Page 23 of Devils Cut

"Are you sure? That sounded like it hurt," he said, his eyes searching mine for any sign of pain.

"Positive," I said softly.

His face was mere inches from mine, and I could feel the heat radiating off his body. The warmth was intoxicating, making my heart race and my breath hitch in my throat. It felt like a drug, and I couldn't help but crave more.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again, his voice low and intense. His eyes bored into mine, searching for any sign of pain or discomfort.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. "Just caught me off guard is all."

Before I could say anything else, the front door swung open, letting in a gust of warm air. Lisa, Emily, and Amy strolled in, their laughter echoing through the room as they spotted us standing there, our faces close enough to kiss.

Corvus cleared his throat, his gaze shifting from me to the girls and back. "I better go finish up out back," he said, handing me a muffin and coffee. "Here's your food. I also grabbed you a coffee."

"Thanks," I mumbled, accepting the items with a tight-lipped smile. He hurried off, leaving me alone with the trio of gossipmongers.

"See, Tempest," Lisa chided with a smirk, "whoring already."

"Shut up," I spat.

"Corvus is a one-hit wonder," Emily said, rolling her eyes. "Just make sure you don't get too attached. Once he has had you, he won’t bother again,” she smirked at me and headed to the back bar.

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"Fuck me sideways," Amanda muttered. "What happened here?"

"Hey, Amanda," I said with a proud grin. "Came in early with Corvus and got the storeroom done. Then I cleaned this up a bit before the shift started."

"Early with Corvus?" Her eyebrow shot up as she gave me a curious look. "Why'd you come in early with him?"

I could feel my cheeks warming up. "Well... I'm stayin' at his place for now, just till I get my house keys. Bought a little somethin' just near the outskirts, so I'm waitin' to move in."

Amanda leaned against the bar, her smirk lighting up. "Oh, so you're stayin' with him?" Her tone was teasing, making my cheeks burn even brighter.

"Look, it's not like that. We're not... like that," I stammered, trying to regain control of the conversation.

Amanda threw her head back and laughed. "Sweetheart, I know it ain't like that, and that's why I'm lovin' this so much." She shook her head with a smile, "But seriously, Tempest, don't be so blind."

"Blind? What are you talkin' about?" I asked, confusion settling over me like a heavy fog.

Her laughter subsided, and she locked eyes with me, her expression turning serious. "Honey, that man likes you. How can you not see it?"

"Wha— No. No way. He's my boss, Amanda. And he's older than me," I protested, shaking my head, trying to dismiss the absurdity of her words.

"Age is just a number, honey," Amanda said playfully, giving me a knowing wink as she threw on her apron. "I've seen the way he looks at you. There's somethin' there." She said making me laugh.

My laughter died as the air around us seemed to grow thick with tension. I could feel their eyes on me before I saw them – Lisa, Emily, and Amy, the three bitches who ruled the back bar like it was their own little kingdom. They sauntered over, their hips swaying in perfect unison, like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey.

"Can we help you ladies with somethin'?" Amanda asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lisa fixed her icy gaze on me, a smirk playing across her lips. "Why are you here, Tempest?"

I met her stare head-on, raising an eyebrow. "At work? Or in Phoenix?"

"Both," she sneered. "What was so wrong with you that you had to leave Australia and come grace us with your junkie ass?"

I clenched my fists, trying to maintain my composure.

Emily sneered, her eyes narrowing as she took me in. "I mean, look at you," she drawled, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "When was the last time you ate something? You're all skin and bones. You must be a junkie, right? What's your poison of choice?"

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