Chapter 9

Ari watched Emmett walk away, and shortly after she followed in the same direction to head back to the car. She sat on the hood, trying not to fall asleep while waiting for Jackson.

The phone Sid gave her, rang from in her pocket. She pulled it out, stupidly forgetting she had it altogether. She recognized Sids phone number.

"Hello."

"Where the fuck are you?!" Sid yelled.

Ari held the phone away from her ear as he yelled, she forget how loud that family could be.

"Jackson... Is busy with Caitlin." she responded.

Sid hung up the phone, and Ari stared at the screen for a second, confused. She laid back on the hood of Sid's car waiting. It wasn't long before she jumped in fright, half asleep, hitting the back of her head of the windshield as the car alarm started going off. She sat up, holding the back of her head while Jackson came over with a grin. She jumped off the car and they both got into it. It was almost sunrise and Ari was yet again, completely exhausted from her day.

They didn't speak on their way back, and when Jackson parked the car in the garage, Ari was out and up the stairs instead of the elevator and went straight to her room quietly without running into anyone.

Unfortunately for her, Jonah and Sid were in Sid's room so they heard her come in. They both came into her room looking furious, but they calmed down realizing Ari was completely fine and safe.

"Can I please go to sleep now?" She yawned.

Jonah rubbed her head with a smile before him and Sid went back to the other room. She took that as a yes and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly.

She fell into a deep undisturbed sleep until the alarm on her phone woke her up. It was 4pm.

She got herself ready and dressed by 4:30. The door was closed to Sid's room and seeing as she was told to go alone this time, she figured he wouldn't be home. She headed to the kitchen for a snack before heading to her truck.

Jamal and Seth were in the kitchen when she walked in, so she gave them a tiny wave while grabbing an apple from the fruit basket on the counter. She shoved the apple in her mouth to free both her hands as she went looking for something else to eat after.

"Are you taking that ugly ass truck today?" Seth asked.

"You wanna trade?" She asked before taking another bite of the apple.

"It in for something else? Sure. Gimme the keys."

He responded, holding his hand out.

Ari tossed him the keys, and Jamal tossed her the keys to the Mazda. She took another bite of her apple and found some fruit bars, grabbing a few before leaving the kitchen.

"Hey! You know where your going?" Jamal yelled.

Ari mumbled something through her mouth full of food and kept walking. She knew where she was going but as she walked to the car, her phone beeped from a text. It was an unknown number giving two addresses. At the bottom of the text, it read Jay. So she saved the number, now knowing it was Jamal and sent him a winky emoji face back.

She finished her apple, and throwing the core into a garbage close by, she jumped into the car to go pick up Caitlin.

When Ari got there, she parked in the same spot Jackson did the night before and buzzed her apartment from the lobby entrance.

"Hello?"

Caitlins voice rang through an intercom.

"It's Ari."

She buzzed her in and Ari made her way up to the second floor and knocked on Caitlin's door. She yelled to come on in, so Ari went into the apartment.

"Hey! Give me like.. 5 minutes."

Caitlin peaked from around the corner from her bathroom with a big smile. She was curling her hair.

"Sure." Ari said sitting on her couch to wait.

Almost ten minutes later, she came into the living room ready, and grabbed her bag.

"Do you mind if we stop for coffee?" She asked.

Ari nodded. "Wherever you need."

She wasn't interested in pissing off the girl that was seeing Jackson. He apparently had enough reason to hate her. The girls walked out to the car, and Ari opened the car door for Caitlin, looking around to make sure no one was hanging around. Finally, she climbed into the driver's seat.

"I'm a little new, so you might have to direct me to a coffee place and work."

Ari admitted and backed out of the parking spot.

"Of course! I really appreciate this, Ari. You're a doll for helping me out." Caitlin said to her.

Ari shrugged. "It's really not a problem, Caitlin."

Caitlin smiled as she was quiet for a minute, watching the road.

"Turn right at this stop sign."

Ari turned right to see a coffee place called The Roasted Almond, Caintin pointed at it. So, she parked on the street in front of it, and got out of the car with Caitlin to go inside.

"You don't have to come in with me, you know."

"It's for the coffee, too." Ari smiled at her.

They went in and waited in line to make their order. Ari let Caitlin go first, but Caitlin forced Ari to order with her so Caitlin could pay for both.

"It's the least I can do, really." Caitlin said as they walked back out to the car. They got in and fastened their seat belts, Ari turned the car around to get back on the same road, so she knew where she was going.

"I'm really sorry about last night." Caitlin admitted.

"There's nothing to apologize for. You two hadn't seen each other in a while. Like he said, paid to be here." Ari repeated, though she wasn't even sure if that was actually true.

"Honestly, he's never been so openly sexul around others with me like that... It was a weird, surprising side of Jackson. He's always really sweet to me, though. " Caitlin was quiet for a minute, thinking back.

Knowing that actually kind of bothered Ari, she would have been happier knowing that was a normal weekly, or even daily thing. Not just, once last night.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Caitlin?"

Ari asked, turning right at the next set of lights.

"Shoot."

"You've met Jackson, and you clearly have feelings for him. I'm sure you realize that he can be a pretty scary guy, right?"

Caitlin nodded.

"And you've met Daniel?"

She nodded again. Finally Ari came out with it.

"Why does Sid scare you, when those two are clearly more frightening?"

Caitlin's eyes widened.

"I don't know if I should tell you."

