SAVAGE LOVE

Chapter 20

Micheal put the gun back into his trousers then straightened his jacket and tie. From assassin to businessman in one swift action.

“Yeah, I got paid. Didn’t do the full job though, did I? s**t, I was looking forward to that last part.”

I flinched as Micheal slammed his fist into the brick wall at the side of him. Boy, that had to have hurt. Instantly, he reverted back to his caveman persona and grabbed Ed around the neck, slamming him up against the wall.

“You go anywhere near her and I swear it’ll be the last thing you ever do. Do you understand?”

“Gonna do the job yourself now? Can’t say I blame you. She’s f*****g hot. I’d hit that without being paid for the pleasure,” Vin wheezed out as Micheal tightened his grip.

“I swear to God, if you don’t get out of my face in the next ten seconds I’m gonna f*****g kill you, do you understand?” Micheal pulled Vin from the wall and shoved him down the corridor. He started rubbing his hand over his injured fist and slowly stalked forward to force Vin to back up towards the doors.

Vin took two or three steps backwards then shrugged his shoulders to show he couldn’t care less about Micheal’s threats. Having a gun thrust into his face must’ve been a daily occurrence for him, no big deal. What kind of world did these men live in?

“Next time you need someone to do your dirty work, do me a favour? Don’t ring me. I’m out,”Vin sneered then turned and left.

I’d always assumed Vin and his gang were on the payroll. Seems I was wrong about that too. Jeez, this working day was spilling all sorts of secrets my way.

I retreated cautiously back into the kitchen, leaving Micheal and his broken knuckles in the corridor. As I backed up, I hit a solid frame.

“Woah! You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, blondie? What in God’s name are you doing back here?”

Kenny. And he looked totally flummoxed at my being in the kitchens. I loved that I could still shock people.

“I’m working.”

Nonchalantly, I side-stepped him, as if my being there was the most natural thing in the world. Then I went back over to the washer to load up the next round of glasses.

“What? Micheal brought you here to wash his glasses? Seriously?” He was gawping at me now, his mouth open, catching flies.

“No. He has no idea I’m here.”

“I bet! He’d go apeshit if he knew what you were doing. Bianca, why are you washing all the glasses in the kitchen?” He was truly puzzled.

“I was bored, and like my grandma always said, you gotta have a purpose for your day.”

“So you thought that purpose for you would be to get sweaty doing the washing up? You do know he pays a ton of people to do that job?”

“Yeah, and they all think I’m the new girl, Grace, so-”

Kenny smirked. “Not anymore. Grace’s just turned up. She’s learning the ropes behind the bar as we speak.”

“Oh.” Damn. My cover was blown.

“If you want to work, just tell him. I’m sure there’s a million and one things you could do up in the offices.”

“I’m not worried about a bit of dirty work. Bottle washing isn’t beneath me, you know.”

Kenny held his hands up in front of him in defence. “I didn’t say it was. Look, don’t get all touchy on me. I just think you could be used better elsewhere. Plus, Williams just collared Grace, so she’d probably appreciate the solitude back here to escape. You know, the real Grace, who’s being paid to do this.”

He was right, it was an excellent escape from the b***h that was Williams.

“You never cease to amaze me, blondie. I had you pegged as one of those pampered princesses when I first met you. I’d never have thought in a million years that I’d find you back here doing all of this off your own back. Not to mention the little show you put on for us all last night. How did he react to you bathing him in red wine in front of the city’s elite, by the way?”

A smugness spread through me at the memory. “He wasn’t all that thrilled.”

“I bet. He flew out of that room like a bat out of hell after you. Poor girl he left behind.” He shook his head. “I had to take her under my wing all night. This morning too.” He winked to make sure I got his not so subtle hint.

“Glad she got the relief she was looking for. Anyway, he got over it. He had to. And FYI, your man needs a serious lesson in how to cope in the twenty-first century. He has some pretty lame ideas when it comes to women.

Kenny gave a knowing smile. “He’s just old-fashioned sometimes.”

That was the understatement of the century.

“He hates women!”

“He doesn’t hate women.” Kenny sighed. “He just doesn’t understand them all that well. I don’t think the same rules apply where you

’re concerned though, Bianca. You’re different. Special.”

“I have no idea why you’d think that. I’m not different or special. He speaks to me like I’m the bane of his life. To be honest, I’m kinda trying to be. I like winding him up.”

“Don’t we all.” He winked and leant against the counter, casually crossing his ankles over and studying me like I was an exotic creature. “Listen, he’s not the world’s best communicator, but he tries.”

I shut the washer off and wiped the sheen of sweat sprinkled over my forehead.

“Oh, yeah, he’s very trying. I just heard him outside talking to Vin. He’s a treasure too, isn’t he?”

Kenny frowned and his aura changed from playful to nervous and tense. “Vin was here? In the club?”

“Yeah. I heard Micheal tell him to leave.”

“Good.” He narrowed his gaze at me and sighed. “You know I think it’d be better if you leave too. He’s gonna be pissed about Vin showing up. It won’t help if he sees you grafting your pretty ass off in here.”

“Why would it bother him? He’s paying for my services after all.”

“You already know this isn’t what he meant.” He gestured towards the pile of dirty plates and cutlery which was next on my to-do list of jobs. “He won’t want people thinking you’re his woman and you’re being put to work like this.”

“Oh my God, are you telling me I’m expected to be the little woman sat at home all day?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. There’s just… expectations. Leave it to me. I’ll talk to him. See if we can sort something out for you to do. Give you that purpose you need.” Kenny winked.

“Don’t do me any favours. I could just as easily go and work for my dad. I just thought this might help pay off our debts.”

“Bianca, the debt’s forgotten about already. Just try to loosen up a bit. Enjoy a few nights out, and then in three months’ time you’ll have a shiny new life to go back to.”

Yeah, like it was that easy.

“None of this is enjoyable for me, you know. I’m used to a long distance relationship, but I haven’t spoken to Timothy for days. I’m lonely and I’m bored.”

Kenny folded his arms and frowned. “Talk to Micheal. Maybe he’ll let you visit the rat.”

“Don’t call him that.” I tried to be angry with Kenny, but his cheeky face meant I couldn’t muster up the anger I’d previously felt at that God-awful nickname.

“I’m sorry, Bianca. You know, for what it’s worth, I don’t think he’s good enough for you.”

“Why do you even care? I’m no one to you. To either of you.”

Kenny leant down to whisper low into my ear, even though we were alone and no one could hear what he had to say.

“It may surprise you to hear this, but I do care. I like you. You’re a good girl. I want to see someone do right by you. Whoever that someone may be.” He gave me a delicate little kiss on my cheek that totally threw me and knocked me off my game.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m a survivor,” I said. I was struggling to breathe right now.

“I know. But you shouldn’t have to be.”

I decided it probably was a good idea to avoid Micheal and leave. Kenny tried to offer me a lift back to the apartment, but I refused, preferring to call a cab like Dennis had suggested.

Once I got back, I sat down in a daze and watched the rest of the box set on Netflix, but I didn’t have a clue what I’d watched. Every minute I spent in this kaleidoscope of Micheal’s world was messing with my brain. Everything I thought I knew was becoming warped and I felt uneasy. I needed to see Timothy. I needed grounding.