“Hey, Ashtyn! Wait!” Bronx yelled from behind me. I didn’t stop until I made it to the bar.
I spun around and was hit with his familiar smell of woodsy cologne. Bronx was like a lighter, calmer version of West. His features were softer, his hair a lesser shade of brown, and his eyes were blue like a sparkling ocean–rather than deep, dark, depraved pools of jerk face. He made me feel relaxed and comfortable while West made me feel like a ball of electricity or a match ready to burst into flames at the lightest touch.
“I’m sorry about those guys. They were being idiots. I’ll give you our order and we can pretend like I’m not here with those douche canoes.”
I sighed but relented because it was my job, after all. “Sure, what do you and the devil spawns want to drink?”
“Just some beers and a round of shots. Whatever you want to give us–except Jäger,” he trembled at the word. “I don’t want to spend Sunday puking my guts out. The last time I had it was that night we all…yuck, remember?”
How could I forget? West, Bronx, and I snuck a bottle of their dad’s Jägermeister out to their old tree house and thought it would be a good idea to do shots. And more shots. And more shots. It was not a good idea. I cringed at the memory. “I haven’t had a sip of that shit since. I can still taste it coming back up if I think about it hard enough.”
Bronx laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Good times. We should do it again, but y’know, without the Jäger and maybe do it in a house or something. Axel’s having a party next weekend to kick off the start of school. You should come by.”
Excitement radiated off him at the thought of us being friends again. Afterthat night, I did my best to avoid all of them, both at home and at school. Bronx was a good kid and I missed talking to him. It wasn’t his fault his brother was an ass that I avoided because my sanity depended on it. It was easier for me to shut everyone out and do my own thing. Less chance of getting my heart stomped on again. Gabby was my one exception–that girl was my ride-or-die.
“Uh, maybe if I don’t have to work. I’ll think about it,” I said as I walked behind the bar and started pouring beers. “I’ll get this right out.”
He gave a nod and went back to his table.
I released a deep breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Max–who was a waiter and the only male employee other than the bouncers–gave me a questioning look. “What was that all about?”
“Are they looking at me?” I shifted my eyes to the side to indicate the table I was asking about.
“Oh yeah, your friends?” Max smiled as he poured a beer from the tap and shook the shaggy blonde hair from his eyes. He was a few years older than me and one of the few people at Aces I ever really talked to. The girls were catty as fuck.
“Not even close. Two of them are my neighbors, which is why I would love it if you could take them for me?” I forced a fake smile. “I’ll take one of your tables in exchange.”
He eyed them carefully, observing way too much hotness and masculinity for one table. “They are absolutely delicious. Why don’t you want them?”
I stalled momentarily. I didn’t have hours to explain why I was acting like a pussy. “I have a…history with one of them. It’s a long story, but I will owe you big.”
He chuckled. “I got you, babe.” He kissed my cheek before taking the tray of beer and tequila shots.
I stood behind the bar and pretended to wash a glass as Max delivered their drinks. The looks on their faces…priceless. Slack-jawed and dumbfounded that their new server was the only gay man in the place.
It was my turn to smirk.
West looked past Max and glared at me.
How do you like that?
Thenightdraggedonas I knew it would. I kept my customers happy, and West’s eyes kept finding me. Seeking me out. I felt his stare as I bounced through the crazy Saturday crowd. I stared at him when girls would go up to their table. Eventually Cade and Bronx left the booth to go to the dancefloor and grind up on scantily clad women. West switched to drinking water after their first round of drinks. Naturally, he would be the responsible one to volunteer as designated driver. Axel was on his phone most of the night, only coming up for air to show something to West and laugh.
As time moved painfully slow, I caught West staring at me and returned his glare with a scowl or an eye roll of my own. There was fire in his eyes and the target was always me. Even as women approached him, either asking to buy him a drink or asking to dance, he barely paid them any attention. His laser focus was throwing me off my game.
Although I had only been working at Aces for a few months, I was a decent waitress. Considering the only experience I had was catering to Mom when she was so drunk she couldn’t walk straight, I did pretty well. It was the people pleaser in me, I guess.
By the time the guys left, it was almost midnight and the end of my shift. My feet screamed to be let out of the combat boots I strapped on hours prior. Aces was still bustling so I was relieved to be just about done.
I cleaned up some miscellaneous items behind the bar, trying to make it as tidy as possible for Max who would be mixing drinks for a few more hours. As I scrubbed down the sink, the hair on the back of my neck prickled with awareness.
“Hey sweetness, what do you say you come with me behind the curtains?” Asked an older man I had never seen before. He was tall and pudgy, his long black hair in dire need of a wash. Something dark and evil flickered in his eyes.
“Sorry, I’m just a server, but if you want to go back, I can find Charlie and he will get you set up with someone.” I made eye contact with him for a moment but quickly went back to finishing the task at hand.
“But I want you,” he said with a smug grin.
It was no secret that some of the girls participated in extracurricular activities behind the curtain. They would go back with men who were willing to pay for extra attention which included–but was not limited to–lap dances, hand jobs, and god only knew what else.