What had happened? Had she been in the bathroom longer than she thought? With everyone buzzing around her, Bella tugged at the hem of her shirt to smooth out any wrinkles. She knew she was still in some kind of customer service role, so she painted her face with a pretty smile for the customers and her boss, despite the suddenly overwhelming environment.
Watching him balance a tray of drinks with ease, she snapped into action when he directed. "Right away, boss!" Heading behind the bar, she kept her smile fixed in place. It was time to pretend nothing strange had happened. Not the fact that a man had gambled away his life and his wife. Not the fact that her boss had gotten too close for comfort. Now everything was normal. Normal people. Normal orders. Normal. That illusion gave her space to grow more comfortable bartending and to earn more honest money.
"I can see how the downtime could get pretty boring." She watched him craft the cocktail, studying closely in hopes she might learn it for next time. She couldn't expect to pick up too much in one shift, but Bella was trying her best to please her boss. While this didn't feel like the best long-term job, she wasn't trying to lose it or get on the Devil's bad side. Still, she knew she would need to reflect once she was home.
Her body tensed at his jesting question. Her gaze darted to him, giving him a long stare. She had played dumb about their closeness when she ran off to the bathroom, letting it slide then, but when he was this direct, it was harder to brush aside. "Imagine," she echoed, both of them knowing how easily lines could blur. She turned back to the customers, but he stole her attention again with the press of his hip.
She raised a brow at him while wiping a watermark from one of the glasses. "Huh, my own boss talking about killing bosses." A smirk tugged at her lips as she placed the damp rag behind the bar. "I don't think I ever had a boss I wanted to kill. Hopefully, you don't end up being the first," she teased. Even if she did want to kill him, she wouldn't be stupid enough to try to strike at the Devil himself.
What a strange conversation.... as he suddenly brought attention to the intrusive thoughts every human carried in some form. Bella could act perfect and balanced, but she wasn't. She was just as flawed and sinful as anyone else. She hadn't replied at first, but in her silence she weighed his words. There were many aspects of Bella's self that she was unaware of, including the darkness that lay in every human's heart and the demons that lurked in minds.
As a lost soul, Bella didn't understand herself enough to fill in the contract even if she wanted to when they initially met. The fact that it was blank still bothered her. It proved she was living behind a monochrome veil. There was a life of rich color out there... she saw glimpses of it in the laughter around her, even in the fire in Arthur's eyes as he gambled everything away. She wanted that. What would make her burn? What would take her to new heights? What would give her meaning? What would make her whole?
When he went to lock up, she finally spoke, revealing that his words had been still swirling in her mind...
"Destruction."
The air seemed to grow heavier as Bella's own heart skipped a beat.
"Murder can be a form of destruction, but that isn't grand enough for me." She could picture the mayhem burning in her mind. "My wrath makes me wish I could break, tear apart, and set fire to everything around me. Like a wild, blinding rage released from me. However, just like most people wouldn't actually murder their boss, I wouldn't actually cause destruction."
No, she was far too good of a girl… but they both knew any human was capable of terrible things if pushed. The Devil himself knew that better than anyone. Still, Bella had always been pretty practical when not lost in a fog, but now she had revealed a crack in front of him.
She was upfront about her tips, allowing him to figure out her payment. What she would end up receiving was more than she had expected when she first walked through those doors. The money would help her get a bit ahead, a sigh of relief. "Thank you. This is very generous." She tucked the cash into her back pocket, her purse still in the back room. With a more honest smile, Bella was happy with her payout. It eased some of the tension from the night's earlier events.
With a nod, she began wiping down the tables as directed. "It has been a very interesting night. I'm unsure how I feel about contracted customers, but being here has been rather… inspiring." Was that the right word? She hummed in thought. Even if she didn't agree with everything that might happen here, something about this place felt like it could open her eyes to what she was missing in her aimless life.
"I will be back." She walked the rag back to the bar. "Any idea when I might work again?" She glanced down at the ring on her finger. Where would the bar end up next?
Watching him balance a tray of drinks with ease, she snapped into action when he directed. "Right away, boss!" Heading behind the bar, she kept her smile fixed in place. It was time to pretend nothing strange had happened. Not the fact that a man had gambled away his life and his wife. Not the fact that her boss had gotten too close for comfort. Now everything was normal. Normal people. Normal orders. Normal. That illusion gave her space to grow more comfortable bartending and to earn more honest money.
"I can see how the downtime could get pretty boring." She watched him craft the cocktail, studying closely in hopes she might learn it for next time. She couldn't expect to pick up too much in one shift, but Bella was trying her best to please her boss. While this didn't feel like the best long-term job, she wasn't trying to lose it or get on the Devil's bad side. Still, she knew she would need to reflect once she was home.
Her body tensed at his jesting question. Her gaze darted to him, giving him a long stare. She had played dumb about their closeness when she ran off to the bathroom, letting it slide then, but when he was this direct, it was harder to brush aside. "Imagine," she echoed, both of them knowing how easily lines could blur. She turned back to the customers, but he stole her attention again with the press of his hip.
She raised a brow at him while wiping a watermark from one of the glasses. "Huh, my own boss talking about killing bosses." A smirk tugged at her lips as she placed the damp rag behind the bar. "I don't think I ever had a boss I wanted to kill. Hopefully, you don't end up being the first," she teased. Even if she did want to kill him, she wouldn't be stupid enough to try to strike at the Devil himself.
What a strange conversation.... as he suddenly brought attention to the intrusive thoughts every human carried in some form. Bella could act perfect and balanced, but she wasn't. She was just as flawed and sinful as anyone else. She hadn't replied at first, but in her silence she weighed his words. There were many aspects of Bella's self that she was unaware of, including the darkness that lay in every human's heart and the demons that lurked in minds.
As a lost soul, Bella didn't understand herself enough to fill in the contract even if she wanted to when they initially met. The fact that it was blank still bothered her. It proved she was living behind a monochrome veil. There was a life of rich color out there... she saw glimpses of it in the laughter around her, even in the fire in Arthur's eyes as he gambled everything away. She wanted that. What would make her burn? What would take her to new heights? What would give her meaning? What would make her whole?
When he went to lock up, she finally spoke, revealing that his words had been still swirling in her mind...

"Destruction."
The air seemed to grow heavier as Bella's own heart skipped a beat.
"Murder can be a form of destruction, but that isn't grand enough for me." She could picture the mayhem burning in her mind. "My wrath makes me wish I could break, tear apart, and set fire to everything around me. Like a wild, blinding rage released from me. However, just like most people wouldn't actually murder their boss, I wouldn't actually cause destruction."
No, she was far too good of a girl… but they both knew any human was capable of terrible things if pushed. The Devil himself knew that better than anyone. Still, Bella had always been pretty practical when not lost in a fog, but now she had revealed a crack in front of him.
She was upfront about her tips, allowing him to figure out her payment. What she would end up receiving was more than she had expected when she first walked through those doors. The money would help her get a bit ahead, a sigh of relief. "Thank you. This is very generous." She tucked the cash into her back pocket, her purse still in the back room. With a more honest smile, Bella was happy with her payout. It eased some of the tension from the night's earlier events.
With a nod, she began wiping down the tables as directed. "It has been a very interesting night. I'm unsure how I feel about contracted customers, but being here has been rather… inspiring." Was that the right word? She hummed in thought. Even if she didn't agree with everything that might happen here, something about this place felt like it could open her eyes to what she was missing in her aimless life.
"I will be back." She walked the rag back to the bar. "Any idea when I might work again?" She glanced down at the ring on her finger. Where would the bar end up next?