Claimed By The Daddy

||5||

He Knows

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Having slept in the car the night before, I knew work would be unbearable. Even my usual pastime of ogling Mr. Kundrra would be ruined since he knew my face now.
When the lunch time crowd came it, Mr. Kundrra was placed at his usual booth. Gabby waited on him as she usually did. I had heard that she paid people off or some shit to always get his table.

I couldn't help but stare at him as he flashed his smile to other customers and Gabby. Perhaps he was more of a lighthouse - warning people of the coast ahead. But they were like moths seeking the light - crashing upon the rocks. I felt like the moth.

I wasn't expecting to see blue eyes stare back as I contemplated his profound nature. The edges crinkled as his smile became more genuine. I couldn't believe it could get even better. But there it was.
And there I was - staring like a fool.
Mr. Kundrra waved me over. So I approached his booth timidly. Speaking to him gave me such an overwhelming feeling. I felt like every word was being analyzed. As though none of my thoughts could be clearly stated.

"Tejasswi! You work here?" Mr. Kundrra asked as I stood before him fiddling with my pad and pen.
"Mmhm," I nodded afraid of my own voice.
"For how long? I come here nearly every day."
"A few weeks, I guess," I said softly. There was a part of me that wished he had seen me before. That he connected dots and figured it out on his own.
"How funny, huh," he shook his head. "Perhaps you can serve me?"
It wasn't how he meant it, but I couldn't help but blush. Mona was a huge Fifty Shades fan, and an image flashed before my eyes that was definitely rated R.
"Um, Gabby has this table," I said turning to point at Gabby. But then I felt his hand grab my forearm.
"Hey! What happened to your cheek...and lip!"

My hand flew to my face. I had put on concealer and foundation this morning, but several hours into a shift must have caused it to fade or melt away.

"I fell?" Ugh. Not very original.
Mr. Kundrra looked furious. Was he mad because I lied? Or because of the bruise and cut? Or maybe I wasn't polite enough? I pleadingly looked into his eyes. Please don't be mad at me.
"Fell?" Oh gosh, he didn't buy it. "Fell into someone's hand or fist is more like it. We will discuss this when you arrive home this evening, young lady. You will not lie to me, and you will tell me who did this," he said sternly.

He was mad at me and the person who did this. Why did I have to be so weak and stay with Rohan? I was already disappointing Mr. Kundrra and I hadn't even moved in yet.
"I'm sorry." I said the only thing I could think of, since it was all that I felt.
"We will speak later. I've lost my appetite," the smile was completely gone as he stood from the table. "Still arriving at 6:00?"
"Yes, sir," I said with my head down.
"Good. We will speak then." He then left the diner. He didn't smile at anyone or wave. He didn't acknowledge a soul. And it was my fault.
"What did you even say to him?" Gabby asked me with an unfriendly tone.
"Nothing," I mumbled as I walked to one of my tables to continue my day - hoping for distraction.

***

I rang the doorbell because even through I was now going to live here I felt like a stranger. One that he didn't like very much. An utter disappointment.
He opened the door without a word and walked toward the living room. Instinctively I followed.
When he turned his face was like stone. The glow completely gone. It left me feeling absolutely desolate.

"The bruise," he pointed to his own cheek. "Who was it?"
I didn't want to say. I felt stupid and inadequate. I rolled my lips together between my teeth. Please don't make me say.

"Your father?"
"What?! No!" My dad wasn't the best father, but he would never beat me up.
"Then. Who," he separated the words to ensure I knew the requested information.
"It really was no one. I don't..."
"Tejasswi," he hissed. "I've had enough of the evasiveness. I've had enough untruths. If you want to stay in my house, you will no longer lie to me."
"Rohan," I mumbled, hoping the name meant nothing, but satisfied his need for information.
"The boyfriend?"
"Um, ex," I said staring a hole into the carpet. Perhaps it could swallow me up, drag me to the underworld.
"This isn't the first time is it?"
I slowly shook my head.
"Is this all he did this time?" He asked gesturing to my face.
I didn't want to answer. I just wanted to cry.
"Is this it, Tejasswi?"
"No," I whispered.
"Where. Else," Mr. Kundrra said with a hint of a growl.

I touched my back. And then the back of my head. Tears were now hanging off my closed lashes.
Without any warning, Mr. Kundrra turned me around and lifted my hair.
I know what he saw. I had seen it in the restaurant's bathroom mirror several times today. It bled a few times. It throbbed even more.

"My God. Did you lose consciousness? Are you concussed?"
"I-I don't think so," I said more easily since I couldn't see his eyes.
"I'm going to lift your shirt in the back to see the bruise."
I nodded my consent. I felt the ratty tee shirt I wore lift in the back.
"Tejasswi? Have you seen this?" He asked. "My God. And there are yellow...he hits your back a lot, huh?"

I nodded. "K-kicks," I stuttered. It wasn't that much. He had been gone a few days. And he wasn't too bad before that. Perhaps only three times total to my back.
"You aren't going back there," he said as he dropped my shirt. "Let's get you settled."
"Don't tell my mom!" I quickly yelled once the realization hit me. "Don't tell Pulkit either! He'd tell her."
"I will be handling this situation. There is no need to involve your mother unless you continue to see this man," he said sternly. "Did he go to college with you?"
"Uh no. He is like...thirty," I was so embarrassed I couldn't even look at anything but my nails.
"Thirty? With a twenty three year old? Good lord," he said shaking his head.
"It wasn't..."
"What? That bad? He took advantage of you," he said, starting to raise his voice.
"But I like older..."
Mr. Kundrra immediately shook his head, knowing what I was going to say. "And you give your mother a hard time? Very disappointing."
Disappointing? That didn't seem like the right word. But he didn't say it was wrong to like older men - so at least he doesn't think I'm some pervert.
"Let's get you settled," and he walked to the stairs.

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Hey readers,

I hope this chapter was good. This is more of a filler chapter.

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