Page 35 of The Bloke

When I started here, I was just a bartender, but after three years, they promoted me to lead. It didn’t matter what position I was in aside from the responsibilities that came with it, which I now regretted having.

I stepped behind the bar and grabbed the inventory clipboard to verify that we were fully stocked for the day. As I slowly made my way down the rail, I caught a glimpse of someone from the corner of my eye. Nick was standing at the end of the bar, waiting for me.

Pulling my phone from my back pocket to check the time—it was a quarter to eleven, and the gates would open in fifteen minutes.

“Aren’t you supposed to be managing Lunacity today?” I asked, pocketing my phone and continuing my work.

Lunacity was Nick’s baby, a playground bar where anyone over the age of twenty-one could release their inner child—with the addition of alcohol, and over twenty games that had been transformed into a fully interactive experience.

When he opened it three years ago, I stopped by to check it out, but I haven’t been there since. It had been the biggest hit lately on the Strip, so he adjusted the operating hours to take advantage of the demand.

“Late opening. Dustin instructed me to deliver your assignment personally.” He arched a brow, and I paused what I was doing to give him my full attention. “It’s not regarding your wife, but I do believe that congratulations are in order?” He chuckled, resting his forearms on the bar.

Relief washed over me like a bucket of ice water being dumped over my head. I haven’t had the time to speak with Jaxon or Dustin regarding Sienna and her test, and I was grateful that this wasn’t hers so soon.

“You feeling alright, mate?” Nick asked, his brows furrowing with concern. “Looking a little pale all of a sudden.”

I switched my hands on the clipboard and rubbed my thumb against my brow before answering.

“No yeah, I’m fine… Had a late night and skipped breakfast, is all.” I released a long sigh. “What’s the assignment?”

Nick hummed in suspicion but didn’t press further.

“The owner of Fallout has been having a tough time at his nightclub lately.” He started. “There have been reports of men luring women out of the club and then assaulting and raping them in the back alley.” Nick sighed before continuing. “Whenthe reports first started coming in, they installed multiple surveillance cameras in the back of the building, and now they suspect it's someone employed at the club who is doing it, or at least involved in it, since the offenders always seem to know exactly where the blindspots are on any given night.”

“And let me guess, I need to go there tonight, after our show, and attempt to catch them in the act?” I asked, reorganizing the bottles on the rail into their proper order.

“Yep, and hopefully, you are successful because Dustin said if it's not handled tonight, you are going back there every single night until it is.”

I couldn’t help but grit my teeth at the thought of having to spend every night at that club just waiting to catch whoever these people were in the act and put an end to them. The countless nights I would be spending away from my wife.

“I’ll get it done.” I clipped, chewing on my cheek in thought. “Anything else?”

“That’s it.” Nick shook his head and pushed off the bar to leave. “Let me know if you need any help.” He added on his way out.

“No, I got this.” I nodded before he exited the Ultrapool gate, then slammed my fist down on the counter in irritation.Fuck.

Chapter 16

Sienna

While I had alwaysloved my job and owning a Pilates studio, it had also become a sanctuary. Since I was stuck living with Colby, being here was the only place he wouldn’t bother me. Although, I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about back at the penthouse. He seemed overly lost in thought as he peered out at the skyline. I almost felt bad for being such a bitch to him, but he deserved it for putting me in this kind of position and refusing to let me go.

This afternoon, I had a short break between my noon class and the following one that started at four, so I spent most of it looking through the monthly schedule and debating whether to add additional classes throughout the week to keep me out of Colby’s path.

As I sat at the front desk, eyes glued to the computer, I caught myself spinning the wedding ring on my left hand as if out of habit. Glancing down at the ring, I pressed my lips into a hard line, taking in every detail from the black raw cut stone in the center—which I was confident now was obsidian based on how it looked in natural lighting—and the four round quarter-carat diamonds that enhanced it along the white gold twin band closely resembling vines.Why would he choose a ring like this for me?

The front doorbell chimed, and I looked up, shoving my hand under the desk and out of sight.

“Are we in a better mood today?” Chyler entered the studio, dropping her gym back on one of the benches, and approached the desk.

“That all depends on what a better mood consists of these days…” I mumbled, propping my elbow on the counter and resting my chin in my palm. “I moved in with him…” I gritted out through clenched teeth.

“Excuse me?” She gawked. “You did what?”

Releasing a long-held sigh, I dropped my face into my hands.

“I moved in… with him… this morning,” I whined in hopelessness, digging my nails into my scalp.

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