12. Aeri
I make it five full days working both jobs before I can't do it anymore and tell Olga my last day will be Friday, aka yesterday. If the shifts weren't so close together, I might be able to keep it up, but three hours of sleep each night just aren't enough, no matter how much I wish it were.
It's Saturday and packed, but I'd like to say I've gotten the hang of my job. I mean, I'm currently filling Lea's drink orders while also watching a very sexy man strip down in the cages across the room.
I'm not sure whose bright idea it was to put them up high enough for everyone to see, but I can assure you it's a distraction for everyone, workers included.
I can't make out a lot of his features from this far away, but his corset is impossible to miss, and so are his horns. He's the same guy I'd seen the first night Lea brought me here. I'd yet to meet him, but that's fine with me. I'd probably end up a stuttering fucking mess from the looks of him, and lord knows I don't need another attractive man on my radar.
Tonight's corset is black with deep red accents. With his black button-up and black slacks, you would think he would blend in with the people around him, but he doesn't. I'm not sure how it's possible, but he seems to stick out no matter what he wears, like he has his own personal beacon that draws you in.
He undoes the clips on his corset, and I know they have a proper name, but I can't even pretend like I remember it right now. How the hell is he so hot when he's still technically fully clothed? Without pulling the corset all the way off, his fingers move to the buttons of his shirt and…
"How did they take it?" Despite the noise of the club, I damn near jump out of my skin when Lea whispers in my ear. I'm not sure how she's so damn sneaky, but she loves scaring the shit out of me.
"Fucking hell, Lea!" I grip the glass tight in my hand and let out a sigh of relief that I didn't drop it like I did the last one. "What are you talking about?" I ask as she makes her way around the counter with a huge smile on her face.
Bitch.
"Ugh, pay attention, Aeri." She snaps her fingers as if I'm somehow behind in the conversation, and I narrow my eyes at her. I love Lea, really do, but sometimes she's exhausting. She has so much energy all the time, it's like she's a walking, talking energy drink come to life.
"If you're really so interested in the cages, I could always get you up in one. Talk about making hella money," she whistles, and honestly, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by the idea, but also no!
"Lea!" I give her my best glare, but it doesn't even phase her.
"Ohhhh, I see, I see." I'm not sure what she's claiming to see, but I promise whatever it is, it's not really there. Honestly, at this point, I'm almost positive she only got me this job so she could mess with me all night long, like I'm her own personal entertainment. "It's what's in the cage, isn't it?" A knowing smile lights up her face, and I feel my eyes go wide at her words. She did not just say that, right?
"Your so fucking ridiculous!" I tell her, trying to keep my words steady to not give myself away, but it doesn't matter; I can feel the heat as it crawls its way up my face.
Damn her.
"Like I was saying, how did Olga take you finally, quitting?"
I snap my head up to look at her and find her watching me with a knowing look. What is this, interrogate Aeri night? Whatever, I'll take this new topic, it sure beats the last one.
"How did you know I just quit?"
I'd told her I was going to quit after my second day here when she showed me the ropes. It was painfully clear I would make more here. Not to mention, it was taxing; by the end of the night, I was exhausted from being on my feet for hours and running all over the club.
Her face tells me she thinks my question is ridiculous, but she rolls her eyes and answers me all the same. "Well, tonight's the first night you've come in and looked like you were here for a paycheck instead of on the hunt for brains."
Holding her arms up in front of her like a zombie, she staggers toward me. With a chuckle, I toss an ice cube at her, which bounces off her boob and almost lands in one of the drinks I just made. We both laugh as she grabs the tray before disappearing into the crowd to pass out the drinks before coming back with an empty tray and more orders. Thankfully, I'd caught on pretty quick with mixing drinks; I think working at the coffee shop might have helped.
"You're an ass, you know that, right?"
"But you love me." She winks and blows me a kiss. I can't deny it, so I simply shake my head at her.
I didn't want ties; it would be easier when it came time to leave, but Lea didn't give me a choice. She weaseled her way in before I even knew what was happening. I've never had a best friend the way girls do in movies, and I'm an only child, but I imagine this is something like what it would be like to have a best friend or sister, maybe both.
"I told her a few days ago, but my last shift was yesterday."
"See, no need for brains when you get sleep, huh?"
"Shut up!"
The club isn't packed yet, but it's still early; I have no doubt it will be soon. It's filled up every night since I started, so why wouldn't it tonight?
Lea and I take turns serving drinks to customers and mixing them; it's pretty chill, and we spend most of the time talking and laughing. It's not until around nine that people really start to pack in, and Lea has to check in with the kitchen, other bars and waitstaff to ensure they have everything for the night.
Her mumbled ‘management bullshit' has me shaking my head as she disappears into the crowd.
