Page 20 of Lucifer's Revenge
“Good, God, woman? Are you nuts?” The shock and disdain in her voice and expression through Lilith for a loop.
“What? I went to his bar last night. He owns Hell’s Coffin. It’s not as bad as it sounds. The bar is clean, the food is fantastic, and the people are nice and friendly. Did I hang out with bikers, yes. Was there any problems? Only with some punk-ass college students that tried to fight one another. All it took was one look from Luc and they were cleaning up their mess and tripping over themselves to please him.”
Sally studied her intently for several minutes as they ate, then sighed heavily. “There’s no way I can talk you out of seeing him?”
“Why would you want to do that?” Lilith asked in confusion. At the look on her friend’s face, she set her fork down and studied her friend and co-worker. “Stop, I’m a grown-ass adult and am free to decide whomever I want to date. Just because he owns a bar and rides a motorcycle, it doesn’t make him any different from you nor me. It shocks me at how judgy you’re being right now, Sally. I thought better of you.” She shook her head sadly. “Just because you’ve been dating Trent for three months, that doesn’t give you the right to dictate who I can and cannot see.”
“It’s just...”
“What? Just what, Sally? Are you trying to say that I’m not good enough even for a biker?” Lilith sat there in stunned silence as she stared at the person she thought was her best friend. She shook her head sadly. “Let me ask you this, Sally. What didI say or do to you when you dated that financial advisor that took all your money then ghosted you?” When Sally started to say something, Lilith held up her hand and shook her head to stop her. “I’m not done,” she said harshly. She leaned in and whispered, “What did I say or do when that fake law clerk, the guy you moved into your apartment after only dating for two weeks, used your home as his brothel to bring several different women into the place to have sex with every single day while you were at work? Or how about the guy that moved himself into your place only a few weeks after you got rid of the sex maniac, who I might remind you, refused to have sex with you because he was saving himself for marriage, but the next guy who was caught dealing drugs out of your apartment, and when he was caught, you were arrested when he pointed the finger at you?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then, please, by all means, tell me what it is, because I willnottolerate you trying to tell me who I should or should not date. Especially not after seeing how your current boyfriend is changing you into someone you’re not, just forhisdesires. Why do you wear frumpy dresses now? Why is your hair styled to look like a 1950’s housewife? He’s grooming you to be his perfect person, then when he gets you where he wants you, he’ll dump your ass. Take a long hard look at your own life before you judge mine. Those four men I just mentioned you dated in the last nine months. Who’s calling the kettle black here, Sally? I haven’t been out on a date with a man in over four years. I have standards and the pickings are pretty slim out there. Again, unlike you, I don’t jump from man to man to satisfy some sick need to be controlled. I go for quality, not quantity. For cripe’s sake, it’s only coffee.” Lilith felt too agitated to continue, so she reached for her purse, threw some money on the table, and stood. She paused beside Sally’s chair and looked at her.
“Until you can apologize to me for being so judgmental aboutmylife, I will keep our relationship strictly professional. I will beyour boss,not your co-worker, not your friend. Your. Boss. The ball is in your court now.” She shook her head sadly and walked out, leaving a stunned Sally sitting at the table.
*****
Across town, Luc walking in the back door of the bar, and nodded to his morning kitchen crew. They didn’t open until eleven on Sundays, but they still had to prep for the coming day, and it was the quietest time for the cook and lead bartender to take inventory and get it to him so he could place his orders first thing Monday morning. He nodded as he went out to the bar, and smiled when he saw the coffee pot was full. As much as he liked to think he was saving money by bringing his own soda into the bar, he knew drinking coffee would cost only pennies, not high cents. With a full mug, he turned, sipped and spotted the people waiting for him across the bar.
He walked over, shook Professor Tiggs’s hand, leaned down, kissed the top of Starr’s head, and took the empty seat between his sister and her teacher. He looked at the others and scowled when he saw one woman looking at him like he was fresh meat. He shuddered, repulsed by how she was looking at him.
“What’s up?” he asked in his gravelly voice.
“We’re here today,” Starr began, “To introduce the rest of the team to you. Beside Professor Tiggs is his brother.”
Luc nodded and held out his hand to shake.
“I’m Brad Tiggs. I’ve been over in New York city for the last ten years working on Broadway, and off Broadway as a set designer. I came back home because the production I worked on for the last three years went belly up with no warning, leaving us all scrambling. The bids I had on other jobs were outbid,so when Gary called to tell me about what you have planned, I jumped on the opportunity to help.”
“How much will it cost me?”
“Nothing. I only ask that you give me a good review, if you like my work. I’m helping Gary right now with his students in how to do set designs.”
“Are you saying I’m a test subject?”
“Yes.”
“Honest, I like it. The construction site is a mess right now. We broke ground three weeks ago and it’s rained for the last three days. Along with that and the melting snow, it’s nothing but soup out there.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Brad said with a nod. Luc nodded and turned back to Starr.
“These people will be helping me with the makeup transformations. As we all know, I’ll be doing you, Bandit, Gator, and Hawk.”
“Wait,” Brenda asked in a screech. “Why can’t I work with him.”
“Because I told everyone at class that I will be doing four people. No one touches this man but me.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so,” Luc said with finality. “Who are you?”
“Brenda Smith.”
“Well, Ms. Smith, if you can’t follow the rules and directions on the first day, then you might not be a good fit for this project. I’m here to help out Starr as much as I can. I only have one rule, well two. One, I only work with Starr, two you sign an NDA agreement.”
“And if I don’t agree to either one of those?” she asked defiantly with her nose in the air.
