The Trouble With Love

Chapter 1

Kathrine's POV
Another day, another dollar. It is just past six pm when I get home from my shift at the diner and I have an hour to shower and change before my shift at Mel's bar starts. I will be there until two am then come home to my apartment above the bar to get a few hours sleep before going back to the diner at six am. Why do I work so much? That is easy, my ex-husband, Brad left me with over $100,000 of debt, stole our life savings, and ran off to Vegas with a stripper named Candy. He mailed me divorce papers two weeks later. Thankfully, even after twelve years of marriage, we had no children.

I rush through my shower and throw on a pair of snug jean shorts that are cut off just below my generous ass and a black low cut tank top that has the bar logo in pink on it, it stops just above my belly button and a pair of white sneakers. I carefully apply my makeup, light brown eyeshadow, black eyeliner and mascara that makes my baby blues pop and clear lip gloss before throwing my long black hair up into a high ponytail.  I enter the bar five minutes early. "Hey, short stuff!" Conner calls out from behind the bar. Conner is just over six foot tall, brown hair brown eyes and well built, too bad he is gay and I am not looking for a man. "Hey, Conman!" We fall into our usual routine, he's the bartender and I am the server. Being a Thursday evening we aren't extremely busy but enough to keep me on my feet. 

I just dropped off a round of dirty glasses to Conner when he lets out a low whistle. "Damn, two hotties just walked in the door. Man are they fine." I turn and see two guys looking for a table. The first guy is at least seven foot tall with black hair and sharp green eyes. He is built like a god, muscles for days, very swoon-worthy. The second guy is about two inches shorter with blonde hair and brown eyes, just as well built as the first guy. "Darling, you are almost drooling!" Conner whisper-yells at me and I shake the thoughts out of my head and plaster a smile on my face as I approach the table they chose. 

"Good evening, Gentlemen. I am Kathrine and I will be serving you. What can I get you?" I greet them and the breath is practically sucked from my chest as my eyes meet piercing green eyes. He says something under his breath, but I couldn't make it out. I tear my eyes from his and meet a pair of chocolate brown eyes that have the same effect on me as the green ones. I shake my head, "So, what will it be?" They seem to snap out of whatever trance they were in. "I will take a beer, whatever is on tap. Drake?" Green eye answers and Brown eyes, I assume is Drake, smiles. "Same" I nod and make my way to the bar.

"Two draft beers." I tell Conner and he winks at me. "They look like they are the Big Bad Wolf and you are little red riding hood, girl, they could eat you up." Conner says as he sets the beers on the bar. I glare playfully at him and take the beers to the table. "Here you go, anything else?" I ask and they shake their heads. "Alright, I check back in a few, if you need something before then, just ask." I wink at them and go off, checking on my other tables before going back to Conner. 

"They haven't taken their eyes off of you since you first talked to them. Did you entrance them?" Conner teases me, he knows all about my past, his Dad owns the bar and the apartment above it that I rent. I scoff, "Yeah, they were totally taken in by the bags under my eyes and ten extra pounds on my ass." He smacks my arm. "Ow, what the hell, Conner?" I growl at him and he glares at me. "Chica, you are beautiful. You work far too hard, but you are not fat. You have curves for days, a tiny waist, big boobies and a full round ass that most women would kill to have. You may be a bit on the short side, but you rock it. If you don't believe me, maybe you should ask the pair of hunks who look like they want to devour you." I snicker at his choice of words. "You are too cheesy, Conner." He rolls his eyes, "You just need to get laid." I gasp at him. "Why?" He chuckles, "Girl, it's been, what, two years since your divorce? How many guys have you dated since then? Oh, that's right, none. You need to get some." I slap his arm before looking at the table where the two guys are laughing and talking. 

