Wrath
After a great weekend at home with Jalisa, I hated to come to work this morning, but I had to.
There were a few things I had to do that required me to do them at Pagan’s Pub.
I planned to get them out of the way as fast as possible, then head home to finish the workday there.
I’d left my Lil’ Lunatic contentedly working on her designs.
Chains had already taken care of the monthly inventory check.
We refused to rely solely on reports. We did a visual count.
It matched. He helped me with the reports we generated or updated.
They were needed to report the bar’s financial status accurately each month.
Even as president, I was responsible for keeping my “business” profitable.
Also, as president, it was a big part of my job to ensure the whole club, including all businesses, was up to the mark.
If they weren’t, did we need to make a change?
I was fortunate that my club brothers took their responsibilities seriously.
We made a more-than-decent living for the entire club.
Today, we had a meeting with a distributor and interviews for new staff.
Chains could’ve handled any of those tasks, but I preferred to be involved.
The interviews were first. One was for waitstaff, and the other was for a bartender.
We were equal opportunity employers, meaning we hired whoever had the skills and was the best fit for the job.
They could be male or female. Case in point—the waitstaff interviewee was a guy, and the bartender was a woman.
The man came first. He had a nice resume consisting of numerous waiter jobs.
He’d never done it in a regular bar, twice in a bar slash restaurant, and then twice in a restaurant.
We rapidly found out that he had no exposure to bikers.
We’d been in the interview for close to thirty minutes when I glanced over at Chains. He nodded. It had to be done.
“Chas, I’ve got to ask you a serious question,” I said quietly.
His nervous gaze landed on my face. “S-sure, anything.”
“Are you sure you want to work here?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?” he asked.
“You seem scared to death, that’s why. You’ve tried not to jump out of your skin since you came through the door. Man, we don’t bite,” Chains remarked. Leave it to Chains to be blunt.
Chas fidgeted. “I’m sorry. I do want the job.”
“Then why here, where you seem uncomfortable? We don’t want anyone here who doesn’t like it. And if you act this way with the customers, it’ll be a problem,” I hinted.
“I’m nervous because I was told you guys expect your employees to party with you and join your club.
No offense, but I don’t want that. I hear you have great pay and treat your people well.
Those are priceless. I need the job, but I don’t think I can do the other.
I have people to take care of. The biker lifestyle isn’t for me. ”
I sighed. “Chas, we do, at times, invite our employees to our compound. It’s usually for employee appreciation days or maybe a holiday cookout.
You’re invited, but nothing says you have to attend.
As for joining the club, it’s not a requirement.
We have had people who work for us ask to prospect.
And we do think we offer a good wage and look out for our people.
We understand having a family to care for.
We like to think our employees are extended family, so if you find yourself in a bind, you can always come to us, and we’ll see if we can help,” I explained.
“Whoever told you that shit was messing with you,” Chains added.
Chas sagged. The relief on his face was apparent. “Whew, man, you have no idea how much better that makes me feel. I’m not trying to be offensive. I just know what is me and what isn’t.”
“No offense. We’re glad to clarify that. Is there anything else you want to ask or add about you and your experience?”
He did add a couple of points about his previous experience. It wasn’t long before we walked him out, and less than fifteen minutes later, it was time for the next interview.
This one was for the bartender position. The woman to be interviewed was named Jaz. She came strolling in, and I would’ve fallen if I hadn’t been sitting down. I stared at her in disbelief. What the hell did she think she was interviewing for? This was a bar, not a strip club.
She smiled as she sat. She crossed her legs. I was at a loss for words. Chains started it off.
“I see it says your name is Jaz. You’re applying for the bartender job, right?” he asked uncertainly.
“That’s right. As you can see on my resume, I have a ton of experience. I have no doubt I’ll be perfect for this kind of place.” She practically purred the words “this kind of place.”
The way she said it made me ask, “What exactly do you mean by ‘this kind of place?’ It’s a bar. You’ve worked at plenty of those, according to your resume.”
