Chapter 14
Quinn
NEW FRIENDS AND FORGIVENESS
“So, you seriously set up a dinner for your husband and his brothers and then up and ditched them?” I ask incredulously.
The woman in front of me is already my favorite customer for the night.
When she sat down at the bar, she slid me a hundred-dollar bill and told me, as long as I keep the cherry mojitos flowing, she’ll make sure I can afford a Gucci bag by the end of the night.
We both giggled, but I don’t think she was kidding.
I also can’t help but love her for the way she carries herself.
Not only is this woman beautiful and obviously rich, she’s curvy.
Like me. And men are practically breaking their necks to look at her in the tight black dress, which hugs her all the way down to the top of her knees.
It’s not short or revealing at all. In fact, the neckline of the dress falls in gentle, silky swoops, barely displaying any cleavage.
Yet, she’s sexy as hell. She’s also really nice, which only makes her an even more attractive person.
Jordyn—she told me her name as soon as she sat down. Then she told me that tonight I was her drinking buddy, even though I can’t drink on shift. Hell, if the woman keeps sliding me hundreds while being as sweet as sugar to me, I’ll be her bestie all night long.
“It was so fun seeing his face. Listen,” Jordyn says as she pops a maraschino cherry into her mouth. “I love my husband to the ends of this earth. But sometimes, I just want to drink in peace without him sending murderous looks to any guy who so much as glances in my direction.”
Something flutters within me at the thought of a man being so possessive as to act like that.
Jason never cared if another guy flirted with me.
When I brought it up to him one night after a party, he laughed and told me I was imagining things.
I didn’t say it out loud, but it had kind of hurt that he didn’t seem to care.
Probably because he was too busy fucking someone else at the time.
“So you told him you were going out drinking alone?” I ask again, trying to imagine what Jordyn’s husband might look like. I bet he’s all clean-cut and perfect, just like her.
Jordyn leans on her wrist and waves her hand dismissively, smiling. “No, silly. I told him I was coming to drink with a friend. You’re my friend. So, technically, it wasn’t a lie.”
I blink at her a few times before I burst out giggling. “I freaking love you.”
She winks at me. “Girl, I love you too, and I don’t think it’s the mojitos talking.”
We both laugh, but mine dies down when the group of guys from earlier this week crowds the bar, eyeing me like I’m a piece of meat.
It makes my stomach burn the way they look at me.
I hate entitled men like this. If Josh were here tonight, he’d take their group for the night, but I’m working with another girl, and she’s much newer to bartending.
I don’t want her to have to deal with these assholes.
One of the guys notices Jordyn sitting to the side and tilts his head, smiling cockily. Immediately, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Oh, hell no. It’s one thing to hit on me, but I’m not going to let these assholes harass my customers.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says.
Jordyn’s already two and a half drinks in, and her eyes are glazed over. Despite that, her pupils are sharp, and her smile has an edge to it. One I don’t think they see.
“Hey, fuckface. My husband is literally the owner of this casino. He won’t think twice about cutting off your balls and putting them through a meat grinder while you watch before he puts a bullet between your eyes just for speaking to me that way.
It also happens that he’s just shown up.
So, if I were you,” she looks past the guy’s shoulder, her eyes now sparkling, “I’d choose your next move very wisely, asshole. ”
The guy gasps and turns, looking all around, his neck twisting around like a chicken before he stills.
I let my gaze travel in the same direction, and when my stare lands on four tall, tattooed, terrifying men, I freeze. Because one of the men is staring at me, and I know those stunning, pained eyes.
Xander.
Kian and Cash Savage are with him. I’ve met Kian a dozen or so times.
He’s professional, kind, and always makes sure we have enough staff and supplies for whatever we need.
I’ve worked a lot of jobs over the years, but Savage Entertainment is by far the best employer I’ve ever had.
It’s the reason why I’ve found positions in three of their establishments.
Cash Savage has also always been nice, but he’s a bit more closed off than Kian, so I know very little about him. Cash stares at Jordyn, his gaze narrowed, like she’s the only person in the room, as he strides toward her.
I’m pretty sure Kian is single. Then there’s another guy with them who I’m guessing is the fourth brother, considering the men look like they are so in tune with each other that it’s impossible for them not to be related.
“I told you he was a little possessive,” Jordyn says lightly, like there isn’t a group of scary-looking tattooed men walking in her direction. As soon as Cash gets to her, he grabs her ponytail and yanks it back, so she’s forced to look up at him, then he kisses her, hard and deep.
I want to look away. It’s inappropriate to watch other people kiss like that, but I can’t. It’s just so intense. And hot. I’ve definitely never experienced anything like that in my lifetime. Jason never touched me with that much urgency. Like he might die if he didn’t.
“You’re getting a spanking tonight before bed,” Cash mutters to her when they part. He says it quietly enough that I’m the only one who hears it because of how close I’m standing.
“Yes, Daddy,” she answers breathlessly.
My eyes shoot up to Xander, and I curse myself as soon as they do because he’s staring directly at me. Did he hear their interaction?
Daddy?
God, why is that such a confusing word? It shouldn’t make my pussy ache or my breasts tingle. Yet my panties are damp, and I’m thankful my bra has a little padding to hide my peaked nipples. Would Xander like being called that?
