Irresistible (Underneath it All Series: Book One) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) Read Online Free Page B

her ire.
    It was hard to miss the spray-tanned woman with pageant hair that barreled through wait staff carrying drink trays. It was clear she didn't care if she took one of them out because it would be worth getting a few jabs in and berating me for a few minutes.
    I steadied my drink tray and forced my lips into a smile. "What can I do for you, Gail?"
    The woman barely missed Shonda, one of our newer waitresses, who was precariously balancing a tray full of drinks. Shonda let out a squeal that earned her a growl from Gail. Luckily, the moment gave Shonda time to avert disaster and she skittered to her section without another peep.
    I just blinked up at Gail, wishing I could tell her that she wasn't the first asshole boss I'd dealt with and she wasn't going to break me. It would have been a dumb move. The kind of move she kept hoping I'd make. Her steely blue eyes and earring-lined ears didn't miss a thing. If I went off on her, it would give her the ammunition to go to Javier, the owner, and say that I was more trouble than I was worth. Considering Javier had his eyes glued to his phone for 99% of my interview, I knew that he'd just tell her to deal with it and I'd be out of a job.
    So instead of pretending I hadn't stepped away for a moment, checking my other work schedule to see if I had a client request from the man from last night, I went with the truth. Well, the only truth she was looking for.
    “I just wanted to check my phone real quick.” I hung my head. “My bad.”
    "'What can I do for you, Gail?'" she mocked my voice, adding in her signature neck roll. It made her sky-high, bleach-blonde hair shudder precariously. "How about the job we hired you for? A job that doesn't include being on your phone? Who is so important that you're not out there doing your job?" She stopped right in front of me, close enough that she was too close, forcing me to take a step backward.
    I clenched my teeth, my smile becoming something downright painful. It took every ounce of self-restraint to hold back questions like: why did you get a job in the service industry when you so clearly hate working with people? Or: what makes you think that a title gives you the right to treat your staff like they're your minions, there to do your bidding? And, the most important question of all: was it a fireable offense if I tell you to take the finger you love to stick in my face and stick it up your ass?
    Grin and bear it, Sadie. You need this job.
    I knew the smile on my face looked like the fake grin of someone who'd been told to 'smile for the camera!' for the hundredth time, but it was the best I could do. "I'm sorry, Gail. Won't happen again."
    Her finger was still in full effect. It flew from an inch from my nose and stopped where I'd tucked my phone out of sight. "You kids think you're so slick." She said 'kids' with all the condescension of a person who was secretly still chasing their youth, but there was no going back. "You can't get a thing past me, girl."
    "You caught me!" My lips barely moved since my fake smile was still glued to my face and I knew if it wavered, I'd lose it. "Now, if I could get back to work-"
    "Who were you talking to, anyway?" Gail prodded. I took a measure of relief in the fact that she finally moved her finger, but it was short-lived. She just decided to dial up the obnoxiousness by stroking her chin, feigning contemplation. "Boyfriend?" She snorted as soon as she said it, like she'd just told the punch line of a joke.
    I knew what they called me here. Why I had clients at The Tower cut our sessions short. They called me ‘Ice Queen’, and it wasn't because of my pale skin and fiery red hair. I didn't let anyone close enough to have any friends, and I hid my smile, any beauty and gentleness that my mother had given me, behind a carefully constructed ‘Don't fuck with me’ mask. And it worked, most of the time. Maybe too well.
    Clearly my reputation preceded me because Gail was still laughing. The staff area