A tall barmaid with burnt umber hair wanders over to me and sits on the opposite side of the booth. "I was told to sit with you. I'm Nina." She rubs her hands down her apron as she smiles sweetly in my direction. With a cute pleated upper lip and violet-blue eyes that are circled by dark lashes, she is very attractive.
I cross my legs. "Okay, well, you don't have to if you don't want to."
She nods. "Yes, I do."
"Okay." I bite my lip idly. "What's back there?"
She tilts her head towards the door, questioningly. "There? The cigar lounges."
"Cool. Can anyone go back there?"
She leans on the table and taps her nails. "No. It's just for VIPs."
I feel a wave of excitement. "CanIgo back there?"
Her lovely eyes shift around. "I guess. You're with Max."
A wicked grin takes over my face. "So I could get up right now and walk in there and you'd let me?"
She sighs. "Yes. I don't know why you'd want to though."
"Why?"
"Because it's just full of businessmen talking shop. And skimpies. Not the right place for a girl like you."
I blink at her. "Excuse me? A girl like me?"
"Calm down." She shuffles slightly and her breasts move beneath her shirt, voluptuous and heavy. She's striking. I imagine outside of her work attire, she'd be a showstopper. "I didn’t mean to offend you. You're Max's date. He's not back there to see them. He's out here with you. You're better than them and he's very protective of you."
I try to listen to the intent and appreciate the words, but Ican’t help but feel uneasy when a total stranger gives me insight into my boyfriend's intentions and feelings. "I'm sorry, what?"
She smiles despite my tight face. "He will want to keep the world beautiful for you."
"What?" I sip my port. "How do you even know this?"
"Because I can tell. I've known Max for a very long time."
My brows draw together. "How long?"
She's had sex with my boyfriend.
I feel sick.
She deflects my question. "When you see men drunk and surrounded by women who will do anything to get their favour, you see things that make you realise how perverted the world is. How sick men can be. He doesn't want to taint you with that scene. But clubs that bring in an aristocratic demographic also need a private retreat for them to handle their business. That's the cigar lounge."
I roll my eyes and wrap my arm around my stomach protectively. "I'm not a delicate little flower. I know men."
Her head tilts. "Do you?"
I swallow. "Yes."
She smiles at me again. "You don't knowthesemen."
My arm tightens around my stomach as it rolls with nausea. "Howwelldo you know Max?"
"Very well. I used to live next door to them," she states emphatically. "For many years."
"And?" I stare at her questioningly. "You've slept with my boyfriend."
