Page 68 of Lucifer's Hounds

I can’t help but laugh at the fact that Cass is bartending and although he isn’t a bad bartender, the worried look on his face was slightly humorous.

Scott leans down so I can hear him over the roar of the crowd. “He might need some help back there.”

“But watching him suffer is kind of cute.”

Scott smiles. “Yeah. You’re right.”

“But I guess he’s suffered enough. I’m going to help.”

Mindy is the first one to spot me when I step behind the bar. She rushes around with a cup of ice in her hand, repeating “double jack and cranberry” as she opens the refrigerator.

“Lilly!” she exclaims!

“Mindy!” I mimic.

“Great, you can help now! Assholes are everywhere tonight, so beware. They’re fucking ruthless,” Mindy says, scurrying away.

“Um. Excuse me! Are you ready to serve yet?”

I turn around to find a woman in her mid-thirties glaring at me intently. She has a twenty dollar bill in her hand and when I don’t respond fast enough, she shakes the folded up bill in my direction.

“Hello?” she asks, rudely.

It takes every bit of self control that I have to maintain my composure because onanyother given night, I’d have shown her just how ready to serve I am.

I’ve literally been behind the bar for two point five seconds and this fucking cunt thinks she can talk to me like that? Oh, fuck no.

Just as I’m about to give this woman a piece of my mind, Cass steps in between us.

“What can I get you?” he asks, giving me a sly smile that says, ‘you’re welcome’.

“I need three Millers, a Malibu and Pineapple, and an Ultra,” the woman barks.

Cass ushers away at the woman’s requests. I walk to the lounge area for a split second to compose myself.You are a kickass bartender. You can handle this. Go out there and get in your zone.I give myself this small pep talk and take a deep breath and walk back out there, ready to face the crowd.

I approach the first customer I see.

“What can I get you?” I ask, plastering that fake bartender smile across my face. One after the other, I wait on everyone I can while dancing around Mindy, Ryan, Lucy, and Cass.

After bumping into Cass and spilling three different drinks, I grab Cass’s arm in passing, stopping him in his tracks.

“Babe, you’re killing me. We’re grateful that you came back here to help, but we got it now.”

He’s more in the way than he is helping at this point. It’s not his fault, though. There’s only so much room behind the bar and his shoulders take up half of the depth of the space behind the bar.

Cass puts his hands up in surrender. “I was wondering how long it was going to take you to kick me out from behind the bar. Yes ma’am. I’m going.”

Mindy appears behind me. “Thank you,” she whispers as a playful giggle sounds from her throat. “Now let’s kick some ass.”

She and I share a knowing smile and get to work.

The rush of the crowd is exhilarating. Mindy and I work well together, and Ryan is catching on quickly.

“Hey Ryan!” I call out.

“Yeah?” she asks, stopping next to me on her way to a customer.

“Go tell Cass to help you set up the cash bar. I think that will help the flow. You think you can handle it?” I ask, realizing Ryan may not be comfortable with it.

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