Closing Time

36.

"Someone called for me?"

I looked up from the register at that familiar voice. A relieved groan escaped me as I met Lou's eyes. "What took you so fucking long?"

Lou stopped in his path, raising an eyebrow. "It's... only been three days since-"

"Three?!" I hissed. "I asked that demon five days ago to contact you."

"I've been busy, Ryleigh." He shrugged easily as he walked over to the bar. "Missed you too. Been good. Thanks for asking."

I slammed the glass down in front of him before he could sit. "Drink up. Drink fast. We're heading to my place as soon as Mik-"

"Shirking your responsibilities as usual, demon?"

Lou exhaled in irritation as Mike walked into the bar. He sat down. "Not a moment's relief..."

"Great, you're here too." I placed a glass of tequila on the counter and hoped my human customers would take that 'demon' as a form of insult over it's literal meaning. "Drink up, we're leaving."

Mike frowned as he took his seat. His fingers wrapped around the glass like a regular. "The demon just got here."

"Yeah." Lou jumped in. "The demon just got here."

I rolled my eyes. "There's a bottle of whiskey and tequila in my bag. It's meant for you two to continue drinking-" I leaned in to continue "-as soon as we get to my place."

"Someone's eager." Lou turned to look at Mike. "Does he have to join us?"

Mike grimaced in disgust. "If this sudden invitation is in order to fornicate, I do not wish to be a part of this."

"Right." Lou scoffed. "Like I'd ever have a threesome with an angel."

"We're not having a threesome, guys." I mumbled softly. I could feel the remaining human customer's eyes turn to me. I went slightly red. "It's about that thing I'm keeping for Mike."

Mike sighed softly. "I already told you I can't ta-"

"It's not about you taking them back. It might be something else." I waved a hand dismissively. "I'll explain everything when we get out of here."

I returned to the register as someone stood up. "Last call for fifteen minutes!" I announced before I turned to the customer in front of me.

The constant impatience and fear I'd felt for the past few days was familiar. It was similar to when I'd caught an old boyfriend sneaking through my stuff, caught in the act just like Trace. The paranoia was back too. The paranoia I'd struggled so hard to push past when I'd moved into this apartment. An apartment I struggled to be inside anymore. I now spent my after-work hours at either the 24-hour gym down the street, or at that cafe owned by the demon. I hadn't seen Axel since I'd asked him to contact Lou. He would probably probe about what happened again.

And of course, when do exes ever listen when you tell them not to call or text? I'd hoped I wouldn't need to block Trace, but his incessant calls and texts had added to my stress. He'd been blocked after a day of this harassment. I couldn't look at his face right now. Even when I thought of him...

I... hadn't taken the stress of the entire thing well. It was visible in my work, in the way I talked to my customers, to Dottie and Sasha... most of all- my tip jar. It was bad enough that even the indifferent angels had been asking about my wellbeing. They couldn't see my aura anymore, they must be curious.

I glanced at my phone as it dinged with a good night text from Dottie. It was sweet. She had chalked it up to my periods and a very bad fight with Trace. She wasn't fully wrong, but I wasn't about to tell her why she wasn't fully right.