AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Now, let’s get down to business,” she says, glancing my way. “Mr. Taylor?”
I step forward. “The rules were simple, were they not?”
“Yes,” the man mutters. “Mr. Taylor, I’m sorry—”
Rosey slices his throat. I’m so shocked, I stare open-mouthed, then check to my left, where Albert is staring back at me. “Sorry, I was bored,” she says, jumping from the guy’s lap and wiping her blade on his shirt. “Is anyone else hungry? I’m starving.” She begins to unbutton her blood-stained shirt. “I skipped breakfast for this.”
“What the fuck was that?” I eventually ask.
She drops her shirt to the ground and stands before us in a white lace bra, which is also blood stained. “You didn’t want him dead?”
“Well, yes, but . . .”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s not how we do business,” Albert states, staring at the gurgling mess before us.
“You hired me to do a job, I did it.” She bends and begins to rummage through her rucksack. “I wasn’t in the mood for a long, drawn-out thing today. I have Ollie home sick and—”
“Ollie?” Albert repeats, looking at me for an explanation.
“Her kid,” I confirm.
“He was up most the night with a fever, and do you think I could get through to the doctor first thing?” She’s ranting, seemingly oblivious to the situation. “Of course not. What is the point in having an NHS that we can’t access? I’m on the verge of going private.” She slides her leggings down her legs and screws them into a ball with her shirt, not fazed by me and Albert staring at her lace underwear. “So, I’ve had to ask Mama B to watch him, which I know pisses her off. I mean, of course, it would—he’s the son of her dead husband. Not that she’d say anything because she’s far too nice.”
“I’m gonna step out to call clean-up,” Albert mutters, shaking his head as he leaves.
“And because you hired Meli, I couldn’t ask her,” Rosey continues. “But I guess it’s the life of a working mu—” I pull her to me and slam my lips against hers. It takes us both by surprise, even more so when I lift her into my arms and she wraps her legs around my waist. I push her against the wall, our mouths locked in a hungry kiss. And then I see Meli’s face in my mind. The disappointment in her eyes is crippling, and I freeze. Rosey senses it and pulls back, panting breathlessly. “You’re stopping . . . why are you stopping?”
“This . . . I shouldn’t . . .” I lower her to the ground. “I don’t know what the fuck came over me,” I mutter, turning away and adjusting my trousers. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise, I’m not complaining.”
“You should be. That was out of order. I don’t fraternise with my employees.”
“Employee?” she repeats, quirking a brow. “I’m nobody’s employee.” She begins to dress in clean clothes, stuffing her bloodied garments into a plastic bag and then into her rucksack. I remain silent until she’s finished. “Right, if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll get off.”
“You want me to drop you home?”
She scoffs, shaking her head. “No.”
I watch her leave and feel a sense of relief. I guess Meli is who I crave, but why the fuck did I have to kiss her best friend to figure that shit out?
CHAPTER SIX
MELI
I got started the second Arthur left the office. I sorted some of the paperwork into year order, then into month order, and now, I’m sat in the middle of the floor, surrounded by paperwork and feeling totally out of my depth. Not because I don’t know how to file, but because this is taking forever and I’m not even a quarter of the way through the piles. I flop back and stare up at the ceiling. Damn Maverick and his stupid authority.
“Am I paying you to lounge around?” I sit up quickly, hurting my neck. Arthur is staring down at me, looking annoyed.
“Sorry, I was taking a minute.”
“Nice shirt. Did you have to take your clothes off to wear it?” he asks, arching a brow as he steps over the piles to get to his desk. I glance down at the light pink Armani shirt I chose from his wardrobe. There was nothing old-looking but just a lot of expensive white shirts. At least I chose a non-white item. He sits in his office chair and rubs at his tired face.
“Well . . . yeah, I didn’t want to ruin my stuff, and that skirt was a little restrictive for climbing and hauling boxes around,” I say. “Everything okay, boss?” I ask.
“Boss?” he repeats before adding a small laugh.