I walk to them, "How is everything? Can I get you anything else?" The brown-eyed one, Drake, looks at me and smiles, revealing two dimples, "Your phone number, maybe?" He winks at me and I smile and shake my head. "Sorry, pal, I don't give out my number to strangers." He chuckles, "I am trying to change that, sweetheart." I let out my own chuckle, "Not happening." Green eyes lays hand on my arm and I feel like a static shock, "Don't mind my friend here, he is hopeless." He smiles at me and I can't help but smile back. "I am Garrett and this is my best friend Drake." I nod. "Two more beers?" They both nod and I bring them to them. I hear the door open and look up to see a face I would rather not see right now.

I see a six foot tall, bald man covered in tattoos and scars with cold blue eyes, those eyes meet mine and he nods his head to the back of the bar and I nod and follow him. I give a look to Conner and he knows exactly what is going on, this isn't the first time. We reach a table in the back of the bar and I slide onto the chair. "What now, Mac?" Mac sighs, "He needs you, Kat. He is in deep shit." I scoff, "He is always in deep shit, Mac. I should just let them break his legs, then he will learn." Mac shakes his head, "Not this time, Kat. They are going to kill him." I roll my eyes, "I care why?" He grabs my hand, "You know I wouldn't ask you but he has a baby on the way, Kat." I suck in a breath, "Then he can have one of his whores help him." All I wanted when we were married was a baby, but Brad didn't. I am grateful now, but it hurts that he is giving someone else that opportunity. I sigh, "How much this time, Mac?" He winces, "$500,000. By next week." My jaw drops, "Are you fucking kidding me, Mac? I am working two jobs and can barely feed myself, I am paying one of his fucking loan sharks and all the credit card debt, where do expect me to come up with that kind of money in four days?" He looks at the table, "You can talk to them and work something out, they won't do it for Brad because they hate him, but for you, they might. They aren't just going to kill him, they are going to kill Candy and the baby too." 

I slam my head on the table, I am at my breaking point. "Where is this guy, I make no promises, but I can try." I mumble against the table. "He will meet you here, tomorrow night. He is a tough guy, trust me. I get the creeps around him." I jerk my head up and stare at Mac, he is a tough as nails biker that works for Maury, a loan shark I am paying off for Brad because he already burned my house to the ground and threatened to kill me if I didn't. He takes payments and as long as I am never late, he leaves me alone. Mac has become a go-between for Brad and all his creditors, including me. Maury is scary, but always kind to me, but that is because he gets his money. "Who is this guy, Mac?" He sighs, "His name is Joel and I swear the guy isn't even human. He is about seven foot tall and as wide as a door. Don't piss him off, Kat, he won't hesitate to kill you." I nod, "Thanks, Mac. Tell Brad, no more. I can't, next time, they will kill him and I won't do a damn thing to stop them." He nods and pats me on the shoulder before leaving. 

I make my way to the bathroom before dropping to the floor and crying my eyes out. I have nothing left, he has taken everything from me and now, he wants more. "FUCK YOU BRAD!" I scream, knowing between the loud music and the walls in this place, no customer will hear me. I wash my face so it doesn't look like I have been crying before heading back to work. Thankfully it is closing time and I start to clear the tables. I reach the table where Garrett and Drake are still seated, finishing their beers. "Closing time, fellas." I tell them with a fake smile. Drake winks at me, "Don't worry, sweetheart, we will be back, this is my new favorite bar." Garrett flashes me a smile before heading to the bar to close the tab. After the doors are locked, Conner and I spend the next hour cleaning up the place I tell him about Mac. 

"I don't know, Kat. I don't like it, this guy sounds dangerous." Conner says as we finish for the night and head to my apartment. Conner is in the apartment next to me. "I don't have a choice, Brad already told this guy I would help, he is coming to talk to me tomorrow. I don't know what to do, I guess I will find out tomorrow." I meet his worried eyes. He sighs and presses a kiss to my forehead. "I love you, Kat. Please be careful." I wink at him, "I love you too, Conman, don't worry, Kats always land on their feet." With that, I head to my room and crash, three hours before I have to get up and do it all over again.