Page 6 of Forbidden Fruit

I get to the bar and wait for Jade to prepare the cocktails before doing my best to balance them on my tray and bring them to the patrons. I’m too focused on putting one foot in front of the other and not tripping. I don’t see the massive wall in front of me.

In a clash of broken glass and spilled liquor, I collide withhim.

Warm, large hands land on my forearms to steady me. I look up, coming eye to eye with a sharp steel-grey gaze. Where I expect annoyance, I only find concern.

“Are you okay?” His rough voice travels along my skin, a shiver making its way up my spine. Listening to people having sex around me for the past hour has made me extra horny if only three simple words can make me want to drop to my knees buthere I am. I also haven’t had a human-induced orgasm in too long. That’s the only plausible explanation for my brain-short circuiting.

“Yes, I’m okay. I’m so sorry, sir,” I babble as I crouch to gather the shards of glass at our feet, severing the link between us.

He surprises me and crouches next to me, helping collect the broken glass.

“Oh no, please. You don’t have to do that. You’ll—” I don’t finish my sentence and hiss as a fragment of glass slices my palm.

The stranger frowns and pulls a silk square from his trouser pocket. Before I can argue, he takes my hand in his larger one and presses the lightly-coloured fabric against my skin. It immediately darkens and although the cut is shallow, it’s bleeding a lot.

“Oh shit,” I mumble.

I’m mortified. Not only did I break more glasses so far tonight than in my entire first week at The Happy Frog, but now I’m bleeding all over a customer. I’m a fucking mess. Tears prick at my eyes. I tear my hand away and stand abruptly, averting my gaze. “I’m so sorry. Let me get you another drink. On the house,” I sniff.

The man’s fingers encircle my wrist before I can flee. With more tenderness than I deserve, he places the silk on my wound again. “You should get this cleaned up,” he says.

Words lodge in my throat, the pressure of his fingers on my cut anchoring me to the moment. His body is so close to mine that it shelters me from the light of the dais where another couple has replaced the bondage trio. The dark cocoon could almost make me believe I’m safe here with this stranger.

But it’s just a mirage.

I nod and disappear into the staff area, cleaning my hand and bunching the soiled fabric of the pocket square before jamming it into my pocket as a keepsake.

The rest of the shift is less eventful, but I spend it feeling off balance, visions of the dark-haired stranger with his clear glasses bursting in my mind every so often. I grit my teeth and keep going until closing time.

“That was rough, babe,” Jade jokes as we sweep and disinfect the benches and table of the living room.

“It was so dark,” I answer as if that’s excuse enough.

“Yeah, but two spilled glasses, three broken and three order mix ups isa lot.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ll do better next time. Please, don’t fire me yet.” I’m ready to beg. If I want to put myself to school and actually do something more with my life than barely live one day at a time, I need to hang on. The pay is great, much better than anywhere I’ve worked before. And these patrons know how to tip.

Jade swats my words away and laughs. “Babe, the last person I hired ended up in a foursome on his first shift. You’ll be fine.” She obviously sees my shock and points to a lean and tanned blond man walking to the staff area. “That’s Bianco. He loves the attention too much to just serve drinks.”

Our shift ends at around 2 am and Jade and I walk side by side as we make our way home. I tell her about my shitty roommate and she cackles like my misery is the best story she’s heard in a while.

“If I don’t laugh, I’ll beat the bastard up for you. You don’t look like you know how to throw a punch. If you need a place to stay, let me know. I’m often at my boyfriend’s and at least, you can use the heating if you decide to sleep at my place,” she offers kindly.

I’ve only just met her and she has done more for me than my wretched aunt, who I share blood with. I desperately want to cling to it, but I know what happens when you trust someone and they reveal who they really are.

I’m cautious when I answer, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

We exchange numbers and, generous as always, Jade asks me to come back for another shift. “Process the experience, babe. Seeing people fuck can be an adjustment but after a while, you don’t even notice anymore.” She winks and disappears in the other direction.

My shift on Monday is even worse than the night before. I spend way too much time cleaning up my mess rather than serving drinks.

Thank God for Jade. The woman has been nothing but kind to me, picking up my orders after I destroy them, making the drinks I forget, and guiding me through basic orders because, of course, I forgot how to pour beer from the tap even though I worked at an Irish pub for three weeks.

It’s almost four in the morning when we finish cleaning up. At least, I did that well enough.

Jade comes up to me, her lips a tight line. “Listen, babe, I’m sorry, but the boss was here tonight.”

My breaths come short and laboured. “What does that mean? I can’t lose this job, Jade.” After I spent all the money my mother left me for her funeral, I have nothing left.

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