Chapter 2

2: 2

Audrey held up the can of air freshener and sprayed it hard, all around me.

The sharp lemon scent filled the whole room in an instant, thick enough to leave my throat itching.

I turned aside to dodge it.

She followed right along, pretending it was nothing, and swept the nozzle straight across my face.

"A smell like this, if we don't deal with it, it'll seriously affect the air quality in our restaurant."

I jerked my head away and still caught a mouthful of the reek. I could only keep my face cold, stand up, and take half a step back.

"You're the manager here? Is this how the Swanson restaurant treats its guests?"

Audrey snorted, hugged the freshener to her chest, and looked me over with contempt.

"Guests? Miss, I think you've misunderstood the rules of a high-end place like ours."

"Someone like you, here, we'd only call a beggar."

"Forget disinfecting you. Dragging you out and tossing you in the river to rinse off would be too good for you."

Drew lounged in his chair, one leg crossed over the other.

"You dirty up my turf, and you've still got the nerve to talk back?"

"Tell her what happens when someone soils a chair in my family's restaurant."

Audrey took the cue at once and pointed at the chair I'd been sitting in.

"That's a custom dining chair, Italian imported calfskin, eighty-six thousand apiece."

"Now that the leather's soaked in that heavy fish stink, the chair's basically ruined."

She set the air freshener down on the table and held her palm out toward me.

"Our young master is kind. He doesn't want to make things hard for you. He'll just charge you a nominal fifty thousand cleaning fee."

"But if you won't take the easy way and force the hard way instead, hmph…"

Earl whipped out his phone and snapped a burst of shots at me.

"Guys, this is what happens when a toad tries to eat swan meat."

"A fish peddler with the nerve to come on a blind date with Drew, and now she can't pay up so she's getting held at the restaurant. I'm dying."

Faced with the demand and the threat, I still wasn't angry. If anything, I looked at Drew with real interest.

"Mr. Swanson, I don't know whether this chair is worth fifty thousand."

"But I can tell you for certain, your family's losses tonight won't stop at fifty million."

The whole room burst out laughing.

Drew laughed till he was nearly in tears, and waved a hand at Audrey.

"This fish peddler's really gone broke and crazy, still talking big. Audrey, don't waste your breath on this lunatic."

"See what she's got on her that's worth anything, and just take it to cover the debt."

Audrey pulled out her walkie-talkie and pressed the talk button.

"First-floor security, send a few people up to the VIP private room. There's a nobody here trying to make trouble."

Before long the guards pushed through the door and packed the doorway solid.

I glanced around, and the corner of my mouth lifted.

"Mr. Swanson, are you sure you want to push this all the way?"

Drew picked up the red wine in front of him, took a sip, and watched the whole setup with a smile.

"What? Still want to talk tough?"

"Transfer the money like a good girl, and I'll leave you a little dignity, let you walk out the front door."

As he spoke, he jerked his chin at the guards.

"Otherwise I'll have you thrown into the kitchen garbage truck, in with all the rotten fish and shrimp."

Hands in my pockets, I looked around the room, and the whole thing only kept getting more interesting.

Seeing me stay quiet, Audrey took it for surrender and grew smugger still, tilting her head to size me up.

"Girl, take my advice and wise up. Pay up and go, now. Making a scene won't do you any good."

"Our young master Swanson is generous. He might even toss you some scraps to take home."

And with that, while I wasn't looking, she suddenly shoved her hand into the pocket of my jacket.