Melinas Men

Chapter One. As I snuck past the gates, I couldn’t help feeling like this was different than before, but I kept going, nonetheless. I didn’t feel like I belonged here, and I stretched the limits trying to prove that. My younger sister and older brother didn’t approve of this, but they let me do it anyway, and I didn’t care even if they didn’t. I ran along the grass hedges until I got to the main village, putting my hood up I walked along the familiar street to the bar. “Hello Mauve,” I sat down on my usual stool inside the dive bar. This bar was for the common folk, the workers, and no one really knew who I was. Just someone from the village. “Hello Prince-,” I stopped her in her tracks. “Hello Melina,” she smiled, correcting herself, “the usual?” “Yes please,” I sighed, looking around. There were men, a few women, but mainly men around, playing pool, darts or just drinking and laughing talking about their day. Mauve, the bartender, slammed a pint down in front of me of her hoppiest beer. “Thanks,” I said, taking a sip. I closed my eyes and took in the bitterness of the beer, this was my favourite part of the day, the first sip of beer after spending the day acting prim and proper. I smiled as the coolness of the liquid coated my throat. “That good huh?” a male voice spoke into my ear and my eyes whipped open in alarm. As soon as my gaze met his I had to look away, “do I know you?” “No, but I know you,” he said. Alarms rang in my head, and I swore I must’ve looked like a deer in headlights, but I kept my eyes forward, looking at all the bottles of dark liquid along the wall. “You’re the prettiest girl in the bar,” he said. Oh, so he didn’t know who I was, thank god, or else I could never come back here again. His voice sounded so dark and mysterious, but I didn’t dare look at him and see if the face matched the voice. “And the most silent,” I could feel him slouch in the stool next to me. I pulled my hoodie even more over my head if it was possible, tucking my dark hair behind my ears. “So, what are you doing in a bar like this tonight?” He asked me. I couldn’t help but snicker, “Do you ever stop talking?” “Not when I’ve got a girl like you next to me.” I turned, to make a sarcastic remark at him obviously, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw him. He looked so strong, his long sleeve shirt was black and skintight, causing his biceps to bulge, I could see all the definitions of his muscles. Spilling from his collar were black and grey tattoos coming right up to his jawline. His dark blonde hair was swooped to one side and long, the other side was shaven, and I could see tattoos on his scalp. His five o’clock shadow made him seem like a bad ass, but his big blue eyes begged to differ. I had to shake myself out of my thoughts to even comprehend what was happening. “Can I help you?” He looked at me with a grin on his face that made him seem half confused but also amused at how he had me lost for words. “Sorry, I – just,” I couldn’t find the words. “it’s okay,” he put his head down and shook his head, laughing to himself, “I get that a lot.” “What?” I asked. He waved to himself, “the tattoos,” he stopped for a moment, looking at me, really looking at me, “they’re kind of like your eyes. You just can’t look away.” I could feel myself blushing and I had to look away, who was this guy? I gulped the end of my beer and at the same time Mauve set down another, giving me a wink. I took a gulp of the next one then turned to this mysterious man, “Why have I never seen you before?” “I just got to town,” he spoke so seamlessly. I laughed, I couldn’t help it, “why would you come to this godforsaken place?” He laughed too, “what the bar, or Kensington?” “Kensington as a whole,” I declared. I realised this guy could have no idea who I was. “I’m here for work,” he said, signalling to Mauve that he needed another. As he watched Mauve pour his beer, I couldn’t help but watch him. It was perfect. He was a sexy bad boy who had no idea who I was. He seemed to be around my age and daring. “What do you do for work?” I asked when he finally turned back to me. “I guess you could say I’m a bodyguard,” he shrugged. “That’s interesting,” I mused. “Yeah, something like that,” he laughed, “what do you do?” “Not much really,” I laughed. What did I do? Twenty-three and I’ve never really held a job. We somehow managed to talk for hours, it was refreshing. To be able to speak to someone and them not know who I was. It didn’t hurt that they were crazy attractive too. Soon enough Mauve called last drinks. I still had three quarters left of mine but yet she plonked another down in front of me. “You must be in with the staff here,” he joked. “Something like that,” I laughed, “I’m here most nights.” “A girl who can drink, I like that,” he said casually, “I never got your name?” I thought about it, did I want to tell him? If I told him my full name, you didn’t have to be from around here to know who I was. “Do you really want to know?” I asked, giving him the most mischievous look, I could. “What harm could a name do?” He questioned. “So much,” I mused. “Well mine’s Jack.” The man, now known as Jack, told me. “Mel,” I said casually. “Well, nice to meet you Mel,” he said, outstretching his hand to me. “Nice to meet you Jack,” I took his hand and shook it. “What are you doing after this?” He asked me. I could see the desire in his eyes. “I don’t know, you?” I finish the rest of my second last drink. “You?” He raised an eyebrow, taking a swig of his own. I took a gulp of my new beer, “maybe.” “Maybe?” He laughed, “that has promise.” “Let’s see how I feel after this,” I told him. “Okay, closing time bud,” Mauve came up to us from behind the bar. She always let me stay while she cleaned up, but no one else. He looked from Mauve to me. And then Mauve looked from Jack to me. “It’s okay,” I shrugged, speaking to Mauve, “we won’t be too long.” “As long as you’re sure,” she told me, her voice dripping with caution. I looked to Jack, summing up my options. With whom I was this screamed danger, but what’s the worst I could do? Be murdered? Or better yet, disgrace my family? “Yeah, I’m sure.” I watched Jack as I took another drink. I was surprised at how attracted I was to him. I didn’t think danger and tattoos was my type, but then again, I really didn’t know what was. All I knew was that prim and proper wasn’t. I finished my drink and led Jack out onto the street, crossing the road and walking down an alley. We got halfway down the alley when we stopped. I looked up at him and then realised how tall he was, he towered over me. I was sure he could snap me like a twig if he wanted to. Jack stepped forward, so there wasn’t much of a gap between us, my chin almost touched his chest as I looked up at him. “Where are we going?” He asked me. “Right here,” I pushed him back against the brick wall of the building, grabbing onto his neck I pulled him down, kissing him. I had never randomly kissed someone before, and it was exhilarating. Jack’s lips parted and his tongue brushed against mine before I opened my mouth giving him access. He tasted amazing like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. His tongue was warm and silky as it massaged mine and I needed more. He must have felt the same as he pushed his fingers between my hair and held onto the sides of my face as he deepened our kiss. The buzz from the beer made me more adventurous and my hands explored his body from his waist to all along his back. I could feel his muscles twitch beneath my hands, and he was so strong. The all of a sudden, like instinct kicked in, this arousal was too much for me and I pushed back off of him. “What’s wrong?” Jack seemed lost without me. “I – I – I need to go,” is all I could say as I backed away from him. “Did I do something?” he asked, looking at me like he was desperate, no, not desperate, wanting. “No, it’s not you, I just have to go,” I said, taking steps back towards the road. “Will I see you again?” He called as I started walking towards the road. I turned, just for a moment, “you’ll know where to find me.”