The Syren - 5,922 words - Rated E - CW: Smut
Gwyn Berdara is more than just the bartender at The Syren, she's the heart and soul of the place. She rebuilt the old pub from the ground up, turning it into a cocktail bar, and is fully committed to its success. She's always drawn the line at flirting with her customers, but when a patron begins quizzing her cocktail recipes, Gwyn finds herself willing to bend her rules.
This story is written from the ACOTAR Writing Circle. It will be continued by a different writer on 2 July and finished by a third on 23 July. Both parts will be added to this same work on AO3, or you can find the continued works through the Masterlist on @azrielshadowssing's page.
Part 1 by @headcanonheadcase | Part 2 under the cut | A03
Gwyn and Azriel texted back and forth that week and the weeks after. It had started innocently enough, with Azriel asking her the ingredients to the Adonis (again). Gwyn had carefully explained, knowing full well he could find out himself with a quick search on the internet. Occasionally, when he would ask for something a bit more complicated, she would send him video tutorials that she "threw together quickly." Gwyn would never admit that she had bribed Nesta with an extra day off if she'd help her film and edit those videos.
Though sometimes, the texts would straddle the line between safe and sexy, which Gwyn didn't mind in the slightest if she were being honest. And Gwyn especially didn't mind right now, as she lay curled up in her bed, her phone the only light source in her room. Azriel started typing.
Bronco: What's the difference between a sidecar and between the sheets?
Gwyn chuckled to herself and typed out a response: "Is this a setup to a bad pickup line?"
Bronco: The drinks, Syren.
Gwyn sent him a laughing emoji and: Between the Sheets uses rum. Sidecar is cognac. She bit her lip and then typed out. I can give you a taste next time you come.
Azriel started typing. Then stopped. Then started again. Gwyn put her phone down while she waited and let her hand drift down her thighs until she reached the hem of her underwear and hesitated. She hadn't meant for this situation to go this far, hadn't meant to talk this much or think about him as often as she did. Gwyn had expected him to hit her up occasionally for a hookup, not text her nearly every day.
She slipped her hand underneath the cotton and gently rubbed her clit in little circles. Ever since they had fucked in her car, she had been thinking about him. The way he filled and stretched her and - Her phone vibrated again.
Bronco: Of you too, I hope.
Gwyn groaned and did her best to type with one hand.
The Syren: Oh? And that's all?
Azriel started typing again. God, he took forever.
Gwyn set her phone down, peeled her underwear and nightshirt off, and tossed them to a far corner of her room. Spreading her legs, she savored the feeling of the cool night air against her skin. Starting at her breasts, Gwyn slowly ran her hands down her body, grazing gently over the curves of her breasts, around her nipples, and down the flat planes of her stomach until she reached her inner thighs.
She sighed, her fingers ghosting over her skin, wondering if Azriel would dare be this gentle. If, given the time, he would have savored her like this. She reached back to her breasts and squeezed them, running her thumbs over her nipples like he had that night in her Bronco. Teasing her until he had taken her breast out, and - she groaned. Imagining that tongue wrapping around her, sucking and pulling her nipple until it was hard and swollen.
Gywn reached down to her pussy, lightly alternating, circling her entrance and her clit. The feeling of it gives way to a spasm of pleasure. She dipped her finger in, relishing how warm and wet she was. She imagined Azriel at the foot of her bed, breaths tickling her inner thigh as he circled her clit with his tongue.
With her other hand, she reached for the vibrator and turned it on, using the lowest setting to continue teasing herself while she went back to playing with her breasts. Azriel would lick her first, his middle finger slowly inching in as he sucked on her clit. Then, when she was too busy groaning, he would slip in a second or third, almost too much, and pull an orgasm from her before rubbing that massive cock of his against her, coating himself. Gwyn rubbed the shaft of the vibrator against herself in the same way, taking care to nudge against her clit to send jolts of pleasure to her lower stomach.
Then when he was ready, Azriel would use his hand to guide his cock into her, pushing in gently, stretching her so much. She thought of how he had filled her perfectly when she had sunk down onto him that night. She pinched her nipple one more time before she brought her hand down to rub her clit. Carefully she pushed the vibrator in and out of her, coaxing herself to take more and more until the toy was buried to the hilt. Gwyn groaned at the familiar fullness.
She rubbed her clit more furiously now as she moved the vibrator in and out of her. The sloppy wet sounds urged her to move faster, to try and match the pace from that night. She remembered how it felt to ride Azriel, the eroticism at seeing his length disappear into her as she sank down on him. At this, Gwyn set the vibrations higher and rubbed that spot inside her with every thrust of the toy, meeting it with her hips as she pushed herself higher and higher until…
Gwyn’s vision turned white as she felt herself spasm around the vibrator, her pussy gripping the toy so harshly that it almost hurt. Her back arched, and her toes curled as she rode that high, crying out into the dark of her room. She thought of Azriel then, too, groaning into her ear as he came inside her.
She almost missed her phone buzzing as she came down from that high. She reached out to her side and patted the mattress until her hand caught the edge of the phone. She brought it to her face and squinted at the bright light.
Bronco: We'll see.
"Fuck!" Gwyn groaned into the darkness, all smiles and flushed cheeks. Fine, he wants to play coy, she thought; we can play coy. So with her head still filled with the vision of his amber eyes, she drifted to sleep.
Azriel had been strangely silent the rest of the week. Gwyn hated to admit it, but she checked her phone far too often, knowing full well that she had selected a unique text tone for if he messaged her. He was allowed to have a life outside of this, whatever this was, so Gwyn set to focusing on The Syren. Many new customers had come in late anyway, and every night was busier and busier. Not that she would complain.
