Serving the Wolf's Den (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Kalissa Alexander

  “Frank,” she whispered harshly into his ear. “Please don’t do this.” The other people at the table were engrossed in their conversation and seemed to be oblivious to what was happening

  “You know you’ve been wanting me to finger that cunt of yours since you served me the first time,” he said so no one else could hear. “You’ll be screaming for more when I’m done with you, my sweet Bitch.” She could smell his stale breath as he drew her even closer with his leg that wound itself behind her own.

  Panicking, she jerked her body away from him, but in doing so, she lost control of the serving trays. The drinks tipped over, spilling liquid all over Frank as she lost her balance and fell backward. Startled, he moved his leg as she continued her backward spiral onto the floor. The sound of shattering glass vibrated all around her.

  “Fuck!” Frank yelled.

  Instantly Antoine was there beside her, helping her up. “You okay, Maura?”

  No, she wanted to scream. I’m not okay.

  Chapter Five

  “Why don’t you ask me?” Frank said in disgust, looking down at his shirt and pants. “I need a towel and another drink, and I want that Bitch to bring it to me,” he said, his eyes blazing in her direction.

  “Will do, sir.” Antoine turned to Maura, his kind eyes telling her not to worry. “Why don’t you go get some drinks for the table. I’ll take care of getting this cleaned up.”

  Maura was stunned into immobility. She thought she knew Frank, but she didn’t know anything about him or any man. He was the worst kind of asshole, and she hadn’t even picked up on it. The thought of being anywhere near him made her physically ill.

  Antoine turned back toward Frank. “Accidents happen, sir. Maura’s still kinda new here. She didn’t mean to spill those drinks.”

  “Well, she should be more careful.”

  “I’m sure she will be in future,” Antoine said calmly. “You give Mr. Max your cleaning bill. He’ll take care of it. And the next couple rounds are on the house.”

  Frank turned toward his friends. “Looks like we at least got us some free drinks coming.”

  Antoine put his hand on her shoulder. “Maura,” he said softly. “It’s okay. No harm done. Just go get some more drinks, okay? Frank’s not himself tonight.”

  “Is that why you kept calling him sir when it was his fault I spilled the drinks to begin with?”

  “I’m just trying to defuse the situation as quickly as I can. That’s my job, Maura. You know that.”

  Before Maura could say anything more to Antoine, Candy came over and picked up her trays, handing them to her. “Hey, don’t look so down, hon. We’ve all spilled drinks. It’s par for the course.”

  Candy took her arm and moved her away from the table, toward the bar.

  “I wish I had a penny for every drink that’s ever been spilled in this place. I’d be able to retire.” Candy laughed. “And if it’s Frank you’re worried about, don’t. He was just hoping to get free drinks for the night. He’s a slick son-of-a-bitch. I’ve never liked him much.”

  “I thought he was a nice guy, but he’s not.”

  “Living and learning. That’s always been my motto.”

  “Frank wanted more than free drinks,” Maura said, casting her eyes downward. “He wanted me.”

  “Of course he wants you. Every man in the place wants you, and some of the women, too. You’re a beautiful girl. None of us are hard on the eyes, but you’re not only young, you’re exceptionally good looking, in a Grace Kelly kind of way, with more curves.” Candy laughed. “Now, don’t let what I said go to your head. I don’t normally tell someone they’re good looking unless I’m working on getting me some. Now don’t you be telling anybody I said that.”

  “He trapped me between his leg and the table. He wouldn’t let me go.”

  “You talking about Frank?”

  Maura stopped short before they reached the bar. “He grabbed me between my legs,” she began, her voice trembling.

  “He what?”

  “He forced his hand into my panties and began to…”

  A number of expletives dropped from Candy’s lips. “Did anyone else see what he was doing to you?”

  She shook her head. “No one saw it, not even Antoine. I can’t go back to that table,” Maura whispered. She couldn’t hide her fear and disgust.

