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Chapter 2

As I stepped through the creaky threshold of my house, I noted all was quiet. Mom must have put Jeremy to sleep already. Seemed fit, seeing as it was almost midnight.

I crept upstairs and went into Jeremy’s room. He was fast asleep in his bed. Or so I thought. His big blue eyes, like mine exactly, opened when I stood over his bed. He smiled up at me and my heart melted.

“Hey baby.” I whispered, picking him up when he reached out his little arms to me. “Mommy missed you today.” I kissed his round little baby cheek.

“You too, momma.” He said in his tiny voice.

I sighed, and let one little tear fall. Thank god he couldn’t see it through the darkness.

I noticed Jace a lot after meeting him. Everyone else seemed to know him so I guessed that he’d been around before a lot, and I just hadn’t seen him personally.

I think that he started requesting me to be the specific waitress to wait on him. This both confused me, and made me nervous. I wasn’t looking for trouble, and I had no clue what he wanted from me.

However, he never did anything like make suggestive comments, try to feel me up, or anything of the sort. Though I did see his eyes wander more then once. I tried saying as little as possible to him, as with every other client, but he seemed persistent on getting me to talk to him. At one point I asked Ben if it was necessary that I be the one to wait him. I didn’t tell him my reasons, but I don’t think it would have mattered anyways because Ben looked at me sternly and said, “Treat Jace well. And he requested you. I’m not about to refuse him.”

I wondered what all the fuss was about but I sure as hell wasn’t about to contradict HIM.

The next Sunday, I was just finishing off some orders before getting off my shift when Ben told me to go to help out in the billiard room before finishing up. This both startled me, and then thrilled me. Did this mean a promotion? Just a one-time thing? Could I use it as an opportunity to show Ben that I was capable of stepping it up the notch? I hoped so and I intended to prove myself.

Only Jace made this very hard.

I was very upset that he was practically the only one there I was able to serve because he kept requesting stuff- all from me. I tried not to show my irritation but I was positive this couldn’t look good on my prospects to start working in the lounge full time. It definitely didn’t look good towards making friends with the waitresses in this area- not that I cared all that much. I kept getting dirty looks however, and snotty glares. I ignored them. But inside I hoped that Jace would stop. The guy was hot (holy fuck yes) but I didn’t want to be losing my job over this.

Ben didn’t seem bothered in the least. This puzzled me. In fact, he let me keep more tips then usual when I was finished for the night. He seemed pleased with me. Immensely.

I went home confused but also extremely delighted at being able to bring home as much as I did that night.

Mom was also extremely happy when I showed her but I could tell, something in her eyes, that it made her sad. Perhaps that it was her daughter bringing in more these days? I didn’t know but honestly, I had my son to make sure lived as good a life as I could possibly give and this was no time to be picky. We had to keep strong.

At home I had some time to spend with Jeremy when I got home from my second evening working in the lounge rather then the bar. I couldn’t deny it was the only thing that made my day, but at the same time I hoped he wasn’t waiting up for me every night. It broke my heart because I did know this was the case. I fell asleep with him wrapped in my arms.

“Klara?” I jumped slightly and looked back. I’d been locking up my beat up old blue car in the parking lot outside the bar. The low husky voice I’d come to recognized had startled me.

“Oh Jace- hi.” I finished locking up and turned, eyeing him. “You’re stalking me now?” I didn’t have to be completely civilized to him outside the club, right?

He gave a lopsided smile that looked annoyingly sexy on him. “No no.”

I looked at him wearily but then just moved past him. He followed.

“How old are you?”

It caught me off guard but I responded automatically, “How old are you?”

He chuckled, “Twenty.”

I looked away. “And you?” He prodded.

“Am old enough.” Was all I granted him.

He quirked a brow, “You’re not giving me a straight answer.” He smirked, “Could look suspicious you know.”

I actually rolled my eyes. We were nearing the entrance now, “Look, leave it alone. I’m eighteen. Goddamn it why are you bothering me about my freaking age?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, “It’s important.”

I glared, “Why?”
He looked at me a moment, through a sidelong glance, then said, “I have a lot of influence.”

And he walked away this time.