Another Journey Begins
folder
Angst › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
12
Views:
962
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0
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Angst › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
12
Views:
962
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
The first night at the bar
Rio's first night went by quickly as she helped Monty serve the many customers that came in. The place wasn't very crowded at first. But Colt's prediction soon came true as more and more people, mostly men, piled into the bar as the night wore on.
"The first one musta put out the word," Monty snorted as he filled more pilsner glasses with an amber-hued lager. "At least our tips'll be good tonight."
"Well, that's something, right?" Rio laughed.
She balanced the four glasses on her round tray and gracefully made her way back to the table of roughened looking cowboys. Setting a glass before each one, she gave the group a quick, smile before flitting on to a new table. Before she could reach them however, a thick arm snagged her about the waist and turned her around to face its owner. He was big, young and definitely inebriated, and he leered at her openly while her insides quivered and she dropped her tray. The look he gave her reminded her of Adam Bentley and she very nearly used one of her newly-learned karate moves on him. But a voice stopped her.
"Hey, Clem, let ma new waitress go befo' I have ya tossed out on yo' ass!" Colt boomed as he advanced from behind the bar where he'd been helping Monty keep up with drink orders.
"She don' mind, do ya, girl?"
"She does mind!" Colt answered for her. "An' so do I! Ya kno' I ain' kiddin', eitha! I'da banned ya from the bar ages ago, if ya weren' ma bes' frien's kid."
The entire bar went silent as everybody watched what happened. Apparently, entertainment was hard to come by. Rio stood motionless with the large man's grasp, trying not to puke from the stench of his sweat mixed with his horrid alcohol and onion reeking breath. It was all she could do to control her reflexes, remembering that should it come down to it, she could defend herself. It wasn't like what had happened before. She could handle this, she kept reminding herself.
"Aw, jus' one little kiss, Unca Colt!"
"If you get any closer to her he will be the least of your troubles," a deep, accent-less voice said from behind them.
Rio relaxed instantly as Justin's voice sounded. She should have known he would save her again.
"Just!" Colt greeted him amiably. "Been a long damn time, man!"
"Yes, well, I have been busy," Justin replied.
Rio felt Clem's meaty hands forcibly removed from her and he was pushed back off to the side from where he'd appeared. Justin's arm now draped over her shoulder as he regarded Colt with an unreadable expression.
"I trust everything is all right so far."
"Fine," Colt assured him. "Why?"
"Rio is in my care," the dark-haired man explained. "I came by to see how her first night was going."
A roomful of already-stunned eyes widened at Justin then turned speculatively onto Rio. She didn't need to be told what they were thinking either. Give me a break, she huffed silently. Even if I wanted him, I simply do not have the right equipment. She glared back at each one in turn until the gazes fell away from her in embarrassment.
"She a relative o' yo's then?" Colt asked. He filled another pilsner glass with a lighter colored ale
"That she is," Justin replied. He bent down and picked up her tray, handing to her as he stood upright.
Rio took it and gave him a small smile then returned to the table she had originally approached to take orders. But all of the occupants' eyes were still on Colt and Justin, so she stood quietly waiting.
"It's jus' we neva see ya," Colt went on. He placed the glass in front of Justin and smiled. "Onna house."
"Thanks." Justin took the glass and saluted Colt before taking a long sip. "I hope my being home does not bother anyone."
"Botha us?" The portly bar owner look askance. "Nah! We glad yo' back. Ya neva stay long, tho'."
"This time is different," Justin smiled enigmatically. "I have retired."
"Ya "˜ave? What from?"
Justin's smile evolved into a smirk. "This and that," he replied evasively. "In any case, I am here now."
"An' tha's a welcome change," Colt laughed.
The din started again as Justin and Colt fell into a quieter conversation. Rio was finally able to get the table's attention and take their orders. Justin stayed around for the rest of the night and watched Rio work the room and serve the customers their drinks. When she looked over at him, he never looked away "¦ only smiled and nodded at her from time to time. By closing time, he'd leaned over her while she wiped down a table and whispered that he'd be waiting in the truck outside when she was done. Then he left.
The tables were wiped and all of the glasses were washed and stored before she and Monty divvied up the tips. She'd offered some of her cut to Colt, but he'd only laughed and told her that the new business she attracted was all the tipping he needed. Monty had tried to get her to take a larger percentage, but she'd steadfastly refused. When all was counted and split, Monty was grinning from ear-to-ear.
"I ain't neva had a take like this!"
"Well, I'm glad ya have it now," Rio smiled. "Hopefully it'll last so ya have mo' for yo' young "˜uns."
"Oh, I expect it will," he snorted. "Yo' living with the most popula memba of the town."
"Popula?"
"Yeah," Monty said nodding his head furiously. "No one knows much about Justin."
"Wha's ta know?"
Monty looked at her appraisingly before leaning in and lowering his voice, as if they were holding a secret meeting. "You tell me."
