Chapter 2

The door opened abruptly as she adjusted her dress. It was the boss... Instinctively, she looked up at the clock. Her shift would start in five minutes. She noticed with relief. 

" Good evening, girls... Oh! Miss Annabella, are you here already? "

Hannah, the boss was afraid of Annabella. The latter was enjoying a special treatment that the others did not have. No doubt Hannah was afraid of Annabella. 

" Yes, I'm here." Annabelle replied in a detached tone.

She would have answered nicely but Annabella was not like her so she was obliged not to fail her sister's identity... 

" Are you ready for your shift? " Hannah asked.

" Yes, just give me time to get my things in order."

" Take all the time you want. "

Annabelle said nothing because she was used to this treatment. She was surprised the first time, but by now she was used to it... 

" The rest of you, I want to see you out in thirty seconds. The customers are not going to serve themselves."

Then she left the dressing rooms. Annabelle quickly collected her things before leaving the room with the others who as usual did not even dare to look at her or approach her or even speak to her. 

She had the VIP section. The same tables every time. The tables that had the best customers with the highest tips ... She checked her lipstick that she found too dark before finally starting her service ...

...

The hour passed slowly. Annabelle was tired with these high heels which compressed her foot. She wanted to take a break but tonight... The VIP room was full to bursting. She had a lot of people to serve. She had no time to take a break.

" And this is... Your tip." Said an old man touching her thigh.

A bundle of bills. Annabelle smiled and gently removed the old man's hands.

" Thank you for your generosity."

She went with one step towards the changing rooms. It was time for her break... She noted with relief. She was a little hungry, she had hardly eaten anything all day. She went to the employee cafeteria where she could find food. There was a long line but she was served first. It was unfair but this little advantage was really beneficial to her... 

She sat down and ate quietly. She took her cell phone to send a message to Kara. And she noticed that Annabella had left her a message. 

She opened it and read it...

**No smiling at the customers. Only those who pay well...**

Annabella shook her head and sighed before ignoring her message. She knew clearly that Annabella was asking her to charm all the men who had plenty of money like ambassadors, lawyers, politicians and others... What she was definitely not going to do. 

It was unthinkable... 

She sent a message to Kara not wanting to call her in the middle of the act because it was sure that at this moment, they were making love all over the house... Annabella smiled at this thought. A few minutes later, she was called by Hannah in her office. She wondered on the way what she had to say to her.

...

" I am here, you made me call."

" Annabella. I have a big client and it is necessary at all costs that it is you who welcome him."

" Okay, I can handle it."

" And when I say handle... I'm really talking about handling it in every sense of the word..."

Wait, what? Annabelle felt offended... How dare she ask her such a thing? It was disrespectful... She opened her mouth to reply but remembered Annabella's request... So, Annabella was managing...also the clients. What the hell was that?

" Well, I will take care of it." Said she by holding back from revealing the bottom of her thoughts.

" Good. You are a lifesaver. And please, raise the dress a little and open the buttonhole a little."

Annabelle glared at her, suddenly feeling like a common prostitute. It was really infamous this situation. 

" It was just an advice. But I trust you. You know things better than I do."

Annabelle said nothing and simply left the room almost running. She went to the toilets to calm her nerves and to refresh herself a little... She did not like at all the life that Annabella led and this history of important customer disturbed her at the highest point. She had the impression that something bad was going on. She just wanted to finish the service and go home and she was sure she would not come back because she had the intention to refuse if Annabella wanted her help again. She took a few deep breaths of air before returning to her shift. There were even more people in the VIP room and the young woman in front of all this heap of people felt instantly insignificant and uncomfortable. 

There was a smell of luxury in the air. With the music and the memory of Hannah's words, Annabelle felt nervous. Of course, heads turned as she passed, but she pretended not to see them.

There were new customers. She was sure the important customer was on one of her tables. She took a deep breath before putting a beautiful smile on her face as she walked towards the nearest one... 

" Good evening... I hope you are having a pleasant evening. Have you decided what you are going to order?" She said in one breath, hiding her nervousness.

She looked at the table. There were three men and two women. And they stank of money... The important customer was undoubtedly among them. The young woman swallowed but they did not seem to care about her. The young woman quickly took their order to her great delight before heading to the other table to start the same process again. She sincerely hoped that this would be the last time for tonight. She had only one hour left before the end of her service and it was the most joyful news...

