“Thank you, but you don’t need to. Really.”
“I want to, and the house has meaning to me too.”
I scratch the back of my neck, knowing there’s surely something else he’s not telling me. And then, right on time, it comes.
“And I need to know where you were working.”
“Henry, no. I don’t want you to do anything to my former boss.”
“Pricks like that, and I’m not calling him a man for a reason…because he’s not…need to be stopped or else their behavior will continue.”
“It’s in the past.”
“And it’s in the present now and it will continue into the future. Don’t you want to help out other women so they don't have to go through what you went through?” He pauses. “Imagine if you hadn’t gotten out when you did.”
That last sentence hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Am I right?” he continues.
I can do nothing but nod and give him the name and place.
“Thank you, now…do you like blueberry pancakes, ham, scrambled eggs, cupcakes with sprinkles, avocado toast, and a chef who can prepare anything else you desire?”
“You had me at blueberry pancakes,” I admit.
“Good, because there are fresh ones made in a cast iron skillet waiting on us.”
“Quick shower and I’m ready.”
“No need, you look perfect.”
“I just woke up. I have bedhead, eye boogers, pillow face—”
His finger rises to my lips. “And you’re perfect in every way.”
10
Henry
I cut up her bacon into small pieces and feed them to her one by one. It feels completely natural, and I just enjoy doing it although it would have sounded crazy to even think of doing something like this twenty-four hours ago, but twenty-four hours ago she wasn’t here.
After breakfast she heads up to the bedroom which gives me time to quickly research this douchebag and call the airport to arrange a private flight out. I’m not wasting a single second when it comes to teaching this guy a lesson.
Moving between tabs on my Internet browser, I open up Gucci’s website and buy a few things for Hannah so she has enough clothes to tide her over until I get back and can take her on a proper shopping trip.
“Whatcha doing?” she asks, looking into my office just as I pull up the Google map to her old place of employment.
“Oh, just a bit of work.”
“What is your work? It’s security, I know that and I don’t mean to intrude, but how are you able to afford this lifestyle with a security business.”
“Wealthy people and businesses will pay tons for security, when it’s iron clad. With all the rioting and robbery these days and less police officers on the street, crime has picked up.”
“Would you say that’s due to the number of police officers?”
“I’d say it’s due to the wealth disparity and the government printing money and lowering interest rates, which finds its way into asset prices and not the hands of everyday people. That’s the problem.”
“So private security is on the rise?”