A smirk stretched my lips as I stared at the screen of my TV. I was sitting on the couch comfortably with my feet placed on the center table; a bowl of fries lay flat on my stomach. I was hired yesterday, and now I am already a bartender at Clementine. Who thought it would be that easy to get into Clementine?
“Shit,” I mumbled a curse underneath my breath when I glanced over at the clock just above my TV. I have to get ready. It's already five-thirty in the afternoon, and Clementine will get busy at six, which is my working hour up until midnight.
I got up and entered the bathroom with a towel on my shoulder. I took a quick bath and wore a black halter crop top and a leather jacket, paired with my usual denim jeans. I combed my short hair with my fingers and wore strapped sandals. It was a casual outfit that Ciara probably wouldn’t wear to a club. Well, I will show up as the bartender anyway, not some customer. It's not like I’m going there to party, so I kept it casual and simple.
After getting ready, I grabbed my bag and my car keys and hurriedly went down the stairs of my apartment. It doesn’t make sense, alright. Why would a billionaire like me live in a poor neighborhood and sleep in a small apartment? I can buy a whole condominium or a mansion much bigger than my current apartment for Pete’s sake!
Well, it isn’t all about luxury and money for Azalia Davis. I care about my family and friends more than anything; hence, I have to sacrifice living in secret. For the sake of my plan, I had to lay a low profile and hide from the enemy’s radar.
I decided to use my car instead of hailing a taxi. It was a sports car that I won over Miguela because of a bet. Miguela is a real deal troublemaker and so am I. The two of us would make bets on every random and ridiculous thing. However, when it comes to getting missions done, both Miguela and I are equal. We’re known as the notorious pair of Exodus Agency; we are deadly and merciless. That is why the agency wouldn’t put us together on a mission. Trouble would always find ways to follow us, and next thing you’ll know, there’s bloodshed and endless chaos. Just like that mission in Brazil; it was a huge scene that someone reported it, and the agency had to talk to the government to have the two of us suspended instead of deposing us.
I reached Clementine, parked my car, and got out. The name of the club glowed in neon red. It wasn’t so dark outside, and there were few cars and motorbikes in the parking lot.
A group of guys whistled as I got out of the car. They were bikers, and a few of them had tobacco between their lips. They were hanging out by the entrance of the club.
“Damn, lady. Nice car you got there,” a brunette dude checked my car out with an impressed grin on his dry lips.
I muttered a 'thanks' before walking inside the club nonchalantly. The corner of my lips rose upon being welcomed by smoke and the booming speakers. The disco lights were blinding, but people liked it, and so was the deafening music. I was hardly a party goer; I’m more like the type of friend to sit in one corner and finish all the drinks while I watch my friends getting wasted on the dance floor.
“Hey, Az!” a voice yelled through the loud music. It was Rico Astel in the distance waving in my direction. He wasn’t alone. There was also a couple sucking each other's faces. It was disgusting, sure, but I was used to seeing such horny animals at every club I’ve worked at. It was difficult to recognize their faces because of the dim lights in the area.
I smiled awkwardly, “Hey,” and sat for a moment on the couch next to Rico.
“Did you get the job?” Rico offered me a shot of something, which I gladly accepted.
I gulped the drink before replying with a nod. I let out a small smile before leaning back on the couch, crossing my legs.
"Good, because I'll kill that bastard if he did not hire you,"
I laughed a little and shifted my gaze to the couple across our seats. Rico also looked at them. The two huddled together, but the man stopped when he saw the two of us staring. The woman who was sitting on the man’s lap frowned when the man pushed her to the side to leave his lap. I smiled, secretly. Serves you right, girl.
The man wiped his lips using his thumb and smiled at me. He was wearing a white dress shirt that was now wrinkled, and a few buttons were opened revealing his chiseled chest. His lips were red from the smooching. His hair was all messed up, but he still looked hella fine. He looked flirtatious too. Maybe even worse than Rico here.
His dark eyes bore towards me,
“Hi there, miss. My name is Zero. May I know yours?” He extended his hand, and now I just noticed that he had tattoos on his fingers up to his arms. The man knows he’s sexy, and that’s dangerous.