Today she had decided to come in early with Emerie and Nesta to prepare for the weekend rush. An hour before opening, she had started prepping the lemons and other garnishes to make her night easier, oblivious to her friends creeping up on her from behind.
"Earth to Gwyn. Anyone home?" Emerie waved her hand in front of the redhead. Nesta shook her head with a chuckle as she took out the container for the lemon slices and handed them to Gywn.
"Oh, sorry," Gwyn said, punctuated with a laugh. She put the knife down and wiped her hands on a towel. "I've got a lot on my mind."
Nesta held her hands out. "A lot?" She moved her hands farther away from one another. "Or A lot?"
"Oh, shut up!" Gwyn said, giving her a withering stare and scooping the slices into a bin. "Don't you have work to do?"
Emerie cackled at this. "She does, or do you have another video you want to send?"
"Ruthless!" Gwyn said, a smile tugging at her mouth. "Seriously though, do you mind giving the tables one more wipe down?" Nesta gave a thumbs up and started polishing the wood. Gwyn knew she could be meticulous; that's what made The Syren so damn good. If the influx of customers stayed around, she'd have enough to make some of those quality-of-life improvements she'd wanted.
When Emerie opened the bar, it was quick to fill up. Gaggles of college-aged girls and their friends stumbled in alongside The Syren's regulars. This evening was busier than most, giving Gwyn little time to think about anything other than churning out order after order. Gin and Tonics, Godfathers, Whiskey Neat. Vodka shots. At the very least, the rhythm was comforting and kept her hands busy.
She felt the pocket of her jeans buzz and sent her hand flying to her pants pocket. She pulled out her phone and rolled her eyes when she saw it was Emerie, who gave her a knowing smile from across the room.
Emerie: Look who just arrived.
Gwyn heard the boom of Cassian's voice first, boisterous enough to carry over the persistent hum of the bar's patrons. As usual, he was making his way to Nesta's side with a party of newcomers trailing behind him. Gwyn scanned the group until she locked eyes with Azriel, who, after whispering something in Cassian's ear, wandered to the bar, a smile teasing the corner of his mouth.
Gywn took an order from another guest and set out to make their drink as Azriel settled into his seat. She poured the drink and handed it to the customer on her left, then she turned to face her favorite customer, a smile lighting up her face. She wondered if he noticed the teal of her lacy bra peaking out from under her tanktop, that she had worn her nice jeans… or that her hair was pulled back to highlight her clavicles just so.
"What's it going to be this time?" she said, leaning forward on the bar, giving him an eyeful of her cleavage again. She smirked when she caught his eyes dart down momentarily before meeting her gaze. "Sidecar or …?" She prompted.
"Between the sheets," he replied in his smooth, silky voice. Gwyn hummed thoughtfully and started pulling the bottles of rum and cognac from the shelf. She gathered her supplies and returned to him.
"Care for a demonstration?" she said as she grabbed an orange for a garnish.
"If you're offering," he said with a playful lilt. Gwyn started preparing the drink and looked back to where Cassian's hearty laugh danced across the room. Nesta was spending her break leaning into the man's arms, chatting amicably with the others at the table.
"Who did Cassian bring this time? Haven't seen them around before." Gwyn said, pouring the drink into a cocktail shaker and beginning to mix the beverage.
"Just some old friends," he said with a shrug. Something about how he said that seemed…off, but Gwyn didn't comment. She simply nodded and poured the drink into a coupe glass.
"Enjoy. I'll see you on my break if you'd like to taste something else," she said cocking her brow. "Same place, same time."
Azriel nodded and took a drink, swiping his tongue over his lips. "Delicious"
Then, the blond sitting at Cassian's booth walked over, long blond hair tossed effortlessly over her shoulder. Gwyn had to admit that she was gorgeous and walked like she knew it, earning appreciative stares from the patrons around her. Standing at the counter next to Azriel, she propped her elbow on it.
"What are you drinking?" she asked him. Before he could say, she plucked the drink, took a sip, and grinned. "Oooh, that's super good," she said, placing Azriel's glass in front of him. He looked like he was about to say something, mouth open, but thought better of it. He took another sip of his drink.
"Can I help you?" Gwyn said, feeling her stomach churn a bit. Who the hell is this?
"I'd love a Long Island ice tea," the blonde said with a wink to Gwyn.
Gwyn gave her thin-lipped smile. "Sure thing. Do you want me to start a tab?"
"No, no, Cass is paying for me today," she said with a giggle gesturing back to the booth where the rest of Azriel's friends were enjoying themselves. Gwyn's eyes darted to Azriel, but he avoided her gaze, cheeks tinted pink.
Gwyn hummed and started with the woman's drink. The woman started chatting again.
"Why don't you come sit with the rest of us?" She lightly tapped his shoulder. "We're bored watching you from across the bar. Besides, you have to officially meet Nesta." Her voice took a sing-song quality when she mentioned Gwyn's friend.
Azriel seemed to ponder this for a moment, his eyes darting from Gwyn back to his companion. "I.." he started, all the bravado from before dying on his tongue.
Gwyn set the drink down in front of the woman without a word while this went on. Was she being petty? Probably. She didn't care.
"Alright," Azriel finally said. He dragged himself away from the bar and carried the Long Island Ice tea with him as the blond woman waded back to the booth. Gwyn turned away, but not before catching him looking back at her.
With a huff, Gwyn returned to that rhythm from before, taking orders, pouring drinks, and stuffing the cash tips into the jar she kept to share between employees. Occasionally, she'd glance up to see Azriel tucked into the booth, looking at the blond with the saddest pair of eyes. Ugh. Whatever, it was just a hookup. There would be others, Gwyn told herself.
Thankfully her break came soon enough, and she placed her apron on a hook. She walked out to the parking lot and locked herself in her Bronco, waiting to see if Azriel would come to her.
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