“You will need a teacher, a mentor to show you the ropes who knows what they are doing.” Was that a question or a statement? “You will come back next Saturday night,” he paused, probably realizing that he sounded like he was making a demand and finished with, “if you wish it.”
“Uh, like to the club to hang out with you?”
Langden chuckled, “Oh no, that fake ID could close my club down. I have a back entrance and will have a doorman waiting to escort you to my office, deal?”
“I, sure, okay, I will come back next Saturday.” His eyes darkened, and I was learning they did that when he felt in control.
“Get dressed, little girl, and I will have a car take you home.” Yikes, this was way more than I bargained for. What if my parents were still up? “But—”
“No buts. If anyone asks, you can say it’s an Uber.” That was true. I didn’t know why I was suddenly panicking.
“What about Cheryl?” Langden chuckled darkly. “Your bratty friend has already been dealt with. She was escorted home, not down to my bar as she had hoped. As I said, despite my interest in you, I’m not willing to have my club closed due to underage drinkers.”
I was embarrassed. “It was Cheryl. She insisted we come. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. That was what your spanking was for.” An awkward silence followed. “Here, put your number in my phone, and I will text you what I wish you to wear next Saturday.” I quickly typed in my number and then got dressed. Langden walked me down the back stairs to the waiting Uber. I watched him in the rear-view mirror as the car left the club. When he was out of sight, I leaned my head back on the seat and wondered what I’d gotten myself into.
Chapter Two
Quick pulse and ready to run. The heart knows the hunter is near.
I was on my way to the university campus to check out my newest acquisition, a pub. Today I would be meeting the staff to decide which of them I would keep and then run interviews for new hires to replace those that received their walking papers. I owned many clubs but was happy to add this campus bar to my repertoire. It was well established, and made a great profit. The only issue I’d come across was the repeated closures due to underage drinkers. That would stop under my new management.
My mind had been on Maddox since watching the car pull away from the bar Saturday night. That was two nights ago. I should have moved past our little dalliance by the time the vehicle disappeared. Why did this particular woman capture me when I’d had so many others?
Maddox had a tenuous innocence that needed guarding, and for some reason, the responsibility was mine. She was one of those women who were ignorant of their treasure, allowing the sharks to swim around her and go in for the kill. That and shewas easy on the eyes. Hers were blue, not dark like sapphires, or light like many of Nordic descent. No, hers were some type of light turquoise that I couldn’t put a name to. Then again, it wasn’t so much the color, as what lay in the depths, coupled with her pale porcelain skin, legs for days…I knew nothing about her, yet I felt like I had borne witness to the fabric of what made her unique, and that was what was haunting me.
I pulled up in my Ferrari. Oh yes, I was the pretentious wealthy bar owner and loved playing up the role. I wasn’t disappointed as a cluster of employees and wannabe employees were lined up along with the few patrons waiting for a table. I was happy to see that the pub was well attended and an obvious favorite on campus.
I grinned inwardly at the catcalls from the women and the “way to go, man,”comments from the guys. I shook hands with the manager, and she escorted me to the back office that was overcrowded with bar paraphernalia, books, print-outs and an old computer on a desk with two chairs, summed up in one word, tiny.
“Sonya, let's start with our current employees. Are any worth keeping?” Sonya sat down opposite me and went over her list of staff. By the time we were done, I had decided to keep the kitchen staff, at least for now, one waitress and two bartenders.
Sonya sent in the staff, and one after the other, I let them go with one month's salary, generous, but I wanted this pub to maintain its standing on campus, as students were 80% of the drinkers. I had let the others go because they were either underage or were overly tolerant of underage drinking, which was not only my biggest pet peeve but completely illegal.
I was bored to tears and looking forward to the end of the interview process, when my last appointment for the day walked through the door. She stopped so quickly, the automatic door hit her as it tried to close. Her jaw dropped open, the shock she feltevident in her expression. A familiar blush crept from her neck to her lovely pale face, Maddox.
Two emotions warred for equal attention as I looked at her… amusement. Her eyes were so full of expression, and her mouth, with those sultry lips, couldn’t tell a lie. Secondly, anger. Was she applying for a job with her fake ID? Was she precisely like those dimwitted servers I had just let go?
Maddox turned to flee, but moving quickly out of my seat, I grabbed her arm before she could. “You’re not going anywhere,little girl. Now sit down.” Maddox sat down across the desk from me, her eyes as big as saucers, from surprise, but also, a little fear. Good, she should be afraid of me. I was a dangerous man.
“You came here to apply for a job.” I barked out my statement with enough edge to make a grown man shake. She would know how displeased I was at seeing her here.
“Yes.” Was all she said, as nothing else was forthcoming. I continued.
“Were you planning to apply with your fake identification? You did read the ad and know that those applying need to be a minimum of twenty-one.” She gulped, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.
“Yes, to both, sir.” On the one hand, I was proud of her for telling the truth and, on the other, furious that I had been right.
“Oh no, you don’t get to call me sir, as if you respect me. You clearly have no respect for me, or rules, or you wouldn’t be breaking them. Do you have any idea how close this place has come to being permanently shut down? I got a steal on the purchase because little brats like you think they can get away with anything.”
My frustrations from the past two hours poured from my mouth, and Maddox got the full force of it. The tears that had been threatening trickled down her face. I wasn’t moved, all Isaw was black and the need for Maddox to know the extent of my displeasure.
“This was your last warning Maddox. Your picture will be posted, so no one will allow you entrance. I will pass it along to every bar on this campus. Not only will you not be hired, but you will not be allowed in as a patron either. Do I make myself clear, young lady?”
Maddox stood up on wobbly legs and grasped the edge of my desk to keep from tipping over. “Yes, sir, perfectly. Please may I go now?” I should let her go, or she may end up bent over my desk getting her ass striped and then fucked.
“No, you may not. Did you know I bought the pub, that I was the new owner?” She shook her head in the negative. “Why did you want to work here?” Not wishing to answer me, Maddox glanced at the door just like her first night with me. She wanted to run. I got the impression that was her MO, running away when things got tough.
