Different people worked in the salon that day and Ann felt more than a little awkward introducing Elric to some of her coworkers. She decided to tell them he was considering becoming one of her hair models, as if that made any more sense than any other reason for have a giant, drop-dead gorgeous man following her around. Most of her coworkers, however, had taken it in stride. They liked her as a manager and, for the most part, did what she said without question. She was always willing to help them switch a shift or give them a day off, even if it meant coming in for them herself.
Only one person seemed to have a problem with it, and it surprised her because it was someone new she already considered a friend. Lucas had started working at the salon a few weeks earlier, and while he hadn't worked a lot of shifts, when he did, he was very friendly. It helped that the tall, gangly, red-haired, freckled man had been interesting from the start by being the only straight man to ever apply at the salon.
He was friendly to everyone and they all liked him. Yet, for some reason, Lucas didn't like Elric and it appeared the feeling was mutual. When she introduced them, Elric had actually growled out loud at him and Lucas made a rude comment. Ann had to physically put herself between them to stop the arguing. She promptly chewed Elric out, and he w sat pouting in his usual chair, as if he had done nothing wrong in snubbing one of her employees.
"I can't believe you're letting him stay here," Lucas muttered as he walked behind the counter next to her.
She took a step to one side, away from him. Like Elric, Lucas never respected her personal space. She gave Lucas a stern look, "I get that you two don't get along, for whatever reason, but you need to try. I need him."
Do I, though? she questioned herself mentally. It was odd, even to her, that she gave Elric such a hard time, then defended him so thoroughly behind his back. She looked up to see him watching them intently, his dark eyes narrowing as they landed on Lucas. She sent him a look of warning and he pouted again. The expression looked ridiculous on such a giant man.
"Anyway, did you need something?" she asked.
Sometimes, Lucas was almost too friendly, wanting to hang out and chat with her when he should be working on the floor. He was young, fresh out of school, and while she liked his ability to make everyone in the salon comfortable and laugh, she needed him to focus more on the actual work. That could be trained over time, though.
"Don't you have a client right now?" she questioned after a glance at the appointment schedule on the counter in front of her.
"Nope," he said folding his arms and leaning back against the counter. "I had a cancellation."
She sighed flipping through the schedule. "Then can you help Christie? She's gone over on her appointment and has a walk-in waiting for her."
"Sure," he said pushing off the counter and reaching behind him to retie his apron on his way to Christie's station. When he arrived they shared a few words and Ann watched Christie's face flood with relief.
Crisis averted and Lucas out of her hair. Still, he was a good employee. Always on time, he just needed a little guidance. She flipped through the book, looking over the rest of the schedule. She jumped when someone stood in front of her, blocking her view of the salon. Elric stood glowering down at her from across the counter. Even in his new clothes, much more proper and normal, with his bulging muscles he still looked every bit as intimidating, and the pirate hair did little to help.
"Do not spend more time than necessary with him," Elric ordered.
"Lucas?" she asked watching the skinny man leading Christie's next client over to his station. "Why?"
Elric's gaze was dark and simmered with rage, "I do not trust him."
She snorted, "I'm sorry, but that means basically nothing. You don't trust any humans. You don't even like us."
"I like you," he said softly, "so far."
"Thanks," she replied sarcastically.
"You know what I mean. I like you more than I have ever liked any other human before." His dark eyes darted across the salon to Lucas, the simmering rage returning, "But him? Stay away from him."
"Why?" she asked curiously, leaning forward. She liked how the big, tall man seemed to get distracted whenever she got closer to him. She might not be sure what to do with him, but she liked that she had an obvious effect on him. It was flattering. Though, she had to admit, he had an effect on her too. She was getting more and more used to the idea of having eye candy like him around, even if he was a little eccentric. Honestly, she even felt herself bonding with him.
Elric frowned looking over his shoulder at Lucas, as if considering his words, which she didn't doubt took a lot of effort for him. Usually, he seemed to vomit up whatever word barf came into his head with no thought whatsoever. "I do not like, or trust him. I forbid you going anywhere alone with him."
"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously. Elric was cute, and if she allowed herself, she could admit the longer she was around him, the more she was probably developing a little crush on him, despite knowing there were huge problems with their entire relationship, given all the weird stuff going on. But this? This was stupid, possessive male jealousy, and she wouldn't stand for it. She was allowing him into her life, trying to deal with all his oddities, but he was not going to tell her what to do. She was the one who understood humans, not him.
"I'm not going to avoid one of my employees," she said. "So you'll need to get over your jealousy."
He leaned over the counter arching his eyebrows. "Jealousy? That is what you think this is?" he asked.
She nodded, "You've decided I'm your little project and you don't want anyone interfering."
"Not my project, my mate," he said quietly followed with a soft growl.
She kept her voice low and narrowed her eyes at him, "I don't know what that means, and you don't even know me."
"You shall come to find out in due time. However, in the meantime, you should trust me. You will regret it if you do not."
She sighed, "Elric, this is ridiculous. I said you could hang around me. I'm trying to get to know you, believe you, and help you, but you can't control me. I'm not going to just do what you say."