" Good evening, gentlemen... Welcome to Haiana's Bar... I hope you have a wonderful evening. Have you decided what you are going to order? "

She quickly looked around the table, holding her pen ready to write down...

" What would you suggest?"

The young woman's heart leapt in her chest. She had been asked this question a million times... And she could answer it but... His voice... Raucous, authoritative and imposing... A masculine and virile voice. The young woman felt herself trembling with all her being... She looked up at the man who had just spoken.

He was beautiful. The young woman swallowed painfully... It released from him, a smell... particularly intoxicating. He walked a glance on her... 

Like most of the men present, but he... His gaze made her...feverish. She felt as if he wanted to have a hold on her...with his simple look. His beautiful green eyes seemed to want to probe her soul.

She looked down feeling foolish as a heat rose in the pit of her loins. 

No, Annabelle... Get a grip! It's only because you've gone four years without making love... Soon you will see your boyfriend again and it will pass... 

This idea reassured her then she cleared her throat and raised furtively the eyes towards him then walked the eyes on the extent of the table before answering with a thin smile...

" I propose you our specialty. The Grand Velas. This taco includes Kobe beef, Almas beluga caviar and black truffle brie cheese and is served on a corn tortilla infused with gold flakes..."

She avoided his gaze throughout her speech... And yet, it would seem that he was the one commanding the table. He was sitting in the main seat and seemed to dominate everyone.

" Well... Just hearing the name of this dish. I can already feel the indigestion coming." He said mockingly.

The whole table laughed at what he had just said. The young woman smiled to avoid blushing with shame. She already wanted to go home... She took her courage in both hands before raising her eyes to look at him.

" Well... I recommend a bottle of champagne from our great collection and some eggplant gratin with tomato. A light meal that will allow you to spend the most wonderful night." She says with her smile.

" You know what could make me pass the most wonderful of the nights?"

Annabelle swallowed. The tone of his voice was much too... Much too sweet. And the young woman imagined all kinds of answers... Answers that would surely not please her.

" I listen to you." She answered with a voice that betrayed her.

She saw him smiling. All the table looked at them. The young woman pinched her nose not to blush ... It was a true torture.

" French fries."

Annabelle raised the eyes towards him, surprised. French fries? He was serious... He let her make all this speech just for fries? Annabelle felt a little upset.

" Well, I'll make a note of that." Annabelle replied gently, writing in her notebook.

" Bring us that bottle you mentioned. Also bring some of that Gratin for my friends and some fries for me. "

Annabelle wrote all this down before turning to leave after telling them that their order would arrive soon. However, while moving away the young woman could still feel his heavy glance on her... With her heels hammering her foot, she was trying to keep a confident gait... When she disappeared from his field of vision, the young woman could finally breathe. Once at the counter, she gave the orders to the waiters before dropping into a chair. It was a waiter who was going to bring them the order. Fortunately... 

Even at a great distance from her, he still had a hold on her. The young woman shuddered as she sent him away still smiling with his mocking air... He surely had a sense of humor... Annabelle was surprised to smile. French fries? She laughed softly remembering her expression when she made this request. 

" Do you know if he is gay?"

Annabelle turned around. It was Hailey. A good friend of Annabella's. He was gay. 

" Who was?"

" The handsome man over there. I saw you guys talking from my binoculars. What's his name?"

" I don't know, Leley. And he's a customer."

" If you say so. Anyway, he doesn't seem to take his eyes off you." He says with a mocking air.

Annabelle swallowed before turning back to the back. He seemed to stare at her but she was too far away from him to confirm Hailey's hypothesis... She felt so upset... The man wanted to get her all worked up.

" It's his dish that we're preparing. He needs to make sure we don't poison him."

" I may not have a degree, but I'm not stupid."

" Of course... Of course..."

Annabella watched Hailey roll her eyes before the latter decided to look away, much to the young woman's delight. She could still feel his gaze and now that she knew he could look at her as much as he could, the young woman felt even more confused and... vulnerable.

She was just going to settle for not looking at him... Eventually, however, she turned her head back to him.

He was staring at her. Again... He raised his glass and grinned at the young woman... Annabelle gave a small surprised cry and turned abruptly.

He was so...disturbing.