CAUGHT BETWEEN THEM

ARABELLA’S POV

"Is there nothing you can do?"

My manager shook his head, watching me with sad eyes as I handed him my grocery store name tag and took my leave.

Walking out into the cool night air, I paused when I felt the heavy downpour of rain falling from the sky.

Rain always had perfect timing. Especially when you're having a shitty day. Sighing heavily, I quickly made my way down the street and took shelter at the bus stop.

Realizing I'd forgotten my phone, I ran back down the street and went back into the store to retrieve my phone.

Once it was back in my grasp, I shivered my way back down to the bus stop. As I was nearing the stop, I spotted the large city bus just as it sped down the road, splashing me with a heap of cold water in the process.

"No! Wait!"

I don't know why I thought I could chase down an entire bus, but I sure tried.

After a couple steps, I grew tired and gave up.

The bus was long gone now, and unless I had the ability of a speedster there was no way I was going to catch that bus.

"Damn it!" Tonight was not my night. I was just let go due to budgets cuts and now I have no way to provide for my little sisters.

We are currently living in a tiny, run down apartment, which is far too expensive for such an old, crappy living space.

It's hardly livable. It's more like a crack house than anything. But it's all I can afford. 

Well, not anymore since I just lost my job. So now I can't even afford to live in the crack house.

How pathetic.

I wish I could provide my sisters with more. I wish I could give them the lavish life we had growing up before our parents died in a tragic plane crash years ago. 

We still could have been living lavishly if our parents hadn't become criminals.

For years our life has been a lie. I always looked up to my parents, admiring the hard work they put into running the company they own. 

It wasn't until I learned they've been embezzling money in order to keep up their rich lifestyle and reputation that my feelings toward them changed I don't hate my parents. 

In fact, I love them with my whole heart, but I will never see them the same again. And of course, I do feel a little hostility towards them as they're the reason me and my sisters are just barely getting by.

The police repossessed everything. We don't even have pictures of our family, or trust fund money because they took that too. 

Just like that, everything we had ever known was gone.

Our parents. Our life. Our reputations. 

All of it…gone.

I could've gone to college to achieve my dream of owning my own bakery, but I don't have the money for it. 

And besides, there wouldn't be anyone to take care of my sisters if I'm gone.

Dialing my sister Sussie, she picked up shortly after the first ring. 

"Please tell me you're on your way home with something to eat?"

"No, sorry. I just missed the bus and have no way to get home."

"Seriously?" Sussie whined.

"Sarah and I are hungry, Ella."

"There should be some leftover Spaghetti from last night still in the fridge."

"There isn't anymore. We ate that for breakfast and lunch, remember?"

"Okay well, I may have some crackers in my nightstand. Just eat those until I get home."

"Okay."

Ending my call with Sussie, I took the short trip back down to the grocery store. 

I couldn't afford an Uber or Lift to get home, and I just missed the bus. So I'm hoping that one of my former co-workers would be kind enough to give me a ride home.

I asked everyone I knew and not a single person wanted or cared to help me. They either came up with some lame excuse, or simply ignored my plea for help.

In my six years of working here, I have never once felt welcome. I've always felt like an outsider and I knew why. Most people hate me for what my parents did. Some of them even fell victims to their crimes.

Though I shouldn't be punished for what my parents did when they were alive. I've done nothing wrong and have been nothing but polite to them.

If the roles were reversed, I would drop everything to help them without a second thought.

I was walking back out of the store, my head hung low when I felt someone grab my wrist to stop me.

I flinched at the unexpected interaction as I turned around, awestruck when I looked up to meet a pair of welcoming dark brown eyes. His eyes seemed to match the smile on his handsomely chiseled face as he stared at me.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly, quickly releasing my wrist as if he'd been shocked. 

"I didn't mean to frighten you."

'It's... okay." I gave him a polite smile, my cheeks heating up when I noticed the way his eyes seemed to analyze me closely.

"I happen to overhear your situation." He clenched the white plastic grocery bag in his hand, the muscle in his jaw flexed as he glanced at the grocery store before bringing his warm gaze back to me. 

"I didn't know this store was filled with such assholes. I will have them dealt with momentarily but as of right now, I need to get you home."

"Really? Thank you so much."

His hand found the small of my back, his touch gentle as he led me over to a black Porsche.

Opening the passenger's side door for me, he waited until I was inside before closing the door and hopping into the front seat.

I gave him my address and he put the key into the ignition, the sports car roaring loudly as he put the car in drive and pulled out onto the road.

"So, do you have a name?" He asked, glancing over at me for but a second before focusing on the road once more.

"Arabella."

"Arabella," he repeated slowly.

The way he said my name with such passion had me squirming in my seat.

"And you? Do you have a name?" I asked, playing with the hem of my solid blue work shirt.

"I do. It's Lucien."

