Chapter Fourteen
Emelise
Emelise didn’t have time to worry about how the meeting between Caine and Malcolm might go. When she got to the club there was a bit of an issue in the VIP lounge. The club hadn’t been open an hour and some local socialite thought that because he was a ‘important person’ in New Orleans it meant he could do whatever he wanted in the club. What that boiled down to was him verbally assaulting the bartender and letting his hands wander to places they didn’t belong every time the server got near him.
“Emelise, I agreed to be nice to the customers, especially the VIP ones on the nights I worked the VIP lounge, but I didn’t agree to being felt up by some jerk who thinks he’s god’s gift to women,” Sierra, one of the newer waitresses, said.
“That’s not in your job description,” Emelise replied. “I’ll take care of this. I’m sorry you were subjected to that kind of behavior. I don’t put up with it and I won’t allow it in my club,” she added and had to bite back a growl.
“Joe’s pretty pissed too. The guy has been really ugly towards him, pretty much telling him he was shitty at his job when we both know that’s not true,” Sierra told her.
“I’ll take care of that, too,” Emelise said and headed upstairs. Sierra had gone downstairs to get away from the guy and his grabby hands.
Emelise sauntered upstairs and made a beeline for the bar where Joe was fixing drinks. “Hey, Sierra told me about what’s been happening, point me in the right direction and I’ll take care of this.”
“Good, because if he touched Sierra one more time I was going to break his fingers for him,” Joe replied. Sierra was his sister, he was not happy about the jerk pawing at her. He nodded with his head at the table at which the troublemaker sat.
“I might do it for you,” Emelise muttered under her breath before she headed his way.
Aaron Sutton was one of those rich men who thought that because he had money the entire world should bend over backwards for him. Emelise recognized him from a recent article that was done on him. When she stopped in front of his table she saw his gaze trail over her before he finally met her gaze. “Oh, aren’t you a pretty little thing. Come to take care of me, have you? Compared to you, the other waitress is a bit lackluster.”
Emelise rolled her eyes at him. “No, I’m not here to ‘take care of you’, at least not in the way you mean the phrase. What I am here to do is ask you to leave. You’ve verbally assaulted one employee and what you did to your server can be considered sexual assault if she wanted to pursue a case against you.”
He blinked at her. “Oh, that’s cute. No one would believe it, sweetheart. Dressed the way she is, of course she’s looking for attention of the male persuasion.”
“I am only going to say this once more and if you still ignore me I’ll take matters in my own hands. You need to leave. Now.”
“No can do, sweetheart. I’m enjoying myself. Why don’t you run along and find the owner. I’m sure he’ll understand and tell you to mind your own business.”
Eme gave him a mockingly sweet smile before she leaned down a little so she was in his face. “First, I’m not your sweetheart so cut the bullshit. Second, you’re looking at the owner and you harassing my staff is my business.”
He looked her over again. “You don’t want to get on my bad side, sweetheart,”he said, deliberately using the endearment.“I can make or break this club. One word from me and you’ll lose all of your business.”
Emelise laughed. “I don’t think so. You see that right there,” she said and pointed to what appeared to be a glass globe over a light fixture. “That’s a security camera. How much you want to bet if I looked at it I’d find you doing exactly what you were accused of; putting your hands where they didn’t belong?”
His hand snaked out and his fingers curled around her wrist. “I will bury you and this fucking club.”
“Get. Your. Fucking. Hand. Off. Her.”
Caine
Caine had gotten the text from Emelise asking him to come to the club because she wanted him to meet someone, a friend from Phoenix who just relocated to New Orleans. He knew that was Eme’s way of letting him know the person was a shifter, otherwise why would she be so formal about the meeting? He wondered who it might be but since she’d not talked about her life in Phoenix much he was pretty much in the dark.
He reached the club and before he could ask where she was he was pointed to the stairs leading up to the VIP lounge. Hmm, intriguing. Did she want him to meet whoever it was there?
He took the steps two at a time and when he reached the top his gaze immediately searched her out. What he saw made his blood boil and a growl escaped him before he could stop it. He reigned in his leopard as he approached. “Get. Your. Fucking. Hand. Off. Her.” There was so much controlled rage in his voice he was surprised no one looked their way.
