Page 40 of Our Blood, Our Pain

“So shy boy has some teeth. That’s good, you’ll need them around here.”

She bends down behind the bar and retrieves a large stack of files that she passes over to me.

“You boys want a drink?”

“We’ll take two orange juices, Bon. Can you bring them over?” Simon says.

“Of course.”

Bonnie winks at me before turning to make our drinks and Simon nudges me to follow him. We walk over to one of the tables at the back of the club.

“You did good back there. Snarky Kai is a blast.”

“The brothers won’t be mad I was rude to her?”

“Nah, you stood your ground, and that wasn’t rude. Now, down to business. Every week we check the cash flow that Bonnie records with receipts every night, and then we check the girls’ rosters to see who turned up and if anyone is slacking and not making any money. Slackers get the boot, then we’d need to recruit.”

“Okay.”

Bonnie walks over and silently leaves our drinks as we immerse ourselves in the endless paperwork. It’s cool, and it’s something I don’t think I’ll have any trouble doing on my own in the future.

Things are starting to look up a little, giving me a burst of hope that things are finally coming together.

26

JULES

“How’s Kai today?” Seb asks as we walk into Starlight. It’s a good question, one I’ve asked myself, as I don’t know. We only had a brief conversation before he left, but I’m worried now that he’s had time to process what happened last night, that he may have had second thoughts. I’m in the other camp and feel fantastic after last night. It was the most phenomenal sex I’ve ever had. Earth shattering. Life changing. So much so I want more. If we didn’t have to work I’d still be inside him, trying to find what other noises I can get him to make.

“Jules?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re off in your own world there. I said, how is Kai? But I assume from your blissed out demeanor that you’re daydreaming about him, and he’s probably on a high too?”

“You’re as bad as D. Do you guys do anything other than gossip?”

“Sure we do. We talk and fuck. But I’m not meaning to be nosy, it’s just, I know Kai has been struggling and I’ve been a little worried about him.”

My ears perk up at that little nugget of information.

“Struggling with what?” I ask, as Seb’s eyes widen as if he has said too much.

“You know, moving from home. Settling in here,” he says, and I know him well enough to know when he’s being sketchy.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing!”

“Not buying it, but I can hardly force you when you’re the boss's hubby can I?”

Seb laughs. I’m partly joking but my mind is trying to read between the lines. I know he’s found the adjustments tough, and also what happened with Aaron, but not enough that I would think it would cause Seb any concern. Actually, Seb is a bleeding heart so he could be reading way too much into it.

“I’ll talk to him tonight.”

“I think that’s a good idea. You want anything before I do inventory?”

“Nah I’m good, thanks. I’ll just hang around and wait for Dima to show up.”

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