SHUT DOWN | JENLISA

14

Jennie

"Whiskey, neat. Please." I pulled out my compact mirror and my lipstick to reapply.

"It's surprising to hear a woman order such a strong drink." Someone spoke from down the bar.

I didn't look up from my mirror. I clicked my mirror shut and put it back in my purse along with my lipstick. The drink was set in front of me on the coaster, and I took a generous sip. I set it down and looked over to the person who was very openly watching me.

I didn't know if she stood out in the slacks and button-up shirt she was wearing or if she was specifically wearing this type of outfit not to stand out. She had shaggy and dirty blonde hair that was brushed and styled back with jade-green eyes that didn't waver from my stare for a single moment.

She had a diamond-shaped face with strong facial features that encased her ruggedness. A straight nose with a little bump toward the end, and her lips were pink but not too full that it was feminine but soft enough to indicate that she might be a good kisser.

She was exceedingly gorgeous and fit the clothes she was wearing to a T. Most people bought suits altered to their size while others bought them in their size. This stranger was neither here nor there. The slacks she was wearing were not a brand. I could tell from the wear and colour, and the shirt she was wearing, despite her efforts, was a bit wrinkled, like she had folded her sleeves back and forth before deciding to leave them all the way down. I'd never seen her around, and it wasn't that I'd never seen attractive people before, because I certainly have.

This person was new to my eyes, which immediately made her a suspect in my eyes. No one got close to me unless they wanted something.

"I didn't know drinks were gender-biased." I said with a scoff. "I'm sorry that I don't fit into your societal vision of women that only order fruity drinks." I took another sip. "But this is the twenty-first century, so maybe fuck off and don't judge a woman on what she does or doesn't drink."

She didn't look taken back like most people would have; she looked almost amused. Either she was confident in herself, or her ego wasn't as fragile as most people I have come across.

"They always say that a woman who speaks her mind is hotter than one who doesn't."

Okay, I'll bite.

"Who is they?"

She didn't think long for an answer. "Regular lame people." She decided.

I scoffed mockingly and set my cup back down. "Well, regular lame people are the type to tell a woman to speak her mind, and when she does, she gets belittled and beaten down for it. So, try again."

"Maybe I'm just like them. Maybe I'm the one who thinks that way."

I eyed her up and down. "No, you don't strike me as a regular lame person who thinks an open-minded woman is hot. You probably like her quiet, submissive, and obedient. You give off this aura that demands authority. It is weak, pathetic, and is a cry for help that stems from your deep-rooted insecurities."

She stood up, and I watched her cross the bar to come and sit next to me. Without turning around, I could feel all my men watching this play out. They knew that I could handle this person, and I didn't need them to intervene, and it was almost a compliment from the men I had hired. They were all ruthless and loyal killers, and I knew that I had gained their respect and theirs, mine as well.

"That is the hottest thing a woman has ever said to me."

I gave her a tight smile. "That's pretty pathetic."

I downed my drink in one go and stood up. With my movement, all the men in the room stood up with me. The person still sitting at the bar hid her shock pretty well as her eyes diverted around the room, and I could see her mentally counting. She was stoic in her expressions, but even she couldn't hide the surprise that shined in those enthralling gems she had for eyes.

"Twenty-two." I said out loud, and she looked at me with a lifted chin. "Saving you the struggle of counting how many men in this room are under my command."

I reached for my purse, and with every step I took, my men formed around me like a protective circle until we were out of the hotel and on our way back to my car.