Chapter 1


    Chapter One


    Sephie


    I hear my wh*te noise app cut off on my phone and my rm slowly getting louder. I wait for the


    chiming bells to stop before I roll over and hit the screen. With a deep breath, I muster the energy to


    get out of bed and drag myself to the shower.


    Another glorious day in the life of waiting tables. I stop myself from skipping to the shower I’m so


    excited at the prospect of being yelled at by angry customers again today. People are just crankytely.


    After my shower, I make myself a quick breakfast, even though it’ste afternoon. Working thete shift


    means I miss the normal breakfast time, but let’s be real. Bacon can be enjoyed any time of the day.


    Once the dishes are done and washed, I grab my keys and my bag, locking the door on my way out. I


    live by myself. It’s maybe not the best neighborhood, but all my neighbors are really nice, and we keep


    an eye on each other. When I turn around after locking my door, I see Mr. Turner walking up the steps


    to his apartment across the hall from mine.


    “Hello, Miss Sephie. Going anywhere exciting?” He’s slowly climbing the stairs, with his groceries in


    hand. It’s Thursday, after all. Mr. Turner always stops by the grocery store on his way home on


    Thursdays.


    “Hi, Mr. Turner. On my way to work. How was your day? Have any excitement at the hotel today?”


    “No, not today, but I’m thankful for boring days, if I’m being honest.”


    Mr. Turner worked the door at the most expensive hotel downtown. He’s been the doorman for 32


    years and knows every single influential person in the city as a result.


    “Boring days give you more time to find my Mr. Perfect, right? I like boring days too,” I chuckle.


    Mr. Turnerughs as he reaches his door and sets his groceries down to unlock it. “Don’t you worry,


    Miss Sephie, I’ll find you the perfect man one day. You deserve it.”


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    “I don’t know about that, but I’ll take all the help I can get. Have a great night, Mr. Turner. I’ll see you in


    the morning and as always, if you need anything, you call me.” I waved goodnight to him as he walked


    in his apartment.


    My smile lingers as I jog down the steps to the parking lot. Having great neighbors really can make a


    huge difference in your living situation.


    Once I pull into the restaurant’s parking lot, I find my normal parking space taken. I grumble to myself


    as I am forced to park farther away from the building now. I am nothing, if not a creature of habit. Not


    getting my normal parking space means this is going to be a rough night. Hooray for Thursdays.


    When I step out of my car, I notice the storm cl*uds slowly rolling in. Inhaling deeply, I breathe in the


    sweet scent of iing rain and relish thest moment of sanity before my shift starts. I can do this.


    It’s not just any Thursday. It’s thest Thursday of the month, which means that all the crime bosses in


    the city meet at this restaurant to discuss “business.” They reserve the back room and request that I


    serve them each time. I don’t know if it’s because I’m quiet, keep my head down most of the time, or if


    it’s because I can remember what each boss likes and doesn’t like, but they always request me. They


    always give me a fantastic tip, so it makes having to wait on known criminals somewhat manageable.


    Their tips are single-handedly funding my savings ount, which means I’ll be able to move out of my


    questionable neighborhood sooner, rather thanter.


    “Hey Sephie. Are youing inside or are you just going to stand by your car with your eyes closed


    like a psycho all night?”


    “Sh*t- up, Max. I’ming, I’ming,” I say as I run to catch up to him. Max is the bartender and has


    his own fan club of women thate to the restaurant solely to be served drinks by him. His drinks


    aren’t special. He’s even admitted to watering down their drinks most days. They just want to stare at


    him while he smiles at them as he serves them their Cosmopolitans.


    Max is tall, muscr, but a slender muscr. He looked like he could y in the NBA, not the NFL. His


    d*rty blonde hair was shorter on the sides, but he was letting it grow longer on top. He said the women


    loved slightly longer hair these days, so he was conducting market research to see if longer hair got


    him more tips. Max had a boyish charm about him, but he knew how to use his emerald green eyes to


    get thedies. One look from him and most women would swoon. I was apparently immune to that


    look. He tried it often on me, but I wouldugh every time. He said I was good for his humility, if nothing


    else.


    “Were you meditating just now? Do you need to find inner peace before the meeting tonight?” he


    teased as he opened the back door for me.


    “I was trying to find the strength not to smack you, a-h*le,” Iughed as I walked into the kitchen.


    “Oh. You wound me.”


    “I’m positive you will be able to find a woman to nurse your wounds, in…approximately 30 minutes,” I


    say as I look at my watch to see how long we have before the bar opens. From Thursday to Sunday,


    the women flock to the bar to see Max.


    “But none of them will ever have my heart the way you do, my little gingersnap,” he says as he stands


    in front of me, leans into me, and gently tucks a loose curl behind my ear. He adjusts my thick braid


    over my shoulder and pretends to adjust the cor on my shirt.


    I stare deeply into his big green eyes, as his fingers linger on my neck. Then I immediately break


    character into a fit ofughter as he also breaks and startsughing.


    “Go to work, Max.”


    The ck SUVs start arriving around 8 pm. Max ispletely swamped with single women vying for


    his attention at the bar but still takes the time to run back to the kitchen like he’s a 5-year-old and yells,


    “THEY’RE HERE” and then runs back to the bar. I shake my head,ughing at his antics, take a deep


    breath, and steady myself for the night ahead.


    The six bosses eache to this meeting with at least 2-4 additional people. Some are bodyguards,


    some are their children, and some are underbosses. The bosses are all very respectful, as are the


    bodyguards and the underbosses. It’s the children that I loathe. Sons of mafia bosses have the biggest


    egos I’ve ever encountered and worse, they feel entitled to act however they please. They’re handsy,


    they’re rude, and they all think that I should be throwing myself at them, simply because of who their


    fathers are.


    Luckily, they don’te to every meeting, but they’ll definitely be here tonight. Apparently, this meeting


    is extra important as the main boss. the overlord? I don’t know what to call him. Lord King Boss? Feels


    right – the Lord King Boss – will be here tonight. He rarely makes appearances in public, so I’m a little


    at a loss as to what’s so important that he would show up tonight, but I’m sure I’ll get snippets


    throughout the night. Because I’m always the one that takes care of this meeting, I know more about


    the goings on in the city than I probably should. I keep that information to myself, of course. I’m not an


    id*ot.