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“I said no. If she wants to take that pill, she can get it.”
“Which I don’t,” Jolene chimes in.
“Of course, you don’t. Who wouldn’t want to tie down Arthur Taylor? But it’s not happening, sweetheart, not on my watch,” growls Albert. “You’re hired to do a job, so do it,” he adds, glaring at Meli.
She stares at me for a moment, perhaps wanting me to cut in, but I don’t. My head hurts, I feel like shit, and I really don’t want to have a kid with Jolene Hall. “Do it, Amelia,” I order. I don’t miss the disappointment in her eyes as she snatches the cash and leaves, muttering words under her breath which I don’t quite catch but I’m certain aren’t good.
“I’m not taking your little pill,” Jolene says, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. “You can’t make me.”
Albert grabs her arm and hauls her back, practically throwing her onto the couch. “Watch me.”
She looks nervously around the office. There’s no escape. Albert is way too fast. “My brothers will hear about this.”
“Sweetheart, I’m not scared of anyone, least of all your chuckle brothers. The best thing for you . . . and them . . . is to take this pill and keep the fuck away from my brother.”
I groan loudly, rubbing my face harder. “Jesus, Albert, give it a rest. She’ll take the pill. Ease up.”
He scoffs angrily. “Ease up? Imagine what our life would be like if I did.”
“Imagine how less stressed you’d feel,” I counter.
“And how many fuck-ups you’d continue to make.”
I stand, squaring my shoulders. He might be my right-hand man, but he isn’t the head of this family. That’s solely on me. “Remember who the fuck I am,” I snarl.
“I should leave,” mutters Jolene, standing again. This time, it’s me who pushes her back to sitting, and she visibly swallows.
“You’ll take the damn pill because you don’t want to be tied to me. I’m not a good man.” I turn back to Albert. “And you need to take a step back, maybe get your dick sucked for once, and remember who’s in charge. Because you might stand tall by my side, but I put you there and I can easily put you down.”
Meli comes back and stops dead, catching us in a staredown. She places the pill packet on the table and hands a bottle of water to Jolene. “Have you taken it before?” she asks her, completely ignoring the tension in the room. Jolene takes the packet, nodding.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MELI
I can’t help feeling annoyed. Jolene took the pill and left, but not before Albert forced her to open her mouth and show she’d actually swallowed it. Who the hell does that? Then Albert left without another word to Arthur. I missed the argument between them, but the tension was enough to chill me. And now, Arthur is in the room next to his office, taking a shower and humming to himself like everything is fine. But it isn’t fine. He had sex with Jolene Hall in his office. An office I have to sit in. And then there’s the whole thing he’s got going on with Rosey. He kissed her just yesterday, and now, he’s having sex with random people. Poor Rosey.
I sit at my desk. I’ve finally managed to clear enough paperwork to be able to work at it. The postman knocks on the office door, smiling when he sees me. I met him yesterday, and he’s the loveliest postman I’ve ever met. Once I told him I was the new office girl, he insisted he’d bring the mail up to the office rather than leave it at the bar downstairs. “Good morning, Meli. How’s your second day going?” He hands me the mail, and I laugh.
“You want the truth or a lie?”
“Sounds interesting, so definitely the truth.”
“I’ve already had to go way above my duties. I’ve also seen my boss naked, and I’ve witnessed an argument between two dangerous men. What about you?”
He laughs too. “Wow. Busy morning and it’s not even ten. The naked boss, was that something you chose to see?”
I shake my head. “Nope. And he wasn’t in my bed, which makes it super weird for you to understand, but I won’t scare you with the details.”
Arthur comes into the office fastening his cufflinks to the crisp white shirt he’s now wearing coupled with grey suit trousers. “Good morning. Is there a reason you’re up here?” he asks, bringing his steely blue eyes to the postman.
“I asked him to bring me the mail so I can file it directly rather than have you throw it on a pile somewhere,” I say. The postman gives me an awkward smile and turns to leave. “Thanks again. See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good rest of the day, Meli,” he replies before disappearing back downstairs.
“I’m not sure how long I’ve been here, and I’ve never made friends with the postman,” he remarks, sitting at his desk. I set about opening the letters and checking them for importance. I feel Arthur’s eyes burning into me. “You’re not speaking to me?” He sounds amused.
I collect the letters Arthur needs to look at and take them to his desk. “I don’t appreciate having to run out first thing to clear up your mess,” I say. “And please remember that Rosey is my friend.”
