Chapter 10

10

NATALIE

“ D on’t fucking touch me,” I shout and throw a wild slap in the patron’s direction. It connects his cheek with a satisfying thud that makes him stumble two steps back.

“Christ, calm down, woman. I didn’t mean nothing by it.” He clutches his cheek with a flat palm, staring at me with glazed-over eyes.

“Fuck you,” I spit.

My conversation with Dante left me upset. I started my shift sad, but the more I mulled over his words, the angrier I started getting. Maybe it’s good. It gave me the confidence to slap the piece of shit trying to touch my ass the same way the other asshole did a few nights ago. Now he’s scurrying off scared, and watching him slink away makes me feel so damn strong.

“Natalie, my office. Now!” Larry Kissinger roars behind me.

Just like that, my empowerment subsides to the same fears from before. I turn around to see Larry with flaring nostrils, crossed arms, and a disappointed shake of his head. He leads the way, and I follow. Neither of us says a word while the customers glare at the crazy chick who struck one of their fellow patrons.

Larry enters first and locks the door behind us as I pass. He gets to his desk, falls into the cheap office chair, and rests a hand under his chin before he speaks.

“What the hell was that?” he yells. “You can’t go around hitting people, Natalie. Between this shit and Dante’s actions, no one’s gonna want to come back to the Windmill.”

“He shouldn’t have touched me.” I’m not going to give in to the pressure or pretend that I’m upset at how I dealt with another dickhead trying to take advantage of me.

If nothing else, my brief time with Dante taught me one thing—don’t let anyone walk over you.

“There are different ways to deal with these problems. Smashing through them with violence should be a last resort,” Larry sighs. “What’s going on? Did something happen with you and Dante? You’ve been in a mood all night.”

“It’s none of your business.” Disgust contorts my face.

What’s he trying to pull with this ‘caring boss’ act? We’re not friends, and we don’t have heart-to-heart sessions. He pays me for the work I do, and I put up with his bullshit because I need money. That’s not going to change because of a closed-door meeting.

I get a feeling that this prying isn’t because he cares about my well-being. Larry’s relishing in the idea that Dante and I had a falling out. That he’s safe from the Demon. Well, fuck him. Even if Dante isn’t around, I’m going to keep on as if he’s right around the corner, waiting to strike.

“But the Windmill is,” he answers.

Ah, that’s what this is about. Another one of his power plays to make me feel small. I can’t wait to see how he’s going to try and twist this into a way to get in my pants.

“I rely on these people coming back. They should feel safe and secure in the place they choose to spend their evenings. How is it going to look if we keep sending people to the E.R.?” He moves the hand from his chin and crosses his arms over his chest. “I can’t keep supporting this nonsense, Natalie. You’re becoming a liability.”

“Fire me then.” I roll my eyes at his attempts to be a good leader.

Larry’s eyes widen at the suggestion, and he starts shaking his head viciously. “No, no, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“You keep telling me I’m not a team player and a terrible worker, why keep me around?” I’m not going to stay on the back foot with him. Dante showed me I don’t have to be afraid around people like this. They don’t control me because they hold a place of meaningless power over me.

“Because I have a different way to teach you manners and respect.” His words are followed by a disgusting grin. “Stand up.”

“What?” I raise a brow.

“Stand up. I don’t want to do this, Natalie, but you leave me no choice.” Larry stands and immediately starts unfastening his belt.

His actions send my flight response into overdrive. Fear grips at my core, and I can’t take my eyes off his hands working the belt. What have I gotten myself into here? Worst of all, I don’t see a way to stop it, either. I left Dante back at his apartment and took a bus to work.

“Get up, Natalie. Now,” Larry shouts.

The shrill screech chills me to the bone, and I do as told.

“Bend over the desk.” He points to where he wants me. And even though everything inside me screams no, I do as instructed.

“I’m going to spank this bullshit out of you. Do what your folks should’ve done a long time ago. And I’ll do it every time you step out of line again until you learn your lesson,” Larry whispers with sickening delight.

Tears start rolling down my cheeks. And in my fear, my thoughts roam back to Dante and his offer to stay at his place. Sure, if I did stay, I would only be solidifying whatever fucked up relationship we were building, but I’d be safe.

“Dante will kill you for this.” The words suddenly spring to mind. I saw the fear in his eyes while he spoke to the Demon, and maybe it was enough to scare him again.

“Is that why you’re here instead of his penthouse? Waiting tables and shoveling shit while your hero is off doing God knows what?” Larry snickers. “See, I think you two had a falling out, and that’s why you’re back here. He dropped your ass, crashing back to the real world. And that makes you?—”

A knock comes at his door, silencing his disgusting rant.

“I’m in a meeting. Come back later,” Larry says with his usual pasted-on pleasantries.

No response comes, and with it, Larry continues whatever he’s planning.

“Now, where were we?” he asks, leaning in until his breath tickles my ear. “Ah, that’s right. I was about to beat the Demon out of you.”

Before he has a chance to do anything, a thunderous bang comes from the door. The same barfly I slapped comes barreling through it with a bloody, bruised-up face, and he tumbles straight to the floor in an unmoving mess of limbs.

Looking back at the door, I see him standing there. The same way he stood while trying to convince me not to leave. Begging me to talk instead of letting my anger dictate my decisions. My man. My monster.

The Demon of Delta County, with a deadpan gaze focused on Larry Kissinger.

I’ve never felt more relieved knowing someone was going to get so hurt.