10. You Can’t Be Here

Chapter 10

You Can't Be Here

HUNTER

M egan doesn't show up for our planned shopping excursion, making me completely toss out the whole ‘no distraction' talk I just had with myself. I'm annoyed. I'm not used to people, especially my employees, not listening to me.

It's…odd.

Maybe she thinks I'll give up because I view this shopping trip as something inconsequential but clearly Megan doesn't know me. When I decide on something, it's going to happen one way or the other, even if it's something I have no fucking business doing.

"Go to State Arts College," I tell Parker. "It seems we'll have to pick up Miss Taylor ourselves."

The freeway is always busy but Parker has a knack of finding a path through even the worst of traffic jams. Defensive driving is one of his superpowers. By the time we reach the university, the students are piling out.

"Park across the road," I instruct, watching the gate.

I can see a few envious glances towards the sleek BMW we're in, but I don't focus on the students. My eyes narrow in on one single figure with a head full of lush curls who is approaching the gate.

My head tilts when I notice the limp. Megan isn't walking but dragging a leg behind her.

"What's wrong with her?" Parker asks, also seeing what I'm seeing. "You want me to check?"

I don't answer him as I exit the car, striding towards her as if I'm on autopilot, my trench coat flapping behind me as I walk in brisk movements.

The crowds of students have already departed, and there are only a few stragglers. Megan hasn't noticed me, but as I get closer to her, I see that her right cheekbone looks bruised, and her hair is not purposely styled wildly but is a little disheveled.

"Did you lose a fight or something?" I ask, as she nearly jumps once she notices me.

"W-What?" She stares at me uncomfortably. "What are you doing here? You can't be here."

"Why can't I?"

"Because this is where I go to school."

I ignore her words as I use my hand to tilt her chin up, studying her face. Megan's got a delicate facial structure with expressive eyes and high cheekbones, one of which contains a purplish-looking bruise.

"Did you at least win?" I ask her slowly, not totally understanding my irritation at the sight of the mark.

She looks at me with an obstinate look in those luminous eyes of hers. "This is nothing."

I study her.

Her reaction is so familiar it's almost startling. It's what I used to say to people after I got my ass handed to me when I was a kid.

"So, you didn't just get into an altercation?"

"No." Her cheeks betray her and are colored in embarrassment. "Now, will you please let me go? You and your friends really have to stop showing up here. It's borderline stalkerish."

Even with all her sass, the size of Megan's entire face is comparable to the span of my hand and it reminds me just how young and petite she is. It would be so easy to break her.

"So, who was it?" I ask, deciding not to let this go. Normally, I wouldn't concern myself with people's personal issues. Hell, I basically just told one of my best friends to fuck off this morning, but there's something about this fiery art student that I just can't ignore.

She struggles with her backpack, and I can see that it's difficult for her to walk and carry it at the same time. I don't hesitate to wrench it from her and throw it in Parker's direction, who's followed me out of the car.

"Hey!" Megan protests in alarm. "That's my bag."

"Put it in the car," I order Parker, and when he walks away, I turn my attention to Megan. "You didn't answer my question."

"What question?" She asks in a distracted manner, her eyes on her bag. Her tone is almost mournful as she mumbles, "My sandwich."

"What?"

She glares at me. "My sandwich is in the bag. I was going to have that for lunch."

She's upset over a sandwich?

Now that I look at her, I see that she has curves in all the right places except on her face. Her cheeks look a bit hollowed.

Does this girl eat?

"Who hit you?" I force her to pay attention. "I won't ask a fourth time."

"Oh, good," she says sarcastically. "Because it's annoying when you repeat yourself."

"I'll go find out myself."

Megan instantly grabs my forearm and it doesn't escape me that this is the first time she's initiated any physical contact with me.

I like it.

"Look, it's just a small matter between friends. Things like this happen all the time. I'll cover it with makeup so nobody will see it at work. I promise not to ruin the Blue Whiskey brand, okay?"

It makes sense that she thinks I'm annoyed because I don't want her bruise on display at the club, but the sight of it bothers me…period.

I feel someone watching me, and when I look up behind Megan, I see a small group of students watching me from the steps of a building with a wide staircase anchored by two large stone pillars. They're studying me with curiosity, but my eyes focus on two in particular. I can sense their hostility from all the way across from here. I bet they have something to do with why my new manager suddenly has a limp and a bruise.