But before I could speak, Rico opened his mouth and said something I never thought I would be forever grateful for. It’s a good thing Rico is quick-witted on things. This man can seriously be one of my friends; not that I needed more.
“She's my friend, dude. Don't flirt with her. She doesn’t like flirts.” He slapped Zero's hand away, and the latter could only wince and frown. I bit my lip, trying to suppress a laugh.
“Stop that! I'm just trying to make friends,” Zero huffed, rubbing the back of his hand, which Rico slapped.
Rico let out a scoff, “You can't, seriously. All the women you wanted to befriend ended up on your bed. Remember?”
“Hey,” Wendy, one of the waitresses, approached our table. Her red hair fell flatly down her shoulder. The redhead clearly didn’t like me by the way she looked at me from head to toe; her gaze was sharp and judgy. I raised a brow at her, gesturing for her to say what she needed to say.
“Kelly wants you behind the counter now. You're twenty minutes late," Wendy glared, her nostrils flaring. Alright, this girl needs to chill.
I looked at her blankly, “Right. Tell her I’m coming,”
Wendy looked even more irritated at how calm I was, and she didn’t like how I looked at her just now; it was cold and deadly. Fear crept inside her system, but it was later hidden by vexation.
I turned towards Rico, “Kelly’s calling me already,”
“Oh, okay then. We’ll be right here,”
I nodded before I stood up. I headed to the counter, and shortly after, I started serving drinks for the customers over the counter. It was something I love doing; pouring and mixing drinks of every color and taste. In college, I worked only one job, and that was serving drinks to people who are either drunk or sober who want to get wasted. It was Marissa, the bartender at the bar I worked at, who taught me a lot about bartending. I used to watch her mix drinks and all. It fascinated me for some reason, and that’s when I started learning how to do it.
Hours passed, and I had been standing at the counter for over five hours straight now. I sat on my stool and looked around the club. Clementine was almost crowded; it was crazy how the number of people dancing at the center kept increasing; the people were literally squeezing each other. Hell, it's almost midnight, and the party has just begun.
“Where's Rion?”
I held back a gasp when I heard a baritone voice behind me. I turned towards Elliot, who was simply staring at those people entering his club. Seriously, this man is very different from all the club owners I have met. Elliot mostly sleeps during the day, and he roams the club at night like a freaking ghost. I just found out from Manager Kelly that he lives on the top floor of this building.
I sighed before leaning over to the counter, my face resting on my palms. My gaze followed Elliot’s, and the two of us glanced at the people entering the club like some bored creeps.
“Rion left to take a piss,” I replied. Rion is also a bartender. He works after my shift, which is usually past midnight.
Elliot nodded, “Do you know Zakael?”
I frowned, “Zakael, who?”
“He was looking at you for a while now,” I looked at the table where Elliot was looking, and I saw a pair of annoying brown eyes looking back at me.
Holy shit.
It's him.
