Page 4 of Sinners' Appetite
“Understood. I’ll follow you out.”
We both walk out to the bar and Justin stares me down as I unload the glasses from below the counter, slowly placing them in a tray one by one.
“What can I get you?” I hear Lance ask him.
“I need to speak to Nikki,” Justin replies. I can still feel his eyes burning straight through me.
“She’s busy. What can I get you?”
“I’ll wait until she’s done.”
“Well, either you order something, or step away from the bar so we can serve other customers,” Lance warns.
“No need to be hostile. I just need to talk to her, that’s all.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
I look up long enough to see the angered expression on Justin’s face as he stands up. “I guess I’ll have to wait until she’s done,” he says before walking off into the crowd of people on the dance floor.
I breathe a sigh of relief, lifting up on the tray of glasses to place them with the others under the counter.
“I don’t fucking trust that guy,” Lance says, clearing the shot glasses from the bar and loading them into the dishwasher.
“I don’t either. I wish he would just leave me alone.”
“Let me know if he tries anything again. I’ll have Jeff toss his ass out.”
Lance heads into the back again while I take a few orders. A few minutes later, the club goes silent as the DJ announces thewet t-shirt contest. As usual, at least twenty women in white t-shirts walk up on stage.
“You sure you don’t wanna go up?” I hear Jeff say as he walks up behind me.
“Positive.” I chuckle, spinning around to shoot him a glare. Just then, Sammi and Jeremy walk up to the bar, followed by a man I don’t recognize.
“Girl! You actually did it!” Sammi hollers out, referring to my white t-shirt.
I let out a laugh. “Well—I’m staying dry tonight.”
“Not if we drag your ass up there,” Jeremy teases.
I shoot him a glare. “What can I get for you?”
“The usual,” he replies, turning toward the guy they walked in with. “You okay with tequila?”
“I’m good, actually. I don’t really care for hard liquor,” the man says.
Fuck. This guy is hot as fuck. He’s about as tall as Jeff is, but much bulkier. His tattooed arms barely fit into the shirt he’s wearing and it’s making my clit throb.
“Oh—this is Malachi, by the way. He’s new to the city,” Jeremy introduces. “Malachi—this is Nikki.”
I nod my head in his direction. “Nice to meet you. Where did you move from?”
“Ohio.”
“Oh?” I pour the shots and slide them in front of Jeremy. “How are you liking the city so far?”
“I just got here this morning,” he replies.
“He’s leasing the old paint studio,” Sammi mentions.
