THE SIN BROTHER’S DAMNATION

05

EVA

The apartment was dead silent by the time I got back.

I slipped into the room as quietly as I could. Kelly was deeply asleep.

Good.

Because the last thing I wanted was questions I wasn't ready to answer.

I changed into an oversized T-shirt, and collapsed onto the bed without even bothering to eat.

Sleep came eventually.

Not because my mind was quiet, but because my body was simply too exhausted to keep fighting it.

★★★

The next evening came far too quickly.

Life, annoyingly, refused to stop just because mine had taken a disastrous turn.

I still had bills to pay. Still needed money for a new apartment. And customers still expected perfect service.

And my shift at De La Cruz Lounge still started at seven. The upscale bar in Midtown where I bartended four nights a week.

So, by half past six, I was tying my apron behind the bar, forcing a smile I didn't feel while polishing the wine glasses.

The soft jazz pulsed softly through the lounge as customers drifted in one after another. It wasn't glamorous work, but it paid enough to keep me afloat.

Most days.

Tonight, I just needed my shift to end without incident.

Fate, apparently, had other plans. Because for the first hour, everything was normal.

Then the front doors slid open.

I looked up automatically, and my heart sank. My smile completely disappeared.

Shane.

Of course it was Shane.

He walked in wearing effortless confidence, dressed in an expensive black shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms. Three of his friends trailed behind him, laughing loudly at something he'd said, along with a stunning brunette wrapped around his arm as though she'd been glued there.

His eyes swept lazily across the room.

Then they landed on me.

The smile on his face widened. It was anything but warm.

My stomach dropped.

Great.

Just what I needed.

I immediately averted my gaze, pretending not to see him, hoping another server would attend to them.

Wishful thinking.

Because Shane immediately called out my name, signalling me to come over.

Oh heavens. Just why?!

He never looked away from me as I approached them.

Just then, one of his friends laughed loudly enough for nearby tables to hear. "Well, look who it is."

"Didn't know you worked here." He continued.

I forced my expression to remain neutral.

"Good evening. Table for five?"

Another i***t friend burst into laughter.

"Listen to that. So professional."

Heat crawled up my neck. But I refused to react.

"This way, please."

I led them toward one of the larger booths.

And of all the empty tables in the lounge...they chose the one in my section.

Of course they did.

As they settled into their seats, the brunette slid effortlessly onto Shane's lap, looping an arm around his neck like she'd done it a hundred times before.

He didn't stop her. He in fact looked pleased.

"Can I take your order?" I asked.

One of his friends leaned back.

"Depends." He grinned.

"Do we get a discount because the waitress used to date our boy?"

Laughter erupted around the table.

The brunette tilted her head, studying me from head to toe.

"So..." she said, looking at Shane. "This is your ex?"

Shane gave the slightest shrug.

"Unfortunately."

She looked me over again, slower this time. "Hm." Her lips curled. "I expected... more."

Ignoring her, I kept my eyes on my order pad.

"Please, what would you like to order?"

"A bottle of your most expensive red."

I wrote it down.

"And five glasses."

I wondered what Shane told this particular friend of his, because he really was taking it too personal with me. Or maybe he is really just a stupid jerk.

Because he laughed again.

"Oh, and make sure you pour it."

I gave a short nod. "Noted. I'll be right back."

As I turned to leave, "Eva."

My feet stopped before I could help it.

Shane's voice still had that effect on me.

I hated that.

I turned slowly. And for one stupid, pathetic second... I thought he might tell them to stop.

Might say they'd had enough.

Might remember that, once upon a time, he'd claimed to love me.

Just one word.

One look.

Anything.

Instead, the corner of his mouth slowly lifted into a cruel smile.

"Relax, boys." He said, and looked at his friends in turn. "She's working."

I felt a pang of relief, thinking he really spoke for me. But his next words shattered my illusion.

"If you need extra tips..." he said casually, and turned to look at me "...you better do what customers ask. And make sure our glasses never go empty."

The table roared with another round of laughter.

My heart broke all over again.

It wasn't because of what he said. But because I'd still been foolish enough to hope Shane will defend me.

I swallowed hard. "I'll bring your order." And left.

When I returned with the wine, their conversation stopped, and every eye followed me.

I uncorked the bottle as steadily as I could.

"Careful," one friend teased.

