Touch Her… #3
“Oh.” Michael looked me over as he stepped back.
“What?”
“Nothing. You look nice. Go make us some money.”
I laughed and skipped past him, ready to do just that. I met Sean at the same section we’d worked in yesterday. “What’s first, boss man?” I asked.
“Your well is set up, so there’s no need to do that. Basically, we wait for a crowd to show up.” He leaned against the bar and looked at my hair. “Is your hair naturally like that?”
“Yeah. I straighten it, but this is the natural texture.” My eyes veered to the front door as Ari walked in.
“Ari!” She looked in my general direction and bumped into something, then stumbled into something else.
“Wait a sec, hun. Stay right there.” I hurried from behind the bar to help her. She’d taken her smudged glasses off.
“Thanks,” she said as I took her hand and led her to our section. She took a seat at the bar and set her glasses down while I went back to my side.
“New clothes?” Sean asked, grabbing a glass to make her a drink. She nodded and smoothed down the fitted shirt with minimal cleavage. “I like it.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at the vodka lemonade he set down.
“Why’d you take your glasses off?” Sean watched her take a timid sip. “You have pretty eyes, by the way.”
“Thank you. I can’t see when they get rained on. Actually, I can’t see either way. I’m almost blind without them. Aren’t you cold?” She directed the last part at me. “I’m freezing.”
“Not really. I don’t think vampires get cold. My warm outfit is for nothing.” I watched as she tried to take another sip and missed the glass. I pushed it toward her waiting hand, then picked up her glasses and wiped them clean. “I have to close tonight. Stay late with us?” I gave her glasses back.
“You mean when everyone’s gone and it’s just you guys?” She put them on and finally took in our surroundings. “It’s so empty in here. Also, can I even do that?”
“It’ll be fine. Richard’s not in today so Michael’s in charge tonight. I’m sure he won’t care.”
“Wait, Michael’s in charge of things?” I asked. “I thought Richard’s our boss?”
“Richard’s the owner, Michael is his son and the manager.”
“Oh. Well that’s perfect. See, Ari? You should stay.” I straightened up when a customer strode up to the bar. “Hi. What can I get you?”
I fixed the drink she ordered, then left her tab open and served the next person who walked up.
People started trickling in and there was a short rush.
Eventually, all the patrons were situated at booths, tables, or playing darts or pool.
I leaned against the bar and sipped a drink a customer had insisted on buying me.
“Can you do that?” Ari asked.
“What, get drunk while I’m working? Fuck yeah, I can. Emy’s rules.” I took another sip, then glanced over to see Dennis and Mateo arriving. I spotted the girl Mateo kept talking to and realized he was about to join her across the bar. I shouted his name before he could and waved him over.
“What’s up?” He took the seat beside Ari.
“That girl you keep talking to. What’s her name?” I nodded toward her.
“Nariya.”
“So,” I didn’t finish, waiting for some gossip to start while Dennis took the next stool over. I wanted details. I wanted to be her friend.
“So tell me what you were thinking when you threatened Melissa last night?” Mateo changed the subject so swiftly, I almost didn’t notice. Almost.
“Nope. Don’t change the subject,” I said.
“I’m genuinely interested.” He folded his arms across the bar top.
“Everyone is,” Dennis said. “Most people are scared of her.”
“Why?” I made a face at the absurdity of his statement. “She doesn’t seem like she can do anything.”
“She can’t, but she’s close to people who can.”
I shrugged, not really caring about Dennis’ words. “Whatever, makes no difference to me. Like I said, I’ll go back to jail. I honestly don’t care. It’s the easiest place to make friends.”
“You’ve really been to jail?” Mateo asked.
“A couple times. It’s a long story.”
“About five long stories,” Dennis said. He smiled as I laughed.
“I warned you. You’re the one who wanted to hear them all.”
“I didn’t say they weren’t interesting. Make me a drink?” He plucked a glass from my neat stack.
“What do you want?”
“Whiskey sour.” He gave me the rocks glass and I made him the most majestical whiskey sour ever.
A steady flow of customers picked up and we all set to work taking care of them.
Dennis went off to play pool with his two friends from the night before, Mateo was off flirting with Nariya, Ari was keeping Sean company while he made drinks, and Alan was to my right offering advice and pointers anytime I seemed frazzled.
Eventually, Michael came out from the back to check on me.
“How’s it going? You doing okay?” he asked. “Are you drinking?” He eyed the half empty glass beside me. It was my second drink a customer had insisted on paying for.
“Guys keep buying me drinks. Who am I to turn them down?”
“An employee,” he deadpanned. Which was rude but fair. “Don’t drink on shift. And let one of us know if you need help. I’ll be in back.”
I sighed and got back to work. After a couple hectic hours something caught my attention: a vampire who was on his fourth drink from me within the past couple hours—all doubles or something equally strong—was sloppily making his way back. I studied his demeanor as he arrived for presumably a fifth.
“You are gorgeous. A sexy… has anyone told you that?” He gripped the counter for balance. “Another. Double shot. Tequila.” He pointed at the wrong bottle with one hand and steadied himself with the other.
