BOUND

Chapter 1

You found yourself seated in the cramped office of Boys & Grills, facing Bob Velseb himself. His wide, toothy grin sent a shiver down your spine as he looked you up and down.

"Y/N L/N, huh?" Bob drawled, peering at your resume. "You got any experience in the food industry?"

You nodded, keeping your expression neutral. "Yeah, I've worked in a couple of kitchens before. I'm a quick learner."

Bob's eyes gleamed with interest. "Good, good. We could use someone like you around here. You ever hear about our special sauce?"

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. "Can't say that I have."

Bob chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, it's a secret recipe. Only the best ingredients, you know?" He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Some say it's to die for."

You forced a laugh, trying to ignore the chilling implication of his words. "Sounds delicious."

Bob's grin widened. "Alright, I'll give you a shot. You start tomorrow, bright and early."

As you stood to leave, Bob's hand shot out, gripping your wrist with surprising strength. His grin faltered, replaced by a predatory glint in his eyes.

"One more thing, Y/N," he said, his voice low and ominous. "I don't tolerate slackers or snoops. You understand?"

You nodded, suppressing a shiver as his grip tightened slightly. "Crystal clear, Mr. Velseb. I'm here to work."

Bob released your wrist with a satisfied nod, his grin returning in full force. "Good. I'll see you bright and early then."

----And the very next day----

The next day, you found yourself behind the counter taking orders at Boys & Grills. The morning rush was in full swing, and you were starting to regret ever accepting this undercover assignment. As you juggled multiple orders, one customer stepped up with an overly complicated request.

"I'll have a double cheeseburger, hold the pickles, extra lettuce, tomatoes diced, not sliced, onion rings on the side, but only if they're freshly fried, and the burger patty must be exactly half medium rare and half well done. Oh, and make sure the bun is toasted, but not too crispy, and add a dollop of mayo on the side, but only on the bottom bun."

You felt your patience wearing thin as you tried to process the absurdity of the order. Before you could stop yourself, a muttered "are you fucking kidding-" slipped past your lips.

Bob Velseb, who had been observing from across the restaurant, caught wind of your outburst and quickly intervened. "Y/N, come with me," he said, his tone stern but with a hint of amusement.

He led you to the back of the kitchen, where he leaned against the stainless steel counter.

taking a deep breath to compose yourself. "Of course, Mr. Velseb," you said through gritted teeth, your frustration barely contained.

But as Bob continued to lecture you about customer service, you couldn't hold back any longer. "Sir, respectfully, what the hell do you expect me to do? Slice a patty in half, cook them, and sew them back together? I'm an offic-" You immediately paused, and fixed your words, "-I'm a cook, sir. Not a surgeon."

Bob's expression darkened slightly, his jovial demeanor fading for a moment. "Watch your tone, Y/N," he warned, his voice low and serious. "You're lucky I'm giving you a chance here. Don't blow it."

You swallowed hard, realizing you had pushed too far. "Sorry, Mr. Velseb. Won't happen again."

He studied you for a moment, then sighed, relenting a bit. "Look, I know it's a ridiculous request, but just do your best. Make it work somehow. And keep your attitude in check. Understood?"

You nodded, chastened. "Understood, sir."

"Good. Now get back out there and make me proud."

With a forced smile, you returned to the front counter, mentally kicking yourself for almost slipping up. As you resumed taking orders, you made a mental note to be more cautious.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of customer demands and kitchen chaos. But just as you were starting to get the hang of things, the same customer from earlier approached the counter, looking expectantly at you.

"You got my order right this time, right?" they asked, a smug grin spreading across their face.

You forced a smile, trying to keep your frustration in check. "Yes, sir. Your double cheeseburger with the, uh, special request is on its way."

Back in the kitchen, you relayed the customer's order to the cook, who shot you a puzzled look at the bizarre request. With a sigh, you set to work, trying to figure out how to achieve the impossible task of cooking a single patty half medium rare and half well done.

After a few minutes of futile attempts, you couldn't hold back any longer. "Sir, respectfully, there's no way I can do this," you said, frustration seeping into your tone. "It's just not possible."

The customer scoffed, leaning against the counter. "What do you mean it's not possible? I'm paying for this, so make it happen."

You took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I'm sorry, but we can't split a patty and cook it like that. It's a health code violation, not to mention, it's practically impossible."

Bob Velseb, who had been observing the exchange from afar, approached with a raised eyebrow. "What seems to be the problem here?"

You hesitated, realizing you were treading on thin ice. "Uh, just trying to accommodate a customer's request, sir. But it's proving to be a bit... challenging."

Bob's grin returned, but there was a hint of steel in his gaze. "Remember what I said, Y/N. The customer is always right."

You clenched your jaw, knowing you were about to push your luck again. "With all due respect, sir, some requests are just plain ridiculous. There's no way to make this happen without compromising the quality of the food."

Bob's smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, patting you on the shoulder. "I understand your concerns, Y/N. But sometimes, we have to bend the rules a bit to keep the customers happy. Just do your best."

You nodded, reluctantly conceding defeat. As you returned to the kitchen, you couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get more complicated from here on out.