My mouth drops open as heat floods over my skin in a furious flush. “You can’t do that.”
He leans in, just to get in my face. “Yeah, I can.”
My hands curl into fists. The festering rage starts to come up my throat and burn the back of my tongue, falling out in venomous words. “I may be an orphan, Sean, but I’m pretty sure you’re a fucking failed abortion.”
My words catch him off guard, and the cocky look leaves his face for a half second.
“Give me my pay, because you know I’ve worked my ass off for every minimum-wage cent,” I tell him, looking him dead in the eye. “You’re a shitty boss, and Ollie would be ashamed of you. I’m glad this is my last night so I can be done with your bullshit.”
Sean gets an even nastier look on his face than before as he puffs out his chest indignantly. “Is that why you’re such a bitch? No old Ollie dick around here for you to suck on during your breaks?”
I gape at him, completely insulted. Not on my behalf, but on Ollie’s. The fact that he has this scum-licking nephew who would even say such a thing about him just goes to show how horrible Sean really is. “You’re such a piece of shit,” I seethe before I shove away from the bar.
“Yeah, yeah, bitch. Get the fuck out,” he drawls, his voice loud enough to cause a scene.
Before I even know what I’m doing, the inky black fury takes over. I whirl around and slap the rotten beer right off the counter. It goes spiraling toward Sean, spilling the putrid contents all over him before he bats the bottle away to keep from getting hit.
It shatters behind him on the liquor shelves, taking several bottles with it. I wince at the noise as customers look over, the volume in the bar dropping as everyone takes in the scene.
Sean and I stare at the damage, stunned into silence for a second before he rounds on me. His face is mottled with color, and he looks angrier than I’ve ever seen him before. But then his eyes glint with a vindictive edge of satisfaction, and he sweeps his hand around the destroyed glass with victory. “There goes your so-called hard earned pay. Your check will cover the damages,” he tells me snidely, making my heart sink right down to my knees. “You’re lucky I don’t file charges against you.”
Hot tears stab the backs of my eyes as reality sinks in that I’m not going to see a dime for this entire week’s pay. All of it gone because I couldn’t hold my temper in for just three more fucking hours. I need that money. I’m not set to get paid for my new job until two weeks from now, and I needed this paycheck to hold me over until then. But even though I feel the walls of regret for my impulsive lash-out closing in on me, I won’t let him see me break.
I spin around on my heel and practically sprint away, while trying to ignore the shit that spews out of Sean’s mouth as I go. “Yeah, go on. Get out of here, you crazy bitch!”
My cheeks burn with fury, humiliation, and shock at what I just did as I make my way to the back room. I hurry across the cramped space and over to the employee shelves, snatching up my sweatshirt, keys, and cell phone. My hands are shaking, making me nearly drop everything before I can get a better handle on it. I need to get out of here. Now. As soon as I walk out the door, I nearly barrel into Vicky.
“Oh, honey, I feel awful!” she says, her eyes wide.
I shake my head. The last thing I want is for her to blame herself. “Don’t worry about it.”
Vicky yanks me into a hug, and I pat her awkwardly on the back. We’ve always worked well together, but I wouldn’t say we’re friends, and we definitely never hung out outside of work. “It’s fine,” I tell her again before strategically pulling away. I know she’s just being nice, but I really need to get the hell out of here as fast as possible.
“Here,” she says, digging into her back pocket before shoving some wrinkled bills at me. “Take my tips.”
I immediately shake my head and shove her hand away. “I’m not taking your money, Vicky.”
The blonde looks like she’s ready to cry. “Please? It’s my fault he fired you and is being an ass about your pay.”
I give her a small strained smile. “You got kids at home to feed. Really, I’ll be fine,” I lie as I push her hand away once more.
She sighs and stuffs the money back in her pocket. “Take care of yourself, honey,” she tells me.
“You too.”
I sidestep past her and hurry to walk across the bar, keeping my head held up. When Sean gives me another “Get the fuck out” shouted at my back, I flip him off, wishing I could chuck another beer bottle at him.
Trembling with emotions and the hot anger still pumping through me, I shove the door open and walk outside, taking in a shaky breath as I look back at the place I’ve been working for the last seven years. Since I was twenty-one, I’ve been coming in here, serving the same tables and the same drinks, and what do I have to show for it?
Nothing.
No savings, no friends, not even a fucking goodbye cake. Just a “Get the fuck out” from a shithole boss who turned this place into a shitty bar and wouldn’t even give me my last shitty check.
Fuck.
With tears stinging the backs of my gray eyes, I turn and head around the brick building to where my moped is parked in the back lot for employees. As soon as I get to it, the sound of thunder makes me pick
