Surrender (Club X #2)(16)
Author: K.M. Scott

I couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t worry, Lola. I can handle myself. And by the way, whatever Mika told him I said is probably true. She sucks at this and I let her know.”

Lola giggled, but her smile quickly faded as the sight of Stefan standing in front of us frightened her.

“Shay, now!”

I gave Lola a quick wink to let her know everything would be fine and followed Stefan and Mika into his office. It became obvious immediately that Mika had the upper hand. Standing next to his desk as he sat behind it, she looked like some goddamned first lady of Club X perched there wearing that smug face of hers.

“Shay, I can’t have bartenders doing what you did tonight.”

Was he serious? Did he really intend on sitting there and backing Mika? I said nothing, sure if I opened my mouth that whatever I said would make matters worse. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mika smirk, like she knew the outcome of this meeting would be all in her favor.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” he asked, his voice full of an edge I didn’t know Stefan had.

“I don’t have anything to say that you want to hear, boss. You’ve already made your mind up and have no interest in hearing what I have to say.”

“See? She’s such a bitch!” Mika whined. Pushing on his arm, she added, “Just fire her. I can take the front bar and do a great job if I don’t have to deal with her shit.”

Stefan jerked his shoulder to get away from her, but I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. I leapt out of my chair and began saying what had been on my mind all night. “A great job? Are you fucking kidding? You couldn’t find your ass with both hands. You’re nothing compared to Lola, who should never be anywhere but the front bar. All you’re good for is what you two do in here, and I doubt you’re even very good at that!”

Stefan’s eyes grew wide at my outburst. “Shay!”

Mika came at me, screaming, “Who do you think you are? I’m a better bartender than you any day!”

I didn’t move quickly enough, and she caught my cheek with her nails, scratching all the way from the corner of my eye to my jawline. Stunned, I staggered back as she continued coming at me until I ran into the wall behind me. Stefan darted around his desk to grab her, but she was like a wild animal and got me once more before he could take hold of her hands.

“Mika! Stop!” he bellowed, but she kept swinging at me, even as he held her tighter.

“Let me go! I’m going to scratch the bitch’s face off!”

Hiding my face to protect myself, I heard him say something to her about waiting outside for him and then they were gone. I lowered my hands and saw blood on my fingertips from where I’d touched my face. In all the years I’d worked in bars, never before had anyone attacked me like that. Drunks were usually too disoriented to do much harm, and even if co-workers didn’t like me, they never jumped me like Mika just had.

I sat back down and tried to calm myself. Taking a few deep breaths, I looked down at my hands and saw them shaking uncontrollably. All of a sudden, my emotions became jumbled and before I knew it, the tears were rolling down my face mixing with my blood and creating a pale red liquid that dropped onto my white shirt.

Stefan returned and sat down behind his desk with a stunned look on his face. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was upset I’d gotten hurt. But that wasn’t his style.

“She’s going to demand that I fire you, and I’m probably not going to have a choice.”

My anger burned inside me and made me want to cry again. Before I let him see me shed a tear over him or his bullshit, I stood up and told him what I thought of the whole damn mess. “Maybe if you weren’t fucking her you’d be able to stand up for someone who deserves it. I get it. You don’t want another sexual harassment suit. I hear you’re an expert on them. Fine. I’ll save you the trouble. I quit.”

I spun on my heels and headed for the door, but Stefan caught up to me before I could leave. “Shay, wait. You don’t have to go.”

His brown eyes stared down at me with concern. What was he so worried about? “It’s okay, Stefan. You’ve never done anything with me that should make you worry. Look after your girlfriend. You’ve got more to lose with her than with me.”

The truth of what I’d said registered on his face, and his hand slid from my shoulder. I knew he had no choice. The way he behaved with all his other employees made his decision for him.

“I’m sorry.”

I opened the door and shook my head. “Whatever, Stefan. You turned out to be just what I knew you were from the moment I met you. Have a nice life.”

EVEN THOUGH I knew what waited for me at the weekly meeting with my brothers, I showed up on time and ready to work. For three days I’d felt like shit about losing Shay behind the bar, and Mika hadn’t made my decision to let her go any easier. My bar needed Lola and Shay, but if I pissed off Mika, I knew what would come next was the all-too-familiar lawsuit.

Cash wore a look of amazement when I strolled into his office before one. As I took my seat in front of his desk, his mouth fell open. “I didn’t think we’d see you today, at least not this early.”

“Yeah. Well, your lectures finally got through this thick skull of mine.”

His expression changed to one that showed me he didn’t believe a word I said. “Really? Well, five years doesn’t seem like too long to learn a lesson.”

Kane walked in just as Cash finished his verbal jab and sat down next to me. “Nice of you to join us, Stef. And on a day when you’re going to get your ass handed to you too. Channeling your inner masochist today?”

“Don’t start, Kane. I’m here. Appreciate it for what it’s worth.”

My half-brother raised one eyebrow and stared at me. “Touchy. Problems in your area getting you down, Stefan?”

The fucker knew what had happened with Shay and had waited until our weekly meeting to bust my chops about it. Why couldn’t I have been an only child?

I shot him a look and turned back to face Cash. “Well, let’s get this show on the road. I’m eager to see what I’ve been missing at all these meetings.”

“Wait a second. I missed something. What’s Kane talking about with problems in the bar? Is something going on?”

Looking away, I mumbled, “No.”

“Since you did that thing you always did when you were little and tried to lie, I know there’s something wrong. You might as well tell us, Stefan, so we can discuss it and figure out a solution.”