by Cecy Robson
I played with the long waves cascading around my small curves. “All this hair is going to get in my way tonight.”
Noelle laughed. “You’ll thank us when you make a shitload of tips.”
I smiled and opened my arms to gather them to me. “Happy New Year’s,” I said as I hugged them. We’d gone from barely speaking to watching each other’s backs. I wasn’t very touchy-feely, but I wanted them to know I valued their friendship.
They returned my embrace, squeezing me tight. “Happy New Year’s, Evelyn,” they both chimed.
The music started, cuing everyone that it was time. The cluster of waitresses rushed forward. I waited for the more excited ones to pass through, then stepped out, only to stop when I found Mateo waiting in the hall for me. He shook his head when he saw me. “Damn, Ev. You’re smokin’ tonight. I’ll be glad when this shit’s over so we can celebrate back at your place.”
My body tensed with excitement, hoping he’d like what I had planned for us. “You look good, too, Teo.” I inched up to him, wanting so bad to fast-forward the night so we could be alone and those muscles could wrap around me. I nibbled my bottom lip and glanced up at him, knowing my shyness drove him crazy. “Are you going to keep your rule about not kissing me at work tonight?”
He groaned and looked up to the ceiling, his hands on his hips. “I have to, baby. I know these punk-ass little bitches are going to start trouble. I need to stay sharp to keep you and everyone safe.” He rubbed his jaw and smirked. “But you’re making it hard to keep my head in the game. Couldn’t you have dressed like a troll or something?”
“You’d rather me dress like a troll―than this?”
“No, I’d rather take you back to my place and lock the door.” He let out a long breath as his eyes trailed down my body. “Now I have to worry about some fucktard trying to feel you up.”
I edged close enough so my breasts practically grazed his chest. “You’re the only one I’ll let touch me.”
His stare hardened, and so did his voice. “There’re going to be a lot of drunks and fools tonight. If anyone pulls any shit with you, tell me or my crew.” He bent and pressed a small kiss to my forehead. “Be careful. I don’t want you hurt.”
I stroked his arm, recognizing his worry. “I will. You too.”
Mateo took my hand. We walked out of the small hall together and into the dark club. He gave my hand an extra squeeze when I tensed, easing his hold slowly when he sensed me relaxing. When he was certain I was ready, he left me at the VIP section and crossed the floor to take point by the opposite bar. The flashing club lights lit his face. I watched him cover his earpiece, speak into the mike, and give the word to open the doors. Almost immediately, the first wave of an expected crowd of eight hundred rushed in.
Just as quickly, Mateo had to act. A large guy dressed like a giant bolted from the back and charged a guy in a crazy gnome costume. The gnome fell forward. Before the giant could take a swing, Mateo had him on the ground. Two bouncers arrived and escorted the supersized idiot out. Mateo rolled his eyes when he caught me watching. Yeah. It was going to be that kind of night.
Jace swarmed the mike. “It’s New Year’s Eve, peeps. Let’s get this party star-ted!”
His B.o.B mash-up was just what the crowd needed to continue to slink forward, moving their hips to the sexy beat. Hoots and hollers accompanied the smiles as the lead patrons took in the décor. They filled booths, twerking and shimmying their way across the dance floor, and motioning the waitresses forward.
A half-naked girl dressed like a nymph lifted the leaves covering her breasts and leered at Ant. His face remained inflexible, but the edges of his lips twitched into a smile when Noelle rammed into her with her hip. “My bad,” she mouthed.
My section filled in first, the rich kids waving their special passes as they swarmed in. I attacked the first booth that filled and collected their special tickets, tucking the slips of embossed paper beneath my ePad. “Happy New Year from Club Excess. You get a bottle of Cristal on the house. Now, who’s having shots?”
Six hands waved at me to the pound of the bass. Oh, yeah, I was going to earn my money tonight.
