"Five hundred, seventy four dollars, and eighty-two cents, bitch," I proudly announced, slapping down the last bill onto the stack.

"Looking at it, I never would have though this place gets as much traffic as it does," Anthony said, beginning his job of splitting the money between us.

"Me neither," I admitted, leaning back on my hands. Tuxedo was officially starting to close, and there were only the few stragglers and Vincent's gang left in the whole building besides us. As I had counted the money, I had hoisted myself up to sit cross legged on the bar. Now all I wanted to do was stretch out on it and go to sleep.

"Jules, how many times do I have to tell you to stay off the bar?" Dante grunted as he came over to us.

"As many times as it takes you to realize I'm never going to listen," I replied with a winning smile.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Don't sass me. I could fire your ass at any time."

"But you won't," Anthony pointed out, smugly smiling when Dante turned to glare at him.

"Who asked you?"

"Boys," I chided, clucking my tongue before nudging Dante with my foot. "Behave yourselves."

"Speaking of behaving," Dante started, his gaze sliding over to the back booth where Vincent and the others were still sitting. "Time to get the last of the customers out."

Tilting my head in Vincent's direction, I let out a soft sigh. "I'll do it," I informed him, swinging my legs around as I hopped down to the floor.

"Juliette –"

"I'm a big kid now," I sang as I walked backwards, winking in response to the irritated look on Dante's face.

When I reached the table, a drunken Lucas offered me a broad grin. "Where you been all night, sugar?" he whined, his voice coming out slightly slurred.

"Working," I replied, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch as his brow furrowed.

"Now why would you do that?"

"Because some of us have to be upstanding citizens," I told him, reaching over to tap his forehead.

"Is there something you needed, princess?" Vincent questioned, drawing my attention to him.

"Closing time boys," I said, clapping my hands together before gesturing around the bar. "It's time to pay and hit the road."

"And if I don't?"

My temper sparked and I barely managed to control what I said. "Vince, please don't be difficult about this," I asked, crossing my arms across my chest as I met his stare head on.

The smallest hint of a smile tilted his lips upward. "Begging now, are we?"

Rolling my eyes, I leaned forward before bracing my hands against the edge of the table. "Go pay your bill, or I will make you," I threatened, a sugary sweetness coating my voice to take the edge off.

Apparently, I still had no filter when it came to him.

He arched one dark eyebrow at me as our gazes held. "Really now," he mused, leaning father back in his seat as the rest of his group let out an audible breath along with me.

"Really," I answered, offering him a smile before erecting myself again.

To my utter surprise, a short laugh escaped him as he shook his head. "Here," he said, tossing a pair of hundreds at me. "That ought to cover it and tip."

I just gaped at the bills. "I can't take that!" I exclaimed when I found my voice.

"And why not?"

Somehow, during the moment we had been bickering, they had all stood and were now beginning to make their way towards the door. As I glanced around I noticed that Vincent was the only person left in the entire bar besides Anthony, Dante, and me. "Because," I sputtered as I redirected my attention to him and shoved the money back into his hands. "I didn't earn it and I know for a fact that your bill couldn't have been more than seventy-something."

He smirked at me. "Take it, princess. Maybe you can add to these," he said, and before I had any clue what he was doing his hand grasped my wrist. He pulled my arm out and brushed his fingers along the words running down my forearm, leaving goose bumps in wake of his touch.

"I've got all the tattoos I want," I ground out, wrenching my arm free.

He shook his head and that ghost of a smile played at the edges of his mouth. "If you say so, princess," he murmured, turning and walking away from me before I could say anything else.

As I stared after him, I didn't have time to force him to take back his money. "Vincent!" I yelled, stamping my foot like a child.

His laughter reached me, but I knew he was already gone.

Seething with uncalled for anger, I wadded the bills up in my hand before marching over to the cash register. "So . . ." Anthony said, trailing off as he saw the look on my face. "That seemed to go well."