"I'm not going to say anything, I just don't understand how he could possibly scare you so much." Ari said honestly.

"Well..One girl who used to work with us, was determined to make him fall in love with her and he played uninterested. Until one day he admitted to actually having feelings for her, but after that night they spent together, she was just... Traumatized. She never told anyone what happened though, and eventually she ran off. Poor girl never made it."

"What do you mean, never made it?" Ari asked.

"Why do you think everyone just cooperates? I don't think anyone else wants to find out... What Sid does if we run..."

"I guess I can't really run, either.." Ari admitted.

"What?" Caitlin was shocked.

"I'm owe Sid, and his brother, they got me out of a tougher situation.." Ari shrugged.

They pulled into the parking lot of Caitlin's work at 5:40. They were early. Ari parked the car and they walked toward the door together.

"Wow, Ari. Here I was thinking how lucky you are to have avoided this place, now I hope for your own sake, you end up here and safely away from that psycho." Caitlin admitted just before they walked in. Ari could only laugh, since she actually really liked spending time with Sid.

They were inside and the place was closed for another hour, so it was empty. Ari walked with Caitlin back to the locker room.

"What time are you done?" Ari asked

"Jonah is coming. He sent me a text this morning."

Caitlin hugged Ari before she went to go get ready. Ari drank her coffee and slowly wandered back out to the front room to wait a few more minutes before bugging Harris.

"You're here. Good."

Harris appeared from around a corner and was headed back to his office, he waved for Ari to follow. She got to the office after him and closed the door behind her.

"Everything go okay?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. Jonah will be picking her up after her shift."

"Glad to hear. I'm keeping you here tonight, one of my guys called in, so I'll need you to watch the doors tonight with Mikey."

"Sure. Anything I should know?" Ari asked.

"You'll be fine. He'll fill you in. You start at 7, he shows up around 6:30." Harris said.

"OK. Is Matt here? Can help him out until than?" Ari suggested.

Harris looked at her with a raised eye brow.

"You know Matthew?"

"Oh no, we just met yesterday. Seemed like a nice guy." Ari shrugged. "I'd just prefer to be doing something while I wait, instead of sitting around."

"Good attitude to have. Yes, he's here. Go ahead." Harris said to her.

"Thank you." Ari turned to leave, but hesitated to turn back to Harris. "You... let someone know I'm here tonight, right?"

He grinned. "Yes, Jackson knows."

Ari nodded and went back out to the main room to find Matt, and when she walked back to the bar she instantly found him.

"Hey, Matt." Ari came up behind him.

"What are you doing here, tiny one?" Matt smiled

"Why do you all have to pick on my size?" Ari frowned.

"Jonah said he does it to remind himself of your adorable qualities to make you seem less scary. After yesterday, I tend to agree." He chuckled.

"I accept that answer." She giggled. "Harris has me here tonight. Can I help you with anything til we open?"

"Yeah? What's he got you doing tonight?"

She frowned again. "Front door with Mikey. They didn't like me much yesterday, though."

"He's harmless, don't worry. I could use your help bringing some cases up." Matt motioned to a door beside the bar, leading to the basement.

Ari followed him down the steps to a cellar straight ahead, but he turned left down a hall to another room. Cases of beer stacked up organized by name.

"We need one case of everything, three Stella's, and two Alexander Keith's, and we'll reconvene for the liquor. You do one of each, I'll get Stella's, and Keith's." Matt explained.

"Got it." She went for Corona on the side, figuring she'll just go in order from one side to the other. She grabbed the Heineken next to it, putting it on the Corona, knowing she could carry two cases at once.

"Really?" Matt stared at her.

"Are you kidding? This was barely half a days worth to my dad. I've had to be able to carry a lot." Ari snorted.

"He a nice guy, at least?" Matt asked.

Ari shrugged. "He was absent minded mostly, but when we could get him out of the house and to his shop, he was almost himself again. I learned a lot from him then."

Matt frowned, "You keep saying 'was'. I'm sorry he isn't around anymore."

She ignored his comment. "What about you? Siblings? Parents?"

He nodded. "My mom."

"She a nice lady, at least?" Ari joked back at Matt.

"Ha Ha. Yes. She's great." Matt answered.

They continued on with their conversation while refilling all the beer, and than the liquor. It was just after 6:30, Matt ran off to get more change from Harris from their safe and his last quick smoke break. Ari could hear someone yelling in the office.

She couldn't make it all out completely, but it sounded like someone didn't want to do something they were told to, and was being a real dick about it.

Not long after the yelling stopped, Ari saw one of the bouncers from yesterday. He was a heavyset ginger, with brown eyes. He was the one who called Sid: 'Mr. Holland'.

She realized this was Mikey and he was not at all happy about his new partner at the door today.

"Well, your grumpy . " Ari pointed out sarcastically.

Mikey frowned before opening his mouth to speak, but Ari interrupted.

"Don't be a dick. I'm not here to step on toes. I'm just here to help where you need me and fucking leave at the end night, just like you, man... Don't make this a shitty night, alright?"

Mikey raised his eyebrow.

"I just don't think you are capable of handling it. Never had a woman work the door before, and I get the smallest one I think I've ever seen. Though... Maybe you'll be alright if you have the guns to call me a dick."

Ari laughed. "I said don't be one, not you are one. So, we good?"

"We're good, I guess.Let's go over the boring shit now, before the fun begins."

They walked over to the front door, so Mikey could teach Ari what she needed to know for tonight.