AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Did you sleep well?” she asks.
“Yeah, actually.” It surprises me after everything that happened yesterday.
A man appears in the doorway, and Mum smiles. “Rosey, this is Dougie.” He nods, and I do the same.
“It’s a little early for visitors,” I say, wondering if she’s still up to her old tricks, when men would call at her door at all hours of the day and night.
“I’m not a visitor,” he says. “I live here.”
I arch my brows and glance at Mum, who nods. “We’ve been together for a few months.”
“I didn’t realise.” The way she limped into the café the other day explains it. She’s always been with men who mistreat her, but I’m past worrying about my mum and her choice in men.
“We met when I returned here. I meant to tell you.”
“It’s fine. I should go and find Ollie,” I say, standing.
“He’s fine. He’s with Ste,” says Dougie, and I frown.How does he know Ollie?As if reading my mind, he adds, “Connie introduced us yesterday. He hangs around with my sister’s kid. I just left hers. They stayed there last night.”
“Right,” I mutter. “Thanks.” My mobile rings out, and I glance at Arthur’s name. “I should take this,” I say, heading for the door. I press it to my ear. “Yep?”
“You’re driving my brother crazy, Red. What’s the deal?”
“The deal is you killed my protégé and I’m upset about that.”
I hear him snigger. “Business,” he replies.
“How can I trust any of you now?” I ask. “You kept me out of it.”
“Should I have hired you for the job, Red?” he muses. “What price would it have cost to bend your sudden morality?”
“I don’t have time for this, Art. I’ve got to go and find my son.”
“Come to the office, Rosey.” He leaves no room for discussion as he disconnects the call. I growl in frustration. If I don’t turn up there, he’ll send someone to find me.
ALBERT
Arthur nods to the seat opposite his desk, and I lower into it. “Rosey’s pissed, but she’ll be okay,” he tells me.
“You spoke to her?”
“I saw her,” he tells me, and I clench my jaw. “She came to the office.”
“Of her own free will?” He smirks. I bite down the words I want to spit about her being at his beck and call all the goddamn time. “Where was she last night?” Mav told me she’d left in a huff and refused to go back to the clubhouse.
“Bert, I don’t pry into that shit. I told her straight why we had Archer removed. She understood and left. She’s off the books,” he throws in.
I sit up straighter. “What?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Yeah, she’s good at her job. We need her.”
“And she wants to step down. That was the whole reason Archer was here in the first place. Now you have Lauren. I don’t see the problem.” I sit in silence until he takes pity on me. “She’s addictive,” he starts. “I get it. But she’s not gonna give you a happy ever after, Bert.” I know he’s right, but his words don’t stop the ache I have in my chest.
“Maybe I don’t want a conventional happy ever after. Maybe I like the fire she throws.”
“It’s like taming a wild cat, brother. Not worth it and too time-consuming.”