The waitresses hauled ass running back and forth between the tables and the bar, where the bartenders couldn’t mix fast enough. Soon I was hefting my eighth tray full of brew, shots, and top-shelf liquor, and snaking my way back to my starting booth. In my haste, I almost collided with a giant gargoyle late to the VIP party. “Oh, sorry,” I said, lowering my tray to the table. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”
I handed out the orders as fast as my hands could manage without spilling a single drop. Yeah. Take that, bitches.
The girl at the end shrieked, already plastered. “Hi, baby!” she squealed, glancing up at the gargoyle with total CFM eyes. She clasped his wrist, urging his massive body into the booth as the others in their group made room for him.
The gargoyle lowered himself into the seat, almost missing it entirely. My intuition warned me he might be high on Mollies, but as he slowly removed his mask, I realized he was only in shock.
The blond hair and blue eyes of the all-American football legend greeted me. So did a voice I’d heard a thousand times in my dreams. “Evelyn?” Donovan asked.
Chapter Seventeen
When Donovan first left me, and my world tore down the middle, I spent months imagining scenarios where I’d see him. I imagined him running up to me on the street, grabbing me tight within his arms, and swearing to save me. For lack of better terms, I was homeless and penniless. I’d gone from having everything to having everything gone. I thought I needed rescuing. I thought someone would rush in to help. And I thought that someone would be Donovan.
Donovan. The guy who took me to prom, to homecoming, to family gatherings. The guy who gave me my first kiss and who I handed my virginity to.
The guy who told me he loved me.
It wasn’t until I finally stopped crying, and realized it was up to me to save me, that I recognized the depth of his cowardice and the cruelty of his words. “Damaged goods”—that was the last thing he called me before I climbed out of his expensive car and he sped away to start a life without me.
I never wanted to see him again. And I hoped I never would. It had been more than three years, and now there he was, sitting in front of me, waiting for me to take his damn drink order. I always thought I’d punch him in the face if I ever saw him again. Or at the very least tell him what a monstrous douche he was.
I did neither. I just froze.
“Christ, Evelyn…look at you.”
“Donnie, who’s this?” The girl tightened her hold on him. Her surprise turned to viciousness when Donovan continued to stare at me. “Donnie? Who the hell is this stupid bitch?”
“My ex-fiancée,” he said.
Their friends, who had been talking loudly to each other over the blaring music, fell silent and gaped at me.
My breath released in angry bursts. “Don’t fucking call me that!”
I backed away and rammed into Dee-Dee, who barely kept her tray from tipping. “Evelyn, what’s wrong?” Her glare shot at Donovan. “Is Dickless here starting something with you?”
My body stumbled backward, my feet horribly unsteady. Dee called to me when I bolted. “Evelyn!”
I forced my way through the overwhelming crowd, trying to escape through the masses. Donovan tore after me. Without glancing back, I knew he was coming for me. I could feel him drawing closer.
My heart accelerated and my mind wrestled between fleeing and confronting him. In the end, his unexpected arrival and the emotions his presence stirred kept me racing forward. I wasn’t sure where to run; I just knew I needed to put space between us. I cut a sharp left and dipped between two taller people dancing. I was almost to the rear bar when someone grabbed my hand and yanked me backward.
Donovan. Shit. He had me, and he wasn’t letting go. My entire body fought his hold, trying to wrench free. “Get off me!”
“E
velyn, stop. Listen, I know I fucked up. But I want to help you.” His stare swept over my body. “God, let me take you away from this shit.”
“I don’t want your help!” I screamed at him.
Two large bodies stepped between us. Donovan’s hold on me loosened enough so that I could pull away. Mateo’s crew had responded and they weren’t happy to find Donovan messing with me. “Back the fuck up, man,” one of them told him, shoving him backward.
I used the opportunity to sprint away. I couldn’t believe that despite my costume, my hair, and my friggin’ makeup, Donovan had recognized me.
“Malibu!”
I tripped into the short hall leading to the locker room and bathrooms, freezing in place when I heard Sam’s voice. He hurried forward, his crazy elf ears already askew. “I saw that puke chasing you.” He took in my ragged breaths. “Did he cop a feel or something?”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t form a single thought. Sam glanced back toward the club and then back at me. “Son of a prairie whore’s mother. Do you need to leave? Want Teo to take you home?”