The first few nights, I would have lost my shit if she left me alone, but even though I'm nervous, I know I'll be fine. I have to be; I need this job.
Servers run to the bar with orders, and I'm surprised when I not only know their names, but they know mine as well. It's not as if I've been here long, and I've never found myself to be anything worth noticing.
Lea.
Between her energy and the fact that she's our manager, I'm sure that had something to do with it.
Or at least I thought it did, until they stopped to talk to me and check in despite her being gone.
Jasmine, one of the topless waitresses, is hanging out, waiting at the bar while I mix a few drinks, when William all but runs over with his empty tray hugged to his chest and stars in his eyes.
"Oh, Jaz!! Jaz!" He whisper-shouts as he makes his way to her side before quickly looking back over his shoulder and letting out an excited squeal. "Incoming!"
"What's got him so excited?" I ask Jasmine as I set her last drink on the tray. I half expect her to scurry off and answer me when she's done passing the drinks out, but instead, she remains stuck in place, as if frozen.
Strange. Usually, they move at damn near hyper speed to get these drinks out, and why wouldn't they? The faster the drinks get to the drinker, the faster they need another. But right now, it's as if they don't even work here. I honestly can't understand what has them so captivated.
Pushing myself up, I lean over the bar, damn near draping my body between them to get a better look, and still, neither of them so much as blinks.
"No fucking way…"
This has got to be a fucking joke, right?
One of the most attractive men I've ever seen is making his way toward us, and I can see why he holds their full attention. I'd seen him from a distance on my first night here, and I can't deny I'd watched him in the cages a few times now, but this is the closest he's ever been, and still, he's getting closer.
He's tall and lean. His hair is silver and so damn long that his braid falls down just under his ass. An ass that I have unfortunately seen in all of its naked glory, because this beautiful specimen of a man is also my roommate… the very same one who cornered me while he was naked the very first time we met.
Why does the universe hate me?
"Talian?"
I hardly breathe his name, but I might as well have shouted it, because the second his name leaves my mouth, all eyes are on me.
Shit.
I quickly pull myself off the bar and busy myself wiping down the counter, checking how many glasses I have, and maybe cursing the universe. Nevertheless, I can feel all their eyes on me.
That is until Talian opens his mouth, and just like that, he's the center of their attention again. "Hello, Pets. I just stopped in to give you a heads up, big boss man's on the floor. Best keep your horns sharp."
I hadn't even realized my eyes were just as drawn to him as the others until he winked at me. Feeling my cheeks heat, I quickly drop my gaze back to the counter.
Speaking of horns, I didn't even realize he had massive horns on his head. They're thick and curly, almost reminding me of a ram, but jet black—a lot like the ones I picked for myself, actually.
"Oh, what do we have here?" I don't need to look up to know Talian is talking to me; I can tell by the change in his tone. "Well, Darling, you better find that fire because you're going to need it."
I hear him move around the counter; I can feel him as he gets closer, but I don't move. I might not be able to face him, but I won't let him chase me out of my job.
I need this paycheck, damn it.
"I know it's in there. I can smell it, taste it."
I flinch away when his tongue presses against my cheek, snapping my eyes up to glare at him.
What the fuck is wrong with this guy!?
"Ah, there it is."
Before I can ask what he's talking about or tell him to keep his fucking tongue to himself, he's walking away.
"Explain right now!" William demands, almost hopping the bar as he lunges for me, his eyes wide and full of questions.
"Explain what?" I'm not sure what's going on exactly, so I don't know what he wants from me.
"Explanations are going to have to wait, dear. He's coming." The moment the words leave Jasmine's lips, William releases my arm before dropping back down on his side of the bar. I stand frozen, unsure what to do, and unsure what the fuck is going on, half expecting them to rush me to fill their orders.
Instead, they turn, both with empty trays, and quickly melt into the crowd around them. Leaving me feeling even more confused, which I wasn't sure was possible.
With nothing else to do and no orders to fill, I find myself looking in the direction Talian disappeared a moment ago, but he's long gone.
Who the hell were they all talking about?
No sooner than I ask myself the question, do I get my answer.
A man makes his way across the club, and the people part for him. He's fucking huge, tall, and built, but leaner muscle, not quite as big as Toji. Something tells me this isn't one of those times where size is the most important factor, though. No, I can feel the power from this guy, even with him halfway across the room.
This must be who Talian was talking about. Big boss man fits him pretty damn well, if I do say so myself. The mask he wears only makes him more intimidating. Whereas with most others, it gives me confidence not knowing who they are, and that even if I saw them outside of here, I would never know it. With him not knowing has me on edge, and for a moment, I contemplate making a run for it.
