A Rebirth

Job Interview With My enemy

Melinda’s breath caught in her throat.

The voice was unmistakable. Smooth, cocky, laced with amusement—like it had been back then.

She turned slowly, her fingers tightening around the edge of the bar.

Ethan Brooks.

She hadn’t seen him in years, but the memories came rushing back like a flood. He had been one of the golden boys in high school—popular, rich, and charming when he wanted to be. But he hadn’t been charming to her. No, he had been something else entirely.

And now, he was standing in front of her, smirking like he’d just won a bet.

Ethan looked… different. Older, sharper. His expensive suit was crisp, his dark hair slicked back, and his posture screamed confidence. But his eyes—those same piercing blue eyes—still held that same dangerous glint.

“Well, well,” he said, tilting his head. “I never thought I’d see you here.”

Melinda forced herself to breathe.

She had been humiliated enough for one lifetime. She wasn’t going to let him see her crack.

“I could say the same,” she said evenly, grabbing a rag and wiping the bar as if she had better things to do.

Ethan chuckled, slipping onto a barstool. “I own the place.”

Her fingers froze for half a second before she forced them to keep moving.

Of course. Because of course her new job—her one chance to get off the streets—just had to be tied to someone like him.

“What do you want, Ethan?” she asked, meeting his gaze head-on.

He studied her, his smirk softening into something more curious. “Tasha said she found someone for me. I didn’t realize it was going to be you.”

Her stomach twisted. For him?

She glanced toward the back office, where the man who had hired her sat earlier. Was he working for Ethan?

“Relax,” Ethan said, as if reading her thoughts. “I just like to know who’s working in my club.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar. “So, tell me, Melinda… why are you here?”

She clenched her jaw. “Because I need a job.”

His lips curled at the corners. “And you’ll take anything, huh?”

She didn’t like the way he said it.

“I’m just bartending,” she said. “Nothing else.”

Ethan’s smirk grew. “Of course.” He drummed his fingers against the counter. “But you know… bartending is just a start. There are other opportunities here. Better ones.”

Melinda stiffened. She knew exactly what kind of “opportunities” clubs like this offered desperate girls.

She forced a tight smile. “I’ll stick to making drinks.”

Ethan studied her for a long moment. Then, to her surprise, he laughed.

“Still got that fire in you,” he said, shaking his head. “Alright, Melinda. Bartending it is. But since I’m the boss, we need to make it official.”

She frowned. “What?”

“A proper job interview,” he said, flashing a grin. “Tomorrow. My office.”

Melinda wanted to argue, to tell him she’d already been hired, but something in his expression told her it wasn’t optional.

She swallowed hard. “Fine.”

Ethan slid off the stool, adjusting his cuffs. “Good. Let’s see if you’re still as tough as you pretend to be.”

And with that, he walked away, leaving Melinda gripping the bar, her heart pounding.

Tomorrow, she had to face him again.

And this time, it would be his rules.