Saving Grace

l be able to take a few days off from tendin

time meant alone tim

r the past two weeks I have shown up to the bar every other day and asked for her person

isk, and the beginning of setting a trap. If there really is someone aft

hen they're lured out. Which is why I started walking her h

o a day without wanting to see her, and it's no longer j

ing harder with each passing day. The more I hear about h

my cold heart an

y soul and makes

meant for a demon like me. How she ended up here, in my arms, if I so

ant to enjoy

hing must co

together is lasting longer, making me want to stretch out

o Arthur and is weird ways of getting off. I never thought of Scarlet as looking like anything other than your

r keep my eyes off her, not even now as she makes her way through the pub, a drink tray in her

d travel he said. Everything seems to have gone well in London, saying he w

fucking day. I can bet the next time they strike; it isn't going to be small. They've already stolen a whole shipment of

g to take until he hears about Grace,

line at his employees. I gave him the Gala, though it's still owned under my name, but I said he could

ntly the servers and baristas. It wasn't always a rule, since Scarlet a

job and easily become angry and frustrated with customers for a while. It became a real problem for Arthur, and even more

and said it was an accident and he already has a kid to raise, not wanting another

ing with Grace, it has become quite obvio

what we'

fter to

your side piece?" Scarlet sneers, strutting pass t

of course. I've been trying to ignore it the past couple weeks, but I haven'

fears me and the gang too much. But she has no reason to fear Grace, or so she th

e about this 'side piece', and

back towards me roughly, not caring how harsh I'm being. No one talk

anything more than a body that warmed my bed for a short time. You once prov

gging her down further and c

face, or think of laying a finger on her, I will make your life such

ulp, her bod

u unde

he might draw blood. I release her wrist roughly an

here, " I call out b

k Scarlet just ran off, until she pushed her wa

ace before I know it, looking it

wrong?

k for on the table and two glasses. "I saw what happened with Scarlet, and the way she looked

e will have a bruise on her wrist, in the form of my hand, come tomorrow morning. I never feel

hat again. Scarlet is sensitive, despite working in such an environment, and I gue

s her brows together,

le harder than necessary, t

ng back in the seat to fetch my cigarette case from my jacket pocket, looking everywher

want to go or not?" she ask

it's really bothering her. But I know, no matter how I explain it,

to come out with me tonight, it won't be

e. I couldn't take it any longer tonight, when she called you my side piece, alright? I'm an angry man, you

biting her lip. Suddenly, she shakes he

about you. I know I can always rely on you to be there for me, I suppose

me out with me t

over, though I'm confiden

, " she says, hol

row, hesit

ross her face, and stops when our knees touch. Leaning in close,

what she is trying to get at, thinking I won't do it b

th wash over me and help fade out the rowdy crew in the backgro

ive her a fiery kiss, wanting to show her that I am beyond caring what others have to say. Thou

, I restrain myse

over. I'll come back to walk you home, " I whisper, let

u not s

ing up about now, and since I have Jeremiah guarding Grace's door again tonight, I

Michael calls out and comes running

ck, and he called a fami

r the impression that he would be coming home with good news, and us

r and leave the doo

ming or wha

ck for him before I head over. You are the person he wants to s

doesn't fe

is parked outside when I get there, and dash out of my car as soon as it

!" I call out i

the stairs, shus

I just got him to sleep, Michael had a hell of a

I'm a little relieved not seeing any panic on my aunt's face, but she has always been go

isappears down the opposite side of the

I see Arthur standing in the middle of the room, nothing more than

towards him to inspect the gunshot wound.

look. "I was hoping you could tell me, but befo

k me about; Grace. How the hell word got to him so fast,

im how things were going, and surprise when I find out you're shacking up with my new bartender, and not only that, but you didn

earch yourself before hiring her, " I say calmly

is nose and lets out a long br

ace, so I figured she was good to work there. I only ever intended for her to be a bartender, serve a few drinks and maybe work in

protest, but he wav

like Scarlet was. You've had Jeremiah guarding her door at the Kings Hotel every other night, for two weeks. You'v

If he wanted to rip me a new one, why doesn't h

search you should have done, before letting someone get so close to you, let alone a female. You are awar

ing better on my lips, a sense of cal

you? Did she tell you about her mother? How she had to travel all the way here by herse

t. "Yes, " I manage to grit

mother right before crossing the border and is left with nothing, miraculously survives five years on her own, looking

ioned how flawless her skin is, or healthy her physique is. She lived in a run-down apartment, but with the growi

his head. "What the hell

find out?" I try and keep my voice calm,

s desk, taking a seat in his own. "You mi

He takes a deep breath and leans forward, suddenly loo

anything on her other than the name she came here with, before she changed it to Grace Miller

" I asked, coaxing him to

art of the name she chose when crossing the border, but she still had to give some sort of documentation when she arrived. The contact at the station said

, what does that mean? How were you

r, because he was taken with her, saying she looked like a strange, beautiful sad puppy when she arrived. She seemed to charm her way to agreeing th

s that might be useful, he said he could only remember her real name;

k m