Hey, doll. Miss me?
CHAPTER FOUR
That motherfucker.
The bass from the music rattles my bones. The lights bouncing across the club are blinding. The laughs from the patrons at the bar are infectious, and the only thing that I can really sense is the feeling of eyes on me. Everything else fades into the background. I stiffen and my gaze zeroes in on the booth in the back corner. At first glance, it looks empty–but I know better. He’s there. And it royally pisses me off. I don’t know what I’ve done in this life to deserve this torment, but KarsonfuckingTate is a thorn in my side that I can’t dig out. It seems the harderI try, the deeper under my skin he gets. For the last year, he’s made my life miserable. He just won’t leave me the fuck alone.
It got even worse when his best friend and mine got together. Now I really can’t get away from him. When Parker was kidnapped last year, Karson helped bring her back. For that, I’m grateful–but that’s it. I can’t stand the motherfucker and he knows it. But that doesn’t stop him, no matter how many times I’ve told him I hate him and to fuck off. I know he’ll always be right…fucking…there.
The group in front of me finishes off their third round of shots, and they stand to stumble their way to the dance floor. A new set of customers quickly fills the empty seats and they start shouting their orders over the music. Layla grabs the bottle of tequila from under the counter while I line up the shot glasses. I like working with Layla when we’re put together. She’s a lot more fun to work with than some of the other bartenders, but I miss working with my best friend. After she came back, her possessive, control freak husband told her she was done working at Doc’s–and certainly wasnotcoming to work at Perdition. Not that I can blame him after what happened–he’s keeping her safe. It’s just not the same.
“You ladies wanna do a shot with us?” One of the guys seated in front of us asks. He’s probably in his mid to late twenties, and gives off your typical fuck boy vibe.
“Sorry no can do. No drinking on the clock,” Layla shouts over the music, flashing him a devastatingly gorgeous smile–her golden blonde hair falling in her face as she slides a second round of drinks toward them. She stands upright and props a hand on her hip.
“Too bad, we could have had some fun tonight.” The guy slurs, bites the corner of his bottom lip and gives her a wink. She cocks a brow at him.
“Not in your wildest dreams buddy. Take your shot and get lost.”
“Wow. Do they pay you extra to be rude to your customers?” He snaps and I lean forward around Layla, propping my elbows on the bar.
“Only the creepy ones,” I give him an exaggerated wink. “Now take your shot, and get the fuck away from my bar.”
My skin begins to tingle all over, and I feel the presence I despise the most getting closer. While I hate that I can’t do anything without my shadow, he does come in handy at times like this. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him moving effortlessly through the crowd and approach the bar.
Here we fucking go.
The man in front of me jumps when Karson slaps his hand on his shoulder. He spins around and comes face to face with Karson’s shirt. He cranes his neck to look into the cold grey eyes I’ve become far too familiar with. The man opens his mouth to say something, but when Karson glares down at him he quickly shuts it, and I see a shiver run through him.
“Problem?” Karson asks in his low, deep voice.
“N-no. I was just asking if they could join us for some shots,” the man stutters.
“He was just leaving,” I snap, giving Karson and the man a snarky smile, then stand up straight. Karson’s gaze holds mine for a second. I roll my eyes before giving him my back to cash the group out.
Returning with the receipt, I hold it up for the responsible party to sign. Another man, around the same age, throws his left hand in the air.
“I got that,” he says and I lean forward to hand it to him. While I wait for the signature, I can see Karson staring the drunk down, boring holes in the back of his head. He doesn’t seem angry or even a little ruffled, he’s just standing there staring.But I see the rage that’s isolated in his eyes. Like the goddamn menace that he is. The man is clearly becoming uneasy with Karson being so close to him, and I groan to myself.
When the man signing the receipt finishes, the group stands and moves towards the tables that are placed around the dancefloor. I hear one of them mumble about just getting drinks from one of the waitresses. They look Karson up and down warily before disappearing into the crowd. I get to work clearing the shot glasses before any more people can sit, trying to ignore the eyes that watch me like a hawk–this time just over the two feet of counter space.
“If that guy comes back to give you any more trouble, you let me know,” Karson says.
I know he’s talking to me but I choose to give him my back. It’s beyond frustrating that I can’t even do my own job without him jumping in. Layla turns to look at me. We lock eyes for a second and I shake my head.
“We will. Thank you, Karson,” she tells him, and I don’t hear him respond.
Rude ass mother fucker.
The weight of his stare eases for a brief moment, and I let out a harsh breath. Layla comes to stand in front of me, and I stop what I’m doing.
“Jesus, Ashlynn. Will you stop making the poor bastard chase you already? It’s so obvious he’s obsessed with you.” She pauses and looks in the direction he left in. “Plus, he’s fucking gorgeous. Have youseenhim?”
She has no idea that Karson and I have a past that goes beyond the lifespan of Perdition. I’m not going to tell her either, it’ll just give her more ammo to pester me about ‘giving him a chance’. All she knows is that when I’m working, he’s here, and he doesn't take his eyes off of me–he’s never tried to hide it. My lip lifts in a snarl and I scoff.
“I have no interest in Karson. I can promise you that.”
She rolls her eyes then raises her hands in defeat.