Emelise
Eme’s head snapped up when she heard her mate’s voice. Oh. He was pissed, no, beyond pissed, that the guy had grabbed her wrist. She felt his fingers loosen before they fell away and she had to resist the urge to rub her arm where they’d been. “You are no longer welcome at Scarlet Flux. Your photo will be given to the entire staff to ensure you don’t return. And if you try to damage my club’s reputation with lies? Just remember, there is more than enough video proof of your actions and I will see that Sierra presses charges against you for sexual assault.”
He stood slowly and sneered at her. “Fine, whatever, this place isn’t any good anyway,” he said and lifted his chin in defiance.
Eme laughed. “You keep telling yourself that to make yourself feel better. Me, I know the truth,” she said and watched him leave.
Caine watched him go as well before he turned his attention to his mate. “Are you alright, Angel?” he asked with a soft growl.
Eme shivered. That growl made her damn toes curl it sounded so good. “I’m fine. I had it under control,” she said and saw a flash of something akin to hurt in his eyes. “But thank you. I probably would have had to get physical with him if you hadn’t shown up when you did and that could have gone badly.”
He pulled her into his arms and buried his nose in her hair for a moment. “Mm, I might have enjoyed watching you put him in his place.”
Eme laughed softly. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I am, but you wouldn’t want me any other way.”
“Too true, too true.”
Malcolm
Malcolm reached Scarlet Flux and arched a brow as he took in the brick facade. The club had a distinctly quirky flare to it even from the outside and he couldn’t help but grin. It definitely reflected Emelise’s personality. He stepped inside and closed his eyes to let the music wash over him. God he loved jazz. He made the right choice in moving to the Crescent City; he just knew it.
After a moment he opened his eyes and moved to the bar. “I’m looking for Emelise, she wanted me to meet her here,” he said to the guy behind the bar.
“She’s upstairs in the VIP lounge,” came the reply before the guy finished the drink order he was working on.
“Thanks.” Mal headed upstairs just as some guy came stomping down them. The anger rolled off the man and Malcolm cocked a brow. What was that all about? He watched the guy go a moment before he shrugged and turned back to continue up the stairs.
At the top of the stairs he stopped again. “Wow,” he said under his breath. The VIP lounge overlooked the rest of the club but while it kept the red, gold, and black theme the downstairs had, this section kicked it up a few dozen notches. It was luxurious, almost obscenely so. He took it all in for a moment before his gaze fell on Emelise being held by someone who had to be her mate. “Now that’s a pretty sight,” he said loudly enough for them to hear him.
Emelise heard his voice and immediately pulled out of Caine’s arms. “Mal! You’re here. It’s that time already?” she asked and glanced at her watch. “Damn, I thought I had a little more time. Are Lily and Declan here yet? Did you see them downstairs?”
“I sure didn’t...Eme,” Malcolm replied. He’d started to call her ‘babe’ but changed it because he had a feeling her mate might take issue with it without an explanation that a) he called everyone that b) Emelise was more like the sister he never had, and c) he was batting for the same team. Women made great friends but when it came to lovers, not so much.
“Well, no worries, I’m sure they’ll be here.” She went to him and grabbed his arm to pull him over to where Caine stood. “Malcolm, this is Caine, Alpha of the Black Water Pard, and my mate,” she said, adding the last at the last moment. “Caine, this is Malcolm. He’s a dear friend from Phoenix, he just relocated to New Orleans and he’ll be working here at the club.” She looked at Malcolm. “You are going to perform, right?” she asked for clarification.
“Of course I am, darling! I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of a reception I get.” He turned his attention to Caine. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a bit about you.”
“Don’t believe a word of it,” Caine said and winked at Emelise. “I’m sure she’s told you I’m an overbearin’ jerk.”
Eme blushed and Malcolm laughed. “Something like that,” he replied. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you as long as you make our little Eme happy.”
“I’ll make her happy as long as she’ll let me.”
“Oh, I like you. You really do know Eme well, don’t you?”
Emelise gave him a mock glare. “Why did I think introducing you two would be a good idea?” she groused.
It was Caine who chuckled this time. “Because it is, Angel. Someone has to keep you on your toes and lord knows dat ain’t me,” he admitted and kissed her temple.
Before Emelise could reply Lily and Delcan showed up.