He studies me, his gaze dark and maybe a little regretful.
Good.
What he said to me was horrible.
It made me feel cheap.
Maybe he’s figured out where I came from, so he assumed I’d be the type of person to do something so despicable. It physically hurt my heart when he insinuated that I would use him. And perhaps it’s because of my own trauma from growing up, but still, he was an asshole, and I deserve better.
I turn to a different customer, glad the group of men Jordyn verbally castrated went to sit at a table. One of the cocktail servers will deal with them, but I’ll keep an eye on her to make sure they don’t give her a hard time. I can’t stand assholes like that.
“Hi, what can I get you?” I flash a genuine smile at the customer who’s waiting to order.
He smiles back and asks about our Scotch options before he orders an expensive bottle.
“I’ll have it right up for you,” I tell him after handing him his receipt to sign.
The music thumps, and the lights shift in the darkened bar as I pull a brand-new bottle from one of the shelves and pull the cork while surveying the bar at the same time.
“I owe you an apology.”
Uh, yeah. Ya think?
With my eyes on what I’m doing, I don’t say anything as I move back to the waiting customer. Smiling brightly, I slide the bottle and a crystal glass with an ice ball in it across the sparkling bar top.
“You have a beautiful smile,” the man says smoothly. I know I’m not the first bartender he’s given that line to. We get this shit all the time. We’re in one of the most beautiful and alluring cities in the US, and it truly is the city of sin.
Still, as I stare at the guy in front of me, with a clear tan line on his ring finger but no ring, out of the corner of my eye, I swear, Xander’s entire body tenses. He moves his gaze from me to the guy who is clearly trying to shoot his shot.
“Thank you! That’s kind of you to say. Have a great night and good luck out there!
” I keep my tone light and friendly, but I move over to the next customer, making it clear to the man that I’m done with the conversation.
And based on the deadly look on Xander’s face when I sneak him a glance, I’m glad the guy gets the hint and leaves with his bottle.
An hour passes, and when I check on Jordyn, she’s wrapped up in her husband’s arms. He stands behind where she’s sitting, like her own personal security guard.
“Oh, bestie!” Jordyn calls as she sees me approaching. “Meet my husband. This is Cash. Cash, this is my friend Quinn!”
Cash nods and offers a polite but small smile. “We’ve met. Nice to see you again, Quinn. I didn’t know you and my wife were friends.”
Uh-oh.
Red flags.
Big ones.
When I told Jordyn I’d be her bestie, I didn’t realize her husband was my boss. And also my asshole neighbor’s sister-in-law.
Jordyn giggles. “He’s teasing. I told him I made it up. But I also told him I really like you. I want you to be my friend.”
Cash smirks but looks down lovingly at Jordyn, his gaze so possessive that I think every man in the room can feel it.
“Can I get you something to drink, Mr. Savage?” I ask, hoping my cheeks aren’t as red as they feel.
“Just call me Cash. And can we get four whiskeys, neat, and another drink for my bratty wife?”
Jordyn just laughs at that, and it’s adorable. It’s obvious she’s as obsessed with Cash as he is with her.
I pour the whiskeys and slide them over to Cash.
“Thanks, Quinn.” Kian steps up to grab one of the glasses.
How is it possible for all four of these men to be so insanely good-looking? And the best part is, they aren’t perfect. They’re tatted and scarred. They’re intimidating, but they’ve always been nothing but kind.
Well… that’s not true. Xander’s an asshole. But Kian and Cash are great. And Beckett seems nice as he raises his glass to me and smiles before he takes a drink.
Meanwhile, Xander is still at the other end of the bar from where he tried to talk to me earlier and I ignored him.
“So, is there a reason our brother is over there sulking after speaking to you?” Cash asks with amusement.
Shit. I didn’t realize his family was watching. And what am I supposed to say to that? It’s not like I’m going to tell him that their brother is an asshat who assumed I was a manipulative twat. So instead, I smile as brightly as I can.
“I’m not really sure. I’ll be back in a few to check on you,” I chirp before moving along to another customer.
That’s the best part of this job. I always have an easy escape from a conversation since there’s always someone waiting for a drink.
As I work my way back down my side of the bar, I feel Xander’s eyes on me the entire time. When I’m within earshot, mixing a drink, he clears his throat.
“I’m sorry, sunshine. I was a cruel asshole. I don’t deserve your grace, but I hope you’ll find it in that beautiful heart of yours to forgive me.”
When I flick my gaze to him, my heart constricts.
There’s something about Xander I can’t quite figure out.
He’s been hurt for sure. You don’t get that haunted look unless you’ve been through some shit.
It took me a long time to lose that after what my mom did to me.
It made what Jason did to me seem like a fairytale.
He stares back at me, his jaw tight. After what feels like an eternity, I turn my attention back to the drink I’ve made and start going down the waiting customers at the bar in the opposite direction.
Just because he’s apologized doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy on him.
I forgave my mom and Jason repeatedly. And after Jason fucked me over, I decided I wouldn’t allow that to happen again.
It doesn’t matter how much I’m drawn to Xander.
How everything with him feels different.
There’s a rawness between us that I’ve felt since the first time we met.
Which was totally random, and the asshole had to go and ruin it by accusing me of something I didn’t do.
So Xander can just sit down there and sulk all night for all I care.