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Shock stops me. Not at Declan’s hate, but to hear that Coghlan went after the chef. “Ariel is the last person on earth that he should be hassling. She’s fed his sorry ass for years. That son of a bitch just takes his own fucking misery out on people smaller than him. Is she okay?”
Through gritted teeth, he says, “She got some cuts from the glass he broke, but she’s fine. Rattled all to hell, but she’s tough. As I mentioned to you the other day, Coghlan’s getting more dangerous by the day. I can’t be everywhere to head him off, and he’s striking out at the most random fucking moments.”
“What made him go after Ariel?”
He says, “Truth? I think it’s because he ate something that gave him heartburn. He was literally bellyaching for hours over it in the car with one of the guards. Poor bastard had to listen to that while he drove him to some meetings.”
I shake my head, tired of hearing more stories about the devil. “Serves the bastard right, but she’s hardly to blame.” After a minute of chewing on my own anger and the inside of my jaw, I say, “I need to see her. I promised to connect her and Carra and I haven’t.”
“Well, come on, then,” he says, motioning for me to follow, as he strides off toward the service entrance.
I call after him. “D.C, you sure you want to be seen hanging around with me? This could lead to more trouble.”
He gives me one look.
Like recognizes like.
I should have thought about him as an asset before. “We should meet off property. I’ve got some things to talk to you about.”
He flips me the bird and mutters, “About fucking time.”
* * *
The kitchen is buzzingwith activity. It’s the time of day when the place is cleaned and prepped for the next day. Music is blaring. Men and women in white shirts and black pants hustle back and forth. No one pays us any attention. The bodyguards have always been welcomed in the kitchen.
Ariel’s head is down, looking at some documents, when we walk in. She brushes a forearm over her brow, pushing damp tendrils of hair off of her forehead. Her foot is tapping to the music.
“Is this a bad time?” I ask as I approach.
She whirls so fast, the pages fly off the counter, landing on the freshly mopped floor. A second later, she starts pounding me in the chest. Her tiny fists pummel furiously, rocking me back. Next to me, Declan laughs.
She yells, “You!”
I grab her hands to stop the assault even though her attack is useless against my size. “I’m sorry. She’s fine.”
“Ohhh! I just want to tear you up right now, Kieran. For frightening her. For making her wait. For makingmewait!”
I gently guide her toward her office in the back of the expansive commercial kitchen. Along the hallway lined with metal shelves and containers of ingredients. “I know. Let’s talk in private.”
She wipes at the moisture in her eyes as she lets me lead the way. Her voice warbles. She sniffles. “I’ve been dying. You understand this?”
I close the office door, sealing her in with me and Declan.
Apologetically, I say, “Things have been a bit tense. But I’ll put you two on the phone tonight.”
Now she just looks pissed. Hands on hips, Ariel demands, “Why not right now?”
“Because she doesn’t have a secure phone yet. But… I have one for you. She’ll have one when I get back to the hotel.” I pull a small black phone from my pocket. It’s a smartphone that doesn’t have any of the standard smartphone features. This one is made for secure calling and texting and that’s it.
She looks at the thing like it might be a bomb.
“It’s a phone,” I reassure.
“A weird one.”
“A secure one. Once I get back to the hotel, I’ll have her call you.”
Ariel blinks at me, as if she’s afraid to believe anything I say. “You promise?”
