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Before she could avoid him, he had hold of her arm and was pulling her through the restaurant to the short hall and the large office past the restrooms.
Oh, this so wasn’t good. Natches hadn’t dragged her around like a puppy since she was five years old.
Unlocking the office door, he pushed her inside before following. At least he released her before moving into the well-appointed room with a disgusted breath.
“Bastard liked his comfort, didn’t he?” He stared around the office at the leather seating arrangement and glass table. The desk was Janey’s addition. Scarred and comfortable, it beat the contemporary modern glass one Dayle Mackay had had before his arrest.
“And I like keeping myself in comfort. ” Janey propped her hand on her hip, flicked her gaze to where Alex leaned against the wall, his eyes narrowed on her, then back to Natches. “What the hell is up with this? I have work to do if you don’t mind, and dealing with you in a snit isn’t conducive to that job. ”
“Stan Johnson called from the newspaper a few hours ago,” he informed her as he took a seat on the corner of her desk. “Says you put an ad in the paper. ”
Janey lifted her chin before shooting Alex an accusing glance. “He wasn’t supposed to tell you. ”
Natches shot her a hard grin. “He’s more scared of me than he is of you, sis. He squealed like a rat. ”
Janey grimaced at the image. Actually, Johnson probably reminded some people of just that rodent.
“And how is this his business?” She nodded to Alex.
“You carry matching hickeys,” Natches snapped. “You made it his business. ”
Great. She barely managed to keep from lifting her hand to cover the mark everyone had been staring at that evening.
“Like hell. ” She shot Alex a scowl.
“We’re not going to argue over this,” Natches told her coldly. “I’ve done had my spat with Alex; I’m not following up with you. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. ”
“And that is?” She jerked her head to him, feeling the anger beginning to clench inside her.
“When you hire a new manager, this place closes down,” he told her. “I’ll burn the bastard to the ground as I should have six months ago. You got me?”
“You’re not the only owner, Natches. ” Janey could feel it. She hated it. She could feel the anger beginning to build, to crash past the shield she kept around it. “Don’t walk in here and think you can order me around, because I won’t fight with you. I’ll call your wife. ”
There was a long, slow blink of outraged green eyes.
“You did not just threaten to tell Chaya on me,” he growled.
“It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise. ” She shrugged. “Now I need to get back to work. ”
“Janey. ” His voice stopped her. It was somber, serious.
“What?”
“You wouldn’t actually leave me, would you?”
She looked away, then breathed out roughly. “I don’t know, Natches,” she finally whispered, shaking her head. “Right now I just don’t know. I know when I open the banquet room for more tables, I’m going to need more help. If I give up the managerial side and just take over the paperwork and other business areas, then it will free my time up some. I’m not thinking past that right now. ”
She couldn’t, until she knew if there was a baby or not.
“She’s not going anywhere. I told you that,” Alex stated, still watching her.
Natches flicked Alex a look, then turned his gaze back to her. Thoughtful, almost calculating, his silent regard made her nervous as hell. Natches crossed his ankle over his knee and watched her intently.
“I have work to do. ”
“We’re talking,” Natches informed her tightly.
“No, we’re not talking. You’re trying to intimidate me. Both of you are and I’m not having it. ” She rounded on him, anger pulsing in every beat of her blood now. “Why? Last I heard you wanted me away from him anyway because he was too old for me. ” She pointed imperiously to Alex. “So why the hell are you letting a damned hickey decide if he gets to watch you knock me down a peg or two?”
