Page 7 of Blood and Bonbons

“Keep your voice down,” I said, eyeing Shepard to make sure he didn’t hear Vena.

He chose that moment to look over at me. His light grey gaze locked with mine and held for two pounding heartbeats before he turned back to the man, making me wonder if he had heard Vena.

CHAPTERTWO

Vena recognizedmy panicked look and caught my face between her hands.

“Shepard didn’t hear anything,” she said. “The music is playing.”

“Shepard has unnaturally good hearing.”

She gave me a speculative look. “How good?”

“I don’t know. But employees get into trouble even when they think he can’t hear them.”

“Is he a werewolf?”

I batted her hands away.

“I don’t know. It never came up.”

“Interesting.”

That one word set off all the red flags. One of Vena’s best and worst personality traits was her tenacity. She was like a dog with a bone for any information dealing with the shadow world.

“Don’t,” I warned.

Vena’s curious expression turned innocent. “I just want to know who I’ll be working for. That’s all.”

“You’ll be working for Shepard, a man who is very private. Leave him alone. There are plenty of people here whose lives you can pry into. In fact, Anchor would love some of your attention.”

Vena glanced up at the dark-haired bouncer at the bottom of the stairs. He was exactly the muscle-bound type she liked. “I wouldn’t mind giving him some attention. But not tonight. I fulfilled my end of our arrangement, and now I need to head home and prepare so you can fulfill yours.”

I wanted to question what tomorrow’s hike would entail that she needed to prepare, but I feared the answer. Besides, if she left now, Shepard would be safe from questions. The last thing I needed was for Vena to poke around where she shouldn’t.

“Fine. But remember, I faint at the sight of sweat.”

She smirked. “Yours maybe, but I bet not his,” she said with a side glance at Shepard.

I hadn’t lied when I’d said Shepard was a private person. The only things I knew about him were that he ran the club, was a great boss, and was nice to look at. And that was the way I wanted to keep it.

“I have to get to work,” I said.

“Oh yes, please do. Wouldn’t want to get in trouble with the boss. He might spank you,” Vena said with a wink.

As she left, I wondered if I’d made a mistake by getting her a job with me. But, Vena working at Blur was better than the alternative. I didn’t want her hunting. If that meant making me slightly uncomfortable at work, then it was worth it.

As soon as the rest of the evening shift’s servers were clocked in and waiting in the upstairs staff room, Shepard started assigning our sections. The DJ’s sound check filtered heavy bass music through the building as he prepared for the night crowd that would be lining up at the door to pay the premium cover charge.

“If he gives Everly VIP again, I’m quitting,” Sierra whispered in front of me.

“Maybe if you showed up for your shift on time as consistently as Everly, you’d earn that privilege more often,” Shepard said without looking up from his tablet. “VIP is going to Adrian tonight.” Shepard looked at the tall redhead. “If you need help, pull Everly.”

I smiled, noting Sierra’s flush. Had she really thought he wouldn’t hear her?

“Sierra, you’re on stage left, lower section. Everly, you’re on stage left, upper section. Thomas, you’re stage right lower. Pam, stage right upper. We’re down one behind the bar tonight. So, I’ll be filling in. Any questions?”

When no one spoke, Shepard let us go.

---