His attempt to lighten the mood worked as I let out a huff. "Not even close," I grumbled in defeat, getting change for the money Vincent had left me. After I had it, I began to divide it up.

"What're you doing?" he asked, inching closer to me.

"Divvying up another tip," I offhandedly answered as I continued to count.

He stayed silent until I turned around and handed him his share. "You don't have to do this, Jules," he muttered, staring down at the cash. "That was your table."

"And I take half of your well-earned tips every night," I reminded him, playfully shoving his shoulder. "Just take it."

"Somebody owes me a shot," he said, changing the subject as he jammed the money into his pocket.

Sighing, I flipped him off. "Dante!" I hollered, my voice echoing around the now empty bar. "Two shots of tequila!"

"Calm down, Jules," he grumbled as he came out of the back with a bottle of Patron in his hand. "I'm one step ahead of you."

Grinning, I laid out enough money for three shots and pushed it in his direction. "This'll cover it."

"Jules –"

"She owes me," Anthony cut in.

Dante sighed before taking the money and shoving it into one of the registers. Without another word, he grabbed three shot glasses and poured the clear liquid into them until it was nearly spilling over the top. "Bottoms up," he stated, lifting his glass as Anthony and I picked ours up as well.

The glasses made a quiet clink as they met, and then we all tossed them back. The familiar burn warmed my body, but I screwed my face up in distaste. "God, why do I let you two con me into this?" I asked, gagging as I slammed my glass down onto the bar. "That tastes like gasoline."

"Because you know what gasoline tastes like," Anthony teased, reaching for the bottle again.

However, I stopped him with a firm smack to the back of the head. "You're driving."

He cursed before rubbing his neck. "I forgot," he mumbled, forlornly looking at the bottle.

"Get going," I told him, soothingly patting his shoulder.

He grunted before shoving away from the bar and telling us both goodbye. "That was sweet of you," Dante commented once Anthony had left out the back.

"I always do it," I replied, shrugging as I pocketed my half of the money Vincent had left. "I'm taking off too," I informed him, moving around the bar on my way to the back.

"Jules, if you wait five minutes I can drive you."

"The air clears my head and makes it easier for me to sleep," I said, nearly speaking over him as I shoved through the door into the back room.

Dante was right behind me. "I'll take you," he insisted.

"Dante," I whined, taking my jacket from the hook before shrugging it on. "I'll call you when I get home, alright?"

He glared at me for a moment, but sighed as he ran a hand over his shaved head. "Fine," he relented. "But I mean as soon as you lock your door behind you."

"Yes, father," I teased, jumping up to peck his cheek before I pushed the back door open and maneuvered my way out into the night.

The walk home was uneventful. No gangs and no muggings. It was perfect. The moon was high in the sky, and my heels beat out an even rhythm along the concrete. Tuxedo was located in the busy downtown area of the city, which would explain why so many people came to it. It also explained why my walk home totaled close to an hour. Anyone else would have taken Dante's offer, but my words had been true. I did sleep better after the long walk home, but more to do with exhaustion than the not-so-fresh air.

Plus, I was used to the city streets. The rundown buildings and cracked sidewalks were familiar to me, and no matter how much happened to me on them I still felt safe. Not in the sense that I wasn't going to be attacked – because we all know how probable that was – but more in the fact that they would always be there. The same steady buildings that I had grown up with and explored still towered over me, giving the slightest feeling of comfort.

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even realized I had made it to my building until I stepped inside. Shaking my head, I walked down the hall to my door. The minute I turned the lock I could hear the soft padding of feet. So once the door was open, I was greeted by Dexter all but knocking me to the floor. "It's good to see you too, babe," I murmured, wrapping my arms around him before moving farther into my apartment. Once the door was shut and locked behind me, I made a beeline for the kitchen so that I could feed him. When he had fresh food and water, I performed my nightly ritual of stripping out of the uniform before changing into an oversized t-shirt.

Collapsing onto my bed, I was fast asleep before Dexter even made his way into the room with me.

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