Page 14 of Stay Toxic

She had to be when all of the other ones were hot-headed.

She was the peacemaker. The one sibling who controlled her shit and everyone else’s shit.

Brecken, sensing a problem, backed up a few steps from the counter.

I moved, taking a sip of my coffee as I did, and wound my way to the other side.

“What can I get you?” I asked, my eyes focused on hers.

Her pupils dilated, and she opened her mouth and closed it before saying, “I was just wondering what kind of milk base she used on my coffee. I asked for oat milk, but the way mystomach’s reacting, I think she used regular milk. I kind of wanted to know before I left for no reason.”

I turned to the barista. “What kind of milk did you use on this woman’s coffee?”

She shrugged.

It was then I’d had enough.

I didn’t fucking care how goddamn “reliable” she was.

“Get out.” I pointed to the door. “And don’t come back.”

She bowed her chest out and said, “You’re not my boss!”

“He is, you stupid fool.” Milena threw up her hands. “I have put up with a lot from you. But seriously, you can’t handle a simple order like black coffee, or what kind of milk not to use? What if she was allergic to it? What if she had an allergic reaction in our establishment because of coffee that you made her, and she died? Would you feel bad?”

The barista rolled her eyes. “You can’t fire me.”

“I can,” Milena said. “I can fire you for no reason, because Texas is a fuckin’ fantastic state and allows me to do it at will, for no reason other than I freakin’ want to. Now get out, and don’t come back. Your last check will be mailed to you.”

The barista started to protest, but my eyes caught Artur’s, who’d been watching the show from the back of the room with amusement.

I could see the surprise in his eyes that I hadn’t handled this all differently—kind of like picking her up and bodily throwing her through the plate-glass window like the trash that she was.

I wasn’t a good man.

Truthfully, I’d lost what little desire that I had to be nice to women a long time ago right around the same time that my little sister went missing.

Women were just as bad as men were, and if they said they weren’t, they were fuckin’ liars.

“Please see yourself out,” Artur said, coming from the door to stand directly beside the barista.

The barista huffed, grabbed her purse from underneath the counter, and stalked off.

I jerked my chin at Artur, telling him without words that I wanted her followed far enough away that I was sure she wasn’t going to double back and deface the building or something.

She looked vindictive enough to do that.

“I can make you a new latte to make sure,” Milena offered.

“Thank you,” Brecken said. “I’d also like to order some coffee for my brothers.”

“Coming right up,” she said. “Move, Shasha.”

I stepped to the side to allow her to get to work.

When I did, those green eyes met mine once again, and I had the urge to reach out and touch her, just to see what she would do.

When she blushed, I winked and stepped around the counter and said, “Gotta go, Milena.”

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