Hidebound

Chapter Two

We talk for a while longer before Harley comes inside, her break finished and Banks heads off somewhere, presumably back to his own workplace. I learnt that Sarah had been a bartender at her previous place of employment but had to change jobs because her and her Platonic moved closer to her family. She had met her Platonic, Daniel, while they were in school. She had never known her Darling and neither had Daniel so that made their relationship much more compatible and even though she never said it, I assume by the way she's talking about him that he treats her well.

Its almost time for me to go home and we had started closing up shop. A few people still lingered but the majority had left. The plan was to eventually be able to stay open until later hours eventually but that's on hold until Sarah knows the in's and out's of Darby's.

The front door opens and I look up ready to tell the person that we're closing before Rex orders them out but I stop short when I see Hex.

I squeal in my chest as I round the bar and wrap my arms around him. He had left early this morning, before I woke up so I hadn't seen him. He's still dressed in his work uniform but he's not as dirty as he usually is.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I pull back and place a kiss on his lips. His hands run up and down my sides in comfort.

"Had a class" I had forgotten he had an anger management class today "and then Clyde said I could have the rest of the day off" he shrugs. I have no doubt that Clyde could see the drained look in his eyes. I begin to get excited when I think about spending time with Hex tonight when he's not falling asleep while we're talking.

I grab his hand from my waist, running my fingers over his hand, noting the absence of the band-aid I had placed there last night. I look down and confirm that there is now no band-aid.

"Hex" I give him a look. His cut is still open and there's no doubt that it now has all types of grime from the mechanic shop in it.

"Sorry, baby" he says as he places a kiss to my forehead but I know he doesn't really mean it. He wouldn't be caught dead wearing that thing at work, there's no way Clyde would have let him live it down.

"Have a seat, I'll bring you a drink" I say and throw my arm to my right at the table and stools. He walks over and takes a seat as I make my way over to the bar.

"Brother! What are you doing here?" I hear Harley from behind me as she comes out from the back and finds Hex sitting at a table. She walks over to him and starts a conversation that I can't hear.

I fill a glass with water and take it over to Hex.

"Please come with me" I hear Harley beg. Hex's face has turned stoic in the seconds I had been gone and I can almost feel the energy around them change as I walk closer and closer.

"No Harley, let it go" Hex grumbles deep in his chest. His eyes find mine over Harley's shoulder and the dark look in them proves that he wants nothing to do with the conversation Harley is trying to have with him.

"You'll regret it, Hex" Harley says just as I place the glass on the table.

"What's going on?" I ask as I look between them. I look at Hex and wait for him to start talking but he just holds eye contact and brings the drink to his mouth, gulping it down.

I roll my eyes at his stubbornness and look to Harley. I ignore the disapproving grunt Hex releases at my eye roll.

"Harley?"

"I'm seeing mum tomorrow and I want Hex to come with me" she explains. I keep quiet as I watch the siblings talk. This is between them and no matter how much I think Hex should go see his mother before it's too late, I'm not going to push him; that is his decision.

"I'm not going, Harley" Hex says with finality in his tone. Harley hears it loud and clear and pushes off the table she was leaning on with a shake of her head as she becomes frustrated.

"Can you talk some sense into him or something?" She mumbles to me before leaving the conversation hanging.

The air is tense around us, more so Hex. He gets worked up whenever someone mentions his mother. He is pulling further and further away from her; he doesn't even want to know how she's doing now because he doesn't want to hear about her declining health status.

"Don't Poppy" he says, the warning clear in his tone when I open my mouth. His tone towards me should piss me off but I excuse it, I can't imagine going through this with my own mother.

"I wasn't going to say anything" I mumble as I take the now empty glass and head back behind the bar. I wash it out and clean it before putting it on the rack to be used tomorrow. I glance up every now and then and watch as Hex runs his hands over his face or through his hair, the actions of noticeable stress

"You're free to go Sarah, it was nice meeting you" I say as I take over her job and watch as she leaves.

Harley comes out from the back and grabs her bag "do you mind locking up? I need to leave before I say something stupid" she mumbles as she passes me and puts her apron away.

"Yeah, no problem" I reply quietly back and give her a hug goodbye. She walks straight past Hex and out the door without another word.

I take my time getting the last few things organised, hoping that by the time I'm done Hex is remorseful for the way he snapped at me.

I even check to see if Stevie is still here so that I don't lock him inside, despite the fact he has his own key. But he's gone and probably has been for a while, escaping out the backdoor so that he doesn't have to talk to us.

I flick the lights off and walk past Hex. I hear him get up and walk behind me in the dark as I reach the door. I hold it open for him to walk though before closing and locking it, double checking that it's locked.

I turn into Hex, not realising how close he's standing. His arm loops around my back to stop me stepping back as he bends and looks at me so that our faces are level.

"I'm sorry" he says simply. The cold air turns his breath to fog in front of my face but I keep eye contact with him.

It's silent between us as I search for the genuine apology in his gaze. I step into him when I see it.

"I know" I whisper against his lips before kissing him. He kisses me back, slowly and lazily before I pull back.

We walk to our cars; Hex had parked next to my car but still insisted on walking me to my car door.

"I'll meet you at home" he says as he pats my ass when I bend to sit inside. I watch and make sure he gets into his own car safely before pulling onto the road.