Chapter Text
October 9, Saturday (Part 2)
9:30 p.m.
The line for the bathroom downstairs is so long that you choose to gamble, and brave the climb to the second floor. You snake around the band, and the couples swing dancing across the landing, only to find a line equally as long as the one below. But at this point you figure, why waste a perfectly good climb?
Ten minutes come and go before you make it into a stall, and another five is spent fighting against the flow of the crowd to reenter the arcade. Ekko and Jinx aren’t at the DDR pads when you arrive, or anywhere else for that matter. After circling the place twice, you pull out your phone to check for texts.
Instead you see an instagram story has been added by Jinx.
You hit the notification.
At first glance, it looks like she and Ekko have gotten cozy for a picture together. The girl’s hugging the smirking boy from behind, her head resting on his shoulder, a peace sign thrown up in front of a winking eye. But you notice Ekko’s wearing a thick leather jacket while Jinx is clutching a dark visored helmet. And just visible in the corner of the shot, a gloved hand is resting on what appears to be a handlebar.
Panic strikes like lightning.
Oh no.
Jinx is barely a day out from having a violent panic attack, and the second you let her out of your sight, she jumps onto the back of a motorcycle with a boy you hardly know?
This is bad.
The only reason you’re here is to take care of Jinx, and you’ve failed.
As you send the girl a panicked text, you wonder,
What’s Silco going to say when you tell him you’ve lost his daughter?
Probably nothing good.
Even though there’s only a small, outside chance the two teens are still around, you know it would be in your best interest to check the place thoroughly. Your anxiety builds as you search the entire building from top to bottom and left to right, starting at the parking lot.
Several minutes later, out of breath and sweating, you can confirm first hand that they’re gone.
You open your phone to check your texts when you see another story has been posted. This time it’s a video, and you watch it with mounting horror. It’s pretty bad quality, but Jinx’s manic laughter can just be heard over the sound of an engine, confirming your worst fear that she’s on the move.
You drop into the nearest chair and put your head in your hands.
What do you do now?
Hope and pray that she texts you back sometime in this century so you won’t die of a panic attack, and (more importantly) you’ll have something to give Silco when he asks where his daughter is at the end of the night.
Oh hey Silco! Where's Jinx you ask? Well, your emotionally damaged daughter jumped on the back of a motorcycle with a boy the second I went to the bathroom to touch up my lipstick, and I decided to wait until now to tell you.
You chew on your nails.
On second thought, maybe you shouldn't wait till the end of the night. He won’t thank you for withholding this kind of information.
You stand somewhat unsteadily, and wipe away a bead of sweat from your brow as you weave your way towards the stairs behind the bandstand.
Maybe you can talk to Sevika first. You think desperately.
Jinx has probably done this kind of before. Sevika will know what to do, or hopefully have advice on how best to approach Silco about it.
Armed with a plan you round a corner, and run head first into a suit.
As you stagger back, hands reach out to steady you. “Woah there!”
“I’m so sorry I – Oh, it’s you.”
You stare with dismay up into the amused face of Charles Rodriguez. “It certainly is. Sorry to catch you by surprise. I didn’t hurt you did I?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good.”
After you wrestle yourself out of his grasp, he scratches his head.
“You know, this is kind of embarrassing. I’ve been watching you all night trying to figure out why I recognized you, but I’ve only just remembered. You’re the girl from Silco’s office, aren’t you?”
He spent hours staring at you, and he only just realized?
The gall.
“Yep. That’s me.”
He grins. “I knew there was something about your scowl that I recognized.”
You resist the urge to demonstrate said scowl once again.
“You were pretty territorial about that office.”
“Well you were snooping around in the dark.”
He chuckles. “You got me there. But I guess you’ve got every right to be territorial about Silco’s things, since you're his girl.”
You gape at him.
You? Silco’s girl? Where did he get that?
These and so many other questions are burning inside you, but you refuse to ask them.
“I’m not his girl.”
“Aren’t you?”
Your face inexplicably starts to burn. "Nope.”
"Interesting. In that case, how about a dance?”
“I can’t. I need to find Sevika.”
“Ah, that’s where you were going in such a hurry. Well I hate to disappoint you but I just saw her leave the building on a phone call. Something to do with the brewery. Take it from me, those calls can last a while.”
