by Jarica James
“It has been. You alright?” I asked, finding myself feeling a bit bad for him. He opened his mouth to respond, but something behind me caught his eye and he froze. Taking a glance behind me, I didn’t see anything weird. I guess my movement shook him out of whatever it was, because he gave a small smile and picked his menu back up.
“Guess we should decide on dinner.” He promptly hid behind his menu, and I’d never felt more awkward in my life. Unfortunately, I was too hungry to just leave, so I opened my own menu, glancing through it and settling on shrimp alfredo. My favorite.
“Sorry about the mishap, sir,” the waiter said as he returned. “Here’s an appetizer on us.” He slid a tray of garlic bread across, heavy on the garlic, and I wanted to cackle. Between the wine and now this, there was no way that Dani wasn’t involved. I’d say it was the Adrostos, but how could they have known about the date?
“It’s alright,” Lance said kindly, wrinkling his nose before sliding the bread my way. “Eat up, sweetheart.” My eyes narrowed at the gesture. What a gentleman to slide something you find disgusting my way and then presumptively call me sweet. Dick, I bet he forgot my name.
“I’ll have the shrimp alfredo, and if you could, have them add a pinch of cayenne to it. I like it spicy,” I asked, giving him puppy dog eyes. He chuckled and nodded.
“Of course, my dear,” he said, his voice nice and soft. Once he turned to my date, however, his whole demeanor changed. “And for you?” The question was cold, just barely toeing the line between professionalism and outright sneering at my “date.” Yeah, this definitely wasn’t normal. Was it wrong that I wasn’t even a little shocked?
“I’ll just have the penne special, now leave us,” he said, practically throwing over his menu then snatching mine angrily to do the same, going from wholesome to rude in mere seconds. I nearly reached for my Sig because people shouldn’t just snatch shit from me, but I somehow held back. If he lives through this, it’ll be a fucking miracle.
The waiter seemed to share my sentiment, taking a deep breath before walking away, muttering in Italian under his breath.
My eyes flickered to Lance, but his eyes were locked across the room again. I followed his gaze, narrowing my eyes when I noticed a cute little redhead at the bar. Is he kidding me right now?
“See something you like over there?” I asked, pouring all the innocence I could into my voice. Okay, I’m not so great at being innocent, but I’m trying. He turned to me with an indulgent smile, condescendingly lying to my face. I knew right away he was the shady salesman type, and I wasn’t buying it. I could detect a lie on even the most highly trained people.
“Not at all, just appreciating the decor,” he said. “As general manager I have a hand in the set-up at the bistro and like to check out the competition.”
“I doubt this place is your competition,” I said, his left eye twitching slightly in response. He didn’t say anything, both of us falling silent as we waited for food, and I plotted my escape. He kept taking sips of his water like it would solve the problem that was this date while I drank wine and ate my garlic bread. He might have found it disgusting, but it was actually made exactly the way I liked it, and I wasn’t going to pass up on any delicious opportunity to avoid speaking with him.
“Here you are, sorry about the wait,” the waiter said sweetly, sliding my dish over. Then he plopped Lance’s in front of him, the sauce splashing out slightly, and I had to bite my tongue so I didn’t laugh. Twirling the creamy pasta against my plate, I watched as he mumbled to himself, still stealing glances at redhead. When he angrily shoved a big, heaping bite into his mouth, I put my fork down, ready to call him out on his childish behavior. It was hardly my fault this date was tanking, and fast.
He chewed for a few seconds before freezing. Within seconds, his eyes were watering and his nose running, and I knew they’d over-spiced his food. Curious, I twirled a new forkful of my own and tasted it. The slight hint of spices mixed with the flavor of the sauce in pure bliss, and I moaned at how good it was.
“This is amazing,” I mumbled, taking yet another forkful and glancing back up at my quiet date. He was profusely sweating and glanced around frantically before he snatched my wine glass, downing it all at once. He was now panting like a dog, so that had obviously been ineffective.
That’s a no from me.