  “Of course you can’t. That fucking asshole.” Candy looked back over her shoulder. Maura followed her gaze to where Antoine and one of the guys from the kitchen were cleaning up the mess, with Frank directing them like he was their supervisor. He caught them looking his way. He smiled and pointed his finger at her before he licked it. She thought for a minute she was going to throw up.

  “I knew he was a fucking lowlife. I could feel it. I just didn’t realize how low. Don’t worry. I’ll take them their drinks. But you need to tell Antoine what happened. He’ll get rid of him and he’ll never be allowed back in here again.”

  “No! He’ll feel obligated to tell Max and I’ll be fired for being incompetent. I’m not letting Frank ruin this job for me. I just won’t wait on him anymore. I’ll stay as far away from him as possible. I’ll threaten him with the police if I have to.”

  “Now you’re talking. But the best thing is to stay one step ahead of guys like that. First, never get too close to any one of them. Play them as a group, never one-on-one. And never forget that they come here to drink, eat, and fantasize about what they can’t have. No matter how nice they are, you can never let your guard down.”

  “I know. Rhonda’s told me that before. But if you knew Frank was a lowlife, why didn’t I?”

  “I’ve got a helluva lot more experience.” Candy put her arm around her. “My God, you’re shaking like a leaf. Is that blood?”

  Maura followed Candy’s eyes down toward her legs. She hadn’t even realized she was bleeding. “I think a piece of flying glass must have hit me. Oh, God, I need to clean this up before Max sees it. He’s looking over at us right now,” she said, trying to smile.

  “Don’t you worry about Max. He’s always looking at you. I want you to go to his office. He’s got a bathroom in there and a first-aid kit in the bottom of the vanity. Check yourself out. Make sure you’re okay. I’ll tell Max you got to clean up. Maggie and I can watch your tables until you come back.”

  Maura didn’t want to leave Candy and Maggie with her tables, but she knew she had little choice. Nodding, she gave Candy a hug, and using every ounce of willpower she had left, she walked to Max’s office with her head up and a smile on her face.

  Maura opened the unlocked door and slipped inside, leaning against it as she closed it quietly behind her. Max’s desk lamp was lit. There were papers everywhere. The door to his bathroom was slightly ajar. She felt weak. She barely made it to the sofa, where she sat down and put her head between her legs. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. How could she have been so stupid? Since she had started working at the Wolf’s Den, that was a question she had asked herself way too many times.

  Her head was throbbing, and now so was her leg. She could still feel the way Frank had used his finger to try to probe her without any thought for her protests. She suddenly felt light-headed. She laid her head back and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure how long she had been there when she heard the door open. Candy walked in carrying her clothes.

  “Hey, how you feeling?” she asked, leaving the clothes on Max’s desk before she walked over and sat next to her on the sofa. “I brought your clothes. When you didn’t come back, I figured you might need to go home. You don’t look so good.”

  “I just needed to rest for a few minutes. Thanks for bringing my clothes and my purse, but I’ll be back. How did you get my clothes?”

  “Max opened your locker for me.”

  “What did you tell him?” She prayed Candy hadn’t told him the truth.

  “He asked me what was going on. I said you were cleaning up but that you didn’t feel so good, too. I asked him if I could get your stuff
for you in case you needed to go home.”

  “Thank you,” she said, grateful for Candy’s forethought and discretion.

  “I know you’re afraid of being fired, but you can’t let Frank get away with what he did to you. It’s not right.”

  “You don’t understand. I’ve got bills. This job is the only way I’m going to pay them off. I can’t do anything that’s going to hurt my chances of keeping it.”

  “Hon, I want to understand, but keeping this a secret isn’t in anyone’s best interest.”

  “Candy, please.” Maura took her hand. “You can’t tell anyone. You have to promise me.”

  “I don’t like this. Not one bit. And by the looks of that leg, you haven’t even cleaned it yet.”

  “Promise me, please.”

