Page 9 of Black Sheep
“Of course.”
Her eyes narrow like she’s trying to determine whether I’m lying and got this job for the purpose of trying to snag myself a rich man.If she only knew the truth...
“Do you drink?” The next question out of her mouth surprises me even more.
“Some. A glass of wine with dinner or a cocktail with friends. I’ve bartended before, so I know my way around if you need backup there—”
She cuts me off with a militant expression. “That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about all day, every day. Not just to wind down in the evening.”
I shake my head, and whatever she sees on my face must pass inspection.
Nodding, she says, “Good. The last thing we need here is someone slipping behind the bar to take a shot to get through the shift. You ever drink the alcohol here, you’re fired. If I catch you snorting anything or popping pills, Cannon will toss you out himself. Understand?”
“Yes. Absolutely. I would never dream of it.”
She steps away from the closet, and her features lose some of their aggression. “We’ll order you a few more in whatever size you need. I’ll be waiting in the bar area for you when you’re done. Make it quick.”
After she shoves the two hangers at me and I grab them, I hold my breath until she disappears from the employee break room.
Riiight. She’s definitely all bark.
I quickly try on the shirt and choose the larger size just to be safe, because I don’t want to misstep any further when it comes to her. With the shirt I was wearing tucked into the locker with my purse, the discarded size hung precisely where it goes in the closet, I straighten my shoulders and head out to face her straight on.
She won’t scare me away, no matter how hard she tries.
* * *
The next hourflies by in a blur.
I meet the day-shift bartender, Letty, a cheerful single mom in black slacks, a white shirt, and black vest that I assume is the bartender uniform. It certainly suits her black angled pixie-cut hairstyle and dark brown eyes. She tells me that her evening shift counterpart is Stefano, and that I’ll love him. I take her word for it but reserve judgment for when I meet the man with a name straight out of the soap opera my grandma watched up until she died three years ago.
I learn the layout of the club, including which rooms are for cigars and which don’t permit smoking. The glassed-in room is referred to as the conservatory, which immediately starts me thinking about Clue and how it was probably Colonel Mustard, with the candlestick.
A rush of the grief I’ve shoved down so effectively bubbles up with the thought. Dad and I played Clue all the time. And it was always motherfucking Colonel Mustard with the goddamned candlestick.
I promise you’ll have justice, Dad. I promise.
Unfortunately, my little jaunt down memory lane earns me a reprimand in the midst of Tanya’s spiel on why I’m not allowed to ever leave with a member, which seems to correspond directly to her warning not to choose a shirt that leaves my tits busting out.As if that would really be an issue.
“Are you paying attention? Jesus. How is it possible he hired you?” Tanya snaps, although she has yet to introduce herself to me. Then she looks over my shoulder, and immediately, the sour expression that has pinched her features since the minute I walked in morphs into a sweet, welcoming smile. “Hey, Cannon. How are you this morning?”
Instantly, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I can feel him walking closer, even though the thick carpet muffles his footsteps. But nothing could mute the sheer magnitude of his presence. I curl my fingers into fists, fighting my unsettling awareness of him.
“Morning, Tanya. Drew.” He halts beside me, and I glance up at his carved cheekbones, strong jaw, and intense hazel eyes. “How’s the training going?”
I expect Tanya to immediately give him the rundown on how horrible she thinks I am, starting with me allegedly showing up late, which I’m hoping Cannon will then correct her about because he told me to come in at ten. But shockingly, she doesn’t.
“Too soon to tell, but I trust your judgment, Boss. You know that.” Her gaze clings to Cannon and her fingers flex at her sides, like she wants to reach out to touch him, but won’t because they have an audience.
“He fucks everyone who works for him,”Randi’s voice whispers in my brain.“It’s not his wandering hands you’ll have to worry about. He’s a dog with a big, wandering dick. He’ll never fuck the same pussy twice.”
Oh Lord.I really hope that’s not the case, because having my new superior hate me because she’s sure the boss is going to try to sleep with me when he won’t come back to her bed would be awkward as hell and supremely unhelpful.
“I knew you’d take good care of her. When you’re done today, make sure you introduce her to Matteo. He’s training her on the inventory this afternoon.” Only after he’s made the declaration about something that’s happening in my life shortly, which no one has bothered to inform me about, does Cannon Freeman turn the full force of his magnetic personality on me.
He stares directly into my eyes, his brow furrowing as though he’s trying to see beneath the layers of my makeup.
Good luck. I’ve got the stuff caked on for a reason.