“Yes, I have. But none of them are like here. They didn’t give me the chance that this one will.”
“What kind of chance is that?” Chains asked.
She gave him a sexy smile. “Why, to become a biker’s woman, what else?
I might work in the bar, but when I come to the parties at the clubhouse, it’ll be a whole different thing.
I’ve heard how bikers are at those. And when you and your friends get to know me, I have no doubt you’ll love me.
If the issue arises that more than one of you wants to make me yours, I’m not opposed.
I sure wouldn’t say no to the two of you,” she said huskily.
That was it. I came to my feet. “This interview is over. You can leave. But first, know that we don’t have sex with our employees, and you wouldn’t become my old lady even if we did. I’m taken. Please leave. You’re not what we’re looking for.”
She huffed and argued as Chains escorted her ass out. Lord, where did some of these people come from? Or get their ideas? When Chains returned, he gave me an astonished look.
“Can you believe her? Wow. What is up? Two different people told vastly different things during the interviews on the same day,” he said, dropping into his vacant chair.
“No, I can’t, though I should. I find it rather suspicious that they are both here at the same time and telling wild tales. I was tempted to push to find out who told them that utter nonsense,” I replied.
“Hey, you should’ve hired Jaz, then let Jalisa loose on her.” He snickered.
“Do you want my lunatic to go to jail? You miss having all my attention that much already?” I joked.
Chains snorted. “Hell, no, I don’t miss you. I love having you off spending time with her. It gives the rest of us hope.”
“Hope that you’ll be next?”
“Hope that we’ll find someone, period. You’re a year older than me, Pres.
Storm is the same age as you. Crusher is a year older, and Ryder is two years older.
We need to get a move on. Shadow, Chaos, and Forge have more time, and they’re still living the life, but they’ll eventually grow weary of it. ”
“Plenty of people our age or older in the other clubs are single. Look at Jinx’s club. They’re still all unattached,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, but it makes me anxious. Seeing all the others at the club get-togethers can be kinda disheartening. I’ll deny it if you tell anyone I said it.
I had fun being a wild, carefree biker for years, but I want to move to the next stage.
I’d love not only an old lady but also kids.
If I had a son and he joined the club like you did with Rage, I’d be chuffed. ”
“It’s a lot of responsibility and pressure to be a legacy and follow in your dad’s footsteps.”
“Would you want your son to do it?”
“If he knew it was absolutely what he wanted, then yes. If he had doubts, then I would say no. All I want is for my kids to be happy. “
“Are you and Jalisa gonna start a family right away?”
“We’re taking things as they come. Right now, we need Killer and his buddies out of the picture. Then, we’ll see what happens.”
“And for Psycho to grow up,” he muttered.
“He’ll have to mend fences with Jalisa. She’s still not happy and hurt by what he did. She said he’s always wanted her happiness, and this feels like he did it to destroy it.”
He winced. “Ouch, that sucks. We’ll keep our thoughts positive and then see where it ends. Crap, it’s close to time to talk to the distributor. Are you ready for it?”
“Oh yeah, I’m ready.”
“I’ll run out to see how things are going and be back when he arrives. Do you need me to bring you anything from the bar?” Chains asked as he stood.
I snorted. “I’d like to say a shot of whiskey for the upcoming talk, but I need to stay sober. If you’d grab me a Dew, that would be great.”
“Sure thing. Be back in fifteen.”
I busied myself with a few bills while I waited.
The conversation with the distributor wasn’t going to be pleasant.
He had no idea it wasn’t. When we asked him to meet, we merely said to renew our contract.
We did it in person every year, so he wasn’t suspicious.
We’d been dealing with him for three years.
In the first year, he did outstanding work.
The second was pretty good, so no real issue.
This year, we saw a lot of sloppiness, among other things.
We expected certain things from the people we did business with, and he wasn’t delivering.
And I knew why. I lectured myself to remain calm and in control.