Page 21 of Pretty Broken Wings

Gage just glares at me. “Go to the bathroom, then meet me back here. We have to talk about the terms of your employment.” He pulls the chair out and then sits down.

My mouth drops open. He wants to… continue the interview? After all this? Oh fuck no. He probably just wants to fucking sue me, and this is how he’ll get my information.

But before I can say anything, Axel frowns, turning to his brother. “She can’t work for you.”

“And why the hell not?” Gage glares at him.

“Because she’s—she can’t.”

“I need help since you won’t give me those glasses.”

Axel’s face is getting red. “You know damn well I need them.”

“Then stop throwing a hissy fit.”

Axel looks like he’s going to say something, but then he stops. His hand clenches into a fist, and he laughs. “You know what? Fine. Fuck this one, too, for all I care.”

Then he turns on his heel and stalks out.

The red creeps up Gage’s neck, but he just sits in the chair, waiting.

I could walk out. I could leave right now. Maybe move towns. Surely, there will be better options somewhere else.

But then my stomach grumbles. I haven’t eaten at all today. I have one more half-rotten apple, and I don’t have anything in my account. The rent is due, and I’m fucking hungry.

Gage speaks, “You owe me. Let’s talk.”

Oh, this asshole. Just as dickish as his brother.

I stand up tall, straightening out my blazer. I won’t let another Newman take advantage of me. I’m here to get his money and get out.

I march up to the table, slamming my purse down. “I want an advance.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Working with Raven will be about as easy as chewing fingernails to the cuticle. She’s pissy and hostile and fucking awful. That, plus all the extra noise in the coffee shop, is giving me a royal headache. I’m pretty sure stabbing kitchen knives through my eyes would be more pleasant than this.

If I didn’t hear the jealous tone in Axel’s voice, I would have walked straight out. But I heard it. It was there. He doesn’t wantme to work with his… whatever the hell she is to him. For once, I finally have an opportunity to have something Ax wants. Andthatis an opportunity that I can’t pass up.

Though I’m beginning to question why the hell he wants it.

“Chattel?” Raven asks, and I can hear the frustration in her voice. She spits the word out like it tastes bad in her mouth.

“It means—you know what? Let’s take a break.” I pull the documents from her. We’ve spent hours going over the legal documents for this case, with Raven reading to me while I try to keep track of all the information. The woman filing the divorce went through a bunch of shit, and we haven’t even gotten to the years’ worth of police reports.

“I don’t need a break.” I can barely see Raven’s blurry form on the other end of the booth. When I have my glasses on, I can see things that are close. But any farther than across the room, shit starts to get hazy. Without my glasses? I just see movements and color.

I know from dropping Raven off the other night that she’s hot. Probably why Axel wants her. She has delicate features, plump red lips, and long silky black hair. Today, she smells… unusual. Almost like she’s wearing men’s deodorant with a Fiji or tropical hint. At first, it pissed me off, thinking she was using something Axel had given her. But I’ve never smelled that smell on him, so I relaxed. Raven’s voice is also low and raspy. She’d be walking sex on legs if she weren’t so damn aggressive.

“Well, I do.” I push up. My stomach growls. “Get lunch. We’ll start again after.”

I’ve been smelling all the baked goods in the shop, and people keep unwrapping what I’m guessing are sandwiches around us. The paper crinkles, and then the crust crunches when they bite into it.

My mouth is watering, and my head is pounding. Food usually helps.

I take a few minutes to order, expecting Raven to either follow suit or go out somewhere else, but she’s still in the booth when I get back.

“Did you get something?” I drop my chicken bacon ranch sandwich down on the table, but I misjudge the distance a bit, and it drops harder than I mean to.