“I’m going to need you to leave now. Go ahead and get a drink from the bar you can’t look away from,” I said, falling into a perfect resting bitch face.
“You know what, you dumb cunt, I think I will,” he bit out, standing up just as the waiter approached our table, furious. “You probably planned this whole fucking thing.”
“You will not speak to customers that way. You can come over here and pay, then leave,” our waiter said, pointing to a nearby register. Impossibly, Lance grew redder, stammering out a protest until a bigger waiter joined the first and he deflated.
“Fuck her and fuck this place! Everyone I know will hear about this,” he thundered, grabbing a wad of bills out, tossing them at our waiter, then storming out.
“You deserve a trophy for sticking it out,” my waiter joked, the other going back to his own post now that the danger was done.
“Let’s settle with a box for this, two orders of tiramisu, and a bottle of this wine to go?” I asked, giving him a grin. “And my check, please.”
“You’re already covered, an anonymous savior to help cheer you up from whatever the hell that guy was,” he laughed, taking my plate and walking away. He came back a bit later with a bag, handing it over. “We threw in fresh pasta, two servings to match the dessert. I hope your night improves, miss.”
“Thank you,” I said, discreetly opening my clutch and pulling out a few bills. He tried to wave me off, but I dropped it on the table with a grin, turning to leave.
Dani is never going to hear the end of this.
The entire Uber ride back, I couldn’t help but think how stupid the whole fiasco was. Every time Lance did something completely douchey, I couldn’t help but think about how the Adrostos would never act that way. Everything always led back to them, solidifying what they already knew. I’m theirs.
The moment I stepped back into the front of Gamester’s Paradise, my steps faltered. All three of the Adrostos brothers were walking in, bodies tense and murder in their eyes.
Two fucking days and here they were like angry demons watching their prey. They hadn’t called, checked in, nothing. I knew I was being petty, but I was pissed. Folding my arms in front of my chest, I glared back at them.
The moment Dani let out a low whistle, likely at the tension in the air, their faces changed, grins taking over. Well, except for Keir. He kept his eyes locked on mine like he was ready to either eat me or burn me up.
“Dani!” Killian called out. “How the hell are you?”
“Better than you, apparently,” she fired back, hopping on my counter and earning a glare from me before my attention returned to Keir.
“You. Left,” Keir growled as he stalking forward, my heart slamming in my ribcage as he approached. Slowly, I moved away until my back hit the display behind me, a few games shaking loose, but I didn't look away either. “You fucking left. Again.”
“I did,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper as I swallowed hard. Seeing him like this always turned me on, the submissive side of me standing eagerly at attention, and I seemed to lack the proper sense to say anything worthwhile.
“Let me just tell you one last time because it hasn’t fucking gotten in that stubborn skull of yours. You. Are. Ours. You don’t get to leave. I’ll follow you to the ends of the fucking world, Princess. Just fucking try me.” The heat and rage in his words were real, and the bratty side of me couldn’t fucking help itself.
“You seem to forget that I’ll do what I fucking want, Adrostos,” I fired back, my brain coming back online just enough to put fire in my tone.
“Keep thinking that,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Now, before I claim you right he
re in your store, I suggest you rethink this rebellion of yours and come to the club tonight. It’s time for a redo, and then we need to go over a few rules, it seems.”
“And if I don’t?” He chuckled, low and dark, as he leaned in so that his lips brushed against mine for a moment before he continued.
“If you don’t, then I’ll come for you, and the punishment will be so much worse,” he promised before sliding his hand around my shoulders to the nape of my neck, squeezing as he brought his lips to mine. The kiss was possessive and claiming, leaving me breathless before he bit down on the soft flesh of my bottom lip, blood filling my mouth as he pulled away, looking satisfied. I gasped involuntarily, the new cut in my lip stinging. My blood colored his pink lips a dark red, and instead of wiping it off, he licked it clean, sliding his tongue slowly, almost sensually, over it.
“You dick,” I said, putting pressure on my bleeding and swollen lip, I cocked my fist back, prepared to return the favor, but he batted it away, chuckling darkly before slamming into me again.
