“Not that.” Although, I absolutely do blame myself. “Before your mum went into rehab.” I take a breath, ready to admit my shame. “Deep down, I knew things weren’t okay. I should have seen the signs but I ignored them and you suffered. I put my needs in front of yours, and I won’t do that again.”
“Those things would have happened if you had been there or not. You’ve taken me in. You’ve helped Mum. You do so much for us. You get to be happy too.”
I hug my girl. She is wise for her age, but she still doesn’t get it. I can’t lose focus again.
~
“You’re not okay!”
“I’m fine,” I repeat, again.
“You’re clearly not.” Charles won’t drop this. He says I’m cold and closed off since I ended things with Reilly. He’s right, but I won’t admit it. I’m heartbroken. I’m lost. I’m ashamed.
I broke her heart and mine. I never wanted things to end with Reilly. Especially like this. But I had no choice. She was under my skin, and the only way I could release her would be with a quick clean break.
I haven’t heard from her. Neive has, and I can tell whenever they have been in contact because I get the cold shoulder for a day or two.
MJ has been living back home with us and we started looking for a place for them. Ideally, I’d like them to stay here, but I understand MJ’s need to live on her own two feet. I can’t imagine life when they leave.
Jeeves comes into the office, dropping a manila folder on my desk. I slide it towards me and open it.
“This didn’t take you long.” I only asked Jeeves to get me this info yesterday.
“It’s to do with Reilly. I assumed you wanted it as a priority,” he retorts, taking a seat and crossing one leg over his knee. “And I may have already started after you informed me of the incident in the bakery.” As always, anticipating my moves.
Charles eyes us both suspiciously. “Should we be sad or glad the police got there just as you did, Jeeves?”
Jeeves shrugs. The bruising on his hands has turned to a purple-blue, but will properly take a few more weeks before it’s gone completely. My shame, on the other hand, is going to take a lot longer.
First Reilly’s ex attacks her in the bakery, right in front of me, then Neive is nearly kidnapped. Call me Jack Bauer, that was the most intense twenty-four hours I ever had. And I have no plans to experience it again. My girls need to be safe and I’ll take any precautions I deem necessary.
Whatever is going on between Reilly and me, I still care deeply for her. Her safety will always be my priority. She may think her scumbag ex Tim Regent will leave her alone, but I won’t take that chance.
“Anything I need to know?” I ask Jeeves.
“Nothing too concerning. He’s your classic trust-fund rich boy. He’s got a position within his daddy’s financial services company. It’s more symbolic than actually useful. Classic nepotism.”
I wouldn’t have put Tim Regent as Reilly’s type, but she is anything but predictable. I scan the information, considering my options.
Jeeves is staring at me, waiting for his next instructions.
“Keep him occupied for me. I don’t want him to have any time to be bothering Reilly again.”
“How occupied?”
“Nothing permanent. Maybe financial or work-related.”
“Mr Regent is about to make a few bad investments.” There’s an unnerving grin on Jeeves’s face.
“I’m serious Jeeves, no bodily harm.” His grin dips into a disappointed frown. “Of course, we keep our eyes on him. If he goes near Reilly again. Well, then we can reassess,” I tell him as he heads out to do what he does best.
Charles moves the folder in front of him and flicks through it casually. “Those hackers, the ones who tried to blackmail us with guest information from the VIPs at Waterside,” he starts, staring at the side of my face. I say nothing, waiting for him to finish his question. “Was that Jeeves?” His voice was tinged with both suspicion and wonder.
“Why would Jeeves hack our hotel’s security?” It’s a childish response, but ask stupid question, get stupid answers.
I snatch back the folder holding the ex’s information and file it away in the bottom drawer of my desk. Finally havingCharles’s attention, I open the budget report for the hotel on my computer. Hoping to show him why he needs to stop sleeping with the staff. Our recruitment costs are out of control. I show him a breakdown of everyone who has left in the last year.
He rolls his eyes at me. “What happened to them?”
