Her Ex-husband

Chapter 1

It was busy hour at The Ugly Duckling which meant scumbags were gonna be piling in and that they were gonna drunkenly flirt with Joy much to her dismay. It was usually older men that were in marriages that were falling apart or drunks in debts, it didn't matter to Joy though, they were all the same. Drunk out of their minds and looking for a good time. Joy grimaced in disgust as a man, who was clearly drunk out of his mind, stood close to her trying desperately to get in her pants. His breath reeked but she couldn't tell if it was from the liquor or it was already like that to begin with either way, it was disgusting.

"So what do you say sweet-thang, want to get out of here and go somewhere private?" His breath brushed against her cheek, burning her nostrils.

"No thank you," She politely rejected, pushing past him and serving a table. "C'mon dollface, I'll show you a goooood time," he whispers in her ear. "Ugh! I already said no, so get lost," She growled, becoming impatient as she tried to push past him. He gripped her arm tightly, stopping her from going anywhere. "Let go!" She struggled to get out of his grip but he was too strong and he gripped tighter to the point Joy was sure that there was a bruise. "Watch it, bitch. I'm not nice when I'm angry," he warns.

"I said,'' Joy drew her free arm back and punched him, "let go!" The man fell to the ground, knocked out cold and a broken nose. A group of men surrounded the knocked out man and started taking pictures, even one looted his wallet. Joy examined her knuckles before scurrying off to the back. She sat down in one of the closets, on a box, and sighed as her eyes examined her fist again. "Damn," she whimpered.

A whistle caught her attention. A slim figured man, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, eyes filled with mischief and a playful grin on his face. "What do you want, Messiah," She questions, annoyance laced in her voice along with anger. "Punching customers again, my dear,"Messiah teased as he approached her. Messiah was one of coworkers that she actually didn't mind being around, despite the current situation, he was the only one that could tease and joke with her without any problem.

"Shut up." Messiah kneeled down in front of her and reached out for her hand but she flinched and held her hand away from his reach. A frown appeared on his face. "I'm fine," She tried to brush him away but Messiah just stared at her, pain and hurt was present in his eyes, "I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise." He spoke in a calm and assuring voice, his eyes watched Joy look down at her fist then back at him, the tension leaving her shoulders before she shakily presented her fist to him. He offered a small and gentle smile to her before looking down at her fist, examining it.

Joy sat in silence under his nurturing gaze.

"You're fine, no cuts or bruises but it's gonna be sore for a few days," said Messiah. Joy only nods, eyes darted away from his figure. Messiah rises to his feet and opens his mouth to speak, "When you're ready, some guy, at table five, requested for you specifically. He looks like he means business and hates being kept waiting so I'd hurry if I were you," Messiah advised before taking his leave while Joy sat and watched after him until he was gone out of sight.

Joy gathered herself before she left as well, entering the bar, eyes were on her and the drunk man that she had punched was gone and nowhere to be seen but yet she couldn't tell if they were angry or amazed, she didn't care though. Aimlessly striding towards a table, she began her usual monologue, "Welcome to The Ugly Duckling, my name's Joy, what can I get you?"

She was so busy looking down at her book that she didn't even notice that the guy was staring at her with intensity: rage, disgust, jealousy, or pain?

He was silent.

"Excuse me, I asked what I can get-" Joy gasped, dropping her checkbook and pen as she stared in horror and shock while the guy glared at her with an emotionless expression on his face and unreadable eyes. "Y…..you! Why are you here?" The man stood, towering over her as he peered into her shaken eyes, his hands found their way into his pockets.

He was around six foot one with dark smooth skin and brown eyes that scared anyone who was unlucky to be in his sight and right now that unlucky person was Joy.

"You know exactly why I'm here. He wishes to see you," he speaks clearly and coldly, sending shivers down her spine, and he notices the effect that he has on her.

"I left him for a reason, you should know that real well, Aiden," Joy replies, composing herself. "I know but I'm not here to negotiate, Joy. He wants you and his daughter back, trust me, he won't stop until he does."

"You speak as if I don't know him, I was married to him for a few years until I had the kid but I moved on and he should too," Joy tries to leave but Aiden grips her arm, her eyes darting from his hand gripped around her arm to his face, shocked that he would grab her. “You know his heart belongs to you and only you. He’s gonna be irrational and very angry when he finds out about your new guy,” Aiden warns.

Joy snatches her arm out of his grip and replies, “He won’t touch him, trust me, he knows better than to.” Aiden stood there, silently with a hard expression. Joy sighs and turns away from him.

“Goodbye Aiden.” She leaves the man standing alone without another word, feeling his eyes burning holes into the back of her skull. Eventually, Aiden had left which eased her nerves but it still left a lingering feeling.

Aside from everything that had just happened, Joy’s day could’ve gone even worse. She walked on the dark street, hands in her pockets and head held down, watching her feet step after another step after another.

Behind her, she heard whispering but chose to ignore it, speeding up and keeping her head down. “Hey!” A voice called out to her but she ignored it and sped up even more. “You heard me!” Joy, once again, ignored it and continued along her way. The person growled as they ran towards her, grabbing her shoulder, holding it in a tight grip. Joy held her head down, refusing to look them in their eyes, her fists clenching tightly in her pockets, anger boiling steadily.

“Well well well, what do we have here? A pretty lady walking alone by herself,” they said, "kinda dangerous for such a beautiful person such as yourself to be out here all alone. Where do you live, beautiful lady?" Joy stayed silent as their friend came closer to them. "Are you deaf or something, he asked, where do you live?" The guy's friend said with less patience. Joy huffed in response, staying silent, her anger boiling even more and her patience running out as they continued to bother her, eyes filled with a fire that was slowly burning inside of her.

The guy scoffed then shoved her against a wall in an nearby alley, trapping her to the wall by his hand and harshly gripping her chin, forcing her to look up at him; She scowled at him. "I'm growing very impatient with you, lady. Now answer the damn question: Where do you live?" He growls at her. Joy tried to push his hand off of her but it was no use, his grip grew tighter. "Forget it man, we might as well have some fun here." Both thugs smirked maliciously at Joy, a shiver running down her spine. She watched as one of the men pulled a pocket knife and tapped it against her bottom lip before slowly tracing it down to a button on her breast, attempting to snap it off.

Before he could do so, Joy pushed the knife away and landed a blow to his face with a left hook, catching him by surprise. His friend quickly snagged her by her throat and slammed her head against the wall, most likely leaving a bruise or other injury there. Joy's legs delivered blooter kicks, knocking him away and freeing herself from her grasp. Without a second thought, Joy dashed away before they could get their bearings and catch her.

She heard them curse and call out to her but she was gone. When she finally made it home, Alec and Milana asleep on the bed, his arm protectively wrapped around her tiny form as she laid on his bare chest.

Joy smiled at the scene in front of her. Changing, she slipped in beside him and snuggled close, by instinct his arm wrapped around her form.

Closing her eyes, she fell asleep. Bzzt! Bzzt! A text message appeared on her screen: See you soon, Amore mio.