Chapter 22 #3
“You need to go home and forget the rest of your shift tonight. I’m too upset with you right now.
We’ll talk about this tomorrow. Don’t contact Poppy in any way tonight.
Then tomorrow, I’ll give you the chance to come clean, but if you don’t tell her the truth, then I will.
I suggest it would be better coming from you, because I think you’ve just screwed this up for yourself, and I doubt Poppy will be too happy about it.
But just so I’m clear, you will not be asking Poppy or Mrs. B for money.
You will be getting another job, just not here.
Understood?” I tell her gruffly, knowing she will no longer be working here if we can’t trust her around money.
It wasn’t just the cash register grab, but the tips as well.
Tessa’s not a team player. She stole from me and then lied to my face.
She’s going to think she got off lightly and be happy with herself that she walked out of here with money she thinks I don’t know about.
But it will be a temporary reprieve, because come tomorrow, I’ll be bursting that safe bubble she thinks she’s in, that’s guaranteed.
She’s stolen from the bar twice now and then lied to my face.
Three strikes and you’re out, as far as I’m concerned.
“I’m sorry, Landon, it’ll never happen again. Please, just give me another chance.” The palms of her hands are pushed together, and she places them under her chin as she lifts her head up just a little, like she’s praying for me to give her another chance.
“Go home, Tessa. We’ll talk tomorrow.” I turn and take a tissue from the box on my desk, handing it to her.
“Stop crying, clean yourself up and then head out. I’ll tell the rest of the staff you’ve gone home sick.
” Moving toward the door of my office, I open it so she knows it’s time to leave, dismissing her because this conversation is over.
“Thank you,” she murmurs as she walks past me, head down and her shoulders slumped forward, but I don’t buy her performance. I close the door louder than I should’ve behind her just to make sure she understands how irate I am at what she’s done.
Striding back to my desk, I sit and start typing. Going straight into the security software, I extract the film I need and send it to myself by email, wanting to make sure I have an extra record of what happened.
As I lean back in my chair, hands on my head and closing my eyes, I take a moment, breathing deeply to try and calm down the rage that’s still vibrating through my body.
The door of the office flings open with force. “What the fuck happened with Tessa? She just ran out crying and said you told her to go home.” Adrian is glaring at me.
“Close the door,” I bark at him.
Adrian does as I ask, but as soon as it’s closed, he asks me again.
“I told you she’s your problem, and I meant it.
But what the hell happened that you had her that upset?
Charlene tried to ask her what was going on, but she said she wasn’t allowed to talk about it, went and grabbed her bag, and then disappeared. ”
Seriously, she couldn’t go out there and compose herself as I asked, which was more for her protection than anything else. Instead, it sounds like she has continued her teary performance in front of everyone, trying to make me look bad.
“I was about to call you in here so I could tell you. Tessa was supposed to compose herself and leave, but obviously she couldn’t even get that right either.
For fuck’s sake.” Running my hand through my hair in frustration, I sigh and tell Adrian what happened, pulling up the security footage.
I watch the angry look rise on his face too.
“I’ll check the sales records and count the cash drawer and see how much is missing,” he grunts.
“But I’ve got to tell you, it’s just money.
That’s not what I’m so fucking pissed about.
It’s what this is going to do to Poppy. Your girlfriend has been to hell and back and is finally getting her life on track.
That smile on her face when she was in here earlier with Autumn lit up the whole bar.
” He shakes his head, looking as disappointed as I am.
“Do you think it was just an opportunistic moment for Tessa, that she saw the money and just made a dumb decision?” I ask Adrian.
“Because that’s what I want to hope it is, but you know I’ve had a bad feeling about Tessa from the beginning, and I could never put my finger on why.
I hope this isn’t a pattern with her. I mean, we have nothing to prove that all the stories she told us about her life are true.
We had no reason to doubt her, except my gut feeling.
But what if she’s a con artist who ran out of money, decided to find Poppy and see what she could get out of her.
