Page 22 of Devils Cut

"Who are you, Tempest?" I murmured, the frustration building inside me. It was rare to meet someone so completely off the grid, especially in today's world where everyone's dirty laundry was hung out to dry on the internet.

Chapter 11

Tempest Miller

After finishing up the stock room, I checked my watch and saw it was around 10:30 am. Time to check in with Corvus. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and made my way to his office, feeling the tension in my chest as I approached the office door. Taking a deep breath, I knocked quietly.

"Come in," Corvus called out, his voice rough but authoritative. Pushing the door open, I stepped inside and took a seat on the wooden chair in front of his desk. The room smelled like leather and whiskey, just like him.

"Stock room's all done," I reported. "Unloaded everything and got it on the shelves. Didn't know where the boxes go, so I broke 'em down into carryable size and stacked 'em on the floor." I tried to sound confident, even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

"Thank you," Corvus said, looking up from the papers he'd been shuffling through. "Hammer will take care of those when he gets in later."

Feeling the weight of Corvus's gaze on me, I couldn't help but raise a brow. "You all have such strange nicknames, but you don't seem to have one. Why's that?"

"Because I don't want one," he replied, his voice firm yet calm. "We choose whether or not to take on a nickname. I like the name I was born with, so I use it."

"Fair enough," I said with a smile, finding a sense of sincerity in his answer.

"Want some food?" he abruptly changed the subject, leaning back in his chair, "are you hungry? I'm heading over to the café across the street to grab something to eat."

"No, thanks," I responded.

Corvus raised an eyebrow. "You didn't eat breakfast? How are you not hungry?"

Fuck, he's observant, I thought to myself. Without thinking, I blurted out, "I'm used to not eating."

His brows furrowed further, concern written all over his face. "Why?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

My cheeks flushed red as I scrambled for an excuse. "I just always forget," I lied, trying to cover up my true reasons for skipping meals.

Corvus narrowed his eyes, seeing right through my bullshit, but he didn't push it. Instead, he said, "You can talk to me, you know. I'm not going to judge you."

"Thanks," I muttered, giving him a half-smile. "How about you just grab me a muffin when you go?"

"Alright," he agreed, standing up from his desk. "I'm heading over now. You sure you don't want to join me?"

"Thanks, but no," I replied my resolve hardening. "Amanda mentioned Saturdays are your busiest days, and both bars open at eleven. I wanna get a head start on the bar today."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged before striding toward the door.

As I watched him leave, I couldn't help feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. Shaking it off, I stood up and headed back out to the front bar. The sooner I got to work, the less time I'd have for stupid thoughts like that.

"Focus, Tempest," I muttered under my breath, tying on my apron with determination. I grabbed a cloth and spray bottle from underneath the counter, my eyes scanning the room for any signs of filth or disarray. The bar had seen better days, that was for damn sure.

"Christ, what a shithole," I thought as I started wiping down the sticky surface of the counter. The pungent smell of stale beer assaulted my nostrils, making my stomach churn.

Still, there was something oddly satisfying about cutting through the grime, restoring a semblance of order to this place.

I gritted my teeth as I scrubbed the underside of the glasses rack, the layers of grime built up over time making it a hell of a challenge. "Fucking disgusting," I muttered under my breath, feeling the sweat beginning to bead on my forehead. The work was hard and dirty, but I welcomed it – anything to keep my mind busy.

The door swung open, and I heard Corvus strolling back in his boots heavy on the wooden floor.

"Hey," he called out, jumping behind the bar where I was bent over, still working on that stubborn spot. His sudden presence startled me, causing me to smack my head on the edge of the rack as I stood up.

"Shit!" I cursed, rubbing the sore spot on my head. Corvus's face twisted with concern as he hurried to my side, gently cradling my head in his large hands. He inspected the area for any injuries, his touch both soothing and unsettling all at once.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm fine," I insisted, trying to push away his fussing.

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