Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Dionne gaped. “You’re firing me?”
“This truly surprises you?” Unreal. “You’re never on-time. You call in sick at least once a week. You keep claiming you need a bathroom break when, really, you’re going to your locker to check your cell phone. I already warned you that all that shit needed to stop. Mia warned you. My mom and Jocelyn warned you. But you didn’t listen to us, and now you’re stealing from the till. What did you think would happen?”
The hellcat’s nostrils flared. “Like I really wanted to work here anyway.” She fished the wad of cash from her pocket, slapped it on the desk, and then stormed out.
God, the woman was a pain in the ass.
Ella snatched the money from the desk and left the office. Since she needed to leave work early to check out a situation for Neve, she retrieved her purse from her locker and kept a close eye on Dionne as the hellcat grabbed her stuff from her own locker.
Once they were both done, Ella followed her to the shop floor and then slipped behind the counter. Dionne stormed out of the place, almost crashing into someone who’d been trying to enter.
Joe.
Ella sensed her sister tense beside her.
Looking sheepish as he crossed to the counter, he tipped his chin at Mia, an awkwardness in his manner. “Hi.”
His blue eyes met Ella’s for the briefest moment as he nodded in greeting. They were civil toward each other, but they’d never been anything close to friends. Whereas Luka was protective of Ella’s family purely because of who they were to her, Joe didn’t extend his protectiveness beyond Mia. Which had been fine with Ella right up until he stopped being considerate of her sister’s feelings.
Mia stared at him, her expression wary. “What brings you here?” she bluntly asked him.
He drifted his fingers through his scruffy ash-blond hair. “I figure we should talk.”
Mia inhaled deeply. “Okay.” She walked out from behind the counter and headed to the nearest corner, gesturing for him to follow.
Ella stuffed the cash in the till, totally intending to eavesdrop.
He cleared his throat. “Thanks for speaking with me,” he said to Mia. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d flipped me off.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Listen, I … Can we just forget all that happened between us recently?”
“Forget?” Mia’s eyes went squinty. “Forget you’ve been an ass to me, or forget stuff from before that?”
He grimaced. “We should have kept things platonic, but we didn’t. I don’t want it to ruin our friendship. Can we just pretend it never happened?”
Ella couldn’t help but wince. If Luka had told her he’d regretted that they slept together and wanted them to act as though it had never occurred, it would have stung big time. Your anchor was supposed to be a person you’d always feel safe with, emotionally and physically. They weren’t supposed to hurt you.
Mia folded her arms, her posture defensive. “So you’ve been acting weird and distant because you regret that we slept together but didn’t wanna say so?”
He averted his gaze. “Yes.”
Ella tensed, telepathically reaching out to her sister. That was a lie.
Mia’s mind stroked hers as she telepathically replied, It was. There’s more to this. She gave him a brittle smile. “Sure. Why not?”
He swallowed. “Great.”
He doesn’t sound as though he thinks it’s great, Ella mused.
No, he doesn’t, Mia agreed.
He let out what seemed to be a relieved breath, but it was a little too exaggerated to be genuine. “Glad that’s all sorted.”
“As am I,” Mia told him, studying him closely.
Again, he cleared his throat. “Well, I … I guess I’d better go.”
Mia watched him scurry out of the shop before turning to Ella. “That was weird. He was weird.”
Ella bit her lip. “I hate to say it, I really do, but I think he said that stuff to hurt you. Why else do it? He could have omitted that he allegedly regrets that you two had a fling. Could have just apologized and asked that you focus on your friendship from here on out.”
“I don’t get why he’d want to hurt me, though.” Mia flapped her arms. “I’m stumped. And pissed. I was already angry, thanks to what Dionne did. Speaking of that, did she deny it?”
Sensing that Mia wanted to change the subject, Ella went with it. “Until she realized we have cameras, yes. She was actually surprised that we fired her. I can’t think why.”
“Seems like people are set on acting strange today.” Mia sighed at the shop door.
“Are you gonna be okay?”
“Fine. You go handle whatever situation Neve has tossed your way. I’m good here.”
“You’re sure? I can cancel—”
“I’m completely sure.” Mia tilted her head. “Did Neve give you specifics?”
“Just that human friends of the Mills were asking to speak with me, wanting my help with a ‘personal matter’.” Ella shrugged. “Hopefully it won’t be a weird one.”