Page 40 of Wicked Minds
Only when he finds it does he relax—which, by Royce’s standards, means he’s still coiled tightly, but at least he isn’t one wrong word away from ripping out Ben’s esophagus.
“Are you done with your temper tantrum now?” Ben snarks snidely.Jeez, it’s almost like the guy has a death wish.
Any progress I’d made with Royce instantly vanishes as he glares at my boss. “If she’s in here with you, then so am I.”
“Absolutely not. That’s against policy. All patrons have to be off the premises by 2 am.”
With an unbothered shrug of his shoulders, Royce volleys, “Then I guess we’re both leaving. Have fun doing the rest of the cleaning by yourself.”
Wrapping his much larger hand around mine, he pulls me toward the door, but as we reach it, Ben throws his arm out, stopping us. His eyes bulge with unrestrained rage. “This ismyclub.Idecide when my employees are done and when they can leave.”
Lifting a haughty eyebrow, Royce asks, “So, which will it be? Am I leaving now with Riley, or are we both staying?”
The seconds tick down like the timing device on an explosive, before Ben finally hisses, “Fine, you can both stay.” Pointing his finger at a table, he dictates, “You, sit your ass down there and leave her to get on with her work.”
“I’m not the one who enjoys distracting his employees with unwanted come-ons.”
Aaaaand that’s enough of that.Tightening my hold on Royce’s hand, I drag him toward an empty table and away from the impending fistfight.
“Sit there,” I say under my breath, feeling Ben’s eyes boring into my back. “I’ll be done as soon as I can.”
“No need to rush. I’m not going anywhere.” He says it loud enough for Ben to hear as he makes himself obviously comfortable in the chair.
“God give me strength,” I whisper aloud, earning a smirk from Royce as I turn away from him and get back to work.
It’s safe to say the next half hour is one of the worst I’ve ever had to endure. Ben, most likely in an attempt not to appear perturbed by Royce’s trespassing, doesn’t return to his office. Instead, he lingers near the bar while I move around the room, wiping down tables and stacking chairs on top of them.
He and Royce spend the entire time in some weird standoff where neither of them actually says anything, but the tension is so thick in the room that it’s like moving through sludge.
“All done,” I finally call out, more than ready to get the hell out of here. Except, when I approach Royce, he makes no move to get up.
In fact, he ignores me altogether, his stare fixed on Ben where he’s standing, pretending to rearrange the bottles of alcohol behind the bar.
“You’re only a manager,” Royce states. He says it casually, like he doesn’t know he’s starting something by saying it.
Internally, I groan.
“Excuse me?” Ben growls, spine stiffening as he glares at Royce through the large mirror that hangs on the wall behind the bar.
“You said earlier that this is your club, but that’s not true now, is it?” At Ben’s silence, he continues. “You know, the thing about working in an elite college town is that practically all of your patrons have money and connections. It wouldn’t take much to remove the little bit of power you think you have here.”
Spinning around to face the threat in front of him, Ben is simmering with rage as he spits, “Are you threatening me?”
Royce laughs, the sound cold and caustic. “Threatening? No, I don’t need to threaten the likes of you. I’m simply reminding you that you’re a bug I could flatten beneath my palm and replace without so much as lifting a finger.” He finally stands, not once removing his gaze from my boss as he threads his fingers through mine, a clear message which Ben picks up on as his gaze darts to our joined hands before returning to Royce’s face when he says, “You might be in charge within these walls, but out there, you’re nothing. A nobody. In my world, nobodies have a way of vanishing without a trace.”
With a final, searing stare, Royce pulls on my hand, and we cross the room. Ben’s stunned silence trails us. “My bag,” I say quietly as we approach the door, and he lets go so I can grab it from where I left it near the door. When I return to his side, he presses his hand against my lower spine as he pulls open the door, ushering me out into the night.
“I hate that smarmy fucker,” Royce hisses once we’re inside his truck. “What did he say to get you to stay behind?”
I blow out a weary breath. “He said the other girls were complaining about having to pick up my slack because I refuse to stay late, and even if it’s not true, he makes a valid point. It’s not fair to the others. If I don’t stay, one of them has to. It’s not likehe’s any worse with me than with them. Why should I get out of it when they have to suffer?”
“Fuck, I hate it when you get all logical,” he gripes, face pinched in a tight frown.
A surprised laugh barks out of me, bringing a ghost of a smile to Royce’s lips.
“The next time he corners you about staying late, text me, okay?”
I run my eyes over his serious expression. “I’d have to have your number to do that.”
