Treacherous (Andy Barber)

Chapter 8

"Hey Jim!" I smiled as I walked into the bar on Sunday for my shift. "Hello Rora. How've you been? Get some rest?" I nodded and put my purse behind the bar. "I've been good. I haven't heard from Nate so, I'm hoping they stay away."

"No Andy today?" I shook my head and looked at the seat Andy always occupies. "Not today. He's at work and then will be out with his son for dinner." Jim nodded and did a few things around the bar before ending up back in his office. The door to the bar jingled and I looked up, seeing Cody. "Cody, you need to leave."

"Aurora please, hear me out..." Cody said, approaching the bar. "Nate, he's not doing well. He really misses you. He's threatening to hurt himself if you don't come back to him. I'm worried about him." I saw the worried look in Cody's eyes but Nate was no longer my problem. "I'm sorry you're worried about him, but what Nate does isn't my problem anymore. He was abusive, Cody. In what world should I feel compelled to help him."

Cody dropped his head down and looked at his feet. "What? You didn't know he put his hands on his girlfriend?" I snapped. "Why do you think I finally left him?? Why I always had bruises??"

"I thought you guys were just into rough sex! I didn't know Aurora!" Cody yelled. "I'm sorry."

"Yea because a broken rib and a black eye is from rough sex." I snapped. His eyes widened. He really didn't know. What lies was Nate telling them about our relationship? "Rora..."

"Please get out. Tell Nate that he can go to hell." I snapped and went back to mixing drinks for various customers. "Aurora, I'm truly sorry...I didn't know..." "Well now you do." He sighed and backed out of the bar quickly. I took a few deep breaths and leaned against the bar top. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. It would all be okay. I shook it off and slapped the fake smile I had mastered onto my face and continued my day.

It was getting later and the bar started filling up. I was pouring a beer for one of my regular customers when I saw a familiar face walk in. I smiled and poured him his signature drink and set it down in front of him as he sat down. "Mr. Barber." "Aurora." He smiled back at me and took a sip of his drink. "So what did I do to deserve this surprise visit?" I asked him. He shrugged, "I like the whiskey." I smiled and shook my head. "I dropped you off. You didn't think I'd let you walk back alone tonight did you? It's snowing outside."

"I guess not. My shift is over in 10." I walked around the bar to go take any last call orders before the closing girls took over. 10pm rolled around quickly and I was closing out the register from my shift and counting up my tips. "Ready?" I asked Andy. He nodded and finished the last of his whiskey. "Goodnight Jim! See you Tuesday!" I waved into the office and he smiled seeing Andy and I. "Make sure she get's home safe Mr. Barber."

"I will, Jim. Don't worry." Andy smiled at Jim and lead me out of the bar with his hand on my lower back. "Ma'am." Andy said, opening my door for me. "Thank you. Such a gentleman." Andy jogged around the car, turning it on and turning up the heat. "Thank you for coming to get me, Andy. You didn't have too." "Of course I did. Like I said. I dropped you off." Andy smiled over at me before leaning across the center console to give me a kiss. "What kind of a man would I be if I let my girlfriend walk home in the snow?"

"Girlfriend?"

"I know. You're not ready for the official label, and we haven't been on an official date just yet...but I'm not seeing anyone else. I don't want to. I like you Aurora. I want you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I'll wait." I smiled and pulled his head back to mine. "Just give me some time." I whispered. "I'll give you all the time you need." I kissed him quickly again and intertwined our fingers as he drove us back to his house. "So how was work?" Andy asked, glancing from the road over to me. "Good. Kind of slow. Still made good tips." I smiled at him, deciding not to tell him about my small interaction with Cody. It was harmless really. "I should have enough saved up soon to move out of you and Jacob's hair. With my steady paychecks too." Andy groaned slightly. I knew he didn't want me to move out but we hadn't really known each other long enough to just move in together. A fast relationship is what got me in trouble with Nate. I couldn't see all the red flags.

Not that Andy had red flags but there were still things he hadn't told me. Like why he and Jacob moved to Colorado. Or about his ex-wife. He mentioned her once and nothing after that. There's not a single photo of them in the house. They were married for like 15/16 years. How messy was the divorce that he does't even have a single photo of her in the house. Not even any as a family with Jacob. It's like she was completely erased from his life.

"So I've been thinking about our date." Andy said, glancing over at me. "Oh have you?" He nodded and smiled, "Tomorrow. You don't work right?" I shook my head. "Good. I'm taking you out."

"And are you going to give me any details Mr. Barber?"

"Nope. Guess you get to find out later." I playfully rolled my eyes as he pulled into the house. He quickly jogged out of the car to open my door for me, as always. He closed the door quickly before pinning me against it. "I missed you today..." He whispered. "I was with you all morning." I slid my hands around his neck. "But I couldn't touch you...it was torture." He pressed his lips against mine and nipped at my bottom lip. His lips were cold and slightly chapped from the freezing air. I moaned slightly and played with the end of his hair.

I pulled away and smiled at him. "Come on, it's cold, let's go inside before you get a cold." Andy said, grabbing my hand and pulling me inside. Jacob was sitting on the couch with Tyler when we walked in.

Andy pushed me behind him slightly. He was still wary of Tyler being Cody's younger brother since Nate and Cody were close friends. "Jake! I'm home!" He called out.

"I'll be upstairs in a second." Andy whispered, kissing my lips. I nodded and ran up the stairs and into the guest room to change. Andy remained downstairs talking to Jake who had been watching a movie with Tyler. I looked at my clothes in the closet and smirked slightly. I grabbed the black lace lingerie set I bought for myself the other day and quickly changed into it.

Nate never let me buy lingerie. So when I went to Target with Andy the other day, it was a no brainer. It was something I finally bought for myself. Not for Nate, not for Andy, but for me. Andy would certainly enjoy it though....

I stared at myself in the mirror and smiled. I looked healthier. Less pale, less bruised. I finally felt more like myself. I wrapped my pink robe around my body and snuck into Andy's room as I heard him tell Jake goodnight. I pulled off the robe and laid it across the chair in the corner of the room before laying on the bed. I heard Andy's footsteps approach the room and watched as the door opened slowly.

Andy came into view and his eyes widened as he saw me. He stepped fully into the room and shut the door. A low groan left his lips, "Fuck."