Grabbing my purse, I head into the hallway and down toward Beverly’s office. I was briefly introduced to her yesterday when Sebastian found time to take me around to meet people on the floor, so I know that her office is next to Hans’. I’ll pop in quick to tell her about the Germany trip and then get to Axle’s. I can get in, shuffle Jackie out with some excuse and be out of there within the hour. No problem.
“Beverly?” I knock on the door and the cherubic face of Hans’ assistant looks up at me from behind her monitor with a smile.
“Evelyn! They have you working today, too? Welcome to the company, I guess!” Despite the words, her face doesn’t lose its smile, nor does her voice lose its enthusiastic lilt. “I’m so glad you stopped by. I’ve been meaning to come and say hello, but you know everyone is just in such a tizzy about this whole Velocity Motors fiasco.”
“Right.” I nod, flashing her a smile to match her own. Beverly is very friendly, and it’s hard not to return her amicability, even though I’m in a rush. “That’s actually why I’m here—”
“Oh, of course,” she interrupts, “I bet Sebastian has got you working on the same problem. He’s been in here talking to Hans a lot lately. We’ve never had something like this happen before, so as you can imagine, no one has any idea what to do about it. How bizarre, right—someone stealing a whole truck load of engine parts? Who would do such a thing? Hans told me that the police don’t seem to have any leads yet, either. They told him not to expect to get them back. They said they’re probably on a boat to China or something already. Isn’t that crazy?”
“Yes, that is pretty nuts,” I agree, the smile on my face feeling a little bit more forced now.
“You know, my neighbor had his car stolen last summer, and it was the same thing. The police told him that he would probably never see it again. Then, just a few weeks ago, he got a call from a detective that said that his car had turned up, but you’ll never guess where it was.”
“Where?” I ask, playing along.
“Africa. Can you believe it? They got a call about the VIN number on a car seized in Algeria or Angola, or one of those places, matching the VIN number on a list of missing cars that they had from the US. Imagine that—someone steals a car from here and ships it all the way across the world. How could that be any cheaper than buying a car over there? Why, I ordered some hair curlers from someone on eBay in England, and the shipping was actually more than the curlers themselves. And England isn’t nearly as far as Africa...”
I can’t believe that Beverly wasted thirty minutes of my time. Wow, that woman can talk. I’m not sure if she thinks I was rude or not, after finally having to interrupt and then refocus her on the Hans flight issue three times before I was able to confirm that she was going to take care of it. Maybe she just figures that it’s Saturday and there is more room to socialize than normal, but I’m in a hurry to get out of here.
Aside from making Jackie wait, I’m even more worried I might run into Sebastian when he comes back to the office, but luckily I make it out before he returns. It’s only three p.m. now, and the bar parking lot looks pretty empty, so my plan should still be okay. Just get in, get out with Jackie, and then get the hell away from here.
I wonder why I don’t see her car, though. Maybe her bartender boyfriend drove her and she needs a ride home? If she lost her phone, maybe she lost her whole purse. Wallet, car keys, everything. Maybe that’s why she needs me. I wish she would have just called me instead of sending that e-mail, though. Wherever she was must have had a phone. Hell, she could have called me from here.
Even during the day, the dim light of the bar makes everything inside seem dirty and moody. Maybe that’s the way the MC like it, although none of them are here right now. Probably too early for them. Jackie is nowhere to be seen, either. The place is all but deserted save a few old men sitting around and nursing drinks as they stare at a golf game on the television.
It took me a lot longer to get here than I expected. Maybe Jackie ended up solving her own problem without me. No messages on my phone from her, and she was the first one I gave me new cell number to. It would be pretty rude, and unlike her, not to call and let me know.
“What can I get you?” The bartender at Axle’s today is a woman. She’s small and has dark hair and a couple of piercings in places that don’t normally get pierced. I expected to see the guy from last week, Andy, that Jackie is dating. Or fucking. I’m not sure how serious they are beyond having a lot of hot sex that she’s been pretty graphic in describing to me every time we talk. Maybe he only works the night shift.
“Uh, just a water for now.” She frowns at me, but then turns to fill a glass. I haven’t gotten a paycheck yet and I don’t plan on staying long enough to finish a drink. If Jackie isn’t here in a few minutes, I can’t stick around and wait. I pull out my phone and stare at it, willing it to ring as I ease onto one of the well-worn stools and wait for my water.
“If you’re waiting for my call, I’ll need your new number first.”
A chill runs up my spine as I spin around. “What the hell are you doing here again?” How the hell is Edward tracking me now? Is he stalking me?
“Why, meeting you, of course.” His smile used to seem charming, now it just makes my stomach turn.
“I’m here to meet… oh. Fuck you, Edward.” I stand up to leave as the sick realization of being played for a fool hits me. It all makes sense now. Jackie isn’t coming, and she never was. “Your IT group hacks e-mails now?”
Edward laughs as he shifts his body to block me. “No hacking required here, either. Changing the ‘from’ field of an e-mail is something even I can do without help.”
