Page 1 of Pick Your Poison

One

Lilith

My feet are aching by the time the final customer makes their way out of the restaurant at nearly midnight. I seriously consider laying across the bar with my feet in the air to alleviate some of the pressure, but I don’t think Vincent would appreciate my ass being planted where he works.

Even with shoes that are supposed to make standing slash walking all day long easier, the unyielding concrete floor of Regal Plum is one cruel bitch at the end of a double shift on a Saturday night.

I’m just dragging the mop out to the main dining area when Vincent pops his head up under the bar where he’s probably taking a bit of inventory on how much booze we went through tonight during dinner service.

“Lilith, you worked your ass off today. Go on home. Felix, Steph, and I can close up.”

I don’t want to seem like I’m anything but a team player, so I try not to outwardly show any reaction other than surprise, when on the inside, I could run over there and full tongue kiss him right now.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to create more work for anyone.” I push my dark brown hair that has started to fall from the messy bun off my sweaty forehead.

“You did enough work today for three of us combined. Enjoy your weekend off. Get out of here.”

I leave the mop and bucket where they are and walk over to the bar to thank him and say goodbye. I make my way through the back of the restaurant to the kitchen, grab my bag, and head out into the chilly October air.

Though I work at a busy bar restaurant in downtown Chicago, living in the area is out of the question, so every day that I work, I park in the garage that technically belongs to the Bellevue Hotel, even though I’m sure that is firmly against the rules. But it saves me the money I’d have to pay to have a parking pass in another garage, so I’ll break the rules for that.

The parking attendant, Stanley, lets me right in every time without question.

This time of year is typically a moderate, comfortable temperature, but it’s unseasonably chilly today, making my uniform of tight black pants and a form fitting white top less than ideal.

The bright lights of the hotel shine up ahead, casting a warm glow over the street. The Bellevue has tall, metal heaters placed along the sidewalk underneath the porte cochère that are calling my name, beckoning my shivering body to them like a siren.

Normally, I’d walk around that area, avoiding it entirely as to not call attention to myself in any way, but my legs are working with a mind of their own tonight, and I make a bee line directly for the warmth.

Just as I’m approaching the front area of the hotel, and beginning to feel the warmth, three very expensive, fancy as fuck cars roll up under the covered drive, and stop right at the front door.

I take a few moments of reprieve next to a heater that stands about fifteen feet from the entrance before deciding to keep moving to the garage. My feet are screaming for relief and it’s starting to outweigh my desire for warmth.

But when I step around to start walking again, I freeze in place when the back doors of the fancy cars open, and the occupants begin to step out in the night air.

It’s like I’m watching a movie and the main characters are making their grand entrance.

The first two men are stunningly handsome. The kind of looks that could stop traffic and have women throwing themselves at their feet. One has blonde hair that is styled in a messy way, like he just rolled out of bed, but it’s so sexy; and the other has hair that is dark as night and long enough to brush the shoulders of his suit jacket.

The last one to get out of his car, however, takes my breath away.

His dark, chestnut colored hair that is short on the sides and a little longer on top, but swept back and styled perfectly. The leather jacket he’s wearing, and the way it hangs on his body, should be considered walking porn.

I’m blatantly staring, but I’m not sure I could stop it if I tried. His face is like a painting that you’d see in an expensive museum in Europe, and I can’t help but assume the body under those clothes would be equally as impressive.

For a moment, he turns around toward the car, extending his hand like he’s going to help someone get out, but briefly, our eyes lock on one another and his face shifts, twitches, so quickly that I could be imagining it.

I know it must only last for a second, maybe two, but in that small time frame, I can see the deep, unusual color of his eyes. They nearly resemble rubies - blood red gems. My skin crawls, but in a way that I know I will crave now that I’ve felt it. He scares me as much as he intrigues me.

Time is still slowed when a hint of smile crosses his lips at my reaction to him - a reaction I didn’t even know anyone could see outwardly, but he seems to read me like a book even with the bit of distance between us.

I hate myself for it… but I want his gaze on me to last forever.

The moment our connection breaks, I’m thrust back into normal speed, with the cold breeze whipping around me, and my full attention on the mysterious, beautiful man. The same man that is now helping a beautiful, blonde woman from the car and cupping her face possessively as he presses a kiss to her lips.

She pushes herself closer to him, creating a scene that one would usually save for when they were behind closed doors.

He whispers something against her lips and she smiles as they part. He slips his arm around her shoulders to lead her inside, but casts his gaze over to me one more time, not breaking the connection until they disappear into the hotel.

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