Cheat [MxM] (Carter Brothers Book 1)

Chapter 7

JAE ▪︎ POV

"You, me, sushi, tomorrow evening at eight. Give me your number."

Jeremiah began choking beside me with shocked, wide eyes, almost dropping the glass he had been drying. I rolled my eyes, not even giving the arrogant customer standing on the other side of the bar a worthy reaction for that stupid pickup line.

"What drink?" I asked, my voice dull and bored, my posture tired. I had fifteen minutes to go until my shift finally ended and I could run back home to mope. I willed the clock to speed up time, those last few minutes dragging painfully along.

Last night, I'd gotten shit faced and barely made it home in my drunken state, only to pass out on my couch in the same clothes, smelling of sick and vodka. Drowning in alcohol had only temporarily put my pain on hold and it had been fun while it lasted... until this morning.

I was hungover, grumpy and in an irritable mood that had my fellow employees unusually keeping their distance. All day I'd been drifting around like a zombie, offering no more than a grunt at the customers coming in and out of the club.

It was early, around six in the evening and most of my shift had been spent setting up the club for tonight anyway so there weren't too many painful social interactions I had to deal with. But my head was still pounding with my fading hangover.

I eyed this new customer, deciding to give his 'sushi' comment the benefit of the doubt. I wasn't up for a fight today. I already had enough weight on my shoulders without adding unemployment and assault charges to my baggage.

The guy didn't seem to take the hint however, as though my disinterested signals had rushed right over his stupid head. He was young looking, maybe around twenty or so and he was smiling with ambition, his dark brown eyes trained right on me like a predator. Ugh, the overconfidence was puke worthy.

"Suprise me," he hummed in reply to my earlier question, giving me a flirtatious wink. I turned away from him with an annoyed grunt, moving towards the fridge for a bottle of beer.

"What an asshole," Jeremiah huffed, giving the customer the side eye as he stood beside me. "Want me to get rid of him? I know you're not having a good day."

"It's okay," I gave him a grateful smile and my friend patted me on the shoulder, giving the stranger one last wary glance before disappearing into the back for more bar stock. I begrudgingly turned and placed the cheapest beer we had in the fridge down in front of the customer without so much as a fake smile. I didn't even get him a glass.

Instead, I told him the price he owed and held my hand out impatiently, tapping my foot. He shook a few coins into my hand, but before I could close my fist, he curled his fingers around my palm and yanked me forward. I jerked, stumbling into the bar with a grunt, the wooden counter top digging into my chest. "What the fuck?!"

Not today, don't test my patience universe! Please!

"Let go of me before I break your face you fucking asshole,' I hissed, trying to jerk my fingers free, my face heating with annoyance. This wasn't flirting anymore, it was harassment.

Any other day, I would've been amused, but today was not a good day and I'd already given him signs that I was not interested. He was going too far.

The man chuckled with amusement, as though my threat was nothing more than a tiny bark. I bristled at his nonchalance. Considering the fact that I wasn't a small, timid looking man at all, I wasn't used to being disobeyed or pushed around. Not that the size of my body should've mattered. No meant no.

"You're feisty, I like it. Give me your number, that's all I want, and I'll let you go."

"No." I rooted my feet to the floor and got ready to yank my hand back with all the strength I could muster, but I didn't need too. The guy's hand was grabbed from the left and jerked away, breaking his hold on my own. I stepped back, my heartbeat speeding up dramatically as none other than Ezra came to my rescue.