“That makes sense,” I agree. “You’re probably used to people not wanting to return your messages. Besides, if I were you, I’d want to pretend to be anyone other than Edward Stonewall as often as possible, too.”
The smile on his face falters just a touch, but then he laughs again. “Ah, see? I missed your quick wit. But how else would I have convinced you to meet with me? So it was all for the greater good.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t have met with you, and now I’m going to leave. Get out of my way, Edward.”
“Now, now, no need to be rude,” Edward says, shifting his position again to stand in my way as I try to go around him. “I’m here for your benefit, Evelyn. Things must be getting pretty desperate by now. An expensive apartment, no family, and hardly any friends in town. No job prospects. Why do you have to be so stubborn? Just come back with me to VI and we’ll pretend all this nastiness never even happened. You can have your old job back, and I’ll even pay you for the last few weeks as if you were on vacation.”
“I realize that the word is foreign enough to you because you surround yourself with people afraid to use it, but let me say it again: no. Speaking of which, where are dumb and dumber? I didn’t think you’d set foot in this place again without them. Although, with what little they did last time to protect you, I actually would have expected you to bring even more of them.”
“I’ve had this place checked out. It’s dead during the day. Perfect for our conversation. No need for interruptions.”
“Whatever, Edward. There is no more conversation. I’ve told you no for the last time. Now please get the hell out of my way so I can go back to my job.”
His eyes widen and I feel a sense of smug satisfaction. That was the response I was hoping for. “With who? McDonald’s? They’re about the only place I didn’t bother blocking, because frankly, I didn’t think you’d stoop that low. You’re going to make me sad now, Evelyn. I don’t want to see you debase yourself drastically.”
“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” I’m so over Edward and his crap. I don’t even care what he thinks anymore, but when I try to walk past him again, he grabs my forearm. It reminds me of last weekend, only this time there isn’t really anyone around to come to my rescue. I quickly glance over at the bartender but she’s playing on her phone. I’m sure if I
yell she’d at least call the cops. Then again, Edward isn’t much of a fighter. She’s small, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she could take him herself anyway. She looks scrappy. I must have smiled at the thought.
“This isn’t a joke, Evelyn,” Edward hisses at me as his fingers dig into my arm. “I mentioned last week that there are deals that are hanging in the balance here. I don’t have time to train anyone else, and frankly, you dealt with some of these accounts personally, and they’re looking to have you come back. I can only make excuses for so long before I start to look bad. Don’t make me sue you.”
“For what?” I scoff.
“You left with key information about these accounts. Information that you neglected to record and took with you illegally. Perhaps wherever your new job is only took you in because you promised to give them inside information about VI.”
“That’s bullshit, Edward. You’re only mad because I was doing work outside of a regular EA. I was running accounts, and you were paying me an EA salary. You didn’t recognize the work I was doing until I left and now you realize how badly you fucked up and what you lost.”
Edward is staring at me, his thin lips pursed and green eyes narrowed. “Fine. You’re right. Come back and I’ll give you a proper title. You can help me hire a new EA and you can continue working with your old accounts, as well as new ones.”
I can’t deny the sense of satisfaction that flows through me now that he’s finally admitted my worth. As much as I want to be recognized for more than just being an assistant, there’s no way I’m going to go back to work for Edward even though I know it means having to prove myself somewhere else all over again.
“No, thank you. I’m happy where I am.”
“And where is that?” he snorts. “Are you cleaning houses? Stripping? If you want to move up in the world, Evelyn, then you need to work for a real company. I’m offering you a real job. You won’t get that anywhere else.”
“I already have a real job. At a big company doing what I was doing with you. Now let me go, or—”
I’m cut off as the front door to the club opens, flooding the dim atmosphere with sunlight that is then blocked by the frame of the big man that steps into the threshold and the other couple of men that are right behind him. Edward turns to look as well, and his reaction is the same as mine. “Shit, not this guy again,” he mutters.
Once the sunlight is blocked from behind, my eyes adjust and focus properly. I wish they had stayed obscured. Staring at both of us with a cold, angry stare is Bash.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BASH
She had one rule. One fucking rule. Stay the fuck out of this place. And yet here she fucking is. And with him again, although with the grip he has on her arm, that may not be by choice. Stonewall is a dangerous man, but so am I. For different reasons.
The look on Evelyn’s face tells me that she isn’t happy to see me. Good. That means she remembers that I told her to stay the fuck out of here. So why am I looking at her? My blood is boiling, and I’m trying not to let it show but I’m regretting swinging by the copy place and getting Snake, Ripper, and Knox to follow me back here. Otherwise I could have gotten Evelyn out of here without notice, but both of them are staring at the couple now, clearly alerted to how we’re all glaring at each other.
Ripper—now there’s an entirely different problem. He shouldn’t have been at the copy place, but there he was, not unlike how Evelyn is where she’s not supposed to be now. Christ, does everyone just ignore my orders these days?