I mean, there’s no denying she’s her mother, but is she even here for the right reasons?
” I look up at Adrian who’s standing on the other side of the desk from me, hands leaning on the back of a chair and contemplating what I just said.
“Who knows. Is Tessa even her real name? It’s not like we did anything to check her out.
I mean, why would we? She did the DNA test, and we took all the rest at face value.
” He pushes off the chair, standing up straight, and looks at his watch.
“We better get back behind the bar. The staff will be run off their feet with us both back here, and now short a staff member. A useless one at that, but still, without Tessa cleaning the tables, it just means it takes one of the others off their job,” Adrian says, and I jump up out of my seat.
“Shit, yep, let’s go.” I follow Adrian out to the bar, and as I’m about to pour my next beer order for the two guys standing at the end of the bar, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I finish pouring the beers, placing them on the bar and sorting out the payment, then pull out my phone.
And with all that’s happened tonight, just seeing Poppy’s message on my screen is enough to make me smile. It’s not a big one, but it’s a start.
Poppy: Dinner was yummy. I’m so full. We’re getting ready to pay and then we’ll walk back to the bar. We don’t need you to order the car for a few blocks, and it’ll help walk off this food coma.
A photo follows the text showing me the size of the serving of pasta she ordered and then the almost empty plate after she’d eaten. My girl has an appetite. But there’s not a chance of her and Autumn walking back to Lucinda’s on their own.
Tonight has already been fucked up, I don’t need anything else to go wrong. And there is no way in hell I’m putting Poppy in danger with Dean still in the city.
Landon: Not a chance, beautiful. I’m ordering the car now. Don’t leave the restaurant until it gets there. Non-negotiable!
Poppy: Okay, Mr. Bossy, or is it Mr. Grumpy tonight?
I don’t have time to stand here messaging back and forth, but I don’t care, so I shoot another text back to her.
Landon: Sorry. Busy here. Can’t wait to see your sexy face walk through the doors and take a seat at the end of my bar. Don’t forget to flirt with the barman, I hear he’s a sure thing for a gorgeous blonde with big blue eyes as pretty as the ocean.
Poppy: Okay, you’re forgiven.
Poppy: PS. I didn’t know Adrian had a thing for blondes…
I let out a chuckle. I needed that laugh from her.
Landon: Watch yourself! I’m thinking about the punishment that will come later for that comment. Hmmm… maybe a spanking on that pretty ass of yours, naked on top of the bar tonight after closing?
Poppy: Ooohhh, I think I might have to stay up past my bedtime tonight with an offer like that.
Landon: It’s not an offer, it’s a promise. Got to go, see you soon. AND GET IN THE CAR OR ELSE!
Poppy: Wow, SHOUTY caps. Better do as I’m told.
“What can I get you, sir?” I ask the next guy in line in front of me, after sliding my phone back into my pocket. I needed that little minute of messaging with Poppy to pull me out of my shitty mood before she gets back here. I’m putting Tessa out of my mind, and I’ll worry about that tomorrow.
It’s the first night in ages that I’ve had Poppy in the bar to spend time with me and just have fun, and I plan on taking full advantage of it.
Time to let our hair down on a Saturday night for a change.
“As usual, another busy weekend in Lucinda’s.
I don’t understand how you don’t get tired being on your feet like that for a job.
It was insane in here tonight,” Autumn says as she lets out a little yawn and lays her head on Poppy’s shoulder.
She’s not drunk, but as usual, she was the life of the party.
But Poppy warned me that when that bubble bursts, Autumn is ready to fall asleep. It looks like we’ve reached that point.
The last of the staff have left, and Adrian and I are just finishing off our glasses of scotch we both poured after closing. Sitting at the bar with Autumn and Poppy has been the perfect end to a night that started out like shit.
Adrian takes the last mouthful from his drink and then looks at me, gives me a not-so-subtle wink. I think he’s guessed I might want to be alone here with Poppy before we drive home tonight. It will be a nice change not having to worry about the boys hearing us or walking in on us naked.
