Page 8 of Flare

“Do you want to be charged?”

His eyes bugged. “No, of course not. It was just a couple of stupid cuffs.”

I arched a brow and he flushed, his gaze darting away.

“I just... I didn’t mean...” He slunk in his chair and scowled. “Whatever.”

It was like talking to a snotty brick wall. “Look, Jack, let’s—”

“Where is he?” a voice boomed from the direction of the front door.

Jack swore softly and slid down in his chair, staring through the glass to where a handsome, towering, broad-shouldered man with shoulder-length dark brown hair and a scruffy beard was making his way to the service desk. He wore loose brown trousers topped by an equally loose black Henley, and oh my god, was that a peek of flannel shirt beneath the heavy, shapeless grey woollen coat that Winston Churchill would’ve been proud to own.

All in all, the outfit did a good job of hiding just about every line and curve of what had to be an impressive frame, and I itched to take a dart or ten just to see what really lay under all that excess material, because the man deserved to be shown off.

It wasn’t so much judgy as it was simply an occupational hazard. Like a car manufacturer in a parking lot, I critiqued body lines and fit without even thinking. It came with the job. The fact thatthisbody was particularly scrumptious was beside the point. It just seemed a damn shame to hide it.

Carla intercepted the man before he reached the office and took him aside.

“I take it that’s your uncle?”

Jack nodded, his expression a shifting sea of emotions. “He’s not gonna be happy.”

I frowned. “Do you two get along?”

Jack gave a half shrug. “He’s cool, I guess.”

That was probably as much reassurance as I was gonna get that Jack wasn’t in danger from the man.

“Did anyone touch him? No one better have touched him.” The uncle’s voice carried into my office and I got to my feet.

“Wait here.” I left Jack and headed to where Kip was already bristling with indignation.

“I didn’t lay a hand on him,” Kip objected. “I only asked him to show me his wrist and he did.”

“Because you can’t touch him, you know that, right?” The uncle towered over Kip, his eyes flashing with anger. “And you can’t search his bag without permission. I won’t have him taken advantage of. He’s just a kid. If anyone broke the law by detaining him illegally...” He took a step toward Kip and left the threat hanging.

Kip’s spine went rigid and his chin jutted forward. At almost a foot shorter than Jack’s uncle, it would’ve looked comical if it wasn’t for the ‘I just fucking dare you to say that again’ look in his eye. “Now just you wait a minute, arsehole. I can assure you I didn’t—”

“Calm down,” Carla reassured the man. “No one touched Jack, and no one detained him.”

“What the hell’s going on?” I took position alongside Kip. “Step away from my assistant. I won’t have you intimidating him.” I eyeballed the man and added pointedly, “It wasn’t Kip who tried to steal from my store.”

The uncle flushed and immediately stepped back, adding a sharp, “Sorry.”

But I wasn’t done.Nobodyspoke like that to my staff. “Kip is nothing if not professional, and he knowsexactlywhat he can and cannot do, and your nephew was very co-operative. So how about you back the hell away and take a breath.”

The uncle’s jaw worked but he did as I suggested. He dropped his head and blew out a couple of slow breaths, and when he looked up again, a different man stood before me.

“I apologise,” he said softly. “That was totally unacceptable. I wasn’t suggestinganyonewas unprofessional.” He hesitated. “Well, shit, I suppose I was.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it himself, and I did my best not to smile. “But I didn’t really mean it. I was just...” His gaze ran to my office where Jack sat, and he gulped a shaky breath. “I’m sorry.”

He was coming from the place every parent came from, and my attitude softened. It didn’t hurt that close up he was also kind of gorgeous.

“It’s fine.” Kip stepped away. “We get it. It’s a shock.”

“Thank you. So, which one of you is the owner?” He glanced between me and Kip.

“I am.” I stepped forward. “Rhys Hellier.”

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