“Be good,” he hissed, kissing me roughly to increase the bleeding then sucking my bottom lip into his mouth before pulling away once more.
“No,” I growled, but he continued on like I never spoke.
“You know… I always thought blood was kind of like hot chocolate, all rich and warm, just with a lot more screaming,” he said, the statement startling me enough that my mouth dropped open. He grinned like a madman, my fresh blood on his lip as he turned and walked away.
“Club tonight,” Kyrell ordered, giving me a look that brokered no arguments. “It appears your ass needs a few handprints, Kitten.”
“Club?” Dani perked up, giving me a sideways look. “Oh, I’m for sure coming too, and you can give me your keys because I doubt it’s our place you’ll come back to.”
“Our place?” Killian asked, amused as he glanced from Dani to me.
“I apparently have an unexpected roommate who hates my apartment,” I said dryly, but he looked vindicated rather than insulted on my behalf.
“Good, so move the fuck out of that rat trap,” he said firmly.Without a goodbye, he turned to leave, the others following behind.
“Damn, that sexual tension was thick!” Dani cackled, hopping down from the counter. “Now I need a coffee refill. Want anything?”
“Vodka,” I half-joked, but she grabbed her bag and dug around, pulling out an entire bottle with a grin.
“There was a liquor store down the road, so I can always replenish if we need. Be back soon,” she promised. When she left, I pulled out my laptop and started going through the online orders and inventory, knowing work would be the only damn thing keeping me sane in the end.
When she finally walked back in, I had the inventory finished and was checking out a kid buying a new gaming system. She waited semi-patiently as we wrapped it up, her toes finally starting to tap as the mom thanked me before they left.
“Jesus, who is this smiling, friendly bitch?” Dani teased as my smile dropped.
“It’s called a customer service voice. You should learn it,” I fired back, taking my hot chocolate from her hand. “Didn't I ask for the vodka?”
“I got you both,” she said, gesturing to my cup. I raised my eyebrow but took a drink, the burn of unexpected alcohol making me cough.
“Holy shit, there’s like ninety-nine percent vodka in here!”
“You’ll need it for tonight,” she teased, and because I couldn't argue, I took another pull of the fiery warmth, prepared this time.
“Yes, I will. And yet again I have to dress up… or not.” The thought alone had me groaning. Something about putting on the fancy dresses and heels made me feel powerful… but I also felt like an imposter, stepping all too well into a role I had been groomed for.
“So you’re going to show up to their club in what, a vintage tee and jeans?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in clear judgment.
“Yes,” I challenged. “Why give them a false sense of who I am?”
“Would it make it easier if I said you could use it like a weapon? Those men are angry with you, and after seeing you with another guy, I can’t blame them. Wear something that’ll make them forget how to talk,” she said with a wink, and I narrowed my eyes, not missing what she’d just let slip.
“What do you mean they saw me?” She froze for a second before cracking up and pulling out her phone. I took it and read through the messages, annoyed at her involvement. “You set me up with that jerk on purpose?”
“Okay, to be fair, I was attempting to find a way too wholesome dude. The asshole side was a complete surprise,” she defended, though she was no less amused. “I’ll honestly be surprised if he’s still alive after that disrespect.”
“They must have been the ones who paid for my food,” I said, putting the pieces together. “But why did they just watch but not say something?”
“I begged them not to, and for some reason Ky was the voice of reason. They want you to decide that you want them on your own, so I suggest you get your head on straight before going down there. Speaking of, can we close early and go shopping?!”
“Or, you can go shopping for us while I work? I can’t just close up the shop whenever I feel like it. Plus, there’s a game competition tonight,” I pointed out, her confusion showing how little she had been paying attention yesterday. “I host a monthly game competition, Dani.”
“Oh damn, well, shopping or nerds?” she said, holding her hands out like she was literally weighing her options. After a moment of “tough” internal debate, she pouted like her choice pained her, saying, “I guess I’ll do the shopping.”
