Page 13 of Blood of the Sirens
Like everything else in my life.
A bell chimed overhead, announcing that we were pulling away from the dock. That meant it was time for drinks and appetizers. I fixed a cheesy smile on my face and headed to get another plate from Miguel.
“Atta girl,” Javi encouraged.
I made it through cocktails.I made it through appetizers. We had even cruised most of the way through dinner service with no issues, and the evening was drawing to a close. I took drink orders from most of the patrons without incident, Javi working his magic to ensure I didn’t personally serve or have to deal with anyone who knew me directly.
He was an absolute angel.
But I knew it wouldn’t last forever. There were only twenty people on board, and the two of us served them. It was inevitable it would go wrong sooner or later.
“Excuse me, a refill.”
I flinched as my former dean held out his glass toward me, not even turning his head from the poker game in front of him. Breathing hard, I grabbed the glass and abruptly turned away. A glance up showed Javi was already on his way to intercept me and take the order himself.
A hand landed on my upper arm and I froze. “Hey, you look familiar.”
I swallowed heavily, my eyes flicking up to a face with dark eyes and quivering jowls. Streaks of gray marred his hair and sideburns, the slight glaze in his eyes belying how completely sloshed he was.
That enraged me more than being grabbed. How dare he sit here and gamble and drink while callously ruining lives? How dare he stare me down that day months ago, destroy my life, then not even recognize me!
I snatched my arm back. The rest of the table paused, glancing up at me with interest as well at the sudden tension. From my dean’s right-hand side, my professor’s eyes widened with dawning horror.
Good.
I was sick of the bullshit.
“Yeah, you recognize me,” I said.
Javi grabbed the back of my dress, his fingers bunching tightly in the fabric and pulling.
“Ex-nay on the issyness-pay,” he growled in my ear.
I shoved him off and focused on the dean. “You kicked me out of the program claiming I was ‘morally bereft.’ Because you’re all so godly and everything. Well, that was your excuse. We all know it’s because Archie tried to rape me, and god forbid you hold him accountable for anything.”
My hands tightened around the glass as I glared at them all, gambling and drinking, daring them to prove me wrong. It would feel so good to throw the glass against the wall and watch it shatter. Not here, though. Not now. Even if they deserved my rage.
“Jesse, please—”
“And where were you?” I pleaded with the one professor, her face twisted in discomfort. I glared at them all. “No one argued for me. No one helped me. I lost everything.”
This time I started to let Javi drag me back toward the kitchen, but I had one last thing to say. I jerked forward and squared my shoulders. I looked all of them in the eyes.
“Archie Davenport tried to rape me in the aquatics lab, but got caught by a room full of interns. I’m here and he’s still there. Take that up with your so-called ethics.Christian university, my ass.”
Javi yanked me back through the double doors of the kitchen, past Dan, the befuddled cook, and into the large refrigerator in the back. Once the door closed behind us, I burst into tears.
Javi sighed. “Tips will suck tonight.”
“You already collected most of them,” I protested.
“That was stupid of you,” he shot back.
“I know,” I choked out.
“This is gonna have consequences.”
“Iknow,” I bit out, distress shooting through my veins.
