Page 14 of Immortal Sun

“I’m many things, Cleo, but I would never lie about something so sacred.” He winks. “Think you can help me carry the whiskey to my office or are you going to trip?”

I make a face. “I can walk and carry a few glasses.”

“Excellent, follow me.” He grabs four, I follow him slowly and when I look over my shoulder it’s to see the same couple answering a random dial up phone attached to the wall by a door. They hang up. The door opens into complete darkness. Before they walk in, they toss back their drinks and throw the glasses onto the ground while the door closes behind them.

Do they sell drugs here?

What the hell did Jake get me into?

It sure as hell isn’t a speakeasy.

I gulp and hurry after Cyrus. “So the drink, does it have like psychedelics in it?”

He sets the glasses down onto his large mahogany desk, it matches the bar perfectly. The rest of the room is pristine with large historical paintings, shelves of books on one side and a fireplace with two large blood red chairs facing it.

He leans against his desk and retrieves the glasses from my hands. “We don’t sell drugs if that’s what you’re insinuating and every drink here is as pure as the way the moon chases the sun.”

Weird analogy but I run with it. “So that room back there?—“”

He holds up a finger. “You still haven’t signed your NDA have you?”

Crap. No. I shift uncomfortably on my feet. “It was the only thing I haven’t signed but it seemed like a strange ask about a bar so I wanted to talk to you about it.”

“Simple.” He pulls out a sheet of paper and an ancient looking quill with a large orange feather on the top of it. “You are here to serve. You live and die by your service as anyone in this industry does. The customer however, is not always right. If you see something wrong, always come to me personally. We have a lot of wealthy clientele. Understand?”

No, not really. No bar has ever asked me to sign an NDA. Does he mean local celebrities? A chill runs down my arms. “Okay, I mean I guess if I have to sign to work here.” And I have nothing for me back home and I’m still waiting on Jake what choice do I really have?

He grabs a glass and sips. “Do you trust me?”

“Do I have a choice?” I counter with a smirk. “Sorry that sounded snarky.”

His eyes change in a way that’s so intense I take a step backwards. “You’re alone in Seattle. You’re all…alone. Aren’t you?” His whisper sends chills down my spine, his voice sounds like it’s really far away. I’m suddenly warmer than I’ve been all day. He leans over me. “My advice would be to sign and discover the treasure of the Nile, maybe then you’ll finally find yourself.”

My eyes start to burn with unshed tears.

His deep voice repeats in my head over and over again like a low rumble, accusatory, ringing true.

Alone. Alone. Alone.

“P-people know I’m here.” I find my voice, swallowing slowly as he does a small walk around me. “I mean, I have friends.”

Do I, though? Really?

“Cleo? Are you okay?” He lifts his glass to his full, sensual lips. “You don’t look well, and you started telling me you weren’t alone. You must be exhausted.” He presses a hand to my forehead and frowns.

What just happened?

I have the pen in my hand.

And somehow I’ve already signed on the dotted line.

When did I do that?

“What does the contract say again?” I ask in a quiet, damning voice.

“A little of this.” He walks over to his desk and sets down his glass next to it. “We went over this remember? Don’t be a nark and you’ll be good.”

Oh. Right. “So all employees sign this then?”

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