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Chapter 2

Arriving to work I knocked on my boss's door. Why was I even doing this? But no, if I left work early I could still make that strange meeting. I had to see just who Jasper was and why he wanted my attention. The mystery of it just kept devouring my soul.

"Come in," barked my boss's voice. I cracked the door open and peeked inside. "Boss?" I called

He sat behind his desk and as he caught sight of me he smiled. "Ah, Sonja, you're here early. What's wrong this time, Pet?"

I shivered at his pet name. Yet another reason the other women at the café hated me. One of many reasons when it came to our boss. At least he never acted on the name though, he never once tried anything inappropriate with me. A fact I appreciated beyond words. "Can I leave early tonight? I've got an appointment I'd like to make."

Sergio chuckled, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "Do you have a hot date?" His green eyes glittered in the low light of the room. At times like this I felt I was nothing but prey stumbling into the den of a predator. But no, Sergio wasn't like that, he just gave off strange vibes.

"No date. Just following up some strange request," I replied with a shrug. "Though, I do have to ask if I can have my pay docked again. I ate all my groceries too quickly."

Sighing, Sergio shook his head. "Oh, Pet, what am I going to do with you? You've done that three months in a row now. Here, I'll show pity on you. Just don't tell the others." He turned and rummaged in the fridge tucked into his office and pulled out several white boxes. "You can eat with me before your shift, and of course you can leave early."

Wow, Sergio was being far nicer than usual. What had gotten into him? "Thank you so much!" This was it, now was the chance to ask about the other thing bothering me. "Sir, what about the uniform?"

Sergio set the containers in the microwave before smiling at me. "As I've told you before, I'm having a lot of trouble finding you a similar outfit to the other girls. You'll have to endure what we've fixed for you. It still fits, doesn't it?"

Like a glove actually. It amazed me the first time I put it on just how perfect the fit was, I hadn't even told him my sizes at that point. "It does, but just being in a different uniform from the others isn't working out too well."

"Oh?" Sergio arched a brow at me and smiled flashing his perfect white teeth. "No one is bullying you, are they, Pet?"

How could I ever confess to him that it was creating a rift? He was far too kind and caring of a boss for me to make him feel guilty. "No, they're not. I just wanted to fit in."

"I see," he replied, fishing the boxes out of the microwave and grabbing a couple of plates to deposit the food. "If they're not bullying you, then you don't really have a problem. Besides, everyone likes your unique look, Pet. I've gotten so many compliments from the customers about you."

My stomach chose this moment to vocalize its anger at me and I ducked my head. I was about to feed the stupid thing, why did it have to embarrass me? "Sorry," I mumbled. I'd pushed for too long before eating this time.

"Poor Pet," Sergio mused, handing me a fork. "Here, let's chat before your shift. Maybe we can figure out a solution on why you're always running short on money, hmm? I can't have my best waitress collapsing from being too hungry. Tell me, do you need a higher salary, or perhaps I can help you find better lodgings. That place you're in is really no good for a young woman such as yourself."

This again. Sergio always brought up the location of my apartment but the truth was it was the cheapest I could afford. Everything else was far more than I made and I couldn't just ask for more money. I made exactly the same as the others so I had no reason to be greedy.

Sergio studied me through thick lashes as he finished chewing a piece of the spiced chicken. "I have an idea, Pet. My home has an extra room and it's large enough for the both of us. You can pay me half of what you pay for your current situation. You did tell me that rent was going to be raised on you again soon, didn't you?"

I winced at the memory. My landlord had been more aggressive since I'd gotten a job. Every three months he demanded more and more from me and since I'd never signed a normal lease, I had no choice. Come to think of it, Sergio had been the only reason I'd found a place to begin with. I'd searched high and low through the city but nothing worked out.

"Besides, I feel responsible for you being in the situation you're in, Pet. It's the least I can do. It's a large house so it would be the smallest effort to partition off half of the house for you." He waved his fork that had another piece of chicken speared through the tines. "If you're worried about me, I can give you the one and only key to your room, but I hope you would be a bit more trusting in the first place since we've worked so long together. I've never made you uncomfortable yet, have I?"

I swallowed, shaking my head in response. I used the opportunity to slip a bite of rice in my mouth and bit back a moan. It'd been so long since I had something that wasn't from a wrapper. It's amazing how long you could last off nutrition bars. "I couldn't possibly do that, Boss. It'd give others the wrong idea, and besides, I can take care of myself. It's a shame my best friend couldn't just share the apartment with me."

Sergio nodded along with my words. "That would have been the ideal situation. But when she got such an amazing work offer, I can't blame her for taking it. Don't worry, Sonja. My offer isn't vanishing anytime soon and if you change your mind I'll always take you in. I wouldn't dream of leaving you out in the elements without protection. Promise me that if you run out of options, you won't allow yourself to come to that type of situation. It's far too dangerous out there."

"Sir!" The aggressive knock on the door interrupted our conversation and I shifted in my seat. I knew that particular knock. The familiar curly blond that cracked the door open glowered at me as soon as her eyes settled on me. "Oh, I didn't realize you were feeding strays again." She glanced over me and smiled at Sergio. "Sorry to burst in like this but we're absolutely slammed and she's already on the clock isn't she? We could really use the help."

Sergio chuckled and rolled his sleeves up. "Oh? Well then, I'll come out and help. Pet, please, feel free to finish your food. You can help when you're done."

I resisted the urge to groan. Just what I needed, that woman already hated me enough, and she'd already made clear her intentions on our boss. "Thank you," I mumbled instead as I turned my attention back to the food and ate as the two left the room.

I wasn't surprised as a few minutes later the door clicked open and shut as the lock was engaged. "What do you think you're doing this time?" The feminine hiss made me wince.

"Eating."

"Smartass. I mean why are you here alone in his office with him? I thought I made myself clear last time. Sergio doesn't need to be tied down with someone like you. You can't even manage to feed yourself on your own, or you're just so desperate for male attention you're willing to beg. You need to turn in your notice and get out of my sight, if you don't, I won't be responsible if an accident happens to you."

Why did this one always have to sound like a stock character from a mean girls script? But still, she seemed unstable enough that she might carry out her threats. She'd tried before but my best friend had stopped her, back when she worked with us. "I'm not trying anything, I just needed a meal before my shift. I asked for it to come out of my check anyway."

She snorted. "Yeah, right, I don't believe that. But I'm in a good mood today, Sergio complimented me," she smirked. "Just this once I'll let you off the hook, but if you pull this alone time with him again, I'll cut you."

I waited to roll my eyes until she'd left. Why did I always attract the weird ones? I glanced at the clock as I resumed my meal. If I hurried I could still put my hours in before I rushed to the mysterious appointment. The hair on my skin stood on end as I imagined just what kind of person this mysterious Jasper was.

Just how would this night go?

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