“Yeah, I’m going.”
“Maybe ask him if you can have off tonight, Savannah; you really don’t look well.”
I smile at him but don’t respond. I push away from the counter and go up the stairs right next to it, stopping in front of Greg’s office. I give the door a soft knock, before pushing it open. He is sitting behind his desk, nursing a beer and looking pissed as all hell.
“Don’t you fucking knock before entering a room?” he spits out at me before downing the rest of his beer and reaching for another one. I notice the trashcan- the one I cleaned this afternoon- is already filled with empty beer bottles. Great, he is pissed and drunk. This is going to end badly for me.
“I’m sorry Greg, Todd said you were looking for me, and I didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer. Can I help you with anything? I have a few tables I need to check on if we can make this quick?”
His eyes narrow. “You didn’t seem to be worried about your customers when you spent an hour in the bathroom with that boy. Were you fucking him?”
“Was I - ?” Did he seriously just ask me that? “NO! I wasn’t in there for that long, Greg, I haven’t been feeling great today, and when I was done, he was already there. He didn’t go in there because of me. He spilled something on his jacket, and I tried to help him clean it.”
He just stares at me for what feels like forever, finishing another beer. " I swear to God, Savannah, if you lose your virginity while staying under my roof, you won’t like what happens. Don’t test me girl.”
Like it’s any of your business.
“I’m not planning on doing anything to disappoint you, I promise. Is there anything else?”
Just keep telling him what he wants to hear, Savvy. Don’t give him anything to use against you.
“You need to lock up tonight.”
I was here until three am this morning, waiting for a bunch of your friends to leave so that I could lock up.
I was up at six am so I could get here before school and open up for the morning staff.
I have a double shift tomorrow and Sunday.
I have an exam in 2 days I still have to study for.
I am exhausted.
I don’t feel safe walking to your house late at night, alone.
All valid reasons right?
“Sure Uncle, I don’t mind. Anything else?”
“You will be serving me and some of my friends tomorrow night. I’m hosting a poker night in one of the private rooms, and it goes without saying you best be on your best behavior, girl.”
“Understood.”
“Get the fuck out of my office Savannah. If I get a single complaint about you tonight we will be having a little chat when you get home.”
I give him a curt nod before leaving his office, pulling the door closed with a little more force than necessary. I know I need to be on my best behavior for the rest of the night; his little chats never end well for me.
I spent the next thirty minutes busying myself with other tables and cleaning the waiter station, anything really to avoid going back over to Oliver’s table. I desperately want to be close to him, but the risks are too high with Greg being suspicious.
Since moving here, Greg has kept a tight leash on me. I’m not allowed to see friends, engage in after-school activities, or question any of the rules he has in place. So, seeing Oliver at all is going to be impossible. Since moving here, Greg has only been away from home one night- the night I went to Ferality.
Do I wait out the five months? Not see Oliver, and put up with Greg’s abuse until I turn eighteen?
Or do I take what little I have and run away? Would Oliver run away with me if I asked?
If I wait until I’m eighteen, I get access to my trust fund, and I’d be set for life. If I stay I might not make it until my eighteenth. My body is littered with bruises, and Greg has threatened to kill me on multiple occasions.
Would my dad be okay if I left? Would my mom keep him alive if I’m gone? She said not to tell anyone about Karl, but if I disappeared, would that piss her off enough to do something so drastic?