  “I’m not promising anything. Let me get a washcloth.”

  “No. I’m okay. I’ll wash it.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you?”

  “No. You’ve got your customers and mine to wait on. I’m fine. I’m starting to feel better,” she lied. The last thing she wanted was for Candy to stay and have Max come looking for the two of them.

  “Well, if you’re sure. I should get back.”

  “I’m sure. Don’t worry. I’m going to wash the cut, wrap it, and then if I still don’t feel well, I’ll get dressed. However, my plan is to get back out on the floor. Everything will look a lot better tomorrow because I’ll still have a job. Believe me, that’s more important than anything right now.”

  She wasn’t sure that Candy was totally convinced. However, she didn’t say anything else. When Candy had shut the door to Max’s office, Maura pulled herself off the sofa. She could still smell the stench of Frank’s breath on her body. It was sickening. She walked slowly into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

  Suddenly she couldn’t get her skirt off fast enough. Soaping up her hands, she gently began to massage her labia and clit. When she was done, she washed her hands and lifted her leg up on the toilet. Pain sliced through her calf. She hadn’t realized how deep it was until now. Using a washcloth, she began to wipe off the crusted blood that gave way to fresh blood. She gasped. Opening a drawer in the vanity, she looked for gauze or Band-Aids, anything to stop the flow of blood. She remembered Candy saying there was an emergency kit somewhere. She put her hand on the vanity for support, but her legs failed to cooperate. She sat down on the toilet. Blood dripped onto the tile. What a mess I’ve made of everything.

  The bathroom door opened. She looked up expecting to see Candy, but instead it was Max that was staring down at her.

  “I’m not feeling so well. I need to get dressed. Please, I’ll be out of here in a minute.” She didn’t even have the energy to try to cover herself.

  Without a word, Max swooped down and picked her up in his arms.

  Chapter Six

  Maura opened her eyes. She was in a strange bed in a strange room. Max and Toby each slept in a chair on either side of the bed. The last thing she remembered was Max carrying her to the sofa in his office and wrapping her in a blanket before he cleaned her cuts. Had he actually stitched her calf?

  She saw Max stir. He opened his eyes.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m not sure,” she said weakly.

  “The whole place is worried about you. I told Candy I’d call as soon as you woke up.”

  “Is this your house?”

  “My house and my bed.”

  “How?”

  “You were in no shape to go home by yourself. You were in so much discomfort that I gave you a pain pill. You said you weren’t allergic to anything, but you’re obviously not used to taking more than an aspirin because you went right to sleep. Toby and I both agreed you needed to come home with us where we could keep an eye on you.”

  “I’m naked,” she said, lifting her eyes to Max’s.

  “Sorry about that, but you were half naked when I picked you up in the bathroom. It seemed easier just to keep you wrapped in the blanket. Your clothes are here when you need them. Besides, your T-shirt smelled like a brewery.”

  “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but this isn’t right. I need to go back to my apartment.”

  “How’s your leg feel?”

  She tried to move it but found the effort was painful.

  “That’s what I thought,” Max said, lifting the blanket to expose her calf. He unwrapped it. “The stitches look good. There’s no infection. You’ll be feeling a lot better in a couple of days.”

  “Who taught you to do that?”

  “Max is an expert, Maura.” She looked over to see that Toby was now awake and staring at her.

  “Toby. You sat by my bed all night, too.”

  “You don’t think I was going to leave you alone with Max,” he joked.

  Struggling to sit up while still remaining covered by the sheet, she said, “It was kind of you to take care of me. I certainly never meant for this to happen.”

  Max rewrapped her leg and pulled down the sheet. “You should have told us you were hurt.”

  “I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, Max. I thought I’d be fine.”

  “Is that why you didn’t tell me about Frank?” Max continued, his eyes turning from concern to anger.

  “Obviously Candy told you what he tried to do. What more is there to say?”

