“Bitch,” he grinds out, “just fucking-”
I rear back. “There’s no reason to talk to me like that, buddy! Nobody in my life has ever spoken to me like this, not even my dad and my dad is a real dick.”
He looks around and then his blue eyes hit mine with those eyebrows raised again. “No? Really? Would you rather I call the cops and you spend the night in jail?”
“Maybe,” I whimper and then I’m crying into my hands. God, what a mess. “Maybe jail is a good idea because I don’t know where I’m gonna go tonight.”
“Right. Fuck off.” He gestures to the door, sounding like he’s exasperated, like he’s had just about enough of my nonsense.
“Believe me, buddy, I’ve had enough of it, too,” I mutter.
“What?” He reaches for my elbow and tries to usher me toward the door. I pull away.
“Listen, I know you don’t know me, but I have nowhere to go. My bag is missing. My laptop, and my brother left with some skank!”
“Why is this my problem?”
I back up until my back is touching the door and try to reason with him.
“You don’t believe me but I’m telling you, I’m really stuck here. Please. Let me clean up, I’ll sleep on the couch and tomorrow, figure out what I’m gonna do. Someone took my purse, I can’t find my laptop, my phone has three per cent power, and my brother is on some sort of bender. I don’t know where he’s gone but he will know how to get back here to me when he sobers up. Please. Carly and Aiden wouldn’t send me out onto the street like this. All my stuff is in Aiden’s room and I can’t go in there with that spider there. I’m terrified of spiders and snakes.”
He glares at me. “If there’s a fuckin’ snake in here, too…”
“That’s not what I mean. But you said you saw a snake.”
He stares for a long minute. My god, I feel so sick. I think I’m having a panic attack and this guy thinks I’m on drugs.
“A guy had a snake around his neck. I can only assume he took it. Fine,” he snaps, finally. “You stay here with the spider. I’m goin’ to a hotel. One of your junkie friends threw up on my shit and I do not know who the hell has been sleeping in these beds but judging by the look of all of you, this place needs to be fumigated before I’ll sleep in it.” He points at me. “If you’re not Jada that worked for my brother, I’ll find out who you are, and you’ll be charged.” He pulls out his phone from his pocket and snaps a picture of me.
I jolt. He takes another one.
It feels like I just got my mugshot taken.
“And if you are her, there’s a good chance you’re never working for my family or our company again and you might still face charges.”
And I’m just feeling the lowest I’ve ever felt in my life.
“Thank you for not making me go.”
He growls at me and grabs his suitcase. “I’m coming back here in twelve hours. You’ve got that time to clean this shit up and get your shit sorted. You’re not working for me. And get that fucking spider outta here. And if one single thing is missing…”
“I’m not taking anything! What does that even mean?” I ask. “I’m not working for you? Why do you keep saying that?”
“You were supposed to get a call from my father’s assistant, Alice, to hire you for the next two to three months doing for me what you did for Aiden. Clearly she didn’t get ahold of you.”
I drop my head. No. Nonono.
“Yeah,” he mumbles. “Though good thing she didn’t, or I wouldn’t have seen your true colors.”
“These aren’t my - I can do for you what I did for Aiden,” I whisper, but I already know it’s too late.
This isn’t who I am but he’s never going to believe that.
“Fuck that shit. You think I’m gonna hire the likes of you to make my life easier? I don’t even wanna fucking be here and I’ve got a shit job to do while I am. The last thing I need is to have a walking disaster trying to take care of my shit when she can’t take care of her own.”
I bite my lip and fight my hardest not to burst into tears.
If I had that job again, I’d get myself sorted out.
Why didn’t I get that phone call?
If I’d gotten that phone call, I wouldn’t have been at that magic gig today. I’d have been here making sure the apartment was ready for him. I’d have had Shane stay in the warehouse with my stuff and I’d have been here, looking professional and ready to do the job they were going to pay me to do. I’d earn enough to get us a new place, to get him his meds, to not be in the position I am right now. It’d be okay to sleep in that warehouse for a couple weeks because an end would be in sight.