Excess was now at full capacity. Wall-to-wall dancing bodies ground against each other and hollers roared over the music. I couldn’t leave Sam with one waitress down and the head of his security team missing. “No. I just need to stay away from that guy.”
“Do you want his ass out?” He reached for his cell.
I held out a hand. Donovan wouldn’t go quietly. Neither would his friends, if he was kicked out. That would lead to questions I didn’t want to answer and Mateo’s involvement. “No. I just need to cover a different section.”
Sam nodded, but I could tell he suspected there was more to this than just some loser bothering me. “Switch places with Christmas. She’s in the opposite corner, furthest away. If the rich pissant gets near you again, he’s outta my club.”
I followed Sam to Noelle’s section. He whispered in her ear, telling her what was up. She frowned when she saw me. “Some shithead bothering you?” I shrugged like it was no biggie. “Don’t sweat it, Evelyn. I got this.”
“Thanks, Noelle. I owe you.” We swapped ePads and I hefted her tray of empties.
She turned me toward the bar. “Table thirty is first, then follow the rest down the line.”
From where I stood, I watched Donovan scanning the crowd, an anxious, determined look on his face, before he finally returned to the VIP section. I knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t give up easily, so I spent the next two hours checking over my shoulder. Any time someone bumped me, I thought he’d found me, ready to haul me out of the club.
I should have left when Sam offered. With so much shit hitting the floor and so many fools high on God knew what, it would be hard for me to get help if I needed it. But I couldn’t allow Donovan to reduce me to a pile of hysterics like he had the last time I’d seen him. So I took my orders, handed out my drinks, and watched my own back.
When the clock was minutes from striking twelve, Jace revved up a Don Omar and Flo Rida mash-up, intermixed with a special midnight countdown. Like a ghost, Donovan appeared in my section, suddenly barreling toward me. The desperation in his face scared me. He wasn’t going to back down without a fight. I abandoned my table and moved, fast, no longer worried about how Mateo would react, just wanting him near.
“Ten, nine!” the crowd roared, counting backward.
I hurried to the last area I’d spotted Mateo guarding.
“Eight, seven!”
I stopped short. Mateo was gone from his post and Donovan was almost to me.
“Six, five!”
I moved toward the bouncer who’d taken Teo’s place, just to have someone close to Donovan’s size near.
“Four, three!”
I jerked when strong arms snatched me around my waist. My body instinctively fought, trying to break free.
“Shhh, it’s okay.”
“Two, one!”
I almost cried when soft hazel eyes met mine.
“Happy New Year!”
Silk petals rained from the ceiling. Mateo kissed me deep, breaking his own rule. I kissed him back, dissolving against his hard body and never wanting to let him go.
He drew me closer, his lips sweeping across my jaw. “I love you, Evie,” he murmured against my ear. He grinned when I pulled back and he caught my stunned expression. “Yeah. Never told anyone that before.”
I threw my arms around him. Holy shit. He’d said it. And totally meant it. My smile faded when I saw Donovan mere steps away, glued in place amidst a crowd of screaming and kissing clubbers. I turned from him, not wanting him to rob me of this moment. “I love you, too, Mateo,” I whispered.
When I glanced back, Donovan had retreated into the dense crowd.
I could no longer see him, but I knew he remained.
Just like I knew this was the night my past and present would collide.
—
By the end of the night, thirty people were thrown out, sixteen were arrested for popping pills or snorting blow, and three were shoved into ambulances and taken to have their stomachs pumped. Mateo handled all of it without breaking a sweat.
I pushed through the night, making a record five hundred dollars in tips and succeeding in avoiding Donovan for the remainder of the evening. As I washed off my makeup in the locker room, I prayed the night would just end. I took my time freshening up, hoping Mateo would be ready to leave when I exited the locker room.