"Well thank you for the ride, Lucien. You're truly a lifesaver."

"It's no problem, Arabella." He flashed me with a pretty smile and I nearly melted in my seat.

How is it possible for a man to be this attractive?

Pulling up to my apartment building, he parked on the curb and watched my every move as I got out of the car.

"Thank you again, Lucien."

I don't know why, but I enjoyed saying his name. I found myself saying it as much as he said mine.

I gave him a small wave and a kind smile before turning to go into my apartment building.

"Arabella?"

I stopped walking, twisting my body to look back at him. 

"Yes?"

"Nevermind," he said with a smile.

My brows drew together, confusion and curiosity etching into my features.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I'm sure. Have a good night."

Slowly turning back around, I took my time making my way up the steps just in case he wanted to change his mind.

He never did.

It wasn't until I was back in my apartment that I wish I had gotten his number.

Cursing myself for missing the opportunity, I set my phone down on the counter and called for my sisters. "Sussie? Sara?"

Not a minute later, both my sisters 

appeared from out of our room. 

"Who was that guy?" Sussie asked, a frown on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Were you spying on me?" I asked, glaring at her.

"It wasn't intentional. I went to open the window because it was hot and there you are getting out of some guy's Porsche."

"He's not some guy," I retorted. 

"His name is Lucie  and he was gracious enough to give me a ride home."

"Sometimes I wonder who the grown up is," she says with a roll of her eyes.

"I mean why in the hell would you accept a ride from a stranger?

“What if he had been a serial killer, or some perv with an agenda?"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time." Despite my being twenty six and my sister fifteen, she seems to always have more common sense than I do.

I was so blinded by Lucien’s handsome features and charming smile that I hadn't really took the time to think before accepting a ride from a stranger.

Gosh, if it had been Ted Bundy himself, I probably would have been dead right about now.

"I'm hungry," Sara whined, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and sitting down at the table.

"Okay. Let's see what we have." I opened up the cabinets, but only found seasoning and cobwebs.

So I checked the refrigerator. There wasn't anything but spoiled milk and a half eaten jar of salsa that's been in there for God knows how long•

"Damn it." I stared at the lack of food in the fridge, feeling like an absolute failure.

I can't feed my sisters. I'm broke. And soon we'll be homeless because rent is due to tomorrow and I'd just been fired. I won't even receive my last paycheck for another week or so.

"I'm sorry guys," I mumbled, sighing and turning around to face them.

"What's wrong?" Sussie asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I was fired tonight."

"What? But the rent is due tomorrow. And if we don't pay it on time the landlord will throw us out on our asses."

Asking the landlord for an extension won't work this time. We've run out of sympathy cards and are expected to meet the deadline for this month's rent.

"What are we going to do?" I looked into the eyes of my ten year old sister, hating the sad look in her eyes.

"I don't know, Sara ," I told her honestly.

I didn't want to lie to her and tell her that everything would be alright, because even I didn't know if that were true.

We've been on our own for quite some time now and it hasn't been easy. Most of the world has shunned us as a result of our parent’s crimes.

No one is going to want to hire the daughter of a liar and thief. It's a miracle I even managed to get and keep the job I had for as long as I did.

"What about Porsche guy? Surely he has enough money to spare?"

"I know."

"I didn't get his number, so I have no way of getting in contact with him."

"Well do you know his last name?"

I shook my head. 

"No, I don't."

"It's okay." She pulled out her phone and started tapping away on the device. 

"I'll just google him. There can't be that many Luciens living in …bingo!" She turned the phone, showing me the picture of a man dressed in a black and white suit. 

"Lucien Cross."

I stared at the picture, amazed and slightly terrified by my sister's stalking skills. She handed me the phone, urging me to give him a call. I felt bad doing this, especially after he was so kind enough to bring me home.

"Maybe we shouldn't bother him. He's probably busy right now."

"He's our only hope, Ella. We have no money, no food, and no car. And soon we will have no home…..We need him."

I nodded. She was right. I mean, maybe it's fate that I met him tonight. We've been doing fine on our own, but fine is no longer good enough.

Using my phone, I dialed the number associated with his name. Pressing the smartphone up to my ear, I listened to the phone ring.

"Hello?" A husky voice spoke a few rings later.

"Hi, Lucien. This is Ella… sorry I meant Arabella."

"Arabella? Are you okay?" He asked, sounding panicked on the other end.

He sounded like he'd been a sleep, because I heard shuffling in the background and the sound of a light being turned on.

"This might sound strange, but I could really use your help."

"What's wrong?"

I filled him in on our current situation, feeling  embarrassed that I even had to resort to such measures. 

I don't even know if I can trust him being as I only just met him tonight. But I'm all out of options and in desperate need of a miracle.

Lucien just might be that miracle.

"I'm on my way."