Page 30 of Submission

“None of the guests seem to have noticed that World War Three was going on up here,” she notices. It’s business as usual on the first floor. Loud music, drunk patrons, and boisterous laughter.

I abruptly enter my office, and the server appears shaken, yet some of her bravado returns when Megan walks in right behind me.

I don’t make it a habit of harming women or children, but in this instance, I’m tempted to break my own rules. I’m not sure how I didn’t notice it before, but this girl is toxic, and I’ve clearlyput a sweet lamb in charge of managing a rabid wolf. Women are truly complicated creatures.

“I don’t see why I’m here,” the girl says in a sulky tone. “I didn’t do anything. Megan broke the table because she’s just clumsy.”

I unclench one of my fists, smooth my hands down the front of my slacks, stride over to my chair, and sit down. Megan prefers to stay standing with a hand on her hip by the office door.

“Slandering staff of the Blue Whiskey is a punishable offense, miss whatever your name is.”

“Punishable?” she swallows nervously.

“Something you should be wary of because in this establishment, I’m the judge, jury, and executioner.”

Her eyes anxiously dart toward Megan as if she’s looking for help, but she still refuses to accept any responsibility.

“I didn’t slander anybody.” Her hand lifts, and she points a finger at Megan. “The group wanted Megan to make things right, and she wouldn’t.“

“That’s Miss Taylor to you,” I interrupt. Then I pull an electronic cigarette out of the middle drawer of my desk and blow a lazy puff of smoke in the air. “You seem to have forgotten that she’s your superior, not your equal.”

“Fine,” she huffs. “The customers weren’t happy with their drinks and asked to speak to a manager.Miss Taylorrefused to do her job and appease them.”

“Since when does a manager have to make things right with a bad drink order?” I ask lightly, then take another puff. “That sounds like a conversation between you and the bartender.”

The server’s jaw tightens but she continues with this line of reasoning because it’s obvious that she can’t accept when she’s in the wrong.

“She may be the manager, but she didn’t act like one tonight.”

“How so?”

“Yeah, how so?” Megan chimes in angrily.

“Well, when I first brought them their first round of drinks, Miss Taylor gave me a note to pass to the man who was with the group. Then later, she had the audacity to insult me in front of the guests when all I was doing was trying to do was diffuse the situation she created.“

I’m about to interrupt, but Megan gives me a discreet shake of her head, so I lean back, waiting.

“The man showed his girlfriend the note, and that’s when she demanded that I call the manager, which I did.”

“So it wasn’t about the drinks?” Megan interjects. “Get your story straight, Diana.”

The server rolls her eyes and continues the story. “Anyway,Miss Taylorarrived, and then she made a pass at the boyfriend again, and when his girlfriend told her off, your manager attacked her.”

The server’s little story ends on a smug note. She must have taken quite a bit of time to plan out her version of events in her head once I sent her down here.

I glance towards Megan, who is watching her with a thoughtful expression.

“What do you want to do?” I ask out loud, giving her a wide berth to give me whatever answer she wants, but it better end withher being fired.

Megan suddenly crosses the room, marches towards one of the guest seats, and sits down in a graceful manner. She no longer looks angry. In fact, she’s smirking as she takes her time crossing her bandaged legs as one finger taps against the exposed metal edge of the armrest.

“I need you to call down to the bar and ask Gage to come to the office, Mr. Middleton.” I smile, and my dick gets hard as Megan gives me an order.

“This is Middleton,” I call down to the bar. “Send up Gage.”

The silence in the room is heavy and almost strategic and I can see the server’s confidence begin to falter as she waits for someone to speak. On the other hand, Megan inspects her nails as if she hasn’t a worry in the world. I love to see how her confidence has grown since I met her. She’s become less passive-aggressive and more calculated…a trait which only benefits her if she’s going to continue to be in my world.

When Gage finally arrives, Megan readjusts herself on the chair as if to make herself more comfortable. The server frowns at Gage’s presence but doesn’t say anything.

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