  “I could kill the bastard for touching you, hurting you like that, and right under all our noses. I was at the bar and I never saw it. Antoine was not more than fifteen feet away from you and he didn’t see it. Why didn’t you scream?”

  “He grabbed me in a way that no one could see what he was doing to me. I thought I could make him stop without causing a scene.”

  “Do you really think I care about a scene? Are you really that dense?”

  She brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. She knew he would think she was an absolute idiot.

  “Max. She’s been through enough. We can talk about this later.”

  “You’re right, Toby. I should have gone with my gut and never hired her, but I was selfish,” he said, his voice full of self-incrimination. “I’m the one to blame for what happened to her. It’s my fault and no one else’s.”

  She could no longer contain her sobs. Toby picked her up in his arms and held her against him. His arms felt good around her. She rested her head against his chest. She felt her eyes becoming heavy. She knew the sheet had slipped to expose her breasts, but for some reason she didn’t care. All she wanted was to be comforted.

  “It’s okay, Maura. Everything’s going to be fine. Max and I will be back in to see you in a little while. We’ll make you some breakfast. Won’t we, Max?”

  Toby laid her gently back on the bed and covered her. She kept her eyes closed, waiting for them to leave.

  “Take this.” She opened her eyes to see Max holding out a pill and a glass of water. “It’s an antibiotic. I can get you another pain pill if you want it.”

  “No, thank you.” She took the glass as Max helped her sit up. When she had swallowed the pill, he put the glass on the table beside the bed. “We’ll be back in a little while.” Toby held the door for him as they left together.

  Max was going to fire her. She couldn’t let him do that, but what could she do to stop him? She had to think. However, within minutes, she was sleeping again.

  The next time she woke it up, it was because she needed to go the bathroom badly. However, before she could get up, she realized she was not alone in the bed. At her feet was a dog. No, it looked more like a wolf. She gasped, moving her legs away from the animal. The movement caused her calf to throb again, reminding her of the nightmare of the night before.

  The animal opened its eyes and looked directly at her. She held her breath, afraid she had startled him. She watched as he stretched and then looked back at her. She couldn’t help but admire the clear blue eyes that fearlessly stared into her own.

  He wouldn’t hurt her. She could sense his gentlenes
s even though his appearance left little doubt that he would have no trouble eating her for breakfast if he chose. She shivered even though she wasn’t scared. She longed to touch his silver-gray fur that she knew would be soft. His markings were beautiful.

  “Hello, boy,” she said softly, hoping her instincts were right and the animal would respond to the calmness in her voice.

  He jumped off the bed and then walked back toward her to rest his head on the side of the mattress, his snout touching her. She smiled and warily brought her hand around to gently stroke his head. She sensed his contentment. His fur was even softer than she had thought. She continued to run her fingers up and down his silky coat.

  “You’re beautiful,” she whispered.

  Moving slowly, she pulled herself out of the bed and walked even more slowly into the attached bathroom. The wolf was by her side. She shooed him away and closed the door. He might only be an animal, but having him watch her relieve herself wasn’t something she was comfortable doing. She washed her hands and face and found some toothpaste that she ran along her teeth and gums. She heard movement in the other room. She grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her still-naked body.

  When she opened the door, Toby was holding a tray. “There you are.” He put the tray down on the dresser and came over to help her back into bed. “You shouldn’t have done that on your own.”

  “I think I’m capable of going to the bathroom by myself.” She smiled. “Besides, I wasn’t alone. Your dog was here watching over me. Where did he go?”

  “Bo’s a full-blooded wolf. He pretty much thinks he owns the place.” He smiled, “Oh, and I brought you a T-shirt and boxers. Not what you’re used to, I’m sure, but I thought you might be more comfortable with us if you weren’t naked.”

  “You are correct.” She looked around for Bo. “Where did he go?”

  “He went down to the kitchen with Max, who’s cleaning up the dishes. Rhonda called to find out how you were doing.”