There were two women in front of me waiting to be interviewed. One couldn't stop checking her phone, and the other gnawed on a wad of gum as big as an egg. It seemed only women had been asked to come back for the in-person interview, which hadn't really been too shocking. Someone had hung up an extremely short mini skirt in the front of the bar with a sign that noted it would be a required part of the uniform. I could only assume that it was there to warn applicants off. If they weren't comfortable in a short skirt, they could just turn around and leave.

It seemed the painters and decorators were just putting the final touches on the place. I could hear bottles and glasses clanking in the backroom as if the bar was about to be stocked. Apparently, I was the last interview of the day. I wondered if there would even be an opening by the time I got inside the office door. I wondered even more if it was the asshole, himself, behind that door. Maybe Trent had partners or other lackeys to hire the employees. After torturing myself by reading more about the jerk, artfully avoiding any of the articles that would bring back the whole nightmare, I discovered that he had been born into old money, but the last few generations of Vandermeers had engaged in some questionable business and investment practices. Not too surprising. He looked extra sketchy in his picture with a pathetically fake hair piece and big diamond studs in his ears.

A deep voice called out the name Heather, and the gum chewer scooted into the office on excessively high heels. She had pretty legs to go with the heels, which meant she'd probably be a shoe in for the job. I smiled at my mental pun. I was amazed at how relaxed I felt, considering that I was applying for a job I didn't want just so I could figure out how to ruin the place. Many diabolical plans had passed through my mind, some good, some a little far-fetched. I'd gone so far as to set out food on my kitchen floor at night hoping to draw cockroaches out from the floorboards. If I had a small army of the disgusting critters, I could slowly start releasing them in the bar. With the place just opening, the rumors of cockroaches would make sure it never made it past its first month. Vandermeer would lose everything he'd put into the place. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that cockroaches were clever. They seemed to figure out my plot and had stayed far away from the food bait.

"Oh, that's it," the woman with the phone obsession grunted. "Not worth it." She got up and stomped out of the bar. Which meant I was next.

Seconds later, the office door opened, and the gum chewer skipped out with a wide smile. She had apparently spit out the wad. "I just snagged the last spot, honey, so too bad."

"Darn." I stood up from the chair and turned to follow her out. This wasn't going to stop me though. I'd figure out something else.

"Hold on there, princess," a voice said from behind.

I turned around. He was even creepier in person. And worst of all, it was obvious he thought himself quite the man. His sneering smile made my stomach do that strange lurch that happened on a roller coaster. I had to work hard to not grimace when his gaze dropped to my feet and back up.

"Thought you said I was the last hire," the gum chewer said.

"See you tomorrow for training, Zoe." His tone let her know she needed to move on. Which she did.

"You've been waiting all this time. Besides, I'm rethinking one of my hires from this morning."

"Thanks," I said it far too curtly and had to silently remind myself that I had to pretend not to hate the man. I was going to have to turn off the disgust and turn on the fake charm. It wouldn't be easy, just like it was nothing short of agony standing in the same space with him.

I forced a pleasant smile as I walked past him into his office. Naturally, he was interviewing the women all by himself in a secluded office. Just like the mini skirt hanging in the front of the bar, warning off interviewees not to bother if they weren't willing to show some skin, his business practices were already completely wrong.

He must have forgone the shower and just doused his stink with aftershave because his office was a mixture of body odor and spicy cologne.

There was no place for me to sit but that didn't stop Trent from walking around to the chair behind his desk. He sat back, and again, took the time to look me up and down with his unsavory gaze. "What's your name?"

"Rebecca." As I constructed a resume for the position, I'd considered changing the name, but I was sure that would raise red flags since it wouldn't match any of my personal data or my driver's license. I was sure he wouldn't recognize me or my name. There just wasn't any way he could connect me because my last name, Novak, was from my dad.

I dropped the resume on his desk.

He scanned through it. "You're not working right now?"

"I'm in between jobs." The one thing I had firmly decided not to do was list my current day job. I sure as heck didn't need Irene finding out that I was serving cocktails at night. I figured the hours would work out just fine. And I wasn't planning on working at the bar long because I was hoping the place would be shut down before Trent could even start making a profit.

"You've only got a little experience serving drinks." He sat back and lifted his hands behind his head. "Why do you want to work here?"

"It looks like a hip new place to work, and I need the money."

His lip curled up. He was pleased with my answer.

He lifted one hand from behind his head and stirred his finger around in the air. "Turn around so I can check you out from all angles."

I bit my tongue to keep from letting him know that he was breaking every damn protocol in the book. And then it dawned on me—I wouldn't need to catch cockroaches or mice. This slime bag might just give me everything I needed to take him down. Although the cockroaches would probably be faster and way less hassle. If I could only catch the suckers.

This was it. I either landed this thing and started my plan, or I walked out in disgust and disappointment.

I gritted my teeth in another fake smile and swung my hips as I turned around. I even swished my ass back and forth a few times before looking back at him over my shoulder. "This angle all right?"

His beady eyes were glued to my ass. "Hell yeah. You can start training tomorrow at ten in the morning."

I turned quickly around. "In the morning? But I thought it would be at night."

"You've got other plans? Change them."

"Right. No. I don't have other plans. I'll be here."