One of them is a brunette wearing tiny scraps of clothing and too much makeup. One could almost call her attractive, but I've seen her type so many times that she does nothing for me. For some reason though, she looks irritated as her eyes move between me and Megan.

The guy next to her has his arm around her waist, but he's scowling. I don't know what prompts me but I lower my head until my lips are right next to Megan's ear and I murmur softly, "You're one of my people which means you're under my protection. If you were smart, you'd give me names, and I'll take care of them for you."

Even as I say that, my eyes are on the boy radiating anger across the yard. I can see his eyes flash when I lean into Megan's personal space. I don't hear what Megan is saying in response because I meet the boy's baby-blue eyes, and I smile mockingly.

He flushes in fury.

Satisfied that I've annoyed him, I turn and place my hand on the small of Megan's back, "Let's continue this discussion in the car."

"Did you hear what I just said?" she asks, her tone a little demanding. It amuses me how she keeps forgetting that I'm her boss.

"I wasn't listening," I say, unconcerned.

"I have to go home first." She tries to wiggle away from me, and I sigh.

"Either you get into the car, or I carry you into the car. Which option do you prefer?"

I find myself hoping that she'll test me. I wouldn't mind lifting her heart-shaped ass over my shoulder in front of every nosy kid on this campus, but fortunately for her, she's not that brave. Clearly not wanting to make a scene, she obediently gets in the car. I've got to admit I'm a little disappointed. I would have rather had the scene.

As I slide in after her, I meet Parker's gaze, jerking my head towards the group of college students still watching us. I watch him lift his cell phone and snap a discreet picture of them.

I didn't lie when I said that Megan is one of my people. If I can't even keep an employee like her safe, why would anyone trust me to take care of the big jobs?

"Seriously, why are you here?" Megan looks uneasy, and I wonder if she's going to attempt to jump out of the driving vehicle. I wouldn't put anything past this woman at this point.

"You didn't show up today like we discussed." I look out the window at the passing scenery.

"Show up for what?"

Did she seriously forget about shopping with me? Most women would jump at the chance.

"Your shopping trip?"

"There is nothing wrong with the way that I dress. My clothes are clean and totally appropriate for the bar, sir. " She sounds completely offended, and I press my lips together to prevent myself from smiling. A man could get used to being called sir from a mouth like hers.

"Regardless of what you may think about my club, it's a fine establishment with a certain reputation," I say coolly. "Your clothes need to reflect that. Be grateful that I'm not making you pay for them out of your own salary."

"I remember when I was just a bartender and didn't even know what you looked liked. Remember those good ole' days?" she sneers.

As she glowers at me, I give her a careful look. "Keep up that attitude, and I might consider docking your pay for the outfit you are definitely buying. Rent is due soon, isn't it?"

She immediately shuts up.

Moments later, Megan frowns when we drive up to a cluster of tall white buildings. "This isn't a shopping center."

"That's very insightful," I say plainly. "This is the hospital."

"I'm fine. I don't need to get checked. It's just a scratch, seriously."

I turn my head towards her and am about to protest until the look on her face stops me in my tracks. She looks utterly terrified.

"I'm not going in there," she says firmly.

"You have to get your leg looked at as well as that bruise on your face," I tell her, my tone even.

"No medical insurance."

"The club will cover it."

But Megan shakes her head in quick, desperate movements, pressing herself against the door. Her voice is shaking, and her normally defiant eyes are wide and terrified. When I look into them, I don't see any trace of my fiery manager.

"Boss," Parker sounds tense. "Lars can patch her up at the club."

When I meet Parker's gaze, I see that he has a concerned expression on his face. Whatever spell Miss Taylor seems to be slowly casting on me may be rubbing off on him, too.

"Lars?"

"Yeah."

In another life, Lars used to work as a medic, so I know he's reliable. He's seen to my injuries plenty of times, but I'm a little displeased that Parker thought of the idea and I didn't.

As I glance over at Megan, I'm reminded of the information that Lars shared with me not that long ago. Megan probably spent more time in hospitals as a child than any kid ever should. The petrified look on her face makes my decision pretty simple although I imagine Lars is not going to like it. He's a pretty inflexible son of a bitch.

"Fine, let's go to the club," I agree to Parker's suggestion. "But call Lars and give him a heads up."

"Sure thing, boss."

However, the whole drive back, Megan is quiet and almost a shadow of herself; her hands don't stop shaking.

The way she's curled into a corner of the car in an attempt to make herself as small as possible makes me wonder about what exactly happened to her.

And who the hell do I have to destroy to make sure that they pay for it?