Chapter 11: Who Is Gabriel?

Esme almost cut her finger from the knife in surprise, but she moved her hand away in time and glanced at a man with dark eyes, a dark aura and hair, his navy pinstripe suit screaming money. "Lenny," Esme breathed. Isana stiffened for a moment in fear, but then she remembered she was a damn werewolf. Esme cleared her throat. "What makes you say that?" She smirked, meeting his gaze as she left the knife on the chopping board.

Lenny leaned onto the bar diagonally across from her, ignoring Hana, who asked nervously if he wanted a drink. "Not tonight, Hana. I'd like Esme to serve me," His eyes were locked with Esme's until he turned and walked towards a table in the corner of the room where the mood lighting was that much darker.

"Couldn't he tell me at the bar what he wants?" She grumbled under her breath.

"Mr Travine is VIP, Esme. He usually uses one of the VIP rooms. You should go to him now," said Rory, another bartender who seemed to have the hots for Hana, not that she noticed.

Esme wiped the lemon juice from her hands using a cloth and dropped it on the side, sauntering over to where Lenny now sat, two guards standing nearby. This made sure no one approached the man, including some women who kept glancing at him and giggling. A handsome man with a dangerous aura like his did that to people.

Esme stopped in front of his table, and he gestured for her to sit. "Sorry, sir. But I am working and cannot-"

"Sit down, Esme," He commanded, but his voice was low and gentle still. She didn't know how that worked, maybe he knew she was a bit rebellious to commands, but she found herself lowering down slowly and eying him cautiously.

Esme sat and crossed her legs demurely, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Lenny. It must be the skirt and heels; she was a mess the last time she saw him. "I think you're interesting because you live in a studio apartment with nothing but a couch as a bed but rock up here looking like.. Well, like that." He nodded his head in her direction while tapping a thin Cuban cigar on top of the table.

Esme blinked and looked down at her attire before looking at him again. "Is there something wrong with the way I look?" She raised a brow.

"Not at all. You look beautiful. And you have my attention.. not many people do.." He trailed off as his attention was taken by someone behind her. She refrained from rolling her eyes, believing he most likely noticed another woman.

"So, it seems," She drawled with a smirk.

Lenny looked back at Esme and chuckled before his face became serious. "You know, I can put you in a nicer place, closer to the city. Just work for me."

"You own a bar and come to a rival one?" Esme tilted her head to the side. "And even approach their staff about jobs. You really are bold, Lenny."

Lenny grinned, "I'm serious, Esme. It does not sit right with me that you live.."

"If you are feeling charitable, then you could always fix the apartment up without changing the price of the rent," Esme cut in and winked before standing back up. "But I have received enough charity in one day to accept such an offer. If that is all, sir. I can either take your order or return to the bar."

Lenny stood up, buttoning his suit jacket again; he glanced behind her again and nodded before looking back at Esme. "So bloody cheeky. I suspect a lot of customers come here just to see you." He took a step towards her, making Esme arch her neck as he leaned his hand on the table, towering over her with his unlit cigar now held between his teeth, grinning. "I have a meeting now. Try not to cause too much trouble. Or.. if you do, at least you can work for me." His eyes gleamed mischievously, then he leaned away and walked past her, followed by his two bodyguards.

Esme turned and watched Lenny's retreating back while her hearing picked up on people's conversations. She wasn't sure before, but now it was confirmed, Lenny Travine was part of the mafia, and she, the new 'ruffian' barmaid, knew him and was now someone not to be trifled with.

Esme started to turn away, but another figure came into her peripheral vision. One with a powerful presence, she stopped and looked back at Lenny and managed to get a glimpse of a man in a suit, his hair as white as snow. His broad back was also facing her as the two men started to leave the room.

Esme's feet started walking towards them before her mind caught up, her curiosity piquing. She wanted to see the man who radiated such power. The she-wolf swiftly grabbed a golden drinks tray, her quick steps catching up to the archway that led to the VIP rooms to the left of the hallway. She halted and stayed hidden behind the wall when she saw Lenny's guards a few feet ahead.

