Love Me More

Pt 2, Ch. 5

-Kylen's POV-

I had to gasp at Ren's story, and who wouldn't when they heard it directly from him? The tears in his eyes were real...which also led to the sadness piercing my own heart. The fact that he cared so much about that man...enough to come to me, of all people, for help...

Instead of saying that, though, I touched his shoulder, and smiled softly. "I don't know what you want me to do, but I'll try my best."

Ren smiled with relief, although there was an odd tinge of another emotion in it that I couldn't quite place. I ignored it and instead withdrew my hand and inquired, "Why, exactly, did you pick me to help him?"

"You were the only person I knew I could trust," he replied.

I laughed humorlessly. "Really? Even with your life?"

He hesitated, and I scoffed to hide the crack in my heart. "I'm...kidding." I cleared my throat when my voice cracked, and said, "What do I need to do?"

He swallowed hard, then said. "I...I just, uhm."

I frowned. "What?"

"I..."

Worried, I took a tiny step forward, reaching my hand out again tentatively, and he grabbed it and said in a rushed voice, "Meet me at the nearest coffee shop and I'll tell you everything. Come as soon as your shift ends. Bye."

With that, he yanked his hands away from me, turned, and walked stiffly out the door with me gaping at his back.

Jordan paused in his trip back to the bar and swiveled in my direction, worry plain on his face. "Everything alright?"

I blinked, then replied, "Yeah, everything...everything's fine...I think."

Jordan stepped closer and wrapped his arm around my waist in an awkward hug. After the kiss, he'd spoken to me about it, and I'd forgiven him. He'd gone back to his friendly ways, but he occasionally becomes awkward, as though he's forgotten how to be a platonic boyfriend.

I laughed off the weirdness of Rens visit and returned Jordan's hug in full, burying my face in his chest. "You'd better get back to work, mister. You're making my customers jealous," I teased.

Looking around though, I realized how right I was. Two men were glaring at Jordan's back, while another was stealing glances at me-wait a second. My heart squeezed.

"Carl's back," I whispered.

Jordan huffed, and his arm tightened. "You let that man take a hit, and next thing you know, he wants a whole goddamn fight."

I looked up at him, quirking an eyebrow. "Did you make that up just now?"

He shrugged and grinned. "Yep."

Rolling my eyes, I shoved him away, and the smile playing at the edge of my lips faded when Carl got up and began to walk towards us. Only this time, instead of his angry, desperate looks, he wore a scared, guilty expression.

As he got close, Jordan heard him and stepped in front of me, glaring down at him. Carl wasn't deterred and instead flicked his fingers in Jordan's direction. Two big, burly men sidled up behind him, and Jordan smirked. "Well, hello," he said flirtatiously. 

As I learned later, one of those men were one of Jordan's good friends...who was also gay and had a thing for him.

Carl shot Jordan's friend a glare, and when I looked closer, I realized that they weren't really bodyguards, just a bunch of big guys he was paying to act as one. Apparently, Jordan's friend decided that there wasn't enough money to make him lose his friendship, and he beckoned at his friend. They both walked out, and Carl's desperation returned full force. He lunged at me, trying to grab at my arm.

I yelped as he made contact, his grip strong as iron despite his frail form.

Jordan grabbed Carl, about to throw him off, when everyone else in the bar started standing up as they realized what was happening. Just as Jordan was prying off Carl's firm grip, Carl shouted, "I KNOW WHO DID IT!"

Everything stopped.

Jordan seemed to freeze, too, and everyone in the bar paused in their frenzied state. I stared at Carl in disbelief, and he stared right back with a pained expression. "I know who did it," he repeated, his voice a whisper.

Jordan dropped his hands, and everyone in the bar sat down, as though there were some unspoken message from the movement.

"You...what?" I said, my voice quiet.

"I...I didn't know how to tell you, but I decided to just come out with it once I saw how distraught you were ove-"

"Saw? You never came back to the bar after I pushed yo..." Reality hit me like a brick. "You've been stalking me?"

Carl hesitated, and at that moment, I didn't give a flying fuck what he knew. I reeled back and punched him square in the jaw.

He stumbled back, blood flying out of his mouth. "Bitch," I snarled.

He glared at me. "You wanna know who did it? Huh?"

I glared right back, curling my fist up for another punch. He noticed and backed away, but his eyes were still filled with a seething hatred. Sometime while we were talking, someone had called 911, and blue and red lights filled the bar.

Carl and I stared at each other, none of us blinking, and none of us flinching as the cops began to pour in. I knew he was pausing for dramatic effect, and I didn't really give a shit, but a part of me was still curious. I begged it to shut the fuck up because, really, what good would it do if he just gave me the name of some random ass on the streets?

And yet, a small part of me...

I regretted not tearing my eyes away from him, but they dropped down to his mouth as he silently whispered...

...

yas bitch we're stopping here

you're oh so very welcome for not posting for like three months and leaving you on this wonderful cliffhanger <3

i was going to originally put who it was, but i've decided i'm not going toooooooooooo <333

i'm just kidding i would never do that to you my loves <3

...

I did.