I didn’t mind Anika, but we didn’t have a common interest…apart from Lev, of course. And I had a feeling we wouldn’t be seeing eye-to-eye on that matter.

Men flocked to the bar to be served, and although it was busy, Birdie and I kept it under control. During the night, I’d seen Birdie clink shot glasses with men and down them. She’d done this multiple times, and I wondered how she wasn’t stumbling over her feet. The girl could hold her drinks.

So when a group of men bought a round of shots and added an extra for me, I looked to Birdie. She smiled and nodded. So I went for it.

I picked up the glass, lifted it to my mouth, and tipped it back, listening to the men hoot and cheer as I sputtered and coughed.

Holy shit, that burned.

Coughing up a lung, I raised my hands and grimaced through a smile, showing them all I was okay. They shouted and applauded some more and, thankfully, stayed close to my side of the bar.

I knew the tips would be off the charts tonight. The men had money to burn, and with every round, I was left a nice, neat sum for myself.

My body started to feel warm all over and my head spun lightly. And this was only after the first shot.

After the fifth, I could barely stand without swaying from side-to-side.

The sixth shot had done it.

Laughing to myself, I held onto the bar, because the ground was spinning in circles. It was sucking me in.

I should tell Lev about that. That’s an occupational health and safety issue, if I ever saw one.

Birdie was by my side before I knew I was lying on the floor behind the bar. “Mina, baby, what’s wrong?”

I laughed out loud. “Oh, God, Birdie. The floor won’t stop moving. Make it stop. My stomach hurts.”

“Shit,” Birdie uttered as she moved away from me.

A minute, or it could’ve been an hour later, she returned with Nas who knelt by my side, taking my arm and helping me stand. She took me out the door behind the bar and into the backroom. She helped me sit and sighed, “Jesus, Mina, what the fuck? You’re not supposed to drink when you’re on shift. You’re in a ton of trouble if Sasha finds out.”

What?

I blinked away the rogue white lights attacking my vision. “But, I saw Birdie do shots. When I looked at her for the go-ahead, she nodded. I thought it was okay.”

“Wait, what?” Then she chuckled. “Oh, my God.” Her laughter intensified. “Please tell me that Anika told you about the marked bottles we keep behind the bar?”

At that point, Anika strolled into the backroom. “Hey, is Mina okay? I thought I saw her faint.”

Nas stood, holding down her laughter. “Did you tell Mina about our special blend?”

Anika frowned. “No, I thought you did when you brought her for your lesson.”

Nastasia couldn’t hold it in. She tipped her head back and burst into laughter.

While I burst into tears. “Am I fired?”

Anika spoke quietly to herself. “Oh, God, she didn’t know.” Then she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. “She didn’t know!”

They laughed loudly, whooping and doubling over. And there I was, howling as tears trailed down my cheeks. “Am I fired?”

“No,” Nas uttered through a chuckle. “No, Mina. It was my mistake. I’ll take the rap for it. You’re not fired, I promise.”

I didn’t believe her. I threw my head back and wailed, “But Sasha won’t care.” I took in a deep stuttering breath and blurted out, “Because he’s an asshole!”

From behind me came a calm, “Please, Mina. Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.”

I turned to see Sasha scowling at me from the door and did the only thing I could do. I threw my drunken ass on the ground and cried some more.

Nastasia snorted. “I forgot to tell her about the special blend. This one’s on me.”

Sasha shook his head. “This is bad for business. She needs to go.”

Nas’ face turned dramatically. She sneered at her brother. “For one mistake? One that wasn’t even her fault?”

“It’s not my problem, Nas,” he muttered, and I cried louder.

“Oh, God,” Sitting up, I panted. “Please don’t fire me. I’ll do anything. Please.”

Anika spoke then, and I was stunned by her support. “Sash. Don’t do this. She needs this job.” She paused a moment before she murmured, “Have a heart.”

Sasha stared at Anika a long while before he turned to walk out. “This is the first and only chance she gets. No more. Next time, she’s gone.”

My blotchy face turned upward to land on Anika. I blinked a second before I whispered, “Thank you.”

To my further surprise, she helped me off the ground and sat me down on the leather sofa. Nas brought me a glass of water and a couple of aspirin. “We’ve still got a full night ahead of us. You may as well lay down and sleep it off, boozerella.”

My head was whirling, and I didn’t need to be told a second time. I lay my head down just as my stomach gave a sharp pinch of disapproval at my night’s choice of drinks. I groaned, “I am never drinking again.”

“That’s what they all say,” she muttered as they both moved toward the door, turning the light off and leaving me to sleep off the night that never should have happened.

***

Lev

It didn’t take long for me to notice that Mina was no longer working the bar. Nas had taken over for her.

I waited. And waited. And the longer I did, a cold feeling passed along my spine.

An irrational protectiveness passed through me.

Standing, I strode across the floor, moving around tables and patrons to get to the bar. Nas saw me just as I leaned over the bar. I hadn’t meant to, but I growled, “Where is she?”

She put her hands up in a placating gesture. “Don’t you go off on her too. It wasn’t her fault, okay? I forgot to tell her about the house blend.” She sniffed a laugh. “She’s had a couple of aspirin and is sleeping off the liquor.”

It had been close to half an hour since I noticed her missing. My eyes immediately went to the side of the stage.

“Shit,” I barked. Eyeing Nas, I asked accusingly, “How long has Jeremiah been away from his station?”

Her face paled.

I shook my head in disappointment, moved behind the bar, through the door, and made my way down the long hall, finding myself behind the closed door to the backroom. Lifting my hand, I tried to turn the knob, but felt resistance.

“Open the door,” I sneered.

“Occupied,” he called back in annoyance.

My chest began to heave. I breathed heavily through my nostrils, my anger burning, bubbling like a river of molten lava in my gut. “Open the door,” I uttered through gritted teeth.

“Fuck! Piss off!” Jeremiah called back.

That’s when it happened.

Everything shut down. My pulse slowed. The lights dimmed around me. The sounds turned dull in my ears until there was nothing.

The silence took over.

I had always feared it would arise again. I controlled it so well. It hadn’t struck me in years. Not like this.

But I wasn’t scared this time. I embraced it and let it empower me.

My hands balled into fists, and I took a single step back before rushing the door with my shoulder.

I felt it crack under my weight, but it did not break.

My legs walked me back and I threw my shoulder at the door again.

Another whining creak, and the wood prepared to give way under the slightest amount of pressure.

Nas yelled from behind me. “Lev, what are you doing?”

Jeremiah called out in disbelief, “You’re fucking crazy!”

I pulled back, lifted my leg, and kicked as hard as I could.

The door came apart from its lock and flung inwards. My eyes swept the room and I found him standing by the leather sofa, tucking his tee into his pants.

I saw red.

Nothing could have stopped me from getting to him then.

Nothing.

Mina groaned quietly and squirmed weakly on the couch, passed out, and Nas ran to kneel by her side.