“Because it turns out he wanted something to hold over me. He told me about the tab one night. I was so shocked. I was in tears, wondering how I would pay it. I told him I’d work extra shifts to pay it off, but he wanted it all at once. It was thousands of dollars.”
She wiped at her cheeks. “I was so scared. And angry. I went back to the apartment to find Jeff, but he’d cleared out. Taken all his stuff and the cash I’d had hidden under the bed. He left me with nothing. Not only that, but he was behind in the rent even though I’d given him the money for that and our flatmates wanted us gone.” She stared down at her lap. “I was such an idiot to trust him.”
“You were young and naïve,” he said gently, placing his larger hand over hers.
“Well, I was even more stupid than you think,” she replied bitterly. “I went back to my boss to tell him what had happened, thinking he’d surely let me pay off my debt. He offered me a different sort of proposition. That I could. . .I could work upstairs to repay him. That’s where some of the dancers took men for extra benefits. That’s what he called them. He told me it was that or he’d have to call the cops. Of course, I didn’t think about the fact that calling the police would be the last thing he’d want to do. Pretty sure his dirty strip joint wasn’t a registered brothel.”
“What did you do?”
“I didn’t think I had a choice. The next night, one of the men requested some time upstairs with me,” she spat out bitterly, growing tense at the memory, “only when we got upstairs, I couldn’t do it. I said no. I tried to get away. This guy, he was big and he was mean. He got angry, he started hitting me. My face, my stomach, I remember falling and he kicked me in the ribs. It was so agonizingly painful. The people in the room next door must have heard me screaming and came in. I was taken to the hospital by one of the bouncers and practically dumped outside the doors. The bouncer warned me that if I said a word about what happened to me that I’d suffer a worse fate.”
“So you never told anyone?”
“No one except. . .except Penny.”
His hand tightened on hers. “So how did you meet her?”
“I didn’t lie about that. I did meet her at my doctor’s office. And we did eat McDonalds together. But I didn’t see her again until I was recovering in hospital. She was volunteering and she recognized me. She was so nice to me. She saw that I. . .that no one visited me. She’d bring me magazines and puzzles. When she le
arned that I liked to read, she even bought me books. It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me. I had complications with my Lupus that meant I was in hospital for a while. One of my flat mates packed up my stuff and brought it to me in the hospital because they needed to rent the room. Luckily I didn’t have much.”
“Baby girl, I’m so sorry.” He placed his arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to his body. She leaned her face against his chest.
“The day before I was meant to be discharged, your nan asked me what I was planning on doing. I had no idea. I had no home, no job, I was so scared. That’s when she offered me the job as her companion. I wasn’t sure at first, I mean, it sounded too good to be true and how could someone as strong as your nan need someone to help her? That’s when she told me about the cancer. How the doctor had given her less than a year to live and she didn’t want to be on her own. I said yes, and it was the best decision I ever made. But I promise, I never knew she was going to leave me the house. I don’t want it. It’s not mine,” she said frantically.
He lifted her onto his lap, rocking her back and forth as her breath came in harsh, frantic gasps.
“Sh, baby girl. You’ll make yourself ill. It’s all right. I know you didn’t coerce my nan into doing that.”
“But-but your d-dad. . .”
“I think you know my opinion of my sperm donor by now,” he said harshly. “He thinks everyone is like him. Greedy and corrupt. Whatever Nan’s reasons for doing what she did, I know she did it because she wanted to. My father is conveniently forgetting how strong Nan was, how she’d never let anyone push her to do something she didn’t want to.”
“But why did she do it?” She slid back to look up at him.
“I don’t know. The lawyer gave me a letter that might explain it. But whatever the reason, I don’t care. All I care about is that you are going to agree to be mine. Forever.”
“You really want me?”
“I really want you,” he said firmly.
“But how will that work when I live here and you live in the US? Can I even move there?”
“We’ll work it out,” he promised her. “As long as you’re mine, I’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep you. You’re mine, baby girl. Tell me that I’m yours too.”
“I’ve been so upset, thinking you were pulling back because you didn’t want me anymore—”
“What? No, baby.” He sighed. “I’ve had a lot on my mind. Even though it was expected, saying goodbye to Nan was hard. Then the realization that our time together was coming to an end and that I really didn’t want that. . .I’m sorry if I made you think I didn’t want you. I want you more than anything. You are my everything.”
“You’re my everything too. I love you, Alexander McKenzie.”
“Good, because I love you more than anything, Gigi Raymond.”
He leaned in and kissed her. “Now, let’s get you out of this sun. You should know better than to run off like that and without a sun hat.” He set her on her feet. “Although at least you’re wearing shoes for once.” He stood then he gave her a sharp smack on her ass that made her jump.
She rubbed the sore spot. “Macca!” She looked around, flushing in embarrassment.
He just grinned unrepentantly. “Come on, baby. Let’s go home.”