“I’ve always liked her.”
Ari’s mouth dropped.“So you didn’t hate me this whole time?”
“Why would you think that?”Dennis seemed genuinely surprised.
“What do you mean, why would I think that? That’s exactly how you act!”
“This is so cute.”I clasped my hands and looked between them.“You guys are finally bonding.”
“Don’t get used to it.”Dennisplaced a hand on the bar and hopped over to landbeside me.
“What’re you doing? You’re supposed to be on that side.” I watched in disbelief as he grabbed a glass and two bottles of liquor.
“I’m making a drink. Do you not have eyes?”
“Why don’t you just work here too, since you’re always hopping and sliding over everything?”
“Why would I? This works fine. Richard knows me, he doesn’t care.”
“Emy, come back.”
“What’s up?”I turned around at Sean’sbeckoning.
“This guy wants you.”He nodded toward a waiting customer.“He requested you specifically.”
“By name?”I asked.I’d never seen that man before in my life.
“By‘the sexyone’,”Sean said.“Get used to it. You’ll probably be requested by variations of that name a lot.”
“Trust me, I’m used to it. You can’t work as a dancer without being called every name possible.”I patted his chest as I passed.“Hey,hun.”I flashed the customer a friendly smile.“What can I get you?”
“A strong island, please.”
“Sure thing,” I said, then ducked when Dennis went over the bar with a half empty drink in hand. “You almost killed me!” I shouted. He’d barely missed my head.
“At least your reflexes are getting better?”He held up the glass in a mocking cheers before walking away.
“You could’ve decapitated me, y’know,” I called after him.
“Does he do that a lot?”The man asked. “Open,” he added as I took his card.
“All the time.”I turned to the register and started a tab. It was right then that I heard a screech that somehow formed Dennis’name—Melissawas stalking toward him. They were near the pool tables but her voice carried loud and clear.
“You killed Kiro, didn’t you?”She shoved a finger in his face. He barely acknowledged it.
“Yeah. Why do you care?”
“You can’t just go around killing people like that!”
“I do it all the time. You’re a few days late on this one.”
“He didn’t even have a fucking bind. Now he’s gone for good! I should kill you for being such an arrogant asshole.”
“Good luck with that.”Dennis laughed as she tried to shove him.
“Yeah, well I can still kick your fuckingass. You don’t hit girls, do you? You’re too kind to hit a lady?”Her tone was abrasive. Taunting. “You think you’re so much fucking better than Kiro, don’t you?” She roughly pushed his shoulder.
“I definitely am. Or should I say ‘was’?” He was smiling while she fumed.
