The suit was gross because he was sweating buckets right through the cheap-looking suit.

It didn't even fit him. The button on the jacket looked like it was about to burst open from his beer belly.

His balding hair with his receding hairline was combed neatly to the left, and his forehead was dripping beads of sweat. To say he looked nervous would be an understatement. It was Friday morning and he came in looking like he was up all night. The bags under his eyes confirmed it though.

I guess I'd be nervous too if I was going to be evaluated by the owners. But I wasn't when I met them, they were nice and all.

"The new owner is coming today. Everybody better get their shit together and make everything look fucking perfect, or you're getting fired by the end of the night. Don't test me today"

I didn't catch it at first, but then I realized he said there is a new owner.

"A new owner?" I asked out loud, but it was meant to stay in my head.

"Yes, did I not just say that, Lilly? Are you so incompetent you can't listen when people talk?"

Oof, he was extra rude today. Delightful.

I didn't bother giving him a response and just turned and walked out of the kitchen. I started wiping down the tables in the front of the restaurant and getting everything ready for the day. He came out a few seconds later and started barking orders at me but I half ignored him. He was just mad that he was the only one with his ass on the line today.

I started listening though when I caught him say he said something about staying late tonight.

"What?" I asked him.

"I said that you need to stay late tonight because the new owner is coming after we close. You'll be compensated for the overtime. Don't fuck this up, Lilly!"

"Yeah, yeah I won't," I rolled my eyes and walked away from him back into the kitchen, so I could be away from him.

Donny, the head chef snagged me to the side quickly. I gasped at him. He didn't grip my arm hard or anything, but it threw me off guard, and quite honestly scared me.

Especially because we have never talked in the several years I have been working here, I gaped up at him.

His face softened and he let go of my arm frowning.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, Lilly. But you need to listen to me and listen carefully. The new owner coming tonight is dangerous. You need to be very careful. Watch how you speak to him tonight because he is not going to tolerate attitude or rudeness. Avoid eye contact and speaking to him more than necessary when you take his order. Stay in the kitchen unless you have to be out there. Okay? I'm telling you this to keep you safe, not to scare you, Lilly. But this owner is not someone you should cross."

I shuddered visibly and he smiled a tight-lipped smile, looking at me nervously but still with the warning lingering in his eyes.

"Okay, Donny. I won't do anything stupid. But what do you mean he's dangerous? Like he will fire me or get me blacklisted? He is just the new owner right?"

"Don't worry too much about details, in fact, you should avoid details altogether. Just do your job keep your head down Lilly. I don't want you to get hurt or anything."

His request shocked me, but also made the hairs on my back rise. I was utterly terrified of this new boss and I didn't even know why I was so scared. I just was. It was just a fact.

I nodded at him and promised to keep my head down. He ruffled my hair which shocked me even more.

"Sampson would kill me if I let anything happen to you. Don't worry too much, just be mindful. And don't worry about Rob. He'll be gone by tonight; I am more than sure of that."

I was still too shocked by his affection and warning I nodded again. My mouth was probably hanging open when I walked back out to wipe down tables.

The customers started strolling in once we opened and I sprung straight into work so that I could distract myself from the anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. The day went by quicker than I hoped.

Before I knew it the last table was cleared and I switched the sign on the door to say "closed". It was only 9 o'clock though, which was an hour early compared to regular closing time. My energy was drained when I sat down after wiping down all the tables and getting ready for our special guest.

I was antsy now and mildly curious about who this new owner was that Donny was so inclined to warn me about. Especially considering that was practically the only conversation we've had besides "good morning" and "good night" or "order up".

But, curiosity killed the cat. And I wasn't in the mood to explore such unchartered waters that quite literally have a "BEWARE OF SHARKS" sign in front.

I would heed Donny's advice because it was clearly meaningful. I wasn't going anywhere even near that ocean, not even the sand surrounding it.

After two hours of Rob bossing us around to clean the restaurant more than it already was and I was ready to go home.

My feet ached.

My back hurt.

My whole body was exhausted from running around all day.

Now it was 11 o'clock and the new owner still didn't show up. Rob looked like he was gonna pop a blood vessel if the owner didn't show up in the next ten minutes. He was a nervous mess and the time passing just increased his nerves.

But, I quite enjoyed seeing him freak out. It was almost comical if I wasn't so nervous about this guy too.

When 11:30 rolled around a black SUV pulled up in front of the restaurant. The windows were tinted so dark that I couldn't see a single figure in the car.

Rob gulped so loud next to me, I heard it.

I'd laugh at him if I wasn't seconds away from gulping too.

Five large men in neat suits pilled out of the car. They all were at least six feet tall and full of muscle.

They opened the door on the side of the car facing the restaurant and another man came out. You could tell he was the one in charge. Obviously, he was the new owner.

