Called By the Dark

“I’m not saying it wasn’t.” They finish up my face and give my chin a little squeeze. “But I’m also saying…you need to get some dick.”

“Not from this place,” I mutter, then turn toward the mirror to inspect their handiwork. “Oh, wow, Jammy.”

“In those dim lights, no one will be able to tell,” Jammy says soothingly. “But as soon as you get home, you ice that shit and take some ibuprofen, understand?”

I nod and wrap my arms around them. “Thank you.”

They squeeze me back, then lean away to eye me worriedly. “Maybe you should go home. I think Cue’s about to take a break. I’m sure she’ll be happy to take you back to the apartment.”

Cue, one of our bartenders and my roommate, would absolutely fuck Marcel up if she knew what he did to me. And because they’re loyal, Jammy would jump in. I’m not going to let my slick mouth be the reason that all three of us lose our jobs.

“No, no,” I insist. “You know Cue will go all the way off if she sees this.”

“She’s going to see it anyway,” Jammy insists.

“I’ll tell her a customer got handsy and security took care of him,” I say wearily. “I’m all right. Really. Come on, let’s go before Incel really gets his panties in a bunch.”