Page 77 of My Three Billionaire Rockstars

“Your order is being prepared,” I bite back. “I’ll bring it out when it’s ready.”

He smirks. “Yeah, you do that. That’s what you’re here for.”

I nod once.

Because if I don’t leave right now, I’m going to say something that ends with me unemployed and possibly banned from multiple establishments.

I turn, and stop, because Julian is there. Close enough that I can feel the shift before I even look at him.

I didn’t hear him move, didn’t see him cross the room, but somehow, he did, and he’s not smiling.

“Hey,” he says, easy on the surface, but there’s more underneath it now. “We got a problem?”

The man blinks, thrown off immediately. “I… no, I was just…”

“Because it sounded like you were talking to her like she’s beneath you,” Julian continues, tone still conversational, like he’s pointing out a minor inconvenience instead of quietly dismantling the situation. “And I’m trying to figure out why you’d think that’s a good idea.”

The table next to him goes silent.

The man shifts in his seat. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Great,” Julian says, nodding once. “Then we’re done here.”

There’s a pause. The kind that stretches just long enough to make the point land.

“Yeah,” the man says quickly. “Yeah, we’re done.”

“Perfect.”

Just like that. No raised voice, no scene, but the message is clear enough that even I feel it.

Julian turns back to me, and it’s like a switch flips.

The grin comes back. “Carry on.”

I stare at him. Because what… what just happened?

Behind him, table six has suddenly developed a deep interest in their napkin dispenser.

I turn, walk back toward the counter, set my notepad down very carefully like I’m handling something fragile.

Then I turn back. “What was that?”

Julian leans against the counter again, all ease and charm like he didn’t just step in front of me without hesitation. “That was me not enjoying his tone.”

“I can handle customers.”

“I know,” he says, not arguing it. “You were doing great. Very professional. Ten out of ten restraint.”

“That doesn’t mean you get to jump in.”

“Probably not.” Pause. “Still going to.”

I blink at him.

“Great,” I say. “Love that for me. Overbearing men. Perfect.”

I grab his burger from the pass and shove it toward him. “Eat your food.”