But, he didn't look like the owner of a small restaurant in Brooklyn at all. No, not even a bit. He had a power emanating off of him that I couldn't describe.

He looked utterly terrifying, intimidating, and plain mean.

I kept on a brave face though, well as good of a brave face as I could muster considering the six dangerous men I was about to welcome.

I could see ink covering all 6 of their bodies peaking out of their suits. They all had tan skin with dark hair. I wondered if any of them were related.

Though I couldn't tell much about how they looked in the darkness with the broken streetlamp above, they all looked very attractive.

I walked up to the door to let them in since that was my job, to greet people at the door and escort them to their table.

But, Rob had other plans I guess.

He shoved me and told me to go into the kitchen to wait till he called me out.

I was happy to comply, even if I would have rathered he didn't just shove me. I heard the bell of the door opened and hurried into the kitchen.

Donny gave me a nod and a knowing look that screamed "be careful".

I gave him a small smile and nod in response to reassure him that I would heed his warning.

He smiled back at me with the same tight smile.

I heard talking outside the kitchen and fought my urge to peak at the faces of the voices I was hearing outside. From the sound of it, nothing crazy was happening out there.

"Lilly!" I heard Rob yell my name.

I smoothed down my hair and straightened my uniform skirt down, then I walked out to the front where they were.

Two men were in front of the door standing there like they were bodyguards, or maybe private security. The other four men were sitting at a table with Rob.

It was awfully weird, but I decided to shake the ideas that were popping into my brain.

I kept my gaze cast downward to avoid having to look at any of the freakishly large men in the eyes. I walked up to the table and smiled shyly, my heart was beating so fast I thought it would jump out of my chest and right onto the table.

"Hello, uh my name is Lilly. I'll be your waitress tonight. Well, any night you come here because I am the only waitress here. Not that we need another one. But um yeah, " I managed to ramble the dumb words before I could correct myself. That was so stupid.

As if they don't know I am the waitress. Who else could I be? The stripper?

"Hello, Lilly. That is a beautiful name. My name is Lorenzo," he said gently as he smiled up at me with soft eyes. He talked to me in a way that made me feel so safe.

I blushed hard at his compliment, I didn't need to look in the mirror to tell my face was bright red.

"Uh th-thank-thank you, sir," I stuttered like a complete idiot, thrown off guard by the gentleness of this man that was supposed to be so dangerous according to Donny.

He smirked at me as if he could read my exact thoughts.

"Donny, come out here, you bastard. I know you're eavesdropping right now." He didn't sound angry at all. If anything he was slightly amused.

"Hey, boss," Donny popped into the kitchen window.

"What have you told dear Lilly here that has got her looking at me like I'm about to feed her to a shark tank?" He laughed.

"Nothin boss, just to be respectful," he shrugged, denying the whole warning lecture he gave me a few hours ago.

"Hmmm... well don't be so nervous Lilly. I like you. Plus I'd never hurt such a pretty young woman like you," he cooed. It shouldn't have made me feel better, but it really did. My shoulders slumped down a millimeter and I released a breath I was holding in.

His smirk grew at that.

"I'm sorry Donny boy gave you such a scare. I assure you, you can relax. You're safe with me, darling. You are very tense." He spoke like it was a matter of fact, not teasing me anymore. Just genuinely reassuring me. My heart warmed at his words. You're safe with me.

I looked at his face and took a real good look.

His eyes were hazel-green and his hair was inky black, slicked back with loose waves. His skin was tan and his cheeks had some freckles. He had full pink links and a sharp jaw that was intoxicating.

Tattoos peeked out of the color of his perfectly tailored navy blue suit. He was gorgeously sexy. No doubt about it. But he had a roughness to him.

His words were disarming but his face was sharp and he looked scary, unfriendly for sure- despite his sweet-talking.

I shook off his words and recalled Donny's warning. This was a dangerous man, one who I needed to approach with more awareness and respect.

I bowed my head back down before you could meet my gaze and try to talk any more than necessary.

"I'm sorry, sir. Thank you. Uh... May I take your order now if you are ready."

"Yes, I'll have the chicken parmigiana with spaghetti."

They went around the table and listed their orders as I nodded and waited awkwardly to be dismissed.

"Go," Rob grunted.

I nodded and went to walk away. I peeked at Lorenzo and noticed his hands gripping the table so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Mr. Marino, I'm sorry about Lilly's social skills. She's about as dumb as a doornail..." I walked into the kitchen and stopped listening.

I heard Rob laugh at his own joke before I closed the door, but no one else.

God that was so embarrassing. I told Donny the order and he started moving around to get the ingredients.

"Don't let your guard down, Lilly," Donny murmured almost silently as he walked past me to start cooking.

"I won't," I whispered just as silently.