Literally.
Even I had to admit Sadie’s idea of a two-way mirror was brilliant. The other side of the bar wall houses the security office bullpen. A large rectangular room hidden from the public, and yet they can see everything that happens. Facing the stage and bar top, the line of analyst’s workstations are outfitted with dual monitors, some tasked with keeping tabs on the stage itself, while others have a constant rotation of assigned tables to observe. This is mostly work reserved for the junior analysts.
The senior analysts sit along the back wall, monitoring large, singular screens, each displaying a different private room.There are also physical security guards who monitor backstage areas along with any entry or exit points. The only places where there are no cameras and no guards are the bathrooms and showers.
And my office, of course.
On the daysCirqueisn’t open to the public, only half the security staff are here. Since no one is needed to monitor patron activity, it’s more for the safety of the staff members.
Once the room has cleared out, Sadie finally relaxes her stance, the powerful coding guru morphing into mocking sister before my eyes.
“So why are you suddenly so interested in stalking Cassie Harlin?” Sadie lifts her brow in question.
“She’s hosting her event here. I should know everything about her. You’re the one always saying I need to be prepared for everything, right?” I can hear my pitch getting higher and higher with each word, but I can’t seem to stop. “Well, this is part of that,” I throw my hands towards her.
“Ohhhh, so this is my fault then?” Sadie crosses her arms over her chest. I know I’m being ridiculous, pacing back and forth from the entrance to where Sadie stands at the halfway point of the long corridor. I remember how Cassie looked at Colton and my skin feels itchy.
Tell me not to do it.
She may have requested him, but I have every right to tell her no. I don’t even need to tell her anything. Just pick a different dancer and move on from it. She probably doesn’t even remember him.
She had better not remember him.
And now, if I tell him not to do it, he will assume it’s because I’m…jealous.
I’m notjealous.
I’mnotjealous.
I’mnot jealous.
“Are you sure? Because it sure sounds like you are,” Sadie says, because apparently, I’m muttering to myself like a lunatic.
This is what he is doing to me. He’s making me crazy. I stop pacing and just lock eyes with my sister, chest heaving, shoulders tight.
“Oh wow, you’re fucked.” She’s still smiling, but now it’s tinged with genuine shock. Great, nowshealso thinks I’m jealous. I told her about Cassie’s request last night after closing, to which she laughed at my outrage.
“No, I’m not. It’s fine. I can handle this.” I blow out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I just need to get myself together. I never spend this much time with employees outside of work, and this is a good reminder why,” I nod my head like this is the key to all my troubles, add a little distance and the problem will resolve itself.
“Technically, you are still at work,” Sadie points out. My head whips up, and she puts up her hands in mock defense. “Sorry, sorry, not the right time. Got it.”
Sadie walks to where I’m standing. “I’ll see what I can find on her. Little Miss Perfect surely isn’t as squeaky clean as she wants everyone to think. Can I ask a question, though?Withoutyou losing your shit?”
I just glare at her, and when she still doesn’t speak, I wave my hand at her in alet’s hear it thengesture.
“Does this have anything to do with your hot and heavy boxing session this morning? Big emphasis on hot, by the way.”
“Oh God,” I bury my head in my hands. Not thinking today could get any worse when it hits me, “Did the whole security team see?” I’m about to spiral. My entire reputation could be thrown away with a thirty-second interaction if my employees think I’m fucking around.
Thirty seconds that left me practically panting after him.
“Absolutely not. I’ve been privately monitoring all gymcameras from 5 A.M. to 9 A.M. on a closed circuit. It goes directly to my phone or station and isn’t available for anyone else to pick up.”
“Thank God.” The overwhelming wave of relief crashes over me, my shoulders coming down from where they were bunched at my ears, and closing my eyes as I try to settle my heartbeat.
“None of that, just Sadie is perfectly fine,” she quips, taking the opportunity to get one more barb in for good measure. I don’t really blame her. Our whole lives consisted of me taking care of her, so she must be eating this up.
I, on the other hand, am a jumble of emotions, grateful to my sister for her quick thinking and shame that she had a front-row seat watching me be played for a fool.
