The Lair

by Lisina Coney

“This doll is a gift they sent you for free. Do you have any idea how hard I have to work to get this for you? The only thing you have to do is look like you’re happy, so stop this attention-seeking charade.”

I know he’s pissed. Travis isn’t a huge talker, which means I’ve memorized his body language to a T. But even if I hadn’t, the tightness of his jaw

and the permanent notch between his brows paint a very clear picture.

but I was not going to start crying in the middle of a random sports bar while I was all alone. I was not going to show anyone around me weakness, let alone grown men ten times bigger and stronger than I was.

But Jada was right. I was running away—hadn’t stopped for the past few years—and maybe I needed to think about my next move for longer than two seconds.

“You shouldn’t be here. Get me a man to make me a fucking drink or get out of my face.” Wow. Okay.

My mother’s voice echoes in my head before I can stop it, making everything else turn dark. Damn it, Allison. You can never do anything right. Do you even care about your family? I shut my eyes, but the memory assaults me just the same. Go away, go away, go away.

A huge hand that is at least twice the size of mine maneuvers around me and gently grabs the old-fashioned from my trembling fingers, placing it somewhere behind me.

get inside my car. After I turn on the engine and get the heater running, I glance down the street at The Lair out of habit. Travis is standing at the door, his eyes on me. He doesn’t go back inside until I drive away.

Travis doesn’t buy my smile or my words. If his massive arms crossed in front of his equally enormous chest are any indication, not only does he not buy it, but he’s angry with me. Again. I press my thighs together and hide my lower area with my intertwined hands, hoping and praying and then hoping some more that he doesn’t think I’m being a weirdo.

“I just got my period.” The words feel sharp on my tongue.

really am. “It stained my jeans. I was looking for something I could wear for the rest of my shift.”

“But I’m fine,” I’m quick to amend. “If I could run to my apartment⁠—”

“What do you need?”

“What do you mean?” “From the store. What do you need?”

“I don’t have all day, Allie,” he grumbles, snapping me back to the present. “Sorry. Yeah, um, I need tampons. And a pair of leggings.”

“What kind of tampons?” he asks, making me die a little bit inside.

“Travis, you really don’t need to⁠—” “Regular ones?” I swallow back my embarrassment. Well, then. “Yes. Thank you.” “What size leggings do you wear?”

Medium.” He doesn’t give me time to object, to insist that he doesn’t have to do this. He simply says, “I’ll be back in fifteen. Stay here if you want.” And then leaves.

“Thank you for going to the store for me. You didn’t have to, but I really appreciate it. How much was it? I’ll pay you back.”

“But I⁠—” “You don’t have to pay me back, Allie.”

try to keep a smile on my face but fail. Out of all the men in the world my heart could beat for, it had to be my asshole of a boss. Of course.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” And then she makes it worse. “You look so familiar.” Sweat collects at the back of my neck.

Three things happen all at once. One—I panic. Two—I get a strong urge to cry. Three—I need to throw up. Now.

That woman recognized me. She knows who I am. She knows where I am. All these years covering my tracks, for nothing. All my attempts at leaving my past behind, ruined.

brace myself on the toilet and empty my stomach as the tears fall. If she tells anybody… They can’t force me to go back or to do anything I don’t want to do. I’m an adult now.

It’s not. I threw up because I panicked, but I can’t tell him that. I don’t want to answer the million questions that will come after that. Although this is Travis I’m talking about, so more like two. But after fourteen months of being around him, I should know better than to think I can fool an ex-military man who seems to read minds. “I know what happened with those people,” he says. I’m sure you don’t. “It’s fine.”

“Did you get those?” I ask him, my throat dry. The stiff nods he gives me makes my heart leap. “Just in case customers need them.” He bought tampons for the bathroom. For the remainder of my shift, I’m unable to think about anything else, forgetting about my breakdown.

“Allie.” She sighs, sounding a little tired. “Listen to me—it’s very unlikely that anyone would recognize you after all these years. You’ve grown up, not to mention changed your appearance.” “My face was all over the news. Jada, it was bad. I don’t need to remind you.” The more logical part of me wants to believe her, but… “Someone already recognized me not that long ago. Remember Nashville?”

don’t drink on the clock.” “Then get off the clock.” “Allie.” A warning. “Boss man.”

“I need to go back to my tables, but think about it. Even if it’s only for ten minutes, you deserve a break. We’ll be fine, and it’s not like you’ll be leaving the bar anyway. If we mess up, feel free to yell at me.”

“I would never yell at you.” My heart jumps.

stop? “I know. It’s just a figure of speech.” “I don’t like it.” I bite the inside of my cheek. “Okay.”

“Come with me to the karaoke machine. We’ll have a good time.”

“Did you want anything?”

“I think he wants his fucking teeth knocked out,” a familiar voice says behind me. A deep, rough voice that makes my heart skip a beat. “Don’t you, Mike?”

The next thing I feel is a gentle hand on my elbow, guiding m...

hand that belongs to a man who has been coming to my rescue one too many times recently.

“I would’ve punched him in the balls if he had crossed any more lines, but thanks for coming to the rescue.”

A chuckle. Travis is chuckling. At something I said.

The grip of that massive but surprisingly gentle hand on my elbow. How he positioned himself in front of me in a protective gesture, his body a shield. Stop it. The woodsy smell of his cologne. How invincible it made me feel to have him by my side. What am I doing? I can’t be attracted to Travis. Not to the point where I’m unable to stop my thoughts from spiraling.

“Thank you for walking with me.”

“Didn’t want you to walk here all by yourself. Could be dangerous.”

“Thanks, Travis. See you tomorrow.” He doesn’t lean down to meet my eyes, so I don’t see his face when he answers, “Drive safe, Allie.”

“Come on. Kick my ass.” He’s teasing me. Travis is teasing me.

Travis takes my spot in front of the dartboard and throws his dart toward the wall. He turns to me. “Oops.” Oops—

“You did that on purpose.” I cross my arms, pinning him down with a glare that isn’t at all intimidating. “It doesn’t count. Do it again.” “Okay.” Another dart hits the wall. “Travis,” I warn. “Allie.” He sounds bored. This man. “Fine. If this is how you want to play, let’s play.”

Whatever. If he wants to be childish about this, I’m game. My next dart hits a neon sign with the words “Drink your sorrows away” on the wall. His lands straight on the sticky floor. A minute later, all our darts are scattered everywhere but the board. “That was a shit game,”

“Green is my favorite color.” Green. “Like your eyes.”

“You can use white too,” he says, his voice sounding a lot throatier than before. Or maybe it’s just my deranged head. “So it matches yours.”