“Be there, Remi, or I will come looking.” And the car speeds away.
I stand very still on the corner, pretending to look at my phone while my heart punches my ribs so hard, I might bruise.
By the time I walk through the clubhouse gates, the white dress from Lexi feels like a bad joke. Lily was right—being beautiful is unfortunate. It gets you seen when all you want is to blend into the background, to disappear so twats like Colin can’t find you.
Shadow is on the steps, his arms folded and his expression set to permanent thunder. He looks me over once, from throat to trainers, and something tightens in his jaw.
“You ate?” he asks.
I want to snap. Instead, I say, “Yes, and your obsession with my food intake is kinda creepy.”
“And you lying about being on shift is just as creepy,” he retorts, “but I’ll allow it cos you’re working a free shift.”
“What?”
“Your punishment for taking from the club.”
“I put it back,” I cry for what feels like the hundredth time. “And it was twenty quid, for goodness’ sake.”
He holds his hands up. “Hey, I don’t make the rules. And a night’s wage is so much better than the alternative, trust me. It’s busy in there. You’re on cleanup first, then the bar. Any trouble, give me a shout.”
“Thank you for the lesson in being a damsel,” I say sweetly, my tone full of sarcasm.
He steps in closer, lowering his voice. “I need you safe.”
It lands somewhere I don’t want it to. I nod once, sharp. “Good. Then don’t hover. It makes me look owned.”
One corner of his mouth twitches. “God forbid.”
The good thing about work is it makes you useful, and if you’re useful, people keep you around. The afternoon trickles into evening, and I work my backside off. I trade jokes for tips I’m not allowed to take, slide waters to the guys who are way too drunk to speak, and I keep on top of the flirty banter.
Shadow hovers nearby, not obvious, but always there at the edge of things. Talking to Axel, talking to prospects, looking like he isn’t watching me while he absolutely is. It should piss me off, but it doesn’t.
Ragnor comes in late, his grin bright, dimples out like a weapon. I don’t smile back, and he notices.
“You alright, angel?” he asks, leaning on the bar.
“Don’t call me that,” I say, wiping a ring of spilled beer.
He lifts his hands. “Touchy.”
“Busy.”
“Come by mine later,” he says lightly. “Not for cleaning.” He winks like it’s charming.
“Hard pass.”
He laughs and pushes off the bar. “You’ll change your mind.”
“Not in this lifetime,” I say to his back, and Shadow chuckles, his eyes connecting with mine. I almost smile back, happy that he’s pleased with me. Then I give my head a shake and go back to wiping the bar, because getting closer to Shadow is absolutely not a good idea.
When I finally get a minute, I check my mobile to see a message glaring back at me.
Unknown number: Midnight. Steel’s carpark. Don’t be late.
Great.
At ten minutes to midnight, I’m almost off shift. I tell Axel I’m going for air, and he nods, distracted with his phone. Shadow’s at the far end of the room in conversation with Duke, and for once, his eyes aren’t on me. I slip out unnoticed and head for Steels.
