“That you need protection and some other things. That’s what I do. I can install cameras and?—”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“Exactly what I said. No. This won’t work. Thanks for coming.”
He splutters with indignation. “You can’t just say no.”
“Sure, I can. I just did. And fun fact, no is a full sentence just like fuck off,” I tell him, finally losing my cool. I sense someone step up behind me, but I don’t take my eyes off Ryan.
“You don’t get to speak to me like that. I came here as a favor to a friend anyway.”
“I’ll speak to you any damn way I please. You’re on my property, and you’re being rude.”
He opens his mouth to say something else when Riggs’s voice sounds from behind me. “The lady asked you to leave. I suggest you do so before I throw you out.”
Ryan surges forward, but Riggs slides me behind him in an instant, which has Ryan backing up.
“Fuck this,” he scoffs before practically running to his truck.
We both watch him drive away before Riggs turns to me. “You okay?”
I nod, my mouth suddenly dry. “Yeah, thanks.”
“That guy was an asshole.”
My lips twitch. “He said the same about you.”
“Figures. I’ll let you get back to it anyway. I put the box on your bed.”
“Thanks again.” I watch him head back to the truck, oddly mesmerized by the man.
“Is he bothering you?”
I whirl around, my heart in my throat.
Clipboard guy backs up, looking apologetic. “Sorry, I thought you heard me. I asked if he was bothering you.”
I frown, thinking he’s a bit late to ask me that, when I realize he’s talking about Riggs. “You mean Riggs?”
“That’s the big fella’s name? Then yeah.”
“Wait, you don’t know him?”
“You got a pretty big haul here, miss, and I only have so many guys I could spare at the last minute. Had a friend of mine send over a couple of people to help out.”
“Oh, okay, makes sense. And no, he wasn’t bothering me. The opposite, in fact.”
“Okay, good. We’ve finished emptying the one truck. We’ll be moving on to the second as soon as we’ve put some things together.”
Put things together?
I refrain from asking as another car approaches.
“No problem. I’ll leave you to it.”
He nods and heads down to Riggs as the vehicle heading this way comes into focus.
