Interlude

Chapter 6

"Not bad, Malhotra" Max Stanley smirked with approval. "Your city has something fun to do after all. We were starting to get bored."

Dev chuckled dryly. Maneuvering his way through the dimly lit, fairly crowded space of Lobby77, he headed to their table. Three investment bankers were visiting from New York. They weren't directly conducting business with Dev but it was only polite to entertain them while they were here.

A female server appeared at their table. She wore the standard uniform, a short black skirt and a skimpy crop top with a plunging neckline and introduced herself as Mia. It was obviously not her real name. She must've been experienced at her job with a skill to smell out desperation. Because when she bent to pick up the menus, she made sure to let Max get a longer glance at her chest.

The conversation, inadvertently, turned towards business and Dev was starting to get intrigued by some of the stories they told him. The server reappeared carrying a tray with their drinks when a sudden loud explosion stilled everyone around. There were gasps followed by quick and intense yelling.

"Oh no!" Mia groaned, looked behind them at the source of all the noise. "Again?"

Dev turned to look in the direction of her vision.

For the second time, in a month, he found himself wrought with shock. This time was worse, however because his shock was superseded by fury. Dressed in that obnoxious uniform, her terrified eyes staring at the mess of broken glass, was the girl who had haunted his dreams for weeks.

"New girl?" Ali watched as the manager rushed in.

"Third shift...still hasn't got her groove yet." Mia shook her head sympathetically.

"If I had to wait on those shriveled creeps, I wouldn't find my grove either." Max exclaimed. Ali and Wesley sniggered.

Mia smiled dryly and withdrew the empty tray. "Almost makes me regret getting her the job."

"Why did you then?" Dev demanded, completely out of line.

Mia's eyes narrowed, not appreciating his tone. "Because she needed the money"

"I'd like to meet her." Max winked at Mia. "I can think of plenty activities that I'll happily pay her for."

Dev shut his eyes forcing himself to stay seated. Every fiber in his body wanted to lunge forward and punch Max. The night became disastrous after that. Wesley asked if Dev was feeling well since he'd suddenly quietened.

"I'm starting to get a headache." he muttered.

It wasn't a complete lie. He barely touched his drinks. Instead, he watched, painstakingly, as Rose walked around in indecent heels, tugging at her tiny skirt every now and then. When she bent lower to set plates or glasses, one hand instinctively reached to readjust that ridiculous neckline of the top.

Dev had made up his mind - at the end of the night, he was going to talk to her.

However, that resolve was quickly broken when one of the men pulled her into his lap. It was pure instinct followed by an involuntary series of movements that led him to step in front of her.

"Get your fucking hands off her!" he bellowed.

Before anyone had any time to respond, Dev had punched the man who had grabbed her, causing him to collapse on the floor. That, in Dev's opinion, was his best attempt at restrain. In his mind, he had wanted to do worse... much worse.

"How dare you!" A second man yelled. The injured fellow struggled to get back on his feet, angry and disoriented. A dark bruise was already emerging on one side of his cheek.