When I stepped out, he, Sam, and a few of his crew were speaking to a cluster of cops. Officer Pete had called in backup for the punks found with coke and Mollies. Two of the pricks also had pockets full of Rohypnol.
Assholes.
“Evelyn?”
I turned to where Noelle waited at the bar with Dee. Julian, our bartender, leaned against the edge, a stack of cash piled in front of him. I walked toward them. “What’s up?”
Considering the amount of bills Noelle had earned, she didn’t seem happy. “There’s two grand here.”
“Damn, Noelle. You really worked it―”
“All from the guy in the gargoyle suit, Evelyn. He told me it was for you. And that there would be more. He wants you to call him and he said you’d know how to reach him.” She waited for me to say something, but I just stood there, frozen, so she went on. “Who the hell is he? And why the hell is he dropping all these bills on you?”
Still I said nothing.
Julian shook his head. “Teo’s not going to like this shit. It’s like this asshole is trying to buy you or something.”
“Please don’t tell him.”
Well, that snagged everyone’s attention.
“Evelyn?” Dee walked to me. “If something’s up, you owe it to your man to tell him.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” I crossed my arms. “You can keep the money―divide it among yourselves. I don’t care. I don’t want anything from him.”
“So you do know him?” Dee asked.
“Yeah. I know him.”
They didn’t follow me as I stomped across the dance floor. Mateo broke from the crowd, his expression tight. “Sorry. I can’t leave yet. I’ll meet you back at your place, okay?”
So not what I wanted to hear. I tried to keep my attention forward and avoided glancing back at my friends and the pile of money sprawled in front of them. I hoped they wouldn’t tell Mateo about the cash and just keep it for themselves. But I knew they were worried, so they probably wouldn’t stay quiet.
God. All I wanted was to leave with Mateo. And now I couldn’t even do that. I forced a smile. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
He rubbed my shoulder. “What’s wrong, baby? You mad at me?”
“No. Just tired.” I tried to stand on my toes to kiss him, then thought better of it. My tough guy had a rep to maintain and I knew the cops and his crew were watching us. “It’s been a long night. But I promise I’ll wait up for you. Try not to take too long, okay?”
“Evie, wait.” He reached for my arm. “Don’t walk o
ut by yourself. Chris,” he called. “Can you walk my girl out?”
“Yup.”
Chris led me to my car. I huddled behind him, trying to shield myself from the blistering cold, but mostly attempting to hide from the lingering crowd. My instincts warned me that Donovan waited among them. “You all right, kid?” Big Chris asked.
“Just need to warm up, Chris.”
When I reached my car, I yanked off my fairy wings and pulled on my red coat and black scarf―not caring that they were ice cold, and suddenly feeling unbearably exposed. Big Chris waited until I drove away. He hadn’t said anything more, but like everyone else, he suspected something was up.
Snow fell in clumps on my drive home, adding to the foot already on the ground. An inch of snow coated my walkway when I arrived at my house ten minutes later. My remaining nervousness made me want to sprint inside, but I worried I’d land on my ass.
Wet snow melted against the sides of my sandals and soaked my feet, but it was Donovan’s presence that chilled me to my core.
In my haste to get to the door, I hadn’t wondered about the new Infiniti QX80 parked across the street. A car like that didn’t belong in my blue-collar neighborhood. Hadn’t my professor warned me about being aware of my surroundings?
Donovan waited beneath the dim light of my front porch. He’d ditched his gargoyle gear and exchanged it for a long black wool coat. Apparently, he’d also ditched his date. I wondered briefly what excuse he’d given in order to leave her and come to me.
For a moment, he didn’t move. Then slowly he walked down the steps, his face taut with anger and unease. “This is where you live now?”
I didn’t answer him, my eyes busy scanning my immediate area. The downstairs apartment was empty. The new tenants wouldn’t move in for another two weeks. Lourdes was at her girlfriend’s, and the neighbors were either sleeping or still out celebrating the new year.
Donovan sighed. “Christ. I did this to you, didn’t I?”