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“I’m happy you asked, because you can, but I’ll take a beer first.” The man is lanky, but has enough muscle on him not to be a pushover. He has a square jaw and a crooked nose and eyes as dark and mean as they get. He doesn’t smile, but when he talks, you can see his bright-white teeth that clearly could have used braces while growing up.
I grab a cold glass and push the handle for the draft beer. It sloshes over the side, creating a puddle around the glass when I hand it to him. He doesn’t notice, his attention still on me.
“Who are you?”
“The name is Jameson.” He smiles, showing his crooked white teeth. “You see, my cousin does a lot of business with your family’s club, and it seems Dante has encroached on something of his.”
“What does this have to do with me?” My heart is trying to fly out of my chest but I keep my voice even and my expression neutral.
“I need you to send off an email for me.”
I stare at him, dumbfounded.
“An email?” I repeat.
“Yup, it’s that easy.” He swipes his hands together as if to say I’d clean my hands of him after this. Nothing is ever that easy.
“I send an email and then I never see you again?” I tense, not believing a single word he says, but I can’t do anything about it. Hatred for my past life catching up to me steals my every thought. I glance around the establishment, despising the fact that I’ve been backed into a corner.
“Once that email is sent, I’ve never seen you before in my life,” Jameson tells me with a wolfish grin. He’ll keep coming back whenever he needs something and I know it. It’s how these things go. I wish I was a stronger person who could ask for help, but I refuse to see any disappointment in Max or Dante’s faces when they realize I’m not worth their time.
I rub at my eyebrow, pushing the skin in circles.What’s the harm in one little email?This guy disappears for a while, and my family will have no clue where I am. I’ll have fixed my problem.
“I’ll go get the computer now.” I sigh and push off the bar counter.
“Not so fast. I don’t have the message yet, and I need to know I can trust you. Once I know you won’t be going to run to Dante and tattle, you’ll see me again.”
He leaves his full beer at the table and walks out before I realize he didn’t even pay for it.
“Sienna!” I shake my head at the sound of my name.
Two of the girls are waiting at the counter for me to make them drinks. “What is wrong with you today?” Shelby asks, eyeing me.
“She’s upset she can’t be on the floor like us girls. We see how you watch us with the men.” Tanya flicks her hair and points to the orders. I really hate this girl.
I push down the nasty retort and make the drinks. My mind is swirling too fast to concentrate on anything. I’ll deal with Tanya another day.
It takes me twice as long to make the orders, because I fuck up on two of them and grab the wrong beer. All these mistakes are cutting down on my paycheck.
Closing comes and Dante still hasn’t shown back up. He normally returns late at night to walk me home. “Dante said for me to walk you home tonight, Sienna.” I look up at the bouncer.
“Don’t worry about it, Jerry. It’s a two-minute walk, I’m fine.” He looks unsure. “But if Dante asks, I’ll tell him you walked me.” A relieved smile hits his lips and he nods.
“I don’t mind,” he half-heartedly pushes.
“I like the quiet. You go home.”
He nods, stepping out from in front of me, and I leave the building. I really do enjoy walking at night. I’ve done it my whole life and never had anyone mess with me. Tonight, there’s a breeze in the air, which should have me wishing I had a jacket, but my body is too ramped up from the day.
Each street I pass, I have to retake in my surroundings. I’m completely lost in my head and don’t remember most of my walk. I cross a few more streets before I realize I’ve gone one block too far. Sighing, I turn back, passing a homeless man sleeping that I hadn’t seen the first time.
My building door is wedged open with a small piece of cardboard, allowing anyone to enter.Stupid people. I should get a shirt made up that saysI hate stupid people. I kick it out, watching the door close behind me.
The overhead lights in the staircase flicker and the hallway isn’t much better. Stopping at my apartment door, I grab for my purse that’s not looped around my shoulder. My shoulders sag, realizing I forgot it in the back of Throne of Sin. What’s wrong with me?
I rest my flat palms on the door before I allow my forehead to fall onto the wood. The small sound has Brute whimpering from the other side, and I hear his paw as it glides down the door.
“Forgot your key?”
