Page 32 of A King’s Obsession

Ashlynn's smile widened. “That wasn't what I said.”

Then she disappeared into the crowd before I could throw something at her. I shook my head and reached for my tablet, but my eyes betrayed me. They went straight toward VIP.

Ezra was still watching.

This time, something about it hit differently. Maybe because I knew for sure. Maybe because Ashlynn had said it out loud. Whatever it was, heat crept beneath my skin, and I looked away first. That irritated me too.

We barely knew each other. He didn't have my number, and I didn't have his. We'd met once, talked once, and that was it. And forty-one? Girl. I didn't even like older men. At least I didn't think I did. So why the fuck had this forty-one-year-old man with that beard and those pretty-ass eyes been randomly crossing my mind for three weeks?

I didn't know. And now I'd found out he hadn't even wanted me working here. Perfect. Whatever Ezra King's problem was with me, he could keep it.

***

By the time the last guest left, my feet were screaming. The bass had disappeared, leaving behind that strange ringing silence clubs had after hours. Staff moved through the room collecting glasses and wiping tables while bartenders counted inventory behind me. I leaned against the bar long enough to take some pressure off one heel while reviewing the final numbers.

Opening night had gone better than I'd expected. A few mistakes, sure, but nothing we couldn't fix. I was halfway through checking the inventory report when a deep voice interrupted me.

“Sinclair.”

I looked up to find Ezra standing a few feet away. He'd rolled his sleeves up sometime during the night, exposing his forearms, and his expression gave me absolutely nothing.

“Office before you leave,” he instructed before turning and walking away.

I stared after him, irritation settling across my face. No please. No when you get a chance. Just office, like I was supposed to drop everything because he said so.

“This motherfucker,” I muttered under my breath.

The bartender beside me looked over. “Huh?”

“Nothing,” I answered, straightening and returning to my numbers.

He could wait.

Twenty minutes later, I knocked once before stepping into his office. Ezra sat behind a wide black desk, his attention on paperwork spread in front of him. I stopped across from him with my tablet tucked beneath one arm. He looked tired, but unfortunately, still fine.

His eyes lifted slowly. “How you like working here?”

“It's a job,” I answered, keeping my expression neutral.

One eyebrow rose, and I knew he could hear the attitude in my voice. I also didn't care. Ezra watched me for another second before leaning back in his chair.

“Give me the rundown from tonight,” he instructed.

I pulled up the numbers on my tablet, deciding to keep things professional. “Bar sales were strong. VIP carried most of the bottle revenue. We got backed up twice because two servers kept ringing orders wrong, but I fixed it before it became a bigger problem.”

He nodded once, so I continued, scrolling through the report. “We need another barback tomorrow, probably two on weekends if tonight is any indication. Security handled one issue near the front before it got out of hand, and we're low on two premium bottles. Floor staff did good overall. A couple of them need more training, but nothing I can't handle.”

Silence settled across the office. When I looked up, Ezra wasn't studying the paperwork. He was looking at me again, his gaze lingering behind my glasses before slowly dropping toward my mouth.

There it was. That same damn look he'd been giving me all night.

I tucked the tablet beneath my arm. “All right. Is that all you wanted? 'Cause I got somewhere to be.”

His jaw shifted, but he didn't answer. I turned toward the door, ready to leave before my attitude got me into trouble. The scrape of his chair against the floor sounded behind me, and my fingers had barely closed around the handle when a large hand landed against the door above mine, pushing it shut.

I froze, not because I was scared, but because suddenly I could feel him standing behind me. Close enough that the warmth coming off his body seemed to settle against my back.

I turned slowly, lifting my chin as Ezra stepped around me. He stopped directly in front of me, leaving barely any space between my back and the door. His height was irritating up close. So was that beard. And those damn eyes.