April
After helping Katie stack the final row of books on the middle shelf, the voice of the new manager echoed across the main hall. She was calling for a staff meeting. It was a whole different atmosphere around here compared to two months ago. The old manager had officially retired after decades on the job, leaving this new woman in charge.
All of us stopped what we were doing and walked over, pulling out chairs to sit around the central conference table. I pulled my chair back quietly, letting out a short breath as I rested my hands on my lap, waiting for her to speak.
"As you can see, this library was originally built for university students who love reading, exploring different works, and gaining knowledge," the new manager began, leaning her palms against the edge of the head table as her eyes swept across the small group. "This library has been right here for twenty-five years, feeding the minds of young adults and even non-students. But ever since the rise of e-books, students barely make their way inside anymore. Even romance novels are now available online with just a few simple clicks. So, I am glad to announce to you all that a new location has been found. We will be relocating from this area to a new and better spot, where hopefully, we can bring back the life and excitement this library once had."
Katie immediately raised her hand, her arm shooting straight into the air. "Ms. Madison, I have a question."
Ms. Madison nodded toward her. "Yes, Kate. What is your question?"
"But this library belongs to the university of this city," Katie said, her brow furrowing slightly as she leaned forward. "It is always going to be right here in River-West."
"Yes, Kate. This library belongs to the University of River-West," Ms. Madison answered smoothly, unbuttoning her blazer as she stood up straight. "But we need to relocate. It isn’t my personal choice, it is the chancellor’s choice. They are moving the entire establishment down to the Morningstar District."
The moment those words left her mouth, Katie’s mouth snapped shut. She didn’t say another word. The Morningstar District was practically right next to where her partners lived, close to all her usual spots for fun. Because of that, she didn’t even bother asking why a piece of university property was being shipped off to a completely different area.
It wasn’t ridiculously far away, but the thought still hit me strange. I couldn’t picture how the place would even be considered university property anymore once it moved. It was essentially going to belong to the District now.
Yet as I sat there, letting the words bounce around in my head, a slow realization settled in. This could actually work out really well for me.
Moving the library meant I could keep close tabs on the Alpha girl who spent almost every single hour of her day roaming around that district. I needed to know if she was still keeping her end of our deal.
Lately, that Alpha didn’t have that desperate, hungry look in her eyes the way she used to. It bothered me more than I wanted to admit. It made me sit up at night wondering if she was getting herself fed by one of her former hoes behind my back.
A sharp elbow nudged my ribs, breaking my train of thought.
"I’m sure you’re already thinking about all the dirty things you want to do with Angel in the district, huh?" Katie whispered, a wide, unbearable smirk plastering across her face as she leaned into my space. "Damn library and Angel in one single location. How lucky."
I turned my head and shot a harsh glare directly at her smug face. "Girl, stop making this look like it’s all about me. This is about you and your harem adventures."
Katie just giggled, tapping her fingers against the tabletop. "Oh yeah. I get to keep them so close to me now. Tsk, tsk. I honestly can’t wait for us to start working over there. This is going to be so much fun.
Katie was completely wrong. It was not fun at all. Maybe...
I don’t know how Katie saw it, but the moment we set up in the new building, I noticed almost all the heavy educational books were completely gone.
The shelves that used to hold history and science were now packed tight with row after row of explicit, erotic titles.
The only silver lining was that they kept our standard romance collection completely intact, keeping both the dark romance and the happy-ever-after books on the shelves. I sincerely thanked the gods for that much.
Our pay stayed the exact same as before, which was still okay enough to get by. But half the old staff decided not to resume at the new building. When everything settled down, the entire shift was just me, Katie, and two other workers left inside the facility.
And to make matters worse, the place was officially renamed: The Morningstar Coffee Bookstore. Or MCB for short.
It felt like the exact job I had turned down two months ago had somehow swung right back around and slapped me in the face under a different name.
Argh, God.
To add to the absolute head-shaking pain of it all, there were now constantly three complete idiots hanging around inside and outside the bookstore every single day.
Angel and the twins...
I pushed open the glass front door, the cool morning air hitting my face as I stepped out onto the patio. The three of them were slouched back in metal chairs around a low table, sitting comfortably under the shade of a wide outdoor umbrella.
"You guys had better actually read something today instead of just sitting out here drinking and smoking all morning," I said, stopping right in front of their table with my hands resting firmly on my hips.
Sabrina leaned back in her chair, blowing a thin trail of smoke up toward the umbrella canvas. "Instead of offering us books, how about you go back inside and bring us some coffee?"
"Yes, serve us hot coffee," Angel added, her voice dropping into that smooth tone she always used when she wanted to push my buttons. She let her eyes slide slowly up and down my body, looking me over like I was some kind of hired call girl right there on the sidewalk.
My chest tightened, but I kept my spine straight, trying my absolute hardest to act completely professional.
I could clearly see the manager watching our every move through the front glass window of the shop.
"I’m going to get you a very hot coffee, and you are going to sit right there and drink every drop of it, Angel," I said, stepping right up to the edge of her chair and glaring straight down into her eyes.
Angel just grinned, resting her chin in the palm of her hand without breaking eye contact for even a second. "That is no problem at all, as long as you’re the one making it. I like the one with the thick whipped cream stacked right on top, you know your favorite...."
"No. I’m bringing you plain black coffee," I snapped, spinning around on my heel to head back inside the shop.
Before my hand even touched the glass door handle, a pair of loud high heels clicked sharply against the pavement, and one of her former hoes arrived.
Becca...
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