He extends his hand with a perfect grin. “Humor me, will you? I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I’d like the chance to start over.”
You stare around in desperation, hoping for something (or someone) to rescue you from having to endure dancing with this man. Unfortunately no one appears, and you're not quick enough to conjure up an excuse before he takes your silence as acquiesence, grabs your hand, and drags you onto the dance floor. As it so happens the band is starting another song, this one slow. Charles is extremely muscled beneath his expensive looking suit, so when he locks you into his arms you have no place to go. The best you can do is avert your eyes so you don’t have to stare into his stupidly handsome face.
Heavy on the stupid.
“You know, I never caught your name.”
You grit your teeth.
Because Charles looks the way he does, he's drawing a lot of undue attention, so unfortunately you can’t get out of this without causing a scene. You’ll have to humor him until the song ends. If he refuses to let you go, then maybe you can stomp on his foot with your extremely pointed heel to force the issue.
With that violence to look forward to, you manage to say your name.
“And I heard you’ve been working at the coffee shop for what, two years?”
“Mhm.”
“It’s a wonder Silco didn’t notice you before.”
“He’s rarely there. Sevika runs the day to day operations of the shop.”
“So how did you meet?”
You heave an irritated sigh, but immediately regret it when his tropical cologne overwhelms your senses.
Your sniff as your eyes start to water. “He was uh… working in the lobby one night while I was closing the shop, and we had a conversation. Sevika wanted the brewery, and I was the most logical choice to take over her job.”
“Really? And why is that?”
“I had the most experience.”
“So it was luck of the draw, huh?”
“Hm.”
The band is playing a loung-ey rendition of “I Put a Spell On You”. You really wish they’d stop with the horn solos and pick up the tempo.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter why you got the job. Clearly you’ve got what it takes or the boss wouldn’t have picked you. You’re a true dark horse.”
You raise your eyes to the ceiling.
Can this song be any longer?
For three blessed seconds there’s only the music.
Then, “Finn tells me your sister’s dating Marcus.”
You eye him suspiciously. For not being able to recognize you, he sure knows a lot about your life.
“Such a cute couple. Though in my opinion she shouldn’t put all her eggs in that basket.”
“Really.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I like the man. He’s a good officer. But if he has to make a choice between your sister and his career, he’ll choose his career every time.”
“Good to know.”
“You don’t have to take it from me. Ask his ex, or his sponsor. He might have a thing or two to say about his choice of partner.”
“Sponsor?”
The question leaks out before you have the self-control to stop it.
Charles grins. “Sounds like Marcus forgot to tell you he owes Silco his career. Not that there’s any shame in that. Most people in this town owe him in some way or another, including me, and so will you as soon as you take over The Last Drip. What did he ask for, when he gave you the job?”
You bristle. “Nothing. He hasn’t asked for anything.”
“He never does. But you and I both know the boss is no philanthropist. He’s an investor, and by the looks of things, he’s poured a lot into you already.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Those earrings are Tiffany, aren’t they?”
“I don’t know. I borrowed them.”
You know immediately that was the wrong thing to say when his smile broadens. “What do you think he’ll ask for when it’s time to collect? Or maybe you’ve already come to a different kind of arrangement.”
You stare at him. “I’m sorry, what?”
“It’s a big promotion to become manager of one of Silco’s businesses. It’s got a lot of us wondering how you did it.”
The snare drum fills your head with white noise as you try to unravel his meaning. Then, when you finally put two and two together, you choke out a laugh.
“Are you kidding me?”
Of all the things you could have said, he clearly wasn’t expecting that. He looks completely taken aback.
You can't hold back your snickers.
You should probably feel offended at the insinuation, but it sounds too much like a joke. What kind of idiot looks at Silco and imagines he would ever sleep with one of his employees in exchange for favors? The man is an island, protected by mile high walls topped in barbed wire and machine guns. He would never be stupid enough to compromise himself and his business like that.
When you finally get a hold of yourself you manage to say, ”Did you ever think that maybe I got the promotion because I’m actually qualified for the job?”
He opens his mouth, then closes it. Then a moment later he opens it again, no doubt to say something which he hopes will dazzle you into forgetting this conversation ever happened, when a velvety voice surprises you both from behind.