“Come on, party girl, I’m taking you home,” Adrian says, and Autumn lifts her head from Poppy’s shoulder to look at him.
“To my home, and then you’re going to drive yourself to your home, alone. And no one is coming.” She glares at him but can’t hold the stare for long before she starts to giggle at her own joke.
“Uh-huh, so you say. Can you walk or do I need to carry you to the car?” Adrian is about to take his empty glass to the sink behind the bar to wash it.
“Leave it, man, I’ll do it with mine.” I lift my glass in the air to show him I still have a mouthful of scotch left. I’ve been purposefully taking my time sipping it so Poppy and I would be the last to go.
I have plans for Poppy, and they don’t include an audience.
“I so want to spank your hot ass like I threatened, because just watching you sitting at the bar tonight has me so turned on. So many thoughts have been running through my head of how I want to have you.” I stand up off my bar stool and grab Poppy by the hips quickly, which brings out a little squeal from her as I lift her up and sit her on the bar.
“You don’t have to be quiet. Scream as loud as you like, we’re the only ones here now.
The doors are locked, and I’ve turned off the security cameras inside the bar so no one can watch us.
” I push her legs apart and step in between them, sliding off her high heels and letting them drop to the floor.
Slowly running my hands up the insides of her bare legs, I lean in and start talking in her ear in my sultry husky voice she loves so much.
“But maybe I should turn the cameras back on to record your little show you’re about to give me so I can replay it when I’m all alone in my office and have balls that are so full and aching just from thinking about you.
I’ll start jerking off while I watch you perfectly naked, spread out like my own special feast on my bar, with my head between your legs and your hands on both your tits, massaging them.
And every time I hit your clit with my tongue and curl my fingers inside your tight pussy to hit your G-spot, I’ll tell you to pinch your nipples, and when I’m ready, I want you tugging on them, hard.
And I won’t let you stop, not until you’re screaming my name so fucking loud from the pain and pleasure of it. ”
Poppy’s breath is rapid as I pull back, watching her chest heaving up and down. It brings a smile to my face that she’s losing control, just from my words. I slide my hands up that little bit further on her legs, and I can feel the edge of her lace panties with the tips of my fingers.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, sweetheart, to lie down along this bar while I strip you completely naked, and then you’ll let me do whatever I want to you.
On this spot where all the random women flirt and try to throw themselves at me every night, handing me their phone numbers.
And these same women will never know that where they lean their elbows to get my attention is where your bare ass has been, with your come running all over the wood.
Because I don’t intend to let you down until you’ve come multiple times tonight.
” My fingers are teasing the sides of her panties, just dipping the slightest bit under the edge, making her moan at the thought that I’m about to touch her pussy, but then I don’t.
“Yes! I want that. Fuck, I so want that.” Poppy moans. “And then you can bend me over the bar, spank my ass, and fuck me from behind while I watch in that mirror.” She points behind her where the mirrors are on the wall behind the bottles of liquor.
“Oh, what makes you think you get a say in what I’m doing to you? This is my bar, remember? I’m in control,” I growl as I push two fingers inside her panties and swipe them up through her slit.
“Landon!” Poppy yells my name, but it’s not in pleasure, it’s panicked.
I stop instantly.
“Smoke, I smell it. Fire!” she screams at me as she shoves me back to give her room to jump down from the bar.
My eyes follow her, moving fast toward the hallway to the back door, and I spot it.
A thick silent layer of white smoke rolling into the main bar area at a rapid speed.
With the woman I love running straight into it.
“Poppy! No!” I bellow after her, but she doesn’t stop, just yells at me to call 911 before she disappears into the danger.
“No, no, no!” I yell as I pull my phone from my pocket and dial.
Not my bar, not the woman I love.
Not again.
“Emergency services, what is your emergency?” I hear the words in my head, and all I can think is why is this happening?
One word jumps into my head.
Dean!