He's still far enough away that I could probably slip out and hide in the crowd, but that would leave the bar unattended. I don't want to get Lea in trouble because I'm a fucking scaredy cat, and there's also the fact that I need a paycheck.
I can't leave, but that doesn't mean he's going to pay me any attention, right?
I'm just another employee with my weird costume uniform, serving drinks. He has no reason to care about me. He has yet to even look toward the bar or any of the other staff.
As if he can hear my thoughts, he chooses that moment to turn toward the bar, and despite the fact that his mask's eye holes are dark, I can feel his gaze as his eyes roam over me.
A shiver works its way down my spine, and everything inside me tells me to move, run, and get out of here, but I'm stuck, frozen in place, as he makes his way toward me.
Fuck a duck. This would be my luck.
"Who are you?" His voice is deep, so damn deep that his words are more of a growl than actual words.
"Aeri." I almost sigh in relief when my voice comes out without wavering, but I hold it in.
"Why are you here?" he snaps, and suddenly my fear turns to anger.
This guy might be the boss, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a fucking dick. Isn't it part of his job to know his employees?
"I-I work here."
He leans forward, his hands gripping the side of the counter with enough force that his knuckles turn white, and suddenly I'm concerned for the counter.
"Calm down, boss. You're going to break the counter…again."
I spin around to find Lea headed back toward me with a smile on her face, and I'm torn between feeling upset she left me and grateful she came back when she did. "This is Cassandra's replacement. I told you about her last week."
I turn back to face the boss only to find him trying to pierce through my soul with his eyes, as if I might somehow hold the answer to all the universe's questions.
Jokes on him because I don't even know the answers to most of my own questions.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he turns his gaze back to Lea, and I let out a breath of relief. My shoulders slump now that I no longer feel as though I'm being dissected and judged.
"Lea." Again, his voice is hardly more than a growl, and I can't stop myself from looking to her for her reaction.
The smile on her lips is far from fake, and it has me fighting my own. Leave it to Lea to have no fear, even in the face of her boss, who appears as though he might have been pulled from hell itself.
"You told me to replace Cassandra, so I did. Aeri is good at her job. She's already done with her training and wants as many hours as we can give her." I can't stop myself from smiling as she praises me.
Unfortunately, boss man doesn't seem to give a shit what Lea has to say about me. Disregarding her, he turns back to me, and I swear I see a flash of red behind his mask. I can't be sure with all the lights in the club, it could have just as easily been a reflection.
"Get. Out." Gone is his deep growling from a moment ago, his voice now almost so quiet I wonder if maybe I heard him wrong.
"Excuse me?"
I stand frozen as he leans over the bar until he's towering over me, and we're damn near nose to nose. I knew he was big. It's impossible to miss that, but holy shit, is he a damn giant?
"Get. Out." He's so close I can feel the warmth radiating off of him, and despite the fact that I want to step away from him, I somehow manage to keep myself in place.
There's no mistaking his eyes are, in fact, red now, with him so close. Other than the fact that he's massive and his eyes are red, I can't see much more about him. His mask does an excellent job of concealing his identity, the way it's no doubt intended to. But despite what an ass he's being and how scary he looks, I can't help but feel…safe? I don't know how to describe it, but it's as if I know without a shadow of a doubt he wouldn't harm me.
Which sounds crazy even to me because, look at him, the man could snap me like a twig, probably as easy as he could snap off a chunk of the bar top.
Maybe that's why when I open my mouth, stupid falls out.
"No."
He cocks his head to the side, and I watch his eyes narrow, but he doesn't say anything, and thankfully this time, neither do I.
"She's your responsibility, Lea," he snaps before pushing off the counter and stalking away.
I watch him, unable to look away even after he disappears through a door on the far side of the club. I have no idea where it goes, but the second the door closes behind him, I let out a breath, before promptly crumbling into a heap on the floor. Lea's laugh cuts through the other chatter and sounds of the bar a second before she all but tackles me, leaving us both laughing, lying on the ground.
I'm sure we need to get back to work, but it feels good to take a second. For a second there, I was worried I was about to be without a job, again.
"See!" Lea yells, smiling down at me as she pushes to sit.
I have no idea what she's talking about or trying to show me, so I just stare at her, waiting for her to elaborate, but all she does is laugh.
"See what?" I ask, finally pushing myself up off the floor as well. Probably not a great place to be lying, if I'm being honest. Who knows what's down here?
Actually, on second thought, I'd probably be better off not knowing.
Gross.
I shiver at the idea of all the nasty stuff that could be on the ground. Lea seems unfazed, though, as she wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me into her side for a hug that almost feels more like a headlock.
"I told you, you're a bad bitch! Talk about sticking it to the man!"