Had that asshole been in contact with her?
I placed my hand gently on her arm. “What’s wrong?”
“He rang me and told me not to bother coming home.” She spoke through sniffles.
I checked my frustration and controlled my voice to keep the annoyance out of it. “Annie, you don’t want to go back. Remember?”
She nodded. “Yes, but it’s hard. We were together for ages, and, besides you, he’s all I had.”
I put my hand out. “Give me your phone.”
“What?”
“Give me your phone so he can’t ring you and fuck with your head again.”
She stared at me with indecision. The thing with Annie was I could totally control her if I tried, and while I hated what I was doing, it would be for the best when all was said and done.
I clicked my fingers and snapped, “Now.”
She quickly reached into her back jean pocket, pulled her phone out and gave it to me. It was better I controlled her for a while than some asshole only looking out for his own needs.
“Good,” I said, placing her phone in my pocket. “Now, I want you to go up to bed because tomorrow you start work.”
She stiffened. “Work?”
“Yes, you can work here while you stay with me.”
“I don’t know anything about working in a bar.” Panicked features stared back at me.
I ignored her worry. “It’ll be fine. I’ll show you everything you need to know. Promise.”
She relaxed a little. Whenever I promised something, I always came through, and she knew that. “Okay, Layla.”
I waited until she’d gone upstairs before shaking my head and expelling a frustrated breath.
Lord help us.
“Layla.”
I turned to see Jess watching me. “She okay? We can cope down here without you if you want to go up and sit with her.”
I shook my head. “Thanks, but I think she’ll be alright by herself.”
Jess’s attention shifted to something behind me, and I looked around to find her looking at Donovan. Blade. I liked his given name better.
His gaze pierced me, stirring my lust. “Oh, shit,” I muttered as the lust unfurled through me.
“What?” Jess asked.
“I was supposed to keep his drinks coming.”
She grinned. “Well, you better get onto that then.”
I groaned at her subtlety. “I should send you over.”
“Nope, can’t do it. I’ve already got too much to do. You’ll have to take care of Mr Arm Porn.” She kept grinning as she brushed past me to get back to work.
“I’ll remember this,” I muttered as I poured his scotch.