A sinking feeling settles in my stomach. Wait, didn’t the man wearing the mask who dropped off Silas’s crew member’s body have a similar burn mark?
A tightening knot continues in my stomach. Is it possible?
The front door opens, and the man immediately stands upright when he sees Cian and a few of his men walk in. Tori clears her throat as she says, “I need to get my boss. I’ll talk to you later.”
He doesn’t reply as he walks out, and my mind begins turning over ideas. Could that have been who brought in the body? But that doesn’t mean he took it. Or does it?
Tori steps through the door and jumps the moment she sees me. “Jesus, you look like death when you sneak up on me. The Hayes crew is here to see you.”
I nod but quickly inquire, “Who was that just now?”
She seems to pale slightly, and I don’t like it because my instinct is screaming at me that something is wrong.
“Oh, that’s just Giorgos, but I just call him George,” she says, her voice fracturing a bit. They’re obviously well acquainted.
“Giorgos, who?” My gaze narrows, and she rubs her elbow.
“Giorgos Nero,” she says quietly. “I know what you’re about to say, he’s part of the crew, but he’s sweet, and we haven’t done anything. I don’t know.” She casually shrugs. “I should probably cut it off, huh?”
I go to speak, but I close my mouth when Cian calls out from the front. “Doc, are you there?”
I feel like a hypocrite as I say, “Just don’t mix business with pleasure.” Though the thoughts racing through my mind aren’t about her love life or reprimanding her.
What if he’s the one who did it? What if Tori is somehow involved?
She nods. “I’m going to finish up for the day. Are you going to be okay?”
I simply nod, that feeling in my stomach swirling with nausea.
When I walk out, Cian and his men are talking shit about customer service. He immediately turns around when he sees me and gives me his best smile as he leans across the counter, which only further sours my mood.
“More beautiful than ever, Doc,” he says. I say nothing in return. I have learned not to play men’s games when they egg you on for compliments. They want to carry it on and make it more than it is. That’s not happening here. When I don’t say anything, he reaches into his jacket, pulls out an envelope,and slides it across the counter. His hand lies on top of it. For the first time in a long time, I reach up and grab it, not even thinking. He’s just as surprised as I am, but he acts faster, and his hand covers mine. I try to pull free, but he tightens his grasp. “You are way too beautiful to be locked up here every night. Let me take you out. Just us, on a date,” he presses.
“Remove your hand,” I tell him, while my other hand reaches under the counter for the gun that’s stored there.
“Come on, Doc, just once. I bet I can make you want another. I’ll wine and dine you…” He leans in real close. “Then I will make you scream after…” he finishes, and my hand closes around the gun, ready to pull it out. It would be a stupid mistake to shoot him right now. For the simple fact that he’s not technically doing anything wrong, other than touching my hand, and won’t remove his own from it.
Asshole.
But sometimes assholes need to be shot to be taught a lesson.
And almost every time, I have to fight my internal crazy that’s rather good at handing out lessons to men like these.
“The lady told you already to remove your fucking hand.” The last words are said through gritted teeth. He is behind me. How the fuck he keeps getting in is beyond me. He most likely slipped in after Tori left through the back door.
Instantly, Cian releases me and slides his hands down his jacket like he’s done nothing. He nods to me, and I remove the money from the counter and slide it into the drawer. I can feel him at my back, and I hate that he is showcasing that he has some kind of pull over me. Cian finally nods and turns, walking out. As soon as he’s gone, Silas’s voice comes over my shoulder again.
“Do you plan to shoot me with it as well? If not, remove your hand.”
“Why should I?” I say to him, keeping my hand on the gun. “You’ve proven that you like to break into places that you aren’t invited to.”
“Am I not invited?” he asks and presses himself against me. Removing the gun, I push back into him and turn around so I am facing him. He wastes no time before he presses me against the counter, and all that heated tension from the previous night blooms all over again.
I’m immediately torn between desire, telling him to fuck off, or expressing that I now have suspicions about the Nero family. But I refuse to have that conversation or involve Tori, especially when I don’t know if any of it is factual. It’s just a hunch, though I’m rarely wrong about these things.
So I do what every sane girl does. I bring the gun to his head, reminding him I’m not some beautiful thing to be caged or pressed. To simply be here for his entertainment. This is my place of work, and I take that very seriously.
His eyes spark with fire, his cock hardening as I bring the loaded barrel up underneath his jaw.