I hesitated before deciding not to take his order. He couldn’t even form a real sentence. “How about some water this time?” I suggested as pleasantly as possible.
“Double shot,” he insisted, leaning forward.
“Sorry, hun. I have to say no.” I gave an empathetic smile. “How about a club soda and lime for now?”
“You can’t cut me off,” his tone changed immediately.
“Drink this,” I poured him a glass of water, “and come back in a couple hours. I’ll make whatever drink you want.”
“I want you to suck my dick. How ‘bout that?”
My mouth dropped. “You’re cut off. Go sit down.” I pointed to the furthest table.
“Why’re you being such a bitch?” He reached for my hand but I yanked it back. “Make me a drink.”
“If you fucking touch me—”
“You need to leave.” Sean appeared beside me, arms crossed and voice firm. “Now.”
“Oh, come on. Tell this ugly bitch to lighten up,” the man slurred. He reached for me again but I grabbed a fruit knife and stabbed his hand into the bar, driving so deep it couldn’t move. “You fucking cunt!” His free hand snatched my wrist.
Dennis was instantly at his side. “You have one second to let go.”
“Or wha—”
Dennis slammed his head on the counter, splitting it with a sickening crack. He stepped back as the body slumped, held up only by its speared hand. A couple shocked gasps, followed by silence. And then…
“Dennis, what the fuck?” Ari screeched.
“What? I told him he had one second. I guess he wasn’t listening.” He shrugged and walked away.
“Can somebody find security?” Michael’s voice came from behind me. “Someone needs to get rid of him.”
At first I thought he meant Dennis, but then I realized he meant the man’s body. Alan disappeared and came back with tonight’s security guard, who withdrew the knife and tossed it aside, then picked up the limp body and carried it out. Dennis came back a moment later with his drink in hand.
“Is he dead?” Ari seemed on the verge of tears. “I’ve never seen someone die before.”
“If you’re gonna be around vampires, you need to get used to dead things.” Dennis took a sip of his whiskey sour.
“Are you okay?” Alan asked me. I was glowering near the wall of liquor.
“I’m fine. I just hate dealing with men. You’re all fine, but in general dealing with men fucking sucks. First I’m being hit on, then I’m being called an ugly bitch and threatened because I won’t suck his dick. Why in the fuck can’t I just do my goddamn job or live without being harassed?”
“I feel ya’.” Ari held up her glass.
“If that happens again get me right away,” Michael said. “We ban anyone who harasses you. No questions asked.”
“Or I can keep killing them,” Dennis said.
“Thank you guys. I haven’t had to deal with that type of aggression at a job since I was a dancer. It’s jarring. I forgot what it’s like.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Michael gently touched my arm.
I uncrossed them and nodded. “Alright, then. Everyone go back to work. And D, how many times have I told you to stop making a mess on my bar? I can’t keep anything clean around you.
” He sighed at the mess of blood and whatever else had oozed from the man’s head before leaving.
“I think I’ll stay with one of you guys,” Ari said, grimacing at the scene.
“Come to my side.” Sean waved her over as Michael returned with cleaning supplies. He scrubbed until it was spotless.
“Thanks,” I said once he’d finished.
“No problem. If you need a minute, you can come in back,” he offered.
“I’m good,” I said. He nodded and left. “Thank you,” I told Dennis as he sat in front of me. “You didn’t have to kill him.”
“I did.” He sipped his drink before adding, “He might be fine by morning, though. He’s not entirely dead yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t bleed him, so he might heal before the damage is irreparable. But it’s hard to get that trashed unless you’re already low on blood, so he’s probably dead.” He shrugged a careless shoulder. “Unless he has a bind. But I doubt he does.”
“What’s bleeding a vampire? And what does a bind have to do with it?”
Right then some girl came up beside Dennis to order a drink. I held back a sigh and gave him a disappointed look.
“I’ll tell you later.” He took his drink and left.
From there it got busy again. Mateo left with Nariya shortly after Dennis split the man’s face, Dennis went to play pool with his mystery friends, and I had no chance to slack off and talk to Ari—who was keeping Sean company while also avoiding Alan’s attempts at flirting between customers—until closing.
I draped over the counter as soon as Michael locked the front door.
I was dying of impatience. I wanted my shift to end already.
But of course, it wasn’t over. Sean walked me through the long and tedious closing process. So much organizing and sanitizing, it was awful. It felt like an eternity passed before Michael approved our work and let everyone go for the night. I breathed in the crisp night air as we left the bar.
“That was awful. I hate closing. Too much cleaning. Are you ready to go home?” I asked Ari. She and Dennis had both stayed while we closed—Dennis mostly sipping his final drink, while Ari put up with more small talk from Alan.
“Yeah. See you guys later?” She waited for Sean to agree before veering toward her car.
“Bye, Dennis. Thanks again for handling that guy.” I smiled and he returned it. “See you tomorrow? Maybe?” I kissed his cheek before suddenly feeling bashful about it. Was that corny? Was I turning sappy? Fuck. I said a hurried goodbye and ran after Ari, leaving his amused laughter behind.