Chapter Three

Chapter 3.

Celine looked up when the great glass front doors of the Carmollete pulled open again.

This time it was her boss, Earl Carlson. This was about five hours since she got to work, and two hours left in her shift.

He was a slim tall man in his late forties, with a sweet tongue and legs that couldn’t stay in one place for long.

She tried to get his attention as he strolled by but he was deep into a conversation on his phone. Earl was always talking.

Celine knew she had only a couple of minutes to get to him before he had to leave for somewhere else. Probably to meet one or two of his numerous lady friends—all of them blonde and curvy.

But it was a busy evening in the restaurant. An insurance firm was celebrating the anniversary of one of its chairmen, so the place was packed. And rowdy, which wasn’t what anyone would’ve expected from such a reserved bunch.

“Two bottles of bourbon to table six. Table six!” called the chief waitress as she hurried over to the bar stand. Despite the hassle of the evening, everything about her was clean and collected as always. “Who has got table six?”

Celine was already scanning the bar for the order. “I’m on it, Mindy.”

“Celine?”

“Yeah. Two bottles of bourbon coming right up.”

She placed the bottles on a tray and started around the counter. She would quickly serve the drinks and rush up to Earl’s office. It was almost dark. She had no time to waste.

Mindy grabbed her upper hand. “Be careful over there.”

“What?” She frowned in confusion.

“The boys at that table are drunk and foolish. The last waitress who went there had to have her clothes changed and would probably need few months of therapy because one of them threw up on her after trying to feel her up.” said Mindy, disgust lacing every word.

A shudder went through Celine’s body as images of what that must’ve looked like flooded her mind. The poor waitress, whoever she was, must’ve been humiliated.

But she answered with a confidence she did not feel.

“You don’t have to be worried about me. I’ve worked here for a while. I can handle all the types of people we get.”

Table Six was a private booth with wrap-around purple curtains and a window view of the street on the other side.

This was why Celine didn’t see who her charges were until it was too late.

She pushed the thick curtains aside and a heavy waft of cigarette smoke filtered through her nose.

She heard his voice first before she actually saw him. Just two of them. Their booming laughter seeming to shake the very floor.

She stopped at the entrance and the tray almost slipped through her shaking fingers.

“Look what we have here.” Cracked-teeth had all his abominations on full display. “It’s Pleading Beauty.”

He chuckled, and took a long drag of his cigarette.

Scar-face, the one who creeped her out the most, was nowhere to be found. He was probably the one having a sick stomach. Thank God for small mercies.

“Have you come to pay your debt?” Vaughn gave his watch a tap. “Your time is almost up.”

Celine cleared her throat and licked her patched lips. She needed a drink. “I work here. I just came to deliver your order.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You sure? How come I’ve never seen you around here?”

Resentment mixed up with the panic in her veins. She hated him, all of them…detested the waste of skin that was his friends and him.

They were obviously enjoying her discomfort. They certainly knew she worked here, which was why they had come here today. It wasn’t beyond them to be that mean.

Pulling herself together, she placed the tray on the table and served the drinks. She could feel their burning eyes and amusement but she didn’t mind them.

“Would that be all?” asked Celine. It was part of her job to do that.

Vaughn smirked. “No, it wouldn’t.” He looked at Cracked-teeth. “Are we satisfied with her services so far?”

“Not yet. We could do with your company. It’s boring in here.” He patted his thick lap. “Come over here.”

“I can’t mix up with guests while I’m working.”

“Only for a few minutes.” He pulled out a wad of cash. “Consider it extra work for a hefty tip.”

“You can shove your hefty tip right up your…” She forced her lips closed before they could let out any more.

Vaughn scowled. “What was that? Were you just rude to a VIP guest?”

Redness creeped up her cheeks. That was exactly what she’d done. Outside the restaurant, Vaughn and his friend were nuisances. But in here they were guests. The ones in charge.

“I’m sorry.” The words tasted bitter on her tongue.

“Sorry won’t cut it.” said Cracked-teeth. He patted his lap again.

“Come and join us, and we’ll pretend nothing ever happened.” Vaughn shrugged easily. “Who knows, your debt could also be forgiven. That’s if you are willing to do something for it.”

Celine backed out of the booth. “That won’t be happening. I’ve served your order, so I’m going back to work.”

Vaughn leaned forward. Anger was written all over his face.

“You dare to disobey…”

“What is your problem?” She cried, the tension in her too much. “You’ve been a total jerk to me since day one. Is it because I refused to get into your soiled, dirty, repulsive bed? Or kiss your rotten feet when you go by? Well, news flash, Vaughn. You might as well jump off a building or put a bullet through your empty brain because I’m never ever going to do any of that. Same goes for your stagnant friends!”

Celine turned and stormed out of the booth, tears of shame and rage running down her cheeks. She felt like her skin was on fire, her blood boiling underneath.

She hurried into the lounge for her locker where she kept some of her stuff. She packed everything into her handbag and changed out of the work uniform. She was just zipping up her dress when Mindy walked in.

“What’s up? Your shift isn’t over yet.”

“I have to go.”

Mindy looked her over in concern. “Is everything ok? Those brutes at Table Six weren’t a hassle, were they?”

“I’m just tired.” Celine didn’t want to think or say anything about what happened in the booth. “Is Earl still on his office?”

“He just left. Something about taking his grandma to spin class.”

Celine’s heart fell. She really needed that money, but she couldn’t wait for Earl to get back because the chances of that was slim. She had to get out of town fast. Vaughn was probably already breathing out smoke looking for her.

She assured Mindy that everything was ok and rushed out of the lounge. She used the back entrance. It was a narrow door for the chefs that opened up into a narrow alley that connected a couple of street blocks before reaching the main road.

Celine started walking at a brisk pace. She didn’t know what she was going to do from here. There were no options, no favors before her. Her future was seriously bleak at the moment.

The heavy lump in her chest stayed with her as she went. It was a few minutes after eight, and later than she would’ve wanted.

The night was al ready upon the city of Frostone and the few lampposts in the alley that still worked didn’t do much to light the way.

Her breath caught as the shadows in front of her moved. Containers clattered against the ground as a waste-bin tumbled over.

The shadows didn’t waste any second. They took shape out of the darkness. Two hulking shapes.

Vaughn’s face was glowing with sweat. “You thought you could mess with me and run away, Bitch?” He spat.

Cracked-teeth strolled out beside him. “I can’t wait to squeeze your little neck in my fist.”

“Vaughn, Please. I didn’t mean anything I –“

“Do you have my money?”

“No, but I’ll get it for you.”

He shook his head and started forward. “Thanks to your loose lips I’m not in a favorable mood tonight.” Dipping a hand into his left pocket, he brought out a gun. “Since you owe me, I have the right to do whatever I want to you.”

Celine backed away, the bottomless pit in her stomach widening. This was it. The ending of everything for her. She was all alone in the world. No one cared if she lived or not. There was no one to weep for her. What was the use of fighting? That would just make things more painful for her.

Her back bumped into something hard and warm. She would’ve fallen to the ground in shock if not for the strong arm that snaked around her waist to hold her in place.

At first she thought it was Scar-face appearing to block her off from escaping. Dread made her knees go weak.

But then her nostrils picked up the heady scent of an expensive cologne. And the arm around her felt lean but toned, as was the soft hardness of body behind her.

A tingling sensation ran down the nape of her neck as she felt an exhale of breath right there.

The stranger, whoever it was, gently brushed her hair aside and whispered into her ear.

“I will kill them.”