Holding her tray out, a few customers left their empty drinks on the tray in passing. At least she didn't look like she was sneaking about. Esme looked to the side again and saw them moving again; the hallway was quiet compared to the bar. Walking in heels was much more challenging to sneak in than her usual boots, but she kept her steps quiet. She knew from the power radiating off him that the white-haired man had to be a vampire who had sensitive hearing.

But what was a gangster doing with a vampire?

"This is not blending in, Es!" Isana whisper-shouted, panicked by what she was doing.

"True, but curiosity.." Esme trailed off.

"I see you made me wait to speak to Esme," The white-haired man drawled. His hands were in his trouser pockets, his gait lazy while he looked ahead. Lenny looked at him and grinned after reading his face that Esme couldn't see.

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He knew her name? She also recognised that voice. But before she could wrap her mind around who it could be, Lenny was already speaking.

"We had some business to discuss, her and I. She.. intrigues me," Lenny pulled his cigar from his mouth and held it by his side as he looked ahead again.

"Business? I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to.."

"Esme!"

She stopped and cringed upon hearing her name, turning to see Niko standing behind her, almost looming over her in his white shirt, waistcoat and tie, and smart trousers and shoes, looking quite dashing. When she looked back, the men had walked to the furthest end of the hallway and entered one of the VIP rooms.

The last she saw of the white-haired man was his crystal blue eyes lock with hers, glowing brilliantly and rendering her speechless before he disappeared inside the room. Again, his sharp eyes were what stood out the most, and he was gone before she could assess the rest of his features. Why was she acting like a girl with a crush!?

Esme turned back to look at Niko, who was looking at her sternly. She smiled, looking at his attire again, she parted her lips, about to comment on how he looked, but he held his hand up. "Don't. Stop dawdling and get back to work. I have to work in one of the VIP rooms, but Rory will be in charge until I return." He walked past her, not waiting for her response.

"Niko, you really do look dashing. It's quite sad really, I have this new outfit on, and you didn't even compliment me," She teased quietly as he stopped in front of the room where the two men and security guards went inside. Niko knocked and waited before looking at her, his face stoic, except for his ears that burned a bright red. Esme loved teasing him; he was too easy.

"He's so adorable!" Isana gushed, "Seriously, how old is he? Has he never been complimented by a woman before?!"

Esme chuckled aloud. "I thought you didn't like vampires?" She smirked.

"Hmph! Well, Niko is the odd one out!" Her wolf replied defensively.

Favouring a vampire, that was new..

Niko turned his attention to the door that opened, allowing him entry to the VIP room. "Thank you for the clothes," Esme whispered and turned around abruptly when Niko looked back at her. She walked back to the bar, tray in hand and placed it on the counter before rounding it, her mind far away from what the others were talking about.

"Esme?"

Esme shut the dishwasher where she placed the dirty glasses and looked at Hana, who looked at her expectantly. She must have been talking to her.

"Esme, how do you know Lenny!?" Hana clasped Esme's hand and squeezed; her face was full of concern for her. Esme held back a laugh; if only she knew what sort of a bar they worked in.

"You are such a worrywart! There's nothing to worry about; he's just my landlord," Esme patted her friend on the back, but it seemed her words made Hana even more anxious.

"Looks like he was waiting for Gabriel," Rory informed her as he leaned back on the counter. "Your 'landlord' has been meeting with him for a while now. I wonder what deal he is trying to strike."

"Gabriel? Who is Gabriel?" She looked at the auburn-haired bartender while she ran the tap and filled up a glass full of cold water. She tried to play it cool, but was Gabriel, the man with white hair?

Rory stopped wiping the cocktail glass with a cloth and looked at her in surprise. "Who is Gabriel!?"

"Only an angel sent from above to grace us with his beauty!" Hana said dreamily as she wrung her own tablecloth in her hands and stared off into the distance.

Esme shook her head at Hana's silly response. He was definitely a vampire and one who frequented the bar a lot. A vampire with a powerful presence and seemed to be keeping a close eye on her. She should try to stay away from that one; she really needed to keep a low profile and stay out of everyone's business.

Unbeknown to Esme, she was going to see a lot more of the white-haired vampire from now on.

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