Rio grinned and shook her head. "He's not a mystery ta me," she replied. She knew she needed to keep Justin's background a secret. He hadn't told her so, but she felt the warning glances he'd given her all night. "He's just a nice man who took on a relative's kid when she was down onner luck."
"Yeah?" Monty asked skeptically. "What did he retire from anyway?"
"This and that," she shrugged leading the way to the door. "Far as I know, he done lots of odd jobs here and there. Manual labor, I expect. Look at the muscles on him."
"I don't look at guys' muscles," he laughed stuffing his bills into his wallet and shoving it into his pocket. "Well, I best be off."
"You kiss them kids for me," Rio called after him as she watched him retreat to an old beat up pick up.
"I will," he called back waving.
She watched him start the truck up and pull out before she climbed into Justin's black SUV.
"Everything is all right?" he asked.
"Fine."
"They are asking questions though, hmm?"
"Nothing I cannot handle," she replied buckling her seatbelt.
"I know. I trust that you are aware of the need for secrecy."
"I am."
They drove in silence for a moment before Rio felt the need to break it.
"Justin?"
"Hmm?"
"You are retired, as you said. Are you not?"
He looked over at her for a moment before replying. "I am."
"And Sven?"
"He is as well."
Rio pondered that for a while as they drove along.
"Am I the reason?" she asked.
Justin arched an eyebrow and kept driving, and for a time, she wasn't sure he would respond. "You are certainly one of the main ones, Rio," he finally said quietly.
She said nothing but a small smile tugged the edge of her lips.
-------------------------
"Her night went well?" Sven asked as he lay in Justin's arms later that night.
Rio had quietly retired to bed immediately upon arriving home, citing her need to get rest before training in the morning.
"Except for one very bold drunkard, yes," Justin whispered back. He began lavishing small kisses to the blonde man's temple as he spoke. "She handles herself well. I could see that she stopped herself from striking him, though he had grabbed her by the waist unexpectedly."
"Unexpectedly?" Sven asked in concern. "We will have to go over using the senses again, then. She should have anticipated the move before he connected."
"That may be a good idea," Justin replied. "But I think it had more to do with her beginning new tasks she was not used to."
"Ah," his lover sucked in a gasp and moaned. "Well, then "¦ I need to go over "¦ her lessons "¦ in concentration."
"Mmm, that would be good, too," Justin rasped. "Maybe I should go over those with you now, to be sure you know them as well?"
He flipped Sven beneath him and began laving his nipples while the man writhed beneath him.
"You "¦ are "¦. Impossible."
"That's why you love me," Justin grinned. Then dipped his head lower, to Sven's navel and the blonde became lost in the sensations.
"The first one musta put out the word," Monty snorted as he filled more pilsner glasses with an amber-hued lager. "At least our tips'll be good tonight."
"Well, that's something, right?" Rio laughed.
She balanced the four glasses on her round tray and gracefully made her way back to the table of roughened looking cowboys. Setting a glass before each one, she gave the group a quick, smile before flitting on to a new table. Before she could reach them however, a thick arm snagged her about the waist and turned her around to face its owner. He was big, young and definitely inebriated, and he leered at her openly while her insides quivered and she dropped her tray. The look he gave her reminded her of Adam Bentley and she very nearly used one of her newly-learned karate moves on him. But a voice stopped her.
"Hey, Clem, let ma new waitress go befo' I have ya tossed out on yo' ass!" Colt boomed as he advanced from behind the bar where he'd been helping Monty keep up with drink orders.
"She don' mind, do ya, girl?"
"She does mind!" Colt answered for her. "An' so do I! Ya kno' I ain' kiddin', eitha! I'da banned ya from the bar ages ago, if ya weren' ma bes' frien's kid."
The entire bar went silent as everybody watched what happened. Apparently, entertainment was hard to come by. Rio stood motionless with the large man's grasp, trying not to puke from the stench of his sweat mixed with his horrid alcohol and onion reeking breath. It was all she could do to control her reflexes, remembering that should it come down to it, she could defend herself. It wasn't like what had happened before. She could handle this, she kept reminding herself.
"Aw, jus' one little kiss, Unca Colt!"
"If you get any closer to her he will be the least of your troubles," a deep, accent-less voice said from behind them.
Rio relaxed instantly as Justin's voice sounded. She should have known he would save her again.
"Just!" Colt greeted him amiably. "Been a long damn time, man!"
"Yes, well, I have been busy," Justin replied.
Rio felt Clem's meaty hands forcibly removed from her and he was pushed back off to the side from where he'd appeared. Justin's arm now draped over her shoulder as he regarded Colt with an unreadable expression.
"I trust everything is all right so far."
"Fine," Colt assured him. "Why?"
"Rio is in my care," the dark-haired man explained. "I came by to see how her first night was going."
A roomful of already-stunned eyes widened at Justin then turned speculatively onto Rio. She didn't need to be told what they were thinking either. Give me a break, she huffed silently. Even if I wanted him, I simply do not have the right equipment. She glared back at each one in turn until the gazes fell away from her in embarrassment.
