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“'Night, Trey.”
He watched her walk across his office and disappear through the door.
Fuck!
Chapter Fourteen
“Thanks for coming in early,” Aaron said as she walked through the back door. “Pretty sure everyone was dodging my calls for the shift.”
Dahlia didn’t doubt it. Inventory was never fun, but it was worth it. At least to her. Even with all the tips and her paychecks, she was still struggling without a second income on her rent. She’d tried looking, but her past experience made her a little gun-shy to jump into a living arrangement with a total stranger. To be honest, she kind of liked having her house all to herself, though she knew it wasn’t compatible with her financial state.
“I’ll never turn down double time.”
Aaron laughed, waving her down the hall to the main room. It was always a strange feeling to be at the club during the day. It was quiet, bright, and somehow seemed far less electrifying during daylight hours. Only two other employees had shown up and were working across the room.
“Since you’re familiar, I’m going to have you do bar one and the balcony.”
“Sounds good. Does it matter where I start?”
“Completely up to you,” Aaron said, walking away and heading toward the office.
Dahlia made her way up the stairs. She’d crank out the balcony first since it was the smaller of the two. She rounded the bend, expecting to find it empty. Nothing could have surprised her more than seeing an older man seated at the table usually reserved for Trey and Rogue. It wasn’t so much seeing someone else but the recognition. From a distance and only his profile in her view, she couldn’t be absolutely sure, so she walked across the floor, angled her head, and smiled.
What was he doing here?
“Got any pretzels?”
Sal turned, furrowed his brows briefly, and then grinned and immediately stood. “Well, this just made my day a whole lot brighter.”
Dahlia laughed, moving closer and taking him in for a hug. It seemed to catch him off guard, but Sal, being a true gentleman, went with it. Though they’d only met once, Sal had left his mark on her, and knowing he was so tight with Karia and her dad only made her feel a closeness to him. When he released her, she stepped back.
“What are you doing here? It’s a little early for dancing.” Dahlia wiggled her brows.
Sal released a hearty laugh as he sat back down, grabbing his cigar from the ashtray.
“Came to see my boys.”
His boys?
Her brows shot up. “Oh, your sons work here too?”
His face softened. “No kids for me, just my boys.” Sal’s gaze shifted past her, and he gestured behind Dahlia. “And here they are.”
Dahlia was smiling when she glanced over her shoulder, but it quickly faded when she realized exactly who Sal’s boys were. Oh shit! Panic set in immediately as Trey and Rogue walked to the table, both eyeing her suspiciously.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Rogue snapped.
Before she could answer, a deep rumble sounded from behind her. Sal. “Watch yourself, son.”
Dahlia gasped and clamped her lips as Rogue’s jaw squared, and he took a seat across from Sal. Did Sal just scold Rogue? And more importantly, did Rogue just bow down? Do not react! Any semblance of amusement or appreciation for Sal would not fare well for her later on.
Dahlia cleared her throat. “I’m working inventory today. I’ll come back for the bar when you’re done with your visit.”
Dahlia stepped back, hoping for a sly getaway, but she wasn’t quick enough. Sal leaned over and grasped her wrist, urging her to sit next to him. Dammit, Sal! Given no choice, she sat across from Trey and forced a smile. His gaze shifted between her and Sal, and his brows dipped slightly.
“Do you two know each other?” Trey asked.
“Actually, we do. I had the pleasure of spending some time with Dahlia in the waiting room at the hospital when Karia had the baby.”
