Page 13 of Take Me to Church
Just the thought of the way his eyes hang on my every move makes my belly do a little flip and warms parts of me that don’t usually pay attention to things like this.
Piper gives me a knowing look when I return to the bar, but thankfully keeps her mouth shut. I don’t really want to hear anything else about Christian or that his eyes find me every time I deliver drinks. Unfortunately, I know my reprieve will be short-lived. The second the doors close on the bar she’s going to do way worse than offer me her opinions.
She’s going to start asking questions. Questions I have no intention of answering.
So I focus on the reason I’m here, doing my best to make the most of the night even though it’s become messier than I ever would have expected. I keep passing out drinks, pretending I’m not going to look at where Christian stands on the stage even though every single time I do. And by the end of my first Saturday night shift at The Cellar, I’ve raked in twice as much as I do on a normal shift.
Not that I will get to enjoy the extra money.
Every penny of it will be gone tomorrow when I meet with the sketchy guy who’s promised he will go get Myra and bring her back to Memphis.
“Tonight was crazy.” Piper wipes down the counters behind the bar as the bouncers clear the place out, making sure no one’s lingering in the bathrooms or back hallways. Never in a million years would I have imagined how wandery drunk people can get, but we’ve found them literally everywhere. Passed out on bathroom floors. Propped up in the utility closets. Hell, one day we even found a guy laying in his own vomit underneath the stage.
Luckily, tonight’s crowd was predominantly women, so even though it was crowded, things stayed pretty tame. I don’t expect there to be any hidden surprises and hopefully we get out of here at a decent hour because I’m freaking exhausted.
“I’m kind of glad I didn’t know how much money you guys make on a Saturday night.” I dig through the front of my apron, pulling out my cash tips and stacking them into piles. “Ignorance is bliss, that’s for sure.”
Piper snorts. “The tips tonight weren’t actually that good. Women don’t tip us nearly as well as men do.” Her expression turns thoughtful. “Of course, no one tried to grab my tits tonight either, so there’s that.”
“There’s always tomorrow.” I shoot her a grin, relieved that she didn’t bring Christian up. “I wouldn’t lose hope just yet.”
“You definitely shouldn’t lose hope.” She snaps a towel in my direction, catching me on the hip with a gentle swat. “I’m pretty sure you could get whatever kind of action you wanted tonight.”
I should have known my reprieve would be temporary. Piper has made it her personal mission to rid me of the pesky virginity hanging over my head like a cloud, reminding me I still haven’t completely moved forward in my life. “I don’t want any action tonight.”
Piper stares at me, her jaw slack. “You’re kidding, right?” She scoffs as if she can’t believe what I’m claiming. “That guy has been eye fucking you all night. You should at least let him stick his tongue between your legs and see what else he can do with that mouth—”
Piper’s eyes suddenly go wide, fixed on the spot just behind me.
I press my lips together, refusing to turn around. I already know who’s behind me, and I am fairly confident he heard enough of Piper’s words to know we were talking about him.
And not in a decent sort of way.
I quickly cash out the rest of my tips then rush past Piper. I can feel Christian’s eyes on me but I ignore his looming presence. I don’t have time to deal with him right now.
Or ever, actually.
He didn’t want to help me and that’s fine, but there is no place in my life for him in any other capacity.
I bounce through the same swinging door I’ve used a million times tonight, quickly ducking into the employee lounge to grab my purse from my locker. An uncomfortable feeling sticks in my gut as I leave the room and find the hall outside empty. It’s not disappointment.
It’snot.
I shove the emotion down, crossing my arms over my chest as I go to the back of the building and let myself out the rear exit. I start to dig my keys out of my purse, fishing around a few seconds before I remember I carpooled with Piper, and drop my head back, squeezing my eyes closed as I groan in frustration. I cannot go back into that bar. Not when I know Christian is still inside.
“Something wrong?”
I freeze, my whole body going on alert as my eyes fly open to find a strange man watching me a little too closely. He’s tall and lean with tattoos covering nearly every bit of visible skin.
And not the nice kind of tattoos.
The ones etched into his flesh look angry. Scary.
“I’m fine.” I force on a smile, trying not to look like I’m completely panicked at the sight of him. “I just remembered I forgot something inside.” I grip the metal handle of the door and yank as my heart rate picks up, planning to rush back inside because I would absolutely rather face down Christian right now than this guy and his leering expression. I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. And I sure as hell don’t like that we’re the only two in an isolated, empty parking lot right now.
But the door holds tight, fixed in place the second it closed behind me by the automatic lock Stella installed as a safety measure.
A safety measure that sure as heck isn’t keeping me safe right now.