"She a relative o' yo's then?" Colt asked. He filled another pilsner glass with a lighter colored ale
"That she is," Justin replied. He bent down and picked up her tray, handing to her as he stood upright.
Rio took it and gave him a small smile then returned to the table she had originally approached to take orders. But all of the occupants' eyes were still on Colt and Justin, so she stood quietly waiting.
"It's jus' we neva see ya," Colt went on. He placed the glass in front of Justin and smiled. "Onna house."
"Thanks." Justin took the glass and saluted Colt before taking a long sip. "I hope my being home does not bother anyone."
"Botha us?" The portly bar owner look askance. "Nah! We glad yo' back. Ya neva stay long, tho'."
"This time is different," Justin smiled enigmatically. "I have retired."
"Ya "˜ave? What from?"
Justin's smile evolved into a smirk. "This and that," he replied evasively. "In any case, I am here now."
"An' tha's a welcome change," Colt laughed.
The din started again as Justin and Colt fell into a quieter conversation. Rio was finally able to get the table's attention and take their orders. Justin stayed around for the rest of the night and watched Rio work the room and serve the customers their drinks. When she looked over at him, he never looked away "¦ only smiled and nodded at her from time to time. By closing time, he'd leaned over her while she wiped down a table and whispered that he'd be waiting in the truck outside when she was done. Then he left.
The tables were wiped and all of the glasses were washed and stored before she and Monty divvied up the tips. She'd offered some of her cut to Colt, but he'd only laughed and told her that the new business she attracted was all the tipping he needed. Monty had tried to get her to take a larger percentage, but she'd steadfastly refused. When all was counted and split, Monty was grinning from ear-to-ear.
"I ain't neva had a take like this!"
"Well, I'm glad ya have it now," Rio smiled. "Hopefully it'll last so ya have mo' for yo' young "˜uns."
"Oh, I expect it will," he snorted. "Yo' living with the most popula memba of the town."
"Popula?"
"Yeah," Monty said nodding his head furiously. "No one knows much about Justin."
"Wha's ta know?"
Monty looked at her appraisingly before leaning in and lowering his voice, as if they were holding a secret meeting. "You tell me."
Rio grinned and shook her head. "He's not a mystery ta me," she replied. She knew she needed to keep Justin's background a secret. He hadn't told her so, but she felt the warning glances he'd given her all night. "He's just a nice man who took on a relative's kid when she was down onner luck."
"Yeah?" Monty asked skeptically. "What did he retire from anyway?"
"This and that," she shrugged leading the way to the door. "Far as I know, he done lots of odd jobs here and there. Manual labor, I expect. Look at the muscles on him."
"I don't look at guys' muscles," he laughed stuffing his bills into his wallet and shoving it into his pocket. "Well, I best be off."
"You kiss them kids for me," Rio called after him as she watched him retreat to an old beat up pick up.
"I will," he called back waving.
She watched him start the truck up and pull out before she climbed into Justin's black SUV.
"Everything is all right?" he asked.
"Fine."
"They are asking questions though, hmm?"
"Nothing I cannot handle," she replied buckling her seatbelt.
"I know. I trust that you are aware of the need for secrecy."
"I am."
They drove in silence for a moment before Rio felt the need to break it.
"Justin?"
"Hmm?"
"You are retired, as you said. Are you not?"
He looked over at her for a moment before replying. "I am."
"And Sven?"
"He is as well."
Rio pondered that for a while as they drove along.
"Am I the reason?" she asked.
Justin arched an eyebrow and kept driving, and for a time, she wasn't sure he would respond. "You are certainly one of the main ones, Rio," he finally said quietly.
She said nothing but a small smile tugged the edge of her lips.
-------------------------
"Her night went well?" Sven asked as he lay in Justin's arms later that night.
Rio had quietly retired to bed immediately upon arriving home, citing her need to get rest before training in the morning.
"Except for one very bold drunkard, yes," Justin whispered back. He began lavishing small kisses to the blonde man's temple as he spoke. "She handles herself well. I could see that she stopped herself from striking him, though he had grabbed her by the waist unexpectedly."
"Unexpectedly?" Sven asked in concern. "We will have to go over using the senses again, then. She should have anticipated the move before he connected."
"That may be a good idea," Justin replied. "But I think it had more to do with her beginning new tasks she was not used to."
"Ah," his lover sucked in a gasp and moaned. "Well, then "¦ I need to go over "¦ her lessons "¦ in concentration."
"Mmm, that would be good, too," Justin rasped. "Maybe I should go over those with you now, to be sure you know them as well?"
He flipped Sven beneath him and began laving his nipples while the man writhed beneath him.
"You "¦ are "¦. Impossible."
"That's why you love me," Justin grinned. Then dipped his head lower, to Sven's navel and the blonde became lost in the sensations.