Your heart jumps at the sight of Silco, eyepatch, scowl, velvet suit, and all.
“I hope I’m not interrupting something important.”
Charles’ smile is brilliant. “Silco! You have excellent timing.”
“Yes, my competitors call it the killer instinct.”
A giggle escapes you. When Silco’s flashing eye flickers your direction you raise a hand to stifle it.
Get a hold of yourself!
“You aren’t interested in taking over for me, are you?" Charles asks sheepishly. "I think I might have had one too many daiquiris. They’re really starting to get to my head.”
“They don't seem to have affected your feet.”
Is that irritation in his voice?
“You know me boss. I could still samba even if I’m drowning in rum,” The man steps aside and offers you a strange salute. “Thanks for the dance. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“And so have you.”
He slips his hands into his pockets as he starts to back away. “Guess I'll see you around.”
"Whether I want you to or not."
For a moment he looks between you and Silco, and something glitters in his gaze that you can’t quite place — Confusion, maybe? Curiosity? — then he nods and walks away.
You consider him as he disappears into the crowd.
What was it Silco said? The key to removing a man's power over you is understanding his motivations?
Well it looks like you've found out what motivates Charles.
Trying to get dirt on Silco.
“Seems as though Rodriguez may have convinced you to change your mind about him.”
“Oh no. That will be a cold day in hell.”
This draws some kind of sound from Silco, which pulls your fractured attention back to the man standing in front of you. Or the man holding you, rather. At some point you’d started dancing and hadn’t realized it.
“You appeared to be having a rather lively conversation.”
“Yes, one which I would gladly have committed a felony to escape.”
“Really," He deadpans.
“Yeah. Charles was under the impression that I’d slept my way to becoming manager of The Last Drip.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That he was absolutely right.”
He eyes you sharply.
You grin, and some of the iciness melts from his expression.
“Of course I told him it was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. I mean first of all, who would bother to sleep with their boss just to become manager of a coffee shop? I’d like to believe I’d have a little more ambition and self-respect than that.”
A smirk tilts the corner of his mouth. “You would.”
“Thank you. But what I really want to know is, why was that his first thought? The man’s obviously out of touch with reality. Unless that’s how he got his job at the brewery.”
Several seconds pass before you realize what you’ve said.
His right eyebrow is rises at the same time a flush rises to your cheeks.
Oh lord have mercy on me, an idiot.
“That’s a very serious accusation.”
A smirk is hovering at the corner of his mouth, removing some of the sting.
“I… that was obviously a joke. I mean I don’t really…” You close your eyes with a weak laugh. “Tonight is just not my night.”
“Though I know a few men who might consider such an avenue for dolling out promotions, I believe it is ultimately an unprofitable way to conduct business. There are complications enough without adding blackmail into the mess."
”Exactly," You rush to say, relieved. "And that's what I told him. Workplace relationships can be so messy.”
“Only if they aren't treated with the proper care."
He says it so casually, it actually surprises you. His face betrays no emotion other than cool disinterest.
"So you're telling me you might consider a workplace relationship?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. But if I were, I would never choose Rodriguez. He isn’t really my type.”
Then who is your type?
“That’s a relief."
He looks amused.
You feel your cheeks heat again. "I mean I’d expect you to have better taste than Charles Rodriguez. The man thinks short sleeve flamingo shirts qualify as formal wear.”
He laughs, and it takes you so off guard that you overtly ogle him. You’re pretty sure it’s the first genuine laugh you’ve ever heard from him. Or seen, for that matter. His eye crinkles nicely at the corner and his scars stretch, revealing a flash of white between thin lips.
You've never noticed the gap between his front teeth before.
It makes him look quite young.
And so vulnerable.
You lament the moment he locks it away behind smirking lips.
“You're absolutely right.”
You and Silco are one of only a few couples slowly rotating under the bright bars of fluorescent lights. His arm remains steady at your waist while the other guides you around the floor. It's a surprisingly easy place to be, and you find yourself naturally relaxing into his arms.
This is nice.
Dancing with Charles had been like dancing with a marble statue, but with Silco it feels simple.
He leads, and there’s nothing you can do but follow.