Chapter 4: The Mistake

A few feet away from the private booth, I noticed there were three men sitting there. Xavier was one of them, the aura they emitted felt dangerous yet it felt like most of it was from the one in the middle, I hadn't seen his face yet but every part of me was screaming danger, there was no backing out of this now.

As I got closer I realized the crowd was going crazy for a stripper that just came on stage , I turned to look and saw it was Lyra

“ohhh my days is that my freaking best friend” I thought

She looked so hot and sexy strolling and the stage like she owned it, I guess she was really meant for this. I kept on walking without watching where I was going, suddenly I tripped on a leg set in front of me by one of the other waitresses passing, fell on top of the middle man in the booth and spilled the drink all over him.

All I heard was silence, the music stopped, everyone froze, and my heart started beating faster, I quickly tried standing up but ended up falling right back into his thighs because the floor was slippery.

“Can the earth swallow me now, what have I done and why do I feel something poking my butt” I thought already mortified

He held my hand tightly but not too tight to hurt , just the right amount of pressure to get me up .

“I'm really sorry about that sir, it was a mis-” he cut me off midway

“ It's always a mistake, you are just hungry for my attention just like the rest of them”

“Excuse you, with all due respect sir, someone tripped and I fell by mistake don't get that twisted” I said angrily, who the hell does he think he is.

The silence seemed to stretch with people whispering

“That's Ares Valentino”

“Ohh she's surely dead”

“How dare she speak to him that way”

“Such an attention seeking whore”

Before I could say something else, Lisa grabbed me by my hand, turned me and slapped me across the face. I held my cheek due to the pain then she went in to say

“Do you know who that is?

How dare you speak to him that way?

I knew it was a mistake hiring you, you disrespectful bitch.”

She was about to hit me one more time but this time around I held her hand and gave her one across her cheek, the whole crowd gasp.

I didn't care about losing my job, but I won't tolerate being disrespected by anyone, especially twice in one night.

“Ohh you've crossed the line girl” she shrieked about to attack me but then a loud voice boomed,

“ENOUGH!!!”and the source was from the man I spilled the drink on , apparently the so called Ares Valentino.

He turned towards Lisa “you're fired” he said with a calm tone, she was confused so was I , I thought I was the one getting fired .

“Sir there has to be a mistake, you can't fire me , she was the one that disrespected you” Lisa said

“I didn't ask for your interference nor will I tolerate hitting my staff” Ares said giving her a blank look

“But I've worked for you for three years, you can't do this to me” she started shouting and crying

“Yes and for three years I've tolerated you, I only hired you because your brother worked for me before he died, now get your things and leave this place at once” he continued

She continued screaming and causing a scene so he ordered the guards to take her out . He then turned to me “meet me at my office tomorrow morning at 9am sharp” , he said with a very commanding tone that gave no room for a say. He walked away with Xavier up the stairs and disappeared out of sight.

The chatter continued, people murmuring as I passed, some mocking, some talking out of pity, all I wanted right now was to go home.

Lyra and Mia met me half way to the bathroom to change, they kept on talking but I didn't want to listen and just zoned out, as I got there I turned saying “can you guys just give me a minute I need to breathe”, walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I slid down the door to the floor holding my head “what have I gotten myself into, if only I didn't listen to Lyra, this night was the absolute worst” the thoughts kept on coming one after the other making me close to crashing out and crying.

I checked the time on my phone and it was 1:27am , my shift was meant to end by 1am. I need to get home fast , mama must be worried. I quickly changed out of the uniform into my clothes, picked my tote and walked out .

Lyra and Mia were still waiting outside, as I stepped out they both hugged me

“ I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you and how this night turned out” Lyra said looking at me

“It's not your fault, I guess the universe doesn't like me, I just want to go home” I said sadly

“No Ali don't say that please, I would have escorted you but I've to go back to the stage, my shift doesn't end till 2” she said

“No worries it's fine, I'll text you when I get home” they both hugged me once again and I left the building.

As I was walking about to pass an alley, my mouth was suddenly covered and I was pulled into the alley. I was able to make out the face due to the small lighting and it was the man from earlier that slapped my butt, I thrashed against his hand but he continued to hold me strongly, he seemed drunk and definitely out of control.

“You think you'd escape just like that , after putting me and my friends through that embarrassment, uhnn you bitch , I'll show you how things are done to people who disrespect me” he pushed me with force to the group, I scraped my knees and palm against the concrete due to the impact and winced.

He started to unbuckle his pants still cussing me. Once I realized his intentions I screamed for help but then he hit me across the face and said “shut up you whore, don't act like you don't want it”.

As he was about to climb on me , he was suddenly flung across the alley, I sat up wincing and looked at the figure that saved me “ughh it's Ares, why's the universe after me” I thought but who was I to complain when he literally just saved me.

Ares picked up the man and started beating him up from kicks to punches, the man’s face was getting swollen and he started to cough out blood. I couldn't sit and watch someone die because of me. I stood up and went towards them as Ares was about to punch him again, I held his upper arm and said quietly “please he has had enough, just let him go” .

He turned to me and released the man , took his phone from his pocket and called someone, when the person on the other line picked Ares said “get to the alley beside the club now” and then he hung up.

Two minutes later Xavier showed up, he looked at the scene with a questioning look , all Ares said was “take care of this filth” , then he turned to me and said “follow me” with that same commanding tone that's starting to give me goosebumps.

I followed him towards his car, he entered the driver's seat and said "get in" like I'm his pet.

“such a gentle man” I thought sarcastically and got into the passenger's seat.

“Where do you live?” he said while starting the car.

“Auberry” I replied quietly but he heard me since we were the only ones in the car.

He just gave a side eye as a response then said “your seatbelt” , I reached for the seat belt and tried doing it but winced, he noticed my struggle, reached across me and did it himself.

But in that moment when he reached across me, our eyes locked and my body started getting heated all of a sudden, it was like he was staring into my soul. “This was definitely going to be a long ride” I thought as he drove off.