ribs; I left him there with no pulse. I had run home and straight into Joey's arms. He went crazy and handed me over to Lauren and headed out with Liam.

They came back an hour or two later, Joey took me in his arms and just held me and told me that the cops had been there already. Turns out he was DOA when the cops got to him. They caught the whole thing on security cameras, how he had tried attacking a young girl and she had struck back. They looked for me everywhere but I had unconsciously hid my face from the cameras. Which was an instinct I picked up in my preteen years, I quit the diner job and my alias, Joan Mason, disappeared.

Since then he hardly ever relaxed unless I was in his arms or he was tattooing. Joey was always texting me to see if I was okay or if I needed him and yes it could get annoying but I understood that. When I started working as Maggie at the nightclub he would sit at the bar all night and wait until I got off. But now he only drops me off and picks me up.

I had nagged him down to just picking me up, some nights though, when he didn't have any clients, he'd still sit at the bar. He was controlling, possessive and very protective but I was the same way, sometimes worse. Both of our jobs put us in close proximity with the opposite sex and some days I couldn't cope with him leaning over some whore getting a butterfly.

"So Maggie where's Carter tonight?"

I glanced over to Vince, the other bartender and smiled widely. Carter was the name Joey gave to people he didn't trust and Joey doesn't trust anyone.

"Working" I poured a shot "He has this big project coming up"

He nodded and took money from a tall brunette who was trying to catch his attention. He just kept smiling and nodding at her flirting. I pretended not to notice the quick glances he sent my way or the stares. Since I first came here for a job interview he'd been flirting with me. I'm pretty sure he's the reason I got hired but soon after he met Joey or "Carter" and stopped flirting.

At the end of the night my feet were killing me and I had forgotten to put some flats into my bag. Sighing I got my things together and put my coat on. I made my way toward the back door and fought off irritation when Vince joined me. He was good looking I guess, in a classic way, but I was in love and Joey was it for me.

"Hey Mags, do you want to go get a cup of coffee?" he asked this just as we walked out of the door, I had stopped to tie up my coat.

"Naw man she's good" I smiled at Vince's jump

He hadn't seen Joey leaning on the wall across from us, I noticed him as soon as we walked out; he was smoking and had his hood up. He moved toward us and I smiled at him as he held his arm out for me to slip under.

"Oh well I'll see you tomorrow then Maggie" Vince awkwardly turned away and I laughed under my breath

"I still have to work with him you know"

"Yeah I know" he kissed me then a short but warm kiss that had me smiling

He held out a small black plastic bag to me, I unwrapped myself from him and opened it.

"You're amazing"

"I know"

He let me use him to balance as I traded my heels for the flats he'd brought with him. Joey then tucked me under his arm and we started toward home. The streets were just coming to life as we stopped for a quick bite to eat before finding the energy to climb the dozen or so sets of stairs. When we had gotten to the first set I sighed and braced myself for hell.

"Here hop on" he crouched down in front of me

"Joey no!" I laughed and started up the steps

"Alright then" I heard him shuffle then I was up in the air

"Put me down!"

He just laughed and carried me up the stairs, when we got to our door I unlocked it but he never put me down. Lauren and Liam were asleep so he took me to his room because it was the farthest away from them. I laughed again as he tossed me onto his bed and climbed on top of me.

"What time do you have to go into the shop?" I asked after

He was running his hand up and down my bare back and staring at the ceiling.

"Ten"

I was quiet after that, I knew he wouldn't sleep but instead stay up and hold me, so I got comfortable and drifted off into sleep.