Jackson 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? Shit, I was looking forward to that last part.”
I flinched as Jackson 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 fucking hot. I’d hit that without being paid for the pleasure,” Ed wheezed out as Jackson tightened his grip.
“I swear to God, if you don’t get out of my face in the next ten seconds I’m gonna fucking kill you, do you understand?” Jackson pulled Ed from the wall and shoved him down the corridor. He started rubbing his hand over his injured fist and slowly stalked forward to force Ed to back up towards the doors.
Ed took two or three steps backwards then shrugged his shoulders to show he couldn’t care less about Jackson’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,” Ed sneered then turned and left.
I’d always assumed Ed 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 Jackson 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?”
Cillian. 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? Jackson 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. Ryley, 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, Emily, so-”
Cillian smirked. “Not anymore. Emily’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.”
Cillian 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, Steve just collared Emily, so she’d probably appreciate the solitude back here to escape. You know, the real Emily, who’s being paid to do this.”
He was right, it was an excellent escape from the bitch that was Steve.
“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.”