Page 75 of Whips and Chains
X’s gaze caught my eye, and even though he was smiling and laughing with the Slayers, I could see the concern in his expression. He must have been able to see something in myface, because he looked back at Travis and then back to me, one eyebrow raised questioningly.
I didn’t even know what that eyebrow meant.
But whatever X was thinking, it would probably mean a scene and that would probably result in me getting fired. Which would be so incredibly awkward if I took this thing with Levi further and I had to see Bliss at every Slayers event.
I gave my head a slight shake and was relieved when X nodded back, accepting my decision for him to do nothing.
Travis was a pest, but he would leave, and I would finish my shift.
And that’s exactly what happened. When Travis’s food was ready, I grudgingly brought him his plate full of chicken wings and a glass of beer and set them down on his table without a word. When he tried again to bring up Fang and the fact my brother lived in a fancy mansion in Providence, I ignored him.
Twice more he waved me over, and I went, because I could feel Bliss’s gaze on me, watching me to make sure I was doing a good job, and I wanted to prove to her I could, but each time he refused to actually order anything. He just kept prodding about Fang and how much money he had.
Eventually, I set the bill down on his table and walked away without a word.
But I watched him from the corner of my eye as I wiped down tables and pulled beers for the guys at the Slayers’ table.
Eventually Travis gave up, threw some money down, and stalked out without saying another word to me.
I breathed a sigh of relief, and while mentally praying he never came back, went to clean his table. I gathered up the money he’d left on the table, noting it was the exact amount of his meal and drinks and not a cent more.
Of course he was a stingy bastard and didn’t tip. How unsurprising of him.
I picked up the bill he hadn’t taken with him. The messy handwriting I remembered from when I was in my early teens was scrawled across the neatly printed paper.
No tip for you, rich bitch. I’ll be back. I haven’t forgotten what you owe me.
My fingers shook, and I crumpled the slip of paper into a ball, pushing it deep into the pocket of my apron.
I put the money into the register, and Bliss gave me a sidelong glance.
“Everything okay with that customer? You look a bit shaken up.”
I forced a smile. “Just someone I used to know and wish I didn’t.”
Understanding dawned on her face. “Oh, an ex, huh? They’re the worst. If you ever want to feel better about yours, ask me someday to tell you about mine. Because that story is a doozy.”
I tried to laugh with her, but I knew it wasn’t reaching my eyes and she would notice soon if I didn’t get out from under her gaze. Bliss was so sweet and kind and attentive to those around her. All beautiful traits…until you didn’t want anyone seeing what you were feeling.
“I’m just going to take a bathroom break,” I told her.
“Sure, it’s starting to die down now anyway.”
I nodded, but I was already moving away from the bar to the hallway where the bathrooms were. I pushed inside, finding it thankfully empty, though that wasn’t terribly surprising considering that Psychos’ clientele on a regular night skewed very heavily male.
I locked myself in a stall and sat on the closed toilet lid, sucking in deep breaths of cold bathroom air.
At least it smelled reasonably good in here now, since I’d started cleaning the place regularly.
It was a much nicer place to have a mini mental breakdown than it had been a few weeks ago.
The main door to the bathrooms swung open, and I held my breath, not wanting anyone else to hear me fighting off a panic attack.
Honestly, there were about five women in this entire bar. And they had to choose now to go?
“Violet?” X hissed. “You pooping?”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “No, X. I’m not pooping.”
