“You should try that on,” Hillary says with an encouraging smile.
I glance at myself in the mirror and know she’s right.
A few hours later, I arrive at work in my new dress, sporting sparkly silver heels and a new pair of earrings that really set it off. I’ve gotten my hair professionally styled, and I’ve had my makeup done. I look like a celebrity myself, so when it comes to the higher-end tables tonight, I fully expect to get my fair share. Seeing famous people was one of the main reasons I came to LA, so I’m super excited to get my chance.
As soon as I walk in, my coworkers notice. “Wowza!” Carter says, running his hand through his signature swoosh. “You look amazing, Meghan!”
I can’t help but blush. “Thanks,” I tell him. One by one, the others greet me the same way, all but Hunter. I don’t see him anywhere.
“What’s the occasion?” Allie asks me, her arm still around me.
I had been debating all day whether or not I was going to tell them. But when Allie asks, I can’t help but reply, “It’s my birthday.”
“What!” she shouts as everyone else echoes the sentiment. “Happy birthday!”
“I wish I would’ve known!” Sadie proclaims, hugging me. “I would’ve given you a gift.”
I shake my head. “No, no, that’s okay. I’m just… happy to be here. With my friends—my family.” They all give me a quick hug before we have to get to work.
I can’t help the smile that’s on my face as I begin to take orders and serve my customers. Lots of people compliment my dress, and while I think I always look good at work, I know they can see how happy I am tonight. It makes me do an even better job of meeting their needs than usual.
Not only is it my birthday making me smile, but I also got my wish. One of my tables is a group of actors from my favorite show,Midnight Madness, and I am so thrilled to be flirting with the handsome Lane Brooks that I can’t wipe the smile off of my face.
And then I turn around and practically collide with Hunter again, and I’m so glad the tray in my hands is empty. “Oh, shit!” I say, staring into his eyes—eyes that perfectly match my dress.
“Hey, Meg,” he says, a friendly smile on his perfect lips, his hands on his hips, all nonchalant like we talk all the time. “How’s it going?”
“Uh… fine,” I stammer, still trying to get my shit together. “H-how are you?”
“Good, good. Listen, I’ve got a VIP client in the back I need you to wait on tonight, okay? He’s extremely important, so do your best job, all right?” He claps me on the back like we’re just old pals, and I stare at him like he’s lost his fucking mind.
“Back there?” I ask, my eyes wide as I think about what happened the last time I was in that part of the club.
He seems to have forgotten, though I’m almost certain it’s an act. “Yeah, room five,” he tells me. “I’ll be in and out. Thanks.” He gives me a head bob and walks away.
I’m not sure if I should run to Allie and ask her what to do or if I should just get on with it, but it takes me a moment to start walking again. At least it wasn’t room nine—the redrum, as I like to think of it…
With a deep breath, I head to room five. The door is slightly ajar, and the scent of cigar smoke hits me before I even walk in. I do my best not to cough and glide in with a smile on my face worthy of my birthday.
Seven men in expensive suits sit at a table, playing cards while they finish a round of beers. Most of them look old enough to be my dad, though a few are younger. All of them stop talking and look up as I enter the room.
Clearing my throat, I ask, “Another round?”
They stay quiet for a beat before one of the older men, with dark hair and chocolate eyes that seem to penetrate to my soul, and not in a good way, says, “I’ll have a scotch this time, on the rocks.”
“Yes, sir,” I say with a confident nod. Then the rest of them place their orders, and I rush off to get their drinks, just as Hunter enters the room.
By the time I get back with the drinks, they’re talking business, Hunter is sitting with them, and I try not to listen because I figure none of this is my concern. I set the drinks down, clean up the empties, and get the sense from Hunter that whatever this guy is talking about, he doesn’t like it.
“Listen, Victor,” he says, “I understand your concerns, but I’m not prepared to increase the percentage you’re getting from our distribution network. It’s just not feasible at this time.”
“That’s bullshit!” this Victor person says. “You gotta increase these margins.”
I try not to linger, but one of the men signals for my attention, and I realize he’s already finished his drink, so I head off to get another.
As I work the table, being perfectly polite, keeping my mouth shut, I learn a lot. Victor Velasco, otherwise known as the Raven, is a work associate of Hunter’s, but he’s angry about their agreement at the moment. These other men all answer to him, and he has total power over them.
Which tells me he’s a very dangerous man.