Page 4 of The Gentleness of Rage

Her brown eyes widened. “Another distraction,” Jaelynn answered with a warm smile and disappeared through the door.

Slate shook his head, unsure how to act. Except… he headed over to Fanatic on door duty.

“That brunette, don’t let her leave. I want to talk to her,” Slate ordered.

Fanatic twisted his head and followed Slate’s finger, pointing at Jaelynn.

“New waitress?” Fanatic asked with a frown.

“Maybe. But keep her here and call me if she tries to go before closing,” Slate said.

“Will do.”

Fanatic turned his attention to a group of people entering.

“Who the hell is that?” Mac demanded as Jaelynn waltzed past.

“Hey, Jaelynn!” Dulcie cried as she spotted her. “You helping again?”

“You’re slammed, honey, it won’t hurt to give you a hand,” Jaelynn replied.

Mac faced Slate and hitched an eyebrow. “Wanna explain something?” Mac muttered.

Slate quickly explained what had happened last night. Mac stared at Jaelynn for a few seconds.

“She didn’t ask for payment?” Mac asked.

“Nope. And even handed her tips over for Dulcie and Alexa. I split them into three and kept a third for Jaelynn, in case she ever turned up again,” Slate replied.

“Interesting,” Mac muttered.

Sunny was able to join them back behind the bar, and, to their surprise, Lisa made it in after finding a babysitter. With three bartenders and three waitresses, tonight wasn’t as pressured as the previous evening.

“Why are we so slammed?” Mac complained at one point.

“Fuck knows. But it was the same yesterday,” Slate replied.

He was thankful his stint at the bar was nearly done. He usually worked with Ezra at the landscaping company, but all Rage and Hellfire brothers worked a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening on a rota basis.

Mac rang the bell for closing time, and Slate kept an eye on Jaelynn. She cleared a few tables and then, like last night, handed over her tips and headed outside. Slate rushed out from behind the bar and grabbed her arm gently.

“Heading out?” he asked.

“Yeah, I have work in a few hours,” Jaelynn said, and Slate hated the expression that crossed her face. Jaelynn forced a smile and nodded at him. “Goodnight, Slate.”

“You don’t like your current job?” he questioned, catching her hand. He liked the way her slender fingers felt in his hand.

“Nope, but it pays, and a job is a job.”

“How about one here?” he offered.

For a moment, Jaelynn lit up, and then her shoulders slumped. “I’d love to accept, but can’t. Thank you. See you around sometime.”

Before he could stop her, Jaelynn followed a group out. Slate chased after her again, thinking this felt like déjà vu, and once again, lost her.

She pulled a disappearing act like Houdini.

“You lost her,” Fanatic stated.

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