"That's probably worth more than her monthly salary."

More laughter followed.

Their words stung far more than I wanted to admit. But I ignored it all, because I knew this was exactly what Shane wanted.

To see me break.

One by one, I poured their wine.

When I reached Shane's glass, he didn't move. Instead, he looked up at me with deliberate amusement.

"A little more."

I poured it.

"More."

The wine rose toward the rim of the glass.

"Shane," one of his friends chuckled. The one who hasn't said anything yet to me, but laughed with them.

"It'll overflow." He pointed out.

"So?" Shane arched his brows nonchalantly, his eyes never leaving mine.

"She'll clean it."

The brunette giggled and rested her head against his shoulder. "Oh my God, Shane, you're so bad."

"How so?" another friend asked.

"You can see for yourself. If I were her, I would've begged and apologized to him to take pity on me. I mean, I wouldn't want to be on bad terms with him."

"You're right." the friend nodded.

She smiled sweetly at me.

"Why don't you just apologize?"

Ignoring her, I placed the bottle back on the tray.

"Will there be anything else?"

"Oh, don't rush off."

Another friend reached for his wallet, and peeled off several crisp bills. He held them between two fingers.

"If you smile while serving us, these are yours."

I stared at the money, then at him. "I don't need your charity."

"No?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I heard rent's expensive these days."

My grip tightened around the tray.

Before I could answer, Shane reached over and took the notes from his friend.

He folded them once. Twice. Then held them out toward me.

"Take it."

"I said I don't want it."

He scoffed, "You always were stubborn."

Then his smile widened. "You could've had an easy life."

The table fell silent.

"You shouldn't have left. You should've stayed with me."

The words hit harder than they should have.

Not because I wanted him back. But because I finally understood.

This wasn't about love.

It never had been.

His pride had been wounded when I'd walked away. And now he wanted an audience while he convinced himself he'd won.

I looked him straight in the eye.

"I'd rather work every night for the rest of my life than owe you a single cent."

The smile immediately vanished from his face.

But only for a second.

Then it returned.

Sharper this time.

"Pretend all you want. We'll see about that."

He tossed the folded bills onto the table.

"You'll come around."

A sudden, violent smash cut through the air, followed by a frantic shower of glittering shards skittering across the floor.

I spun around instantly, my heart hammering.

"Oh no."

I looked up from the shattered glass on the floor, to the brunette, as she looked down at it with absolutely no remorse.

"How clumsy of me. Could you clean that up?"

I looked at Shane.

"What?" He snapped. "Did she not make herself clear?"

Swallowing my pride, I slowly bent down to pick up the pieces.

And then, someone at the table deliberately kicked the napkin under the booth.

"Since you're already down there..."

Just then, the front door opened.

The laughter died one voice at a time.

The lounge suddenly fell silent, as the air thickened.

I looked up to see every head in the lounge turned towards one direction.

Even Shane's expression changed instantly. The confidence from earlier drained from his face so quickly it was almost frightening.

He stood so abruptly his chair scraped loudly against the floor.

Even the brunette frowned.

"Shane?"

I followed their gaze to the direction, as two men walked into the lounge as though the room belonged to them.

My stomach dropped instantly.

No.

God, no.

Not again.

Not now.

The blonde wore a charcoal suit without a tie, the top two buttons of his white shirt left undone. Beside him, the dark-haired twin was dressed just as impeccably in black, his sleeves rolled to his forearms. They looked less like businessmen and more like men who owned whatever room they walked into.

Then, the blonde's gaze found mine first, followed by the dark-haired brother.

Dread settled like ice in my veins, as they gave a small smile and started towards me.

I wanted nothing, but the ground to open and swallow me. But it was just wishful thinking.

They stopped in front of me, and for one long, unbearable moment, neither of them spoke.

Their gazes swept over me, the shattered glass at my feet, the tray in my hands, the humiliation written all over the scene.

The blonde's mouth curved ever so slightly.

"You're making quite a habit of finding yourself in unfortunate situations."

Seriously?

He lazily turned to Shane. "You've become quite noisy."

The color had drained from Shane's face. He looked less like the arrogant man who'd been laughing moments ago, and more like a schoolboy caught setting the house on fire. His jaw tightened and he instantly lowered his eyes.

"...I...I'm..."

"Save it." The dark-haired cut him off.

Then both turned towards me.