“Fine,” I grouched, not ready to deal with the crowd on my own, but knowing it was for the best. I’d opened the game store because it was unassuming and drew in all types of customers, making it the perfect front for my side business. It didn’t hurt that I could be a total nerd when I wanted to, but Eros and the Priamos life had never really allowed for much down time. I didn't even have my own setup anymore. Most of my game knowledge came from watching streamers and reading game news.
Dani didn’t hesitate to head out, so I went about pulling out the folding chairs and tables, setting up the room. There had been a recent re-release of an old school fighting game, and my customers were all going nuts for it. I tried to do these monthly, but thanks to a bigger store across town, interest was dwindling.
“Sana! You’re okay!” Gabe cried out as he burst into the store. The bell didn’t even have time to ring with how frantically he came in.
“I am,” I reassured him. “The man who grabbed me was crazy, but the police handled it.”
“You’re not hurt?” he prodded, looking at me warily. Other than the slight bruising on my cheek since I’d forgotten makeup today, I looked fine, so he started to calm down.
I gave him one last reassuring nod before changing the subject. “Alright, teacher, tell me about tonight’s game,” I teased. His grin grew big and bright as he launched into an explanation I could barely follow.
“I lost you, didn’t I?” he asked, taking me in for a second before I realized he’d stopped talking. I gave him a sheepish grin in return, knowing he wouldn’t take offense.
Yup, it’s going to be a long night.
“I’m pretty sure if I stepped wrong, the whole world would see the goods,” I protested, trying to pull the hem down on my dress since it barely hit below my ass cheeks. Dani shook her head and waved off my concern, totally unfazed by it. I mean, it wasn’t her ass getting a fresh and all too close breeze. She was in a fitted suit with a plunging neckline, the full pants covering her completely.
“I’m pretty sure your men would approve,” she challenged, not bothering to stop as she gathered her stuff and walked out of the apartment. Our Uber was already waiting, so we climbed in, my nerves getting the best of me already. I knew I was panicking and needed to get it together, but at this point, I wasn’t sure how to approach them. They need to realize who I am now. I’
m not the girl who’ll just wait and wonder what they’ve got in store. They didn’t get to not fucking talk to me for days then show up here like they were the ones who’d been wronged. I’ll punish them instead.
We’d barely even walked up to the front of the club when the bouncer waved us in despite the protests of the huge line waiting outside.
“This way, ladies. The Adrostos are expecting you in VIP,” he said, nodding in greeting without meeting my eyes.
“Well, I could get used to this celebrity treatment, that’s for sure.” Dani grinned, already scanning the crowd. I had no doubts that she’d end up with a fuck buddy for the night. “And there she is.” I followed Dani’s gaze over to a curvy blonde who was moving gracefully in a group of women, her smile at full force as she had a good time.
“Go get ‘em, tiger,” I teased, waving her off and heading for the stairs to the lounge.
“You get them, bitch. Woman up and show them who the fucking boss is,” she called after me, my confidence only rising with her little pep talk. This time, no one in the crowd fucked with me, but my pulse started to race as I made my way up the stairs, head held high.
The guys were sitting there chatting, but the sound of my heels had them falling silent, all three sets of eyes trained on me. I didn’t meet their gazes, instead making a beeline for Mathias, the man with the liquid courage.
“Hey, Mathias, can I get a double shot of whiskey on the rocks?” I asked, his eyes flicking behind me before he gave me an amused smile.
“Coming right up,” he promised, turning to fill a tumbler with whiskey and ice before sliding it over.
“How much do I owe you?” I asked, but he gave me a weird look.
“Family doesn’t pay up here,” he said before nodding his head to the guys. “Best not to keep them waiting.”
“In that case,” I muttered, chugging the glass before sliding it back across. He refilled it and slid it back without even a hint of reaction. Damn, tough crowd.
With that warning, I turned and walked up to the guys, finally meeting their eyes for the first time. They stared back, each sitting on the couch with their arms along the curved back. There was still some lingering anger and frustration in their gazes, but the heat was more prominent. Just standing in front of them felt awkward, but we had to have this talk before we did anything else.