Emelise
Emelise had felt a little torn over Caine’s coming to her defense with the jerk who thought having money meant he could treat others any way he wanted to. On the one hand it was sweet of him but on the other hand it had made her feel like he didn’t think she could handle it herself. Still, at the hurt in his eyes, she’d found she couldn’t be annoyed with him. He really was a good man even if he did frustrate the fuck out of her sometimes. And annoyed the ever loving hell out of her sometimes, too.
“Speaking of the devils,” Emelise said when Declan and Lily entered the VIP Lounge. “I was just taking about y’all,” she added at the looks she got.
“Y’all? You’re really getting into this whole ‘Southern’ thing,” Lily teased her. “Why were you talking about us?”
“Just wondering if you were here yet,” Eme replied after sticking her tongue out at her best friend’s teasing tone.
Lily laughed. “Love you, too, Eme,” she said then arched a brow at Caine. “Okay, what happened up here? You’re all tense and even Mal looks a little on edge. You boys aren’t fighting, are you?”
Caine gave her a look. “No, we’re not fightin'. Dere was an issue when I first arrived but I took care of it.”
“Oh, is that why that guy brushed past me in such a foul mood?” Malcolm asked. “I was wondering what that was about. Sorry, babe, didn’t know I looked tense. I must have been picking up on Caine’s tension,” he added to Lily.
Beside her Lily felt Declan tense and rolled her eyes. “Let me make the introductions. Declan, this is Malcolm, Eme’s friend from Phoenix. Malcolm, this is Declan. Don’t let his glare bother you, he’s like that with any man who even looks at me. Kind of the way Caine is when guys look at Eme,” she added.
Lily and Emelise both laughed at the comment. “True, they do both do that whole glaring thing, don’t they?” Emelise said.
“They totally do,” Lily replied.
Malcolm snickered then decided to put both the males at ease. “Don’t worry, darlings, I have no interest in your mates beyond maybe some makeup advice,” he said. “Women make excellent friends but they don’t have the right equipment to get my blood pumping.”
Both Caine and Declan just stared at him a moment before Declan burst out laughing. “Damn, you’ll fit right in with our Pack. Echo and Sasha will definitely love you.”
“Oh? Why is that?” Malcolm asked curiously.
“Because you can talk shop, so to speak.”
“Have those two finally admitted they’re hooked on each other yet or are they still pretending otherwise?” Emelise asked. The one time she’d met the two women together she’d known right away how they felt about each other.
“They’re still stubborn as fuck,” Declan replied.
“I don’t get that,” Emelise replied. “They’re good together, you’d think they’d just get it over with.”
“I think they’re just worried it will ruin the friendship and they’re unwilling to let that happen,” Lily countered. She shared a look with Eme. “Maybe we need to play a little matchmaking.”
Emelise grinned. “I was just thinking the same thing!”
“So you don’t have an issue with me not being straight?” Malcolm asked Declan while Eme and Lily bantered back and forth playfully.
“Fuck no. Why would I? Look, I know lions have this ego thing going on, especially the Alphas, and their only focus seems to be on making babies, but that attitude makes it hard for anyone who thinks differently to feel like they’re accepted and part of the group. I don’t give a shit what gets you hard as long as it’s nothing illegal,” Declan replied. “You should come meet the rest of the Pack once you’re settled in. Lily told me you just moved here, so take all the time you need.”
“Thanks,” Malcolm replied. He looked a little stunned by the open acceptance considering his status as an outcast among lion shifters.“Not everyone is a bigot,” Lily said before she grinned. “When are you doing your first performance?”
“Haven’t gotten that far yet,” Malcolm and Emelise said at almost the same time.
“How about we plan it for this Saturday? That’ll give you four days to get things in order and meet with the band,” Eme put in.
“This Saturday sounds perfect,” Malcolm replied. “Well, darlings, I hate to cut and run but it’s been a long day and I still have some unpacking to do so I will catch all of you later,” he added and left.
Eme watched him go before she turned her attention to what had happened earlier. “I really hope that jerk lets it go. I don’t want to drag anyone through the mud but if he pushes it, I have proof he sexually assaulted one of the servers.” She had a bad feeling about it though. Woman’s intuition? Maybe, or maybe just go old fashion understanding the way the human mind worked.