Broni cast Rhys a look, and when he didn’t move, she got out of bed and went to answer the door.
“Hi, I’m Dee. Adam sent me to get you. You’re supposed to work with me today.” She wrinkled her nose at Broni’s wrinkled clothes. “Come with me. You can borrow some clothes until you get some of your own.”
Broni followed her to a room two doors down. “Wait here.” Dee went inside the room for several minutes, eventually coming out with a handful of clothes. “Here, take these. You can give them back when you’re finished with them. I’ll tell Adam you need some clothes, and he’ll get them on his next run.”
Broni didn’t question how Adam would get her clothes. She somehow didn’t think he was going to go to a store to buy them for her, though.
“After you get changed, come to the front. Don’t take long,” she warned. “Layla’s working, too, and she’s already pissed off at you because of Rhys.”
Broni nodded her head before going back inside Rhys’s room. She took a quick shower then dressed in the short, blue jean skirt and a t-shirt. Broni eyed the platform scandals with a wary eye. She had spent most of her life in boots and the heels looked difficult to balance in. She sat them back down, putting her own tennis shoes back on, not caring how it looked with the provocative outfit. She then hurried to the front, heeding Dee’s advice.
Dee and the woman she recognized as Layla, as the one that Rhys had made come in front of her eyes the previous night, were cleaning the large room with another woman who looked like she was still feeling the aftereffects of the night before.
Layla threw her a dirty look. “You can do the dishes,” she said, then went back to cleaning the table she was wiping down.
Broni went behind the bar counter, seeing a sink filled with dirty glasses. She began doing the dishes, and every time she thought she was done, one of the women would bring her several more. Finally, she completed the chore, watching as the women worked quietly together, making no attempt to chat with each other.
“If you’re done with the dishes, you can get started on mopping the floor. The mop is in the closet.” Layla pointed to a closet at the end of the counter.
Broni got the mop and bucket. She didn’t argue with the domineering woman, following all her orders. She rinsed out the mop when she finished, placing it and the bucket back into the closet.
“Take a seat. I’ll go next door and get us some lunch,” Dee offered.
Broni sat down at the tablewith Layla and the other woman.
“I’m Nikki,” the other woman said.
Broni introduced herselfthen felt both women’s eyes sizing her up.
Layla leaned forward in her chair. “We need to get something straight. Rhys is mine.”
“According to what I heard last night, I don’t think Rhys would agree,” Broni rebutted the woman’s statement.
A stinging smack to her cheek was delivered before Broni could move.
“You stupid bitch, it doesn’t matter what he says. I’m telling you, he’s mine.”
Broni was neverone to let someone intimidate her, so she didn’t let the smack silence her either. “I didn’t see you in bed with us last night,” Broni goaded.
This time when Layla went to strike her, Broni was ready. She caught her hand mid-strike and then twisted her thumb into a painful hold, which had Layla falling from her chair to her knees by Broni’s chair in agony.
“Let her go.” Broni recognized the voice behind her back as Adam’s. She immediately released Laylaand the woman started to go for Broni again.
“Stop it, Layla,” he snapped.
The woman stopped, retaking her chair with a look of promised retribution. Broni didn’t have to be told she had made an enemy.
Adam took a seat at the table of women, giving each of them a hard glance. “I won’t have trouble between the women. I have my hands full enough dealing with the brothers’ shit. Layla, you know the rules. Rhys hasn’t claimed you, so you sure as fuck don’t have the right to claim him.”
Broni watched the woman slowly nod her head.
The door opened then with Dee coming back inside, carrying a large bag and a carrier with cups. She set the items down on the table and the women ate quietly as Adam drank a cup of coffee. Broni cleaned up the trash when they finished, wondering what they expected of her next.
She didn’t have to wait long for her answer.Men began coming in, expecting to be fed. Dee took her behind the bar.
“When the men come in, they’ll tell you what they want to eat or drink. Get it for them then come back to the bar. The kitchen is out back. Nikki does the food orders, so tell her if there’s anything you need.” Dee pulled out several beers, opening them and then taking them to the men who had sat down at the table.
When she came back to the bar, she told Broni,“We’re here to give them what they want, so if one of them touches you don’t say anything. They all know you’re going up Saturday so they won’t go too far. I’ll wait on Tank.”