He frowned, "Not even for your own safety?"
"No, not even for what you believe is my own safety," she said flatly.
He threw up his hands, "Fine!" He headed back to his chair, but she heard him mutter under his breath, "Stupid humans."
Rage coursed through her as she slammed the appointment book shut and walked over to her station to prepare for her next client. Who does he think he is? Just because she let him stay over then went shopping with him and walked arm in arm with him like they were real friends, it didn't mean he could call her stupid. Some of the nearby clients must have heard him, their heads turned in his direction but they seemed to ignore his comment. They were already used to him behaving oddly and, with his good looks, there was very little he could do to make the women stop fawning over him. Though, to his credit, he ignored their looks and advances.
She bit her lip. Why am I giving him credit? Why do I care who he consorts with? Why do I care if he flirts back? She swept the hair at her station into the dustpan and got ride of it. He didn't belong to her. He could do whatever he wanted. Why does that thought sting so badly?
Nothing made sense anymore.
For the remainder of the day, she did her best to ignore Elric. She brought him lunch when it was delivered for everyone, but other than that, she stayed focused on her work. When she did happen to look over at him, she would see him looking out at the street, watching people, or studying the people in the salon. Whether the rest of his story was bullshit or not, he did appear to be trying to come to some sort of conclusion. She felt a little bad for being so harsh toward him. He wasn't like anyone she had met before, but handsome and protective or not, he had no right to run her life.
No one did.
She was finishing up at the register when Lucas came to the counter. He sent Elric a nasty look, then leaned forward on the counter, "Can I talk to you in private?"
She bit her lip and for just a moment, she considered what Elric had said about not being alone with him, about regretting it if she did. Now she was being ridiculous. Elric was clearly jealous, and after all, if he were some kind of mythical creature from another time who thought she belonged to him, it made sense he would be. He hated all humans, not just Lucas, so that didn't help either.
"Sure," she said. "What did you need to talk about?"
She looked around to see the other stylists were mostly gone for the day. One had finished clearing her station but was now talking to Elric, who, for once, was actually being open and smiling at someone besides her. She hoped the other girl left soon.
"In the back room?" Lucas asked.
She frowned, "That's an odd place to talk."
"I don't want him around," he said pointing at Elric. "If we go outside, he'll just follow us."
She nodded. Lucas was her employee and she was his manager. If he needed to talk to her about something, she would make herself available. She walked toward the back room where they kept all the dyes and supplies. She could feel Elric's eyes following her as she went, Lucas walking behind her. Screw it, she thought. She would prove right here and now that there was nothing to worry about. She walked in and sat on the counter where they usually mixed dyes, clasping her hands on her knees and turning toward Lucas. She was on her feet all day and had no desire to stand for this conversation.
He shut and locked the door behind them, leaning on the counter across from her. For just a moment, a shudder of apprehension went through her as he looked over at her, but she calmed herself. She always had faith in people. She wouldn't let Elric and his paranoia take that away from her. However, when Lucas continued to look at her in silence, she was beginning to think this was a bad idea. She hopped down from the counter but he blocked her way.
"Sorry," he said. "You can sit, I just need a second to collect my thoughts."
"We can talk out there," she suggested.
"No, not with Elric out there."
"Come on, if it's work related, it doesn't matter if he hears it. Do you need a day off?"
"No," Lucas said sitting on the counter across from her as she slowly moved back to hers. "But I though we should talk about us."
Her jaw dropped, "Us?"
He gestured between them with one hand, "You know, this thing we've got going on."
"There's nothing going on. I'm your boss," she said.
He laughed, "Come on, you know what I mean."
She rubbed her temples feeling pressure building behind her eyes, "No, Lucas, I really don't. You're going to have to spell it out for me."
Before she could muster a squeak of surprise, he was there. His body placed between her legs, forcing her back into the counter as she tried to push down her skirt.
"You're always looking at me," he said pushing forward, getting more aggressive as his hands landed on her hips.
She shoved his hands away, "I'm your manager. I have to make sure you're working."
"That Elric guy, he's jealous because he can feel something between us. But I have to make the first move, just in case." He leaned in toward her, trying to bring his lips to hers and she put both her hands up to heave him back, keeping them between his face and hers.
"No! Lucas, stop it right now!" she squeaked. She had to hope he would, because no one would hear her through the door. She really didn't want everything ruined between her and a good employee.
Lucas was bizarrely strong for his lankiness and easily pinned her hands to her sides. "Oh stop. I know you want me. You're lonely, I get it. I see you go home alone whenever I'm here. You don't have to, we could have something together," he said.
She spit in his face and he recoiled. When he returned, there was dark, violent anger where amusement and lust had been moments before. "Let me go this instant," she demanded, struggling against his grip.
His hands tightened on hers and he muttered, "Bitch."
He came forward and she leaned back hoping to escape him somehow. Before his lips could touch hers, the door to the back room slammed open and a shadow loomed over them.
"Get off her, wolf," a deep voice commanded.