Nico chuckled and shook his head. “Let me call him back.”
Felipe was free, and we got there just after one. Abi and two of the bartenders arrived twenty minutes later. The staff actually seemed excited to be back at work. I hoped they would want to, but I’d been worried they might be a little pissed that I’d closed the place to begin with. Thankfully, none of them seemed the least bit put out by the closure. It made things feel like old times, and before I even realized it, we were open.
The night went like it usually would have. It was busier than I thought it would be, and that helped a lot—the wolf was quieter when I was busy. I bounced all over the place: helping makedrinks, running food out, cashing out tabs, and cleaning up. The clientele was typical: folks getting off work and wanting to wind down, groups of friends wanting to relax over a drink together, and the people who always came to places like this looking to get laid.
One of that last type came in around nine. He looked like he was a little younger than me, probably mid-twenties. He was cute, but I could tell just by the way he carried himself that he was out on the prowl, which made him a little more unattractive. I was happy to serve people like him, but there was usually an air of desperation to them that always made me wonder how they ever got lucky.
He came up to me an hour after he got there to get a drink. “Hey there, lady. How are you doing?”
“Doing great. Can I get you a drink?” I asked, barely taking my eyes off the table I was clearing.
“Yeah. Maybe you can give me your number along with it?”
I grinned, honestly thinking it was funny. He definitely couldn’t read body language. “Sorry, it’s against the rules. I can grab you that drink, though. Beer? Cocktail?”
He grinned drunkenly and leaned in. “Cock-tail? Mmmm, you talk dirty for a girl who doesn’t want to give up her number.”
My good nature was rapidly dwindling. Usually, I was great at dealing with these situations. I was self-aware enough to know that I was attractive. I kept my body in good shape and I was traditionally pretty. I wasn’t blind to that when looking in the mirror, so I was used to this. Men were always hitting on me. Most of the time, I was able to pivot away and get things back on track to customer and owner. Easy distinction, easy way to get rid of someone without hurting feelings or losing a customer for good. For some reason, this time, anger built rapidly in me. All I wanted was for this guy to go away.
“Listen, pal, I’ve got a dick at home to play with. I guarantee it’s nicer than yours. So order a drink or leave me alone.”
Internally, I was shocked I said something like that. I was never vulgar toward customers. Part of me was mortified that I’d lowered myself to his level. Another part of me was grinning in pride and…growling? The wolf was doing this, I could feel it.
The guy’s eyes narrowed, and his grin became less flirty and meaner. “You got a smart mouth on you. Maybe I need to shove something in it,” he said, grabbing my arm roughly.
Rage. When I glanced down and saw his hands on me, that was all I could feel. Rage. Red-hot and boiling. Lava-hot and razor-sharp. I looked up at him and his face changed. The look on my face must have been terrifying. My lips peeled back from my teeth. I visualized grabbing the beer stein on the table, slamming it against the wall until I held a jagged glass handle, then shoving it into his throat. The image of him gagging and stumbling back, blood spurting from his mouth and throat, should have horrified me. Instead, it made me excited.
Thankfully, before I could do anything that crazy, a heavy hand slapped down on the guy’s shoulder. Felipe stood behind him. He yanked the guy back, and I was released as the creep stumbled away. Felipe twisted his hand into the dude’s shirt and grabbed his free arm, yanking it up behind him until the asshole yelped in pain.
“What?” Felipe asked. “You mean you don’t like being touched when you don’t want to be? Ain’t that some hypocritical shit?”
Felipe dragged the guy through the bar and shoved him out the front door. As the door swung closed slowly, I saw the guy stumble to his knees in the parking lot. The bar fell silent, then suddenly the crowd erupted in applause. Felipe grinned and gave everyone a pageant wave as he came back over to me, his expression serious as he got close.
“Are you good? Did that piece of shit hurt you?”
I shook my head, still wondering at how I got so angry. I’d never been so pissed in my life. And that bloody fantasy that had flashed through my mind? What the fuck was that? Never in my life had I visualized killing someone. Not even the guys who’d tried to kill me. Those weren’t my thoughts, I realized. The wolf had been the one thinking those things. It scared me more than I could explain, even to myself.
The next hour went by much slower. I did my best to put on a brave face, but I knew I couldn’t hang at the bar much longer. I put on my best fake smile and found Abi.
“Whew, busy night, right?” I asked.
“Yeah. Sorry about that guy. I should have found you and warned you. He was hitting on me earlier. I figured turning him down would have shut him up. I guess that was too much to ask for.”
“Mm hmm,” I said, doing my best to act normal. “Listen, I’m exhausted. Are you good if I head home a little early?”
Abi waved me off. “No problem. It’s not too busy now, we should be fine closing up. You need the rest anyway. How are your sides, by the way? Did you get the stitches out yet?”
“Yeah, yeah, all good. I’ll find Felipe and let him know. Let the team know they can have a round on the house once you guys close up.”
“Sweet,” Abi said, smiling, then her eyes narrowed. “Maddy, are you sure you’re okay? That douchebag didn’t mess you up, did he?”
“I’m fine, seriously.”
That wasn’t true, of course. I was anything but fine.
Felipe got me home, and I collapsed on the couch. It wasn’t even nine yet, and since I was working at the bar, Nico had gone in to do some paperwork and parts ordering. I was still on thecouch when he got home. It only took one look at me for him to come running over.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” he asked as he sat down beside me.
