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“I don’t know how I’m qualified to work in a place like this,” I mumble, and then stuff my mouth with a forkful of pancake.
Oh my god.
I didn’t know baked items could taste so good, the flavor coating my whole mouth, the richness of the creamy, fluffy pancake smothered in real butter and syrup...
Hadrion watches me carefully. When my gaze flicks up to meet his, there’s a ghost of a smile at the corner of his mouth. He looks... pleased.
“It’s just a club. There are girls, drinks, the usual. Nothing out of the realm of what you’re used to, other than the clientele paying more and being better dressed. If you were able to navigate around that harpy that was your sister,” he breaks off into achuckle.
I’m not sure what to say, so I keep shoveling food into my mouth. I want to savor every bite, but also I’m ravenous. I haven’t had a meal like this...
Since Mom left.
When we were a little better off, and life wasn’t so faded and grey.
I glance up at him, and he’s watching me, his gaze steady and intense.
“What’s the catch?” I ask, my words muffled by food. He grins and sets his coffee down, lacing his fingers together and leaning forward.
“Oh, there’s no catch, Katy,” he says, and there’s an undercurrent in his tone, a promise that makes my blood rush, my toes curl. My skin prickles with a sudden, hot flash of warmth, and I swallow thickly.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask him.
His eyebrows rise.
“Because I think you’re capable of it,” he says, leaning back in his chair. He crosses his legs, one ankle over the other. “And I have been on my last chance too many times to count, and there was always a helping hand reaching out for me.”
His gaze wanders, unfocused.
“Except last time...” He mutters, his tone turning darker.
“Who helps you?” I ask him. His eyes narrow, and he looks at me, and his eyes are a cold, hard gold, glittering at me.
“You,” he replies, his voice a growl, a low rumble of thunder that sends a thrill down my spine. He clears his throat, and all the sudden the thunderclouds are gone, his eyes not so intense, and he sits forward, taking another sip of his coffee. His plate remains curiously clear of any food. “You will. Uptown girls don’t know a thing about hard work. I had to come to the dirt and rust to find someone who was a good fit for my club. My clientele matter, Katy, they’re the crème de la crème of Uptown and greater Detroit. We serve some of the most powerful people to walk these streets, and I need someone who understands her place and won’t blink if things get a bit rough.”
He’s got a strange expression on his face, and he shakes his head.
“The last girl didn’t get it,” he says. “She was... soft.”
I swallow.
“How did you meet her?”
He gives me a look.
“I’ve got to get going to see to some business. Finish up. Elenora, the girl who served us, will see you outfitted later with whatever you need. Just ask her.” He gets to his feet, and already I feel a rise of panic in me. I don’t really know the first thing of what I need to do...
“Wait, but what am I supposed to do? I’m not a manager,” I say, and he pauses, looking over his shoulder at me.
“No, but you have experience running a bar,” he says. “You’ll figure it out. Trust yourself. The river finds a way,” he said cryptically and left the room, closing the door behind him with a decisive thud.
My belly gurgled, and I looked down at my plate. Maybe I ate too much... but I’m feeling a bit nauseous. I should find Elenora, and ask her for help, get a bra, and then find out how I can call home and let them know I’m okay and find out if they’re alright too.
7
Hadrion
He’s leaning against the side of his car, a sleek looking black sports car, on a high cliff overlooking the city when I pull up on my motorbike. I take a moment to appreciate the lines of his vehicle. The outline of a bird of prey sketched out across the hood in matte gold.