“Looks like we have a problem here, boys,” I say as I move toward Stonewall and Evelyn. First things first, he needs to take his hands off of her. “You come without your big friends today, little man?”
Edward’s eyes flick around, as if he’s searching for help but the old men watching TV on the other side of the bar seem oblivious, and Veronica behind the bar knows how to keep her eyes to herself when it comes to us. There is fear in Edward’s gaze, but it’s only there for an instant before he collects himself. Stonewall is not a man that is used to being intimidated, so I imagine it’s easy for him to dismiss that feeling knowing that he can usually regain the upper hand.
“My mistake for assuming you had some sort of job to go to during the day.” Edward is looking at me as if I should be insulted.
“I could say the same about you. Fancy suit, but still here in a dive bar harassing women at three p.m. Speaking of which, how about you remove your hand from her arm before I snap it the fuck off.” I have been trying to keep the edge out of my voice, but just watching him continue to grip Evelyn has made it impossible.
“I would advise you to keep your own hands to yourself, sir. And mind your own business, as I said last week. This woman works for me, and we were just leaving anyway.”
“Oh, she does, does she?” I raise my eyebrow, but the look on Evelyn’s face tells me all I need to know.
“Fuck off, Edward. I told you I already have another job and I’m not at all interested in coming back to work for you, regardless.” I watch as she yanks her arm, but his grip remains tight. I can feel my jaw clenching.
“The lady has made herself clear. Now take your hands off of her before I have to put my hands on you.”
Edward is glaring at Evelyn, but as I talk, he shifts his gaze to me. “I would advise against that. You obviously have no idea who I am.”
I do, but more importantly, he has no idea who I am. I need to keep it that way, and yet I don’t know how much longer I can keep from ripping his head off if he doesn’t take his hands off of Evelyn. “Who you are is a skinny man in a suit, who needs to let go of this woman and get the fuck out of this bar. Very, very quickly.” It sounds like there is gravel in my voice, but all I can concentrate on right now is my clenching fist and not burying it in Stonewall’s face.
“I don’t take orders from future convicts trying to look tough in leather jackets. The lady and I have some unfinished business, and I’ll thank you to move along as our discussions are private.”
I’d like to think that if shit weren’t going down as it was at the club and the office, I might have been able to hold myself back, even against Edward’s annoyingly nasal voice and entitled attitude. As it is, I’m not even aware of the punch until I see him hit the floor and my arm return to my body. Crap. This won’t end well. At least he’s no longer holding onto Evelyn. She’s just standing there in shock, looking back between me and the man on the floor holding his eye.
“You hit me!” he exclaims. “I can’t believe you hit me. You have no idea the trouble you’re in! Evelyn, call the police.”
Evelyn takes a step back, but makes no move to grab her phone or do anything to help her former lover. It looks more like she’s getting out of the way in case he tries to grab her again.
“Fine, I’ll do it myself,” he says, reaching into his inside pocket and fishing around.
My jaw is still clenched, but now my chest is tight as well. There’s no way this will end well. My secret is done if I get arrested for hitting this prick.
“And what exactly are you going to tell them?” Evelyn suddenly says.
Edward has his phone out now, holding on to it with the hand that isn’t still clutching at his eye. He looks up from the keypad and then struggles to his feet. “What the hell do you mean, what am I going to tell them? I’m going to tell them about how this criminal just assaulted me in a bar full of witnesses.”
“Really?” Evelyn asks. “So you’re going to lie to them?”
“What?” he sputters, glaring at his ex-employee. “What are you talking about? You were standing right here. That’s exactly what happened.”
“Strange, because from my vantage point, it looked like you threw the first punch. Look, I think you even cut him over the eye. And then of course you grabbed me after hitting him. I’ll probably have a bruise from where you were holding me. I don’t see how he could have done anything different other than defend himself and me from your attack.”
> “What?” Edward is gaping at her now before he turns to look at me, squinting at the scar over my eye that I didn’t bother covering up this morning. “That cut is already half-healed! No one would ever believe… what the fuck?”
His eyes widen as I use my keys to nick the cut, opening it up again. I feel the blood trickling down the side of my face.
“You’re a lunatic,” Edward shrieks, looking around. The old men watching the game are still watching it. Whether they ever turned to see the commotion or not I don’t know, but they’re certainly not paying any attention now. Edward looks at the Soldiers behind me and I hear Snake laugh.
“Pretty nasty the way you threw that punch with keys in your hand. You could have taken Bash’s eye out. Maybe he should sue you? Looks like you got some money.”
The phone in Edward’s hand seems forgotten as he looks around helplessly. “This is ridiculous,” he finally says. He turns to glare at Evelyn. “That’s it. My offer is rescinded. Good luck in obscurity.” He looks back at me now, licking his lips quickly before stepping around me and heading for the door. “I’m sure suing you would end up costing me more in legal fees than I could ever recover, even if I was given your entire miserable and worthless life.” With that he yanks open the door to the bar and disappears. Hopefully for good this time.
Silver and Chrome: A Bad Boy MC Romance Page 12