“I’ll meet you back upstairs.” She turns to leave when I keep my eyes in front of me.

“Wait, Lissy,” I call back to her before she goes. “I’m not trying to be a bitch. I just really don’t want to discuss you and Beau.” I reach for the paper towel and dry my hands.

“I get this is the last thing you want to talk about, I do. I just wanted to clear the air. We have mutual friends. I don’t want to make it any more awkward.”

“Well, consider it clear,” I offer her what she needs. She nods once then leaves. I give it a few extra minutes before following her out. I don’t make my way straight upstairs, instead opting for the bar instead.

“You okay, Mackenzie?” Jesse asks when I step up to the bar.

“Yeah, just wanted some water.” He gives me a wink and asks one of the bartenders to get it for me.

“Congratulations on your engagement. Good job on the rock.” I praise his choice and watch him grin.

“She talking about me?”

“Of course.” I watch him look up toward the VIP section with a smile on his face.

“Jesse, I need you.” One of his staff members calls out taking his attention. I spin around and check out the club. It’s a fancy place, probably the hottest place in Rushford to hang out. When I first heard the club owned it, I didn’t believe it.

“Mackenzie Morre.” A deep voice startles me, sending chills down my spine at the tone he used to call my name.

Fuck, who is this?

“Who’s asking?” I question as I twist my body to face them.

“I have a message for you, from Mr. Morre.” He steps in closer, invading my space.

“Step the hell back,” I grit out, as unease settles around me.

“You’re not going to get away with what you’ve done.” My body locks at his words and I swallow past the bile forming at the base of my throat. On the outside I look like I’m holding it together, but on the inside, anxiety rips through me, clouding my conscience worse than it already is.

Oh, God.

“Have your attention now?” I’m about to respond when Jesse steps up beside me.

“Step the fuck back from the lady now, before I fucking make you.” Jesse’s warning is enough to have the stranger backtracking without another word. I follow his retreat, watching him fade back into the crowd, disappearing out of my sight.

“You all right, Kenz?”

“Yeah.” I keep my gaze out on the crowd as an uneasy feeling washes over me.

Is he watching me?

“Hey, you know that guy?” Jesse taps my shoulder, jolting me back. I turn to face the bar and look up at him.

“Haven’t seen him before. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer.” I grab my glass of water and wash down my lie with a large sip.

“You sure? You look like you just saw a ghost.” Jesse’s eyes narrow slightly, silently assessing me.

“I’m good,” I lie again. This time the water doesn’t wash it away so well. I wasn’t good, but I wasn’t about to tell Jesse.

My past flashes before me and I can’t stop it.

I’m not safe here anymore. What I’ve been running from is never going to leave me. I have to get away.

I can’t risk my freedom.

Not for Beau or my newfound family.

Past Mackenzie

“I’m done for the night if you don’t need anything, Fred?” I hang up my apron and reach for my handbag. It’s my second week on the job and Fred, my new boss, has already taken me under his wing.

“You sit down and let me fix you some dinner,” he calls out just like every night this week.

“It’s really okay, Fred. I want to head out before it gets dark.” It’s just after six and I know it’s going to be dark within the next twenty minutes.

“Don’t argue, sweetheart.” His graying eyebrows dip low, waiting for me to agree. Knowing it’s not going to get me anywhere, I let out a sigh and pull up a spot at the counter. “Good girl,” he says then turns, too happy with himself.

It’s been three months since the day Beau dropped me off with Larry and Mary. After staying with them for a week, I was moved to Kansas where I lived in a shelter for nine weeks until my cast could come off and I had some strength back in my arm. From there, I finally was able to head out on my own. I hopped on a bus and traveled east, wanting to be as far away from Chad as possible. This small town in Ohio wasn’t meant to be a stopping spot for me, but after a mix-up with getting on the wrong bus, I ended up here and decided to settle down. At least for a while.

“We need to talk about you walking home alone at night.” Fred pulls me out of my head.

“I told you, I can look after myself.” I try to shut it down before it goes anywhere. Fred is a good guy and means well. When I first walked into his diner looking for a job, I felt a connection to him, almost like I knew I had ended up there just so I could know him. That’s not to say he didn’t scare me, the military vibe I got off him, the way he saw past the bullshit lies I fed him to get the job, it made me hold back a little. But then his wife, Carly, walked in, took one look at me and hired me on the spot, even without reading my resume. Since then, both of them have welcomed me into their life like a long lost friend.

“Carly’s brother holds these self-defense classes down at the gym. Now that you’re settled in, I think you should find yourself at some of them. I’d feel a whole lot better knowing you’re protected.” He continues to push the subject. He does it a lot. Push the subject. At first it didn’t sit right with me, the bossiness almost reminding me too much of Chad, but then I realized it came from such a different place.

“Fred I—” I begin to argue, but I know it’s hopeless.

“No, you listen to me. I don’t know your past, or what you’re hiding from, but I knew the second you walked in here you had a story. I see the way you jump at loud noises, how you’re always keeping your eye on the door. Now, I’m not asking you to share, though I hope one day you do, so I know how to be prepared in case someone comes around, but until then you need to protect yourself, sweetheart.”

I don’t say anything, not sure there really is anything to say. I thought I was doing a good job at pretending I was okay. Clearly, I’m not.

“Just give it some thought. In the meantime, I want you to keep this on your body.” He reaches behind his back, pulls out a small handgun and places it in my hand. The cold metal stings my skin and I have to force myself not to recoil.

“Fred this—” I stop when I see him shake his head.

“Do you know how to shoot?” I nod, remembering the few times Heidi took me out to the shooting range back home. It was the first time she saw the aftermath of Chad’s rage. When I refused to leave, she made me learn how to shoot.

“Then take it. Humor an old man and get Carly off my back.” I want to hand it back, tell him I don’t need it because there is no way Chad is going to find me, but I don’t because a small part of me knows I’ll never be safe.

“Until I start those self-defense classes,” I agree, placing the gun in my bag.

His grin grows before he gives me a wink and then turns back to the kitchen, intent on trying to feed me.

I sink back in my chair, annoyed and maybe a little disappointed in myself. Not because I just agreed to take self-defense classes or even because I took the gun. Those things would keep me safe. No, I was disappointed because the one rule I gave myself when I arrived here was to not let anyone in.

I’ve failed. Fred and Carly are in, whether I like it not.

I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite me later.