88 - OH LORD!

ARIA’S POV

“Stop” I said, looking into his eyes as his brows knotted in confusion and he pulled away for a bit “I’ll appreciate it if you don’t try to kiss me anymore”

Matteo stayed quiet, he had a curious but surprised look on his face that somehow seemed to brighten the darkness in his eyes but only just a little bit.

“I told you this changes everything, I’m not about to be in another scandal with my boss – I’m over it”

Then he gave a low chuckle “And if it was Marvis?”

“You’re messed up in the head” I threw him a dirty look and pushed past him but he held me back by my arm.

“Don’t walk out on me, no one walks out me Aria Thorne” he had had his jaw fixed, some sort of annoyance festering in his eyes “Where I come from, that’s the last thing you’ll ever do”

I felt instantly infuriated by his words, I wasn’t scared of him – yes, he towered over me, his upper body area was properly built and looked firm to touch even from his expensive looking tailored suit, and also he was my boss who could easily fire me if he pleases but that was the least thing I was worried about.

“Well that’s the thing – you’re in an entirely different place and I’m not working here to please your ego” I shot at him and managing to pull my hands away from his grip without a wince. I pushed away from him without another glance walked back into the restaurant where my colleagues were already throwing me curious glances and the Emily was the first one beside me with wide eyes hungry for gist.

“What was that all about?” she didn’t waste no time and I rolled my eyes but not in annoyance for her curiosity but just an exasperation in general.

“Nothing you should worry about honey”

She eyed me suspiciously but handed me my notepad instead “Well your tables are occupied”

I nodded and about to leave when Marvis – no Dante walked in, his jaw still set in stone and his eyes fixed on me before he looked round the kitchen and then he spoke.

“You know my first rule in this restaurant is my customers are always right” he started and oh boy, I knew where this was headed

“And in as much as my duty is to protect each and every one of you, I must still dole out punishments when necessary and for that, Miss Aria Thorne you’d be taking extra shifts starting from tonight”

The entire kitchen fell into a hushed silent except for the mechanic wheezing of the large refrigerator that seemed to be mocking me if I listened close enough.

I looked at Dante and he looked back at me, and I seemed to be the only one to catch the subtle smirk that crept up his lips. He was baiting me, fueling me to get a reaction from me but I wasn’t going to do that, I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. Oh the game was so on Dante D’angelo.

The clock above the kitchen ticked incessantly, like a cruel reminder of time slowly sipping away. My feet ached, my back felt like it’d been run over by a truck, and the scent of grease and fresh coffee stung to my clothes like a second skin. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed with a maddening consistency and it nearly drove me mad.

Dante D’angelo’s punishment was as simple as it was merciless: a never-ending shift that crawled out into the night. I imagined my own bottle of wine, my own private escape, tucked away in the safety of my kitchen or curled on the sofa watching a reality show. I could see it clearly in my mind: the soft pop of the cork, the rich, velvety taste, and the comforting solitude of my apartment. Instead, I was here, wiping down counters and filling water glasses, my dreams a distant, unattainable luxury.

I tried to focus on the task at hand, taking orders after orders, keeping my face in a permanent smile that my cheeks had begun to hurt. I kept glancing at the time in anticipation of when this shift would end but it seemed like time could smell my desperation so it crawled in space to infuriate me.

Just while I was walking into the dining area, ready to take another order and that was when the doors flung open. I glance up, bleary-eyed and I see a familiar face that caused my heart to skip a beat. It was Kyle, stepping through the door with a casual air that made my stomach churn. But that wasn’t all, there was someone beside him, her hands clutching his arm like he was going to try to run away any moment – it was
Dahlia. Her dark curls cascading over her shoulders, her lips stained red and she laughed to a joke of his which was strange because Kyle wasn’t funny.

He hadn’t seen me yet and for a moment I freeze but I managed to turn away before he could catch my stare and I speed walked back to the kitchen where I tried to control my breathing that came out in ragged breaths.

“What are you doing here? Table six just got occupied” another waitress that I wasn’t too familiar with her name bumped up to me, her notepad in hand and her face flushed like she was overwhelmed. I peeped through the door to discover that Kye and – Dahlia were actually seated at table six and I groaned internally.

“Could you perhaps take table six and I’ll handle three and four in exchange?” I asked hopefully and she only laughed.

“No can do. Both tables have eligible looking bachelors and I’m in a hot search so honey you’re going to handle the couple.

Oh Lord!