“What a beautiful dripping mess you are, Azalia.”A warm exhale fanned my neck, a trail of scorching kisses from Zakael followed afterwards. His head was buried on the crook of my neck as he rubbed my wetness. The wet damp of his lips on my skin was as addicting as feeling blood spatters on cheek. He licked, nipped every inch of my bare neck. I swear I could feel them already bruising.“Do you want me to stop?” He asked, biting my shoulder.Do I? I was too busy being a moaning mess for me to stop him. I was enjoying this as much as he does. Am I seriously considering this?“This isn’t fair.” I murmured, heavy breathing and wet strands sticking all over my face. I gripped onto his arms so hard that my nails clawed his skin. His fingers were perfect, slowly tormenting my sensitive folds. A finger slid inside of me as his thumb rubbed my clit. Heat erupted from my core like fire. I was so close to a release. My desperate cry of pleasure intensified; Zakael knew I was close.I hear Zakae
That night I slept like a baby. I slept better than I had in years. Zakael’s embrace was warm and tight, it almost felt like home. But it was just one night. I doubt there would be another chance of us sleeping together in one bed. I won’t allow it. Today, Zakael is just working from home. Meanwhile, Lewis was nowhere to be found. He mentioned that he’s needed at the agency for last week’s report. Ruby sent me an email of Zakael’s schedule and meetings for this week and the next. His schedule is packed as hell. I wouldn’t last a day in such a tedious job like his. Maybe, I’m just not meant for corporate jobs. I want to be out there more in the field, you know? Like tormenting people… Wrapping the clean robe around my body, I stepped out of the bathroom. But before I could walk all the way to the closet, I noticed a huge box sitting on the edge of my bed. It was a white box with a logo that shimmered in rose gold. It was a designer brand and I know an expensive designer when I see on
"Do you understand?" Zakael asked. "Yes." The word escaped my mouth hesitantly. I could not for a second, recognize my own voice. It was the tone of submission; my voice was so soft and dripping with acquiescence. It’s not often you can see Azalia Davis in a state of submission. Zakael stared at every inch of my face; half of my face was darkened with blood and I just hoped it’s dark enough for him to not notice. His thumb ran over my cheek, rubbing off a spatter of blood near my eye. I looked for a single emotion in his eyes… anything. Fear? Concern? Disgust? But I looked and there was none. Zakael looked at me calmly, almost too calm for a normal person. My clothes were soaked with blood that isn’t mine. I know my job is dangerous. It involved hurting and killing people. I could be in danger anytime. It’s a part of our job as agents. Zakael slowly withdrew his hand from my face. "You should wash up and rest." He said softly. "Zakael." I called his name in a soft whisper, almos
"Frank!" My mom cried loudly. A gunshot blew heavily and deafeningly inside a dark room, along with my mom's sobbing. She repeatedly yelled the name of her husband, but my dad wasn’t budging. My dad was dead on the ground, bloody and bruised. It took only one second for that pistol to fire right through my dad’s head. "Frank!" My mom cried my dad’s name as if he would wake up anytime soon. His body was starting to get colder in her arms. The warmth of his skin and the life in his eyes were now slowly fading away. "Mom?" A faint voice echoed inside the living room of our house, and I walked out of my bedroom silently. I looked over to the man who was holding a white handkerchief. It was still fresh in my mind—this memory that would scar me forever. I saw how that man pointed a gun at my dad. How calmly he pulled the trigger, like it was just a normal day at work. Unknowingly, I memorized the face, the gestures, and the physique of my father’s killer. Seeing a loved one die right bef
It was six in the morning when I received a message from Ciara. She wanted to go meet up for coffee. It was a surprise that the lady devil could actually wake up that early for coffee, or was it for gossip? I drove to Ciara’s go-to café, the one near her place and twenty miles from Zakael’s house. How convenient for Ciara, really. Lewis already drove Zakael to work, as I instructed my co-agent because today is going to be a big day. At least for Gaspar Zaragoza. Maybe today is a good day to die? “Bitch, where the hell are you?” Ciara asked on the other line. A loud sound of sipping and shaking ice cubes came seconds after. “I’m already here, C. I’ll hang up now.” I lowered my phone and slid it back into my pocket. The place was almost empty this morning. It’s still early, and most customers were students and a few employees were getting their usual orders. I searched the place and easily found Ciara sitting on the far corner near the glass windows. A smirk graced my lips as I wal
I let out a deep sigh, leaning my elbows over the bar counter, lazily watching people coming inside and out of Clementine. I would usually drop my side jobs as soon as the agency hands me a new mission. Maybe it’s time for me to quit my job as a bartender. The only reason why I took the bartending job is because I liked doing it. However, babysitting a grown ass man can be a little time-consuming. The loud booming music inside the club wasn't enough to interrupt my train of thoughts. It's been days since Ruby handed me the side mission. Gaspar Zaragoza is a lot stupider than I thought for not being able to hide his location. Oh, well, no one can really hide from my badass friend, Deize Smith. The woman can track down anything. However, the bastard’s date of death hasn’t been decided yet. I'm waiting for the right time and the right place. I have to be fast, though; it's not supposed to take more than a week to execute side missions. At least not for the agency’s top agents. “Switch?”