Page 10 of Muerte

“You didn’t take the money. That says a lot about your character,” Mr. Hawthorne continued.

“I was simply doing my job,” I reiterated, probably harsher than necessary, but I was beginning to feel like a broken record.

“Bishop.” He made a gesture to his dark-haired companion. Almost immediately, he was handed a cylinder glass full of something ruby red.

“This was imported from our isle for tonight.” He turned towards me and extended the cup.

I was reminded of earlier when he offered me a tip. If I knew not accepting it would lead to this, I would’ve snatched the money in a heartbeat. I glanced at the glass and shook my head.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept this either. I really didn’t do anything extraordinary.”

Shana stepped out from behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Go ahead and have a sip, sweetie. You deserve it.”

Sweetie? She hated that endearment. Had she undergone a personality transplant in the last few hours? There was so much wrong with this I didn’t know where to begin. For starters, she knew I wasn’t old enough to drink. In the privacy of my own home was one thing. Here was a completely different story.

Not only that, drinking on the job was expressly prohibited. It was a two-part clause in the employee contract we signed before working at the resort. She’d fired three girls for breaking it less than two months ago.

Her abrupt change in attitude further heightened my discomfort. As respectfully as I could, I removed her arm and put some space between us. She shot me a look that was a mix of apologetic and something else. Pleading? Desperate? Just like the woman who ate the scrap of paper.

My stomach knotted. Who the hell were the people at this table to make a veteran employee switch up so drastically and practically tremble with nerves? Specifically, the man in front of me. Would he take this rejection personally? When I looked at Shana again, I knew without a reasonable doubt she was doing this to please whoever this man was.

I was missing a crucial detail in this unfolding scenario, but I didn’t want to cause issues for Shana by flat-out rejecting him again. Withholding a sigh, I decided it was best to just get it over with and go about my night so I could find the woman in need of help.

Begrudgingly, I took the glass and brought it to my lips. The smell reminded me of tobacco mixed with mint, an odd combination. I knew very little about wine, preferring the fruity drinks from gas stations or shots of Silver Patron.

I took a generous swig, pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. A mix of raspberry, red fruit, chocolate, and black licorice combined into liquid silk. I finished half the glass off and refrained from wiping my mouth with the back of my palm.

“Do you like it?” He sounded as if he genuinely cared about my opinion.

I nodded and rolled my lips together, swallowing one last time. “It’s really good, thank you.”

His attention dipped to my mouth where it remained for three long seconds before flitting back to ensnare me once again. He didn’t seem to mind all the eyes that were on us, and I was unable to look away. As much as I wanted to put space between him and me, I couldn’t deny how captivating he was. He radiated an aura of magnetic charm, interlaced with a hint of danger.

“Finish it,” he prompted, breaking the mystifying spell I’d begun to fall under. His underlying command was like barbed wire against my skin. A faint smirk said he noticed.

I lightly cleared my throat and tightened my grip on the glass. “No, I need to get back to work. Thank you again, though.”

Before he or anyone else could say anything else, I hurried away.

Anya rushed up to me as soon as I’d made it a fair distance from the table. She’d watched the entire interaction from the sidelines.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better. Want some wine? It was imported from an island.”

“An island? Sure.” She gingerly took the glass from me. “Now tell me what the hell just happened.”

I was still wondering that myself. “I’m not sure, but I need some air. Cover for me?”

“Yeah, of course.” I heard her soft reply as I walked away. This day was proving to be one for the books. All I wanted was to go home and put it behind me. Anya owed me big time.

CHAPTER THREE

I blinked a few times to clear my vision, confused by what I was seeing.

Dark vaulted ceilings.

The aromatic scent of lavender and labdanum.

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