Page 26 of Demitri

Grace comes back to the front and takes her seat at the bar again, her face pinched with a hint of fear. Once the dude-bro goes back to the pool table, I go back to the corner with my friends, wiping down the bar like it owes a debt.

“He’s calling someone,” Grace quietly tells us. “He said to not do anything stupid, and he’s watching.” Surprisingly, she grins. “He also said to tell you he’s got the volume up, so you shouldn’t talk about how hot he is.”

“Jackass.” I can’t help but laugh. “He didn’t say who he was calling?”

She shakes her head. “No. Just to maintain the status quo.”

“Well, this just got hard, didn’t it?” I ask.

“Probably. And you have a lot of talking to do later.”

“I’m sticking around for that.” Nola raises her hand like she’s in class.

“Me, too!” Sofie grins. “This sounds like something exciting. Don’t want to miss it!”

“You are all way too happy about this.”

She opens her mouth and looks behind me, closing it quickly. I turn around and the woman is standing at the bar.

“What can I get you?” I ask as unaffected as possible.

“I’d love another glass of red, please.” She smiles, but it’s forced. Practiced. It doesn’t reach her eyes, which are fucking with my head. But beneath that, it seems like she’s here for a reason that maybe isn’t necessarily to kill me? I hope?

“Sure thing, beautiful.” I smile and pull a fresh wine glass from overhead.

Equal opportunity flirting. A compliment is a compliment, doesn’t matter who it comes from. And let’s be honest, women are better tippers as long as you aren’t flirting with their man.And I’m trying to act like I normally would in case this isn’t her first time in here.

“Are you visiting Rock Hill?” I ask, trying to figure out what her plan is.

“Just driving through,” she quietly replies. “Visiting the campus tomorrow in Briar Mountain.”

“My alma mater. It’s a beautiful campus.”

“That’s what I hear. Never been there myself. Have some friends who used to be there, though.”

I hand her the glass and a napkin, taking her cash. No card. No name. No trace. But I put it in the empty drawer of theregister. I’ve watched enough true crime shows and SVUs to know fingerprints are important.

“Let me know if you need anything else.” I turn back to her, but she’s already retreating to her booth.

I look at the girls, who all have faces ranging from shock to concern. I shake my head and move down the bar to help someone else, keeping my eyes on the woman as often as I can.

It takes about twenty minutes, but the door opens and two men walk in. Only these aren’t two strangers, they are two of the ANON guys. They grab seats at the bar and I make my way to them when I’ve finished helping the person in front of me.

“What can I get you?” I smile.

“Two drafts,” big guy one replies. I wish I could remember their names.

“Coming right up.”

I pull their beers from the tap and slide them across the bar.

“You guys getting into trouble tonight?”

“No, but we’re always up for some fun,” big guy two grins at me.

I swear I hear something break in the back. So do the guys, their eyes flickering to the hallway. Big guy one has a smirk on his face. He makes eyes at the camera above us and sticks out his tongue. Ahh, boys.

“Behave.” I point at the man who winks at me. Smartass. “You’re nothing but trouble. And those dimples get you away with it, don’t they?”

---