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“Jackson! That’s cruel.”
“Seriously, that dirty-dishwater hair, the ugly glasses, and don’t get me started on her lack of fashion sense,” he said, shaking his head.
I was glad that he didn’t find her attractive. Not because I cared if he strayed, but because I didn’t want anything to cause me to lose her as a friend. And working for Hilda Battley, she’d be cocooned from any funny business from the men there. I felt good about helping her and knowing that no one would traumatize her again.
“Please, Jackson. It would make me very happy, and you’d be doing a good thing.”
“I’ll arrange it. She can start Monday. But you have to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Cancel your mother’s visit for next month.”
My heart sank. “She’s been looking forward to it. I’ve already bought tickets toThe Lion King. The girls are really excited.”
“It’s up to you. If you want me to hire your friend, then I’ll need some peace and quiet. When your mother’s here, I can’t relax. Besides, she was just here for Tallulah’s birthday.”
“All right. I’ll call her.”
He gave me a cold smile. “Oh, and tell her that you’re canceling because the girls want to take Sabine instead of her to the show.”
“There’s no need to be cruel.”
“Okay. No job.”
I picked up the phone and dialed. When I hung up, heartsick at the hurt in my mother’s voice, he gave me an approving nod.
“Well done. See? You don’t need anyone but me, anyhow. I’m your family.”
Fifty-Seven
I loved having a best friend again. I hadn’t realized how lonely I was until Amber came along. Her manipulation was so subtle and gradual that I never had a twinge of suspicion.
It wasn’t long until we were always in touch with each other: texting when something funny happened, phone calls, lunches. I wanted her at the house all the time. I was ready to leave to meet her when I heard his car in the driveway. Stomach lurching, I contemplated sneaking out the back, but when I looked out the window, he was out of the car and talking to Tommy, our driver.Shit.
He slammed the front door and stalked over to me. “Why do you need Tommy tonight? He said he’s picking up Amber too. Are you planning on drinking yourselves into oblivion like some sluts?”
I shook my head. “Of course not. Just a glass or two, but I don’t want to drive. She’s been so busy with work, we wanted an evening to catch up. I thought you were taking clients out tonight—”
“The dinner was canceled.” He studied me for a long moment. “You know, she’s the help now. It’s actually rather unseemly for you to be friends with her. What if someone sees you together?”
The heat spread from my neck to my face. “She’s become like a sister to me. Please don’t ask me to stop being friends with her.”
“Upstairs,” he commanded.
The girls were getting their baths; I had already said my good nights. “I don’t want the girls to hear me. I’ll have to go through the routine all over again.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his office, slammed me against the wall, and locked the door. He unzipped his pants and pushed me down to my knees.
“The quicker you get to it, the faster you can leave.”
Hot tears of humiliation ran down my face, ruining my makeup. I wanted to refuse him, to tell him how much he repulsed me, but I was terrified. The slightest resistance to anything he wanted could result in the gun coming out again.
“Stop crying! You make me sick.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Shut up and get to it.”