Ebony

Today was just a shitty day. I hadn't earned any money from waiting tables and it was almost time for me to clock out.

The bell on the door jingled, alerting me to another customer so I turned hoping that I could finally earn a decent tip this time. I froze when I saw it was him.

His smothering gray eyes were on me as always. I knew he came here for me; he always did. Ever since I dragged my mother from the house of one of his dealers.

**Flashback**

I wasn't sure if these were gang members, the mafia, or drug dealers but I knew he was the leader. Who the hell was he?

He was just pulling up with who I considered his mob when I half carried, half dragged my mother away from the trap house. I had broken his gaze, not out of fear as I could handle myself, but to glare at all the other men he was with. I knew he had to be the leader by the way they surrounded him and responded to him, though he didn't look the part.

We had locked eyes starring each other down until the men he was with started offering me money and drugs for sex. I immediately flipped the finger and walked the opposite way. Men in my neighborhood disgusted me. All of them immediately assumed from my mother that I was the same, I wasn't. I was not going down the path of my mother. It was no way I was going to raise my kids in this filth.

He said something and they are quieted, and this confirmed what I already knew, this one was in charge.

He looked fucking delicious. He had on a crisp Brioni Colosseo suit, looking like a very wealthy businessman. The guys around him looked like thugs. He was tall, muscular, and so handsome I couldn't believe he was a devil. But that was how Lucifer fooled everyone wasn't it?

I didn't speak, my expression spoke volumes though. And while he was handsome, I wasn't the least impressed.

Okay, lie. Somewhere... Deep inside I was intrigued a bit. I think I wanted him, but I was no Eve. I had no desire to learn what terrible consequences awaited me once I had a taste of forbidden fruit. But I wanted a taste, just one.

He never said a word that was directed to me, simply watched as I ignored them all, walking away with my drugged—up mom in tow.

A week later, he had popped up here. I knew It wasn't a coincidence. He didn't let anybody wait on him and kept his eyes on me from the moment I came out the kitchen with my orders from another table.

I ignored him, rolling my eyes. I knew he was trouble. But it was like a magnetic force was pulling me to him, I wanted him so bad. But I continued waiting on everybody but him, I guess I was playing hard to get.

My boss had personally come to take the plates from me and demanded that I wait on him and only him every time he came there.

What. The. Fuck.?

I sucked it up and took my time going to him, he'd deserved it.

**End of Flashback**

"Hey, what can I start you off with today?" Polite but straightforward as always, I didn't want to give him any impression I liked him.

Only God knew I did.

"You. Tonight. In my bed." He gave me what must've been a panty dropping smile. Well, that was new. He had gorgeous dimples. I had to control my blush. God if I hadn't known he would turn me inside out and leave me like trash, I'd play his games.

Usually he had the same order every evening. His ass must've been tired of playing this little game, well I wasn't. And I ran this.

"Alrighty, I'll take that as the USUAL." I said being sure to put the emphasis on usual. I couldn't just flick him off or go off on him. He owned the damn city apparently.

And he gave me my largest tips here and I needed the money or else...

"I'll give you 5500." He offered.

The Bastard! "No thank you." I forced myself to decline politely.

"10,000 then." The fucking ass! I guess he hadn't learned the first time we saw each other.

"Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, I am not a prostitute." It wasn't all about the money. He was only trouble and I couldn't handle more problems now. I left to put his order in and could feel his intense stare burning through me.

I sighed in relief once there was a door in between me and him.

My boss saw my facial expression and whispered, "take the rest of the day off. I know today was hard. I'll save you his tip."

I smiled at her grateful. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime, go out the back."

I did as she asked. I hurried to my second home, the gym, relieved to have the rest of the time to beat the fuck out of the punching bag that I imagined had beautiful gray eyes, a 6 ft tall and muscular frame—Fuck! I couldn't get him off my mind.

I finally gave up and decided to go home. I could try to study. I did have my finals tomorrow.

I couldn't have picked a more terrible time to arrive home. My mom and my stepdad were arguing, and they always found a way to shift the blame on me.

"You had another man in my bed!" Carl, my stepdad, yelled at my mother. I didn't involve myself in their business, Carl was one of many stepdads that had moved in and abused my mother. I had learned early to stay out of it as she would just accept them back, no matter how many times I called the police.