Page 81 of Marley

I can’t fucking believe it either.

“So, what about now? She still live with her brother?” My voice was once again rising with panic.

“Na. She lives on her own somewhere now. I’m not sure where, though. Can’t be too far from the shop, as I think she walks to work.”

A thousand and one thoughts rushed through my brain. I needed to find out where she lived. I needed to make sure it was safe. I needed to find out what went on with her family, and I needed to keep her brother the fuck away from her.

“All I’m trying to say here, Marls, is that that girl has been through a lot of shit so please, please don’t mess her around. Did you shag her?”

Fuck this cloak and dagger shit. I was just gonna put it out there. “No, I didn’t, Jim, and ya know what? It was one of the best times I’ve had with a girl in like, forever. I really like her, Jim. I wanna see her again, but she wouldn’t give me a number. She told me to call the shop if I was serious about seeing her again.”

Jimmie had stopped tapping her pen and was just staring at me with her mouth slightly open.

“Say something, Jim.” My cheeks burn.

I don’t blush, ever. At least, not since yesterday.

“I don’t ... Marley, I can’t.”

The door adjoining Len’s office opened and he walked in.

“Little brother Marley, how’s it hanging?” Len asked. He moved to kiss Jimmie on the cheek but stopped, looked at her, then at me.

“What’d ya do?” He asked.

Jimmie and I remained silent.

“Marls? What the fuck have you done?”

“Nothing. He’s done nothing,” Jimmie reassured him.

He leaned on her desk beside her, facing me, wearing a frown and a look of concern.

“What’s going on then?” He asked.

“We were just discussing Georgia and Maca, and I was asking how things went with Ashley.” Jim stated, giving me a wink that my brother missed.

“Ah, yeah. How did that all work out in the end? Heard she was still at your place last night, didn’t leave till after midnight.”

Jimmie’s mouth dropped open at Len’s revelation.Mymouth dropped open, in fact.

“How the fuck d’ya know that?” I asked.

“I just spoke to Maca. The doorman at your building told him this morning. Maca was checking you were alone before he took G up. Ya know, didn’t wanna catch you in the act.”

Unbelievable. Every fucker now knows my business. “I, uh, yeah, it went good. I-I really like her.” I admitted, sorta.

“D’ya bang her?”

“Lennon.” Jimmie admonished him. I gave Jim a frown and a ‘what the fuck’ face. Didn’t she just ask me the exact same question? In return, I get an affronted glare, meaning, ‘Yeah, but I’m Jimmie. I’m allowed to ask those kinds of questions.’

Len looked between the two of us and started to laugh. “Seriously? You didn’t bang her?” he asked again.

“I never said that. I never said anything, dickwad.” I folded my arms across my chest and shot my brother a death stare.

“Oh my god, you like her. You actually like her.” The fucker threw his head back and laughed. “You actually care about this girl.” He continued.

I stood up to leave.