Page 3 of New Nebraska Heat

Most other staff would have ignored it, left it for someone else to clean, but not her.

Damn, she was the hardest worker I’d ever had.

But her diligence wasn’t the reason I watched her every day. I watched because… well, I was so hopelessly attracted to her. Which was hard to wrap my head around because I’d lost all sexual desire since I’d severed the connection with my animal years ago.

She wasn’t even dressed to attract. Quite the opposite, in her loose cotton shirt and baggy jeans. And some men would probablysay no matter what she wore, she was nothing special—just a too slender human with auburn hair and hazel eyes.

But she was definitely special to me.

She finished up restocking the glasses and started wiping out the grimy ashtrays.

As my staff prepped for the night ahead, the club looked kind of mundane with the lights not lowered, the erotic music not playing and no ladies winding their bodies around the poles on stage. But it would be showtime soon enough. Here at the most exclusive gentlemen’s club in New Nebraska.

I was the sole owner of this high-end establishment, a meeting spot for a lot of influential people in New Omaha, more than just a strip club. I ran it like the business it was, refusing to put up with obnoxious clients or any inappropriate behavior to the staff. At the moment though, it was just empty booths and tables, girls milling about in various show outfits, and two bouncers shooting the breeze and sipping on beers.

One of the bartenders, a vampire named Vance, brushed past Serenity as she grabbed a fresh rag by the sink. She pressed herself hard against the counter to avoid him.

I was no expert, but the marks on her legs and arms, and particularly that one on her neck, looked like vampire bites. Nonconsensual bites, I suspected, since most vamps didn’t leave marks and only the nastiest ones paid to get violent. But I couldn’t be sure, and I didn’t want to upset her by asking, especially when she seemed wary of almost all paranormals, myself included, no matter how much I’d been working to change that.

I tilted my beer to my lips and sucked at the froth. It was warm from sitting too long while I’d been checking out my favorite employee.

Clicking my fingers, I signaled to Vance and pointed at my beer. He brought me a fresh one, almost knocking into Serenity inhis hurry. He gave her a fanged smile over his shoulder and she recoiled, gasping loudly.

He handed me the bottle, its cool, condensation-coated glass pressing against my palm. “Thanks.”

“Of course, boss.” His red-tinged eyes glanced down at my half-eaten burger. “Anything else?”

“No, thanks. But”—I glanced at Serenity, hardening my tone a fraction—“just be mindful. Serenity needs her space. Don’t crowd her, okay?”

He nodded, his eyes betraying he might not have needed an explanation as to why. “I get you, boss. I’ll be more careful. Sorry about that.”

“It happens. Just don’t let it happen again.” I waved him away and gulped from the chilled beer.

Serenity started moving liquor bottles, probably to wipe down the mirror behind them because that’s how meticulous she was.

I only hoped Bryce had seen those wonderful qualities in her during her interview this morning.

Last week, I’d caught her on my computer looking at job postings. She’d thought I’d be mad about her using my things and searching for a new job, but I assured her I wasn’t. I wanted a better life for her. And besides, I was the one who’d told her to hang out in my office while there was a private event going on.

When I saw her eyeing a job at Midas, I’d mentioned I had a solid contact there. I didn’t like to brag—so I didn’t let on—but the CEO and I were actually old friends. He’d actually been the one who’d sold me this place. After his lawyers had wrestled it away from some unscrupulous wolf shifters who were eyeballs-deep in debt.

So, anyway, I hadn’t given it a second thought. I’d called up Bryce, and a few days later, she’d thanked me when she got a call from his office, mentioning her interview had been scheduled for earlier today.

I clicked my fingers for Vance again.

He strode over, this time pushing himself against the bar to give Serenity as much room as he could. “Boss?”

I nodded at Serenity. “Please tell her she can take her break now—and make sure Chef makes her that salmon special she likes—but I want to speak to her first.”

“Course, boss.” He walked back over and spoke to her from a noticeable distance, and she came over, looking slightly nervous.

“Everything okay, Mr. Pierce?” She asked, fumbling with the half-soaked rag from one hand to the other.

“You still don’t want to call me Hunter?” I kept my tone soft. “When it’s just the two of us?”

“I do.” She glanced around, but there was no one near us. “It just still feels strange having sort of a… friend here.”

“Sort of a friend? Should I be offended?” I smiled. My face felt strange every time I’d smiled at her the last three months, even since her very first day here. It just reminded me what a grump and loner I’d been before that. She’d brought out a different side of me ever since she’d walked in looking for a job with her haunted eyes, an underfed frame and worn clothing.