Angel fought Murphy. Lash walked away knowing Tate would console his woman. He went in front of Tiny and waited for the punishment to be dished out. The next couple of weeks were going to be f**king painful.
****
Sophia brushed some of her fringe away from her forehead as she stood packing more boxes. The job was so f**king boring, and she was tired again. All she wanted to do was curl back up around her pillow and go to sleep. Ever since her run in with Nash that was all she wanted to do, sleep. She’d not even been tempted to go to the club in case he was mean to her again.
Kate always had a mean thing to say about her.
Tears welled up in her eyes once again as memories of all the horrid things people had said to her over the years came crashing down. She really did wish she could cast the memories aside and start afresh.
Brushing away any evidence of tears, she continued working and contained her yawning. Willy came round, brushing up against her. She didn’t give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence.
“What’s the matter? Can’t handle me, baby?” Willy asked.
Some of the workers laughed, and she looked around her. She turned to face him. “No, you couldn’t handle me, and if you keep rubbing your little dick against my ass I’ll sue you for sexual harassment.” Sophia had enough of being pushed around, by him, by Kate, and even by Nash. She was done with it all.
The laughter died on his face. She turned away, going back to the boxes. The silence was deafening. Only the sound from the machines could be heard.
“Get back to work,” Willy said, talking to the rest of the room.
She kept working even as he leaned in close. His foul breath brushed across her neck. “Sue me for sexual harassment all you want, Sophia. Just remember, I’ll be the one who’ll be walking away happy. No one is going to believe the sister of a whore.”
Gritting her teeth, she kept assembling the boxes.
Money for rent. Money for rent.
“You’ve not even got The Skulls on your side. I heard what happened at the diner. Your ass is not taken and not protected.”
His hands caressed one cheek of her ass. “Think about that the next time you mouth off.”
Before she could do anything he’d walked away. No amount of money was ever going to make her love this job. She hated this job and the people inside it. It f**king sucked. Blocking everything out, she focused on getting her shift done.
The work was mundane, which let her think about the one big problem in her life, Nash. She missed him so much. When she’d sent him away after he kissed her, she’d not thought through her actions at all. She’d simply reacted to what happened. The kiss had made her body react in ways she didn’t know were possible. No other man had affected her the easy way that Nash did. Nothing had been easy to her, nothing. Her sister getting in with The Skulls had given them a layer of protection, or at least it had given Sophia some protection that she’d not seen at the time. Now, everything was gone, and she was considered free meat. Shaking her head, she pushed her fringe out of her eyes. She really needed to get her hair cut. It was too long, and the strands were becoming unruly.
Having any free time was not in the cards for her right now. Her life consisted of work and more work. Life was easier when Kate brought in money, but then when her sister got hooked on drugs, there was no money either.
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths before continuing with her job. At lunch she sat by herself ignoring all the looks she was getting. She’d never realized how much The Skulls had her back. Her sister shacking up with Nash made her life easier.
Sophia couldn’t stop the stab of pain piercing her heart as she remembered the number of times she caught Nash and Kate together. Part of her always thought Kate did it on purpose. It was as if her sister knew that Sophia had a crush on Nash, and getting her to see them together was Kate’s way of showing her that she didn’t have a chance with him.
The logic was messed up, but it was the only thing she could think of to excuse Kate’s actions.
She’s gone.
Biting her lip she went back to work in a foggy haze. There were times she missed her older sister and other times when she was glad Kate was dead.
When it was time for her to finish work, she left the factory floor and grabbed her bag from her locker. Without looking at anyone she set off outside of the factory on her walk back home. Once she got home, she’d have a few minutes to wash, change and head out toward the diner.
Her life was not that eventful, but she got stuff done quickly. Hitching her bag high on her shoulder she kept her head down. The roads were rarely busy where the factory was located.
A couple of cars and trucks passed on their way into town.
Pulling the band out of her hair, she let the locks roam free. She wanted to feel the wind in her face before she was trapped in another building serving someone. There were no other jobs in Fort Wills, and she wasn’t going to follow in her sister’s footsteps. The sound of a car pulling up alongside her forced Sophia to stop.
Gill, along with a couple of his friends, was sat staring at her.
She started to walk away once again. The sound of doors opening travelled to her ears. Her heart sped up, and she focused on the path in front of her. The stretch where they’d stopped was the most deserted with no houses or buildings in sight. This was the part of the walk she hated. Anything could happen to her, and no one would know unless she was lucky enough for a car to pass.
Sophia knew she wasn’t that lucky.
“Hey, why are you rushing?” Gill asked.
Walking faster she tried to avoid him. Gill grabbed her arm stalling her walking. He pushed her against the metal fence behind her.
“I’ve got a job to do. Leave me alone.”
In the next breath he tore the bag from her shoulders throwing it at one of his friends. She recognized all of them but didn’t know their names. It wasn’t high on her list of activities to know the men who were working in the same building as she was.
Smart move, Sophia.
“I don’t like your attitude. I mean, I was friends with your sister, and I’m sure I can extend the same kindness to you.” He caressed down her cheek. His touch repulsed her.
When his hand made to touch her breast, she swatted it away. “Don’t touch me.”
She pushed him hard. Gill came back, slapping her around the face and shoving her harder against the metal barrier. Her back hurt from the slam, and she cried out. His friends were closing in around them, stopping anyone from seeing anything if someone was to pass.