Page 48 of Liar Byrd
I don’t have time to think about Jeremiah, the compound, or whether anyone is laying flowers on my mom’s grave.
I just clean.
“Can’t Lydia go?” I ask Nance.
Lydia has been the one who goes into town to run errands. It’s worked out perfectly for me.
She frowns. “I can’t find where that girl has disappeared to, and I need more flour for bread. Since you started, she’s worse than those maids who never stuck around.”
“But I?—”
“Take my car. It’s the blue sedan parked out front. The keys are in the ignition. Use the fob on the keychain to open the gate. All you have to do is grab the groceries and bring them back. Mr. Gabriel has an account, so it’s already paid for.”
She hurries away, back to the kitchen, before I can lie and tell her I don’t know how to drive.
I linger for the next couple of minutes, chewing my lip until it’s raw.
Lydia can’t go because she’s hiding from work. Nash obviously can’t go because that’s what he pays us to do. I could ask Makhi, but it seems rude, and I’m doing everything humanly possible to avoid Vonn. I’m like lightning cleaning his room. I whip through it so fast, terrified he’ll find me there.
And I’m not asking Kit. At every meal, he’s flirting with me, staring at me, and making me feel uncomfortable. Asking him for a favor will lead to a situation I’d rather avoid.
I feel safe in the Gabriel Mansion. I have a big iron gate to keep the world out and keep me in.
If this job weren’t so important, I’d tell Nance no. But I need it, if only to get to the end of this month to get my first paycheck. And I need money. Money to start over somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and money to buy new underwear so I’m not washing and wearing the same pair over and over.
I stand there, clutching my cloth, puzzling over what to do.
What if Jeremiah’s men tracked me here?
“Everything okay?”
I jump, spinning around at the Southern drawl coming from behind me.
Vonn again. He’s near the top of the staircase, and he must know I’ve been avoiding him or that I’m scared of him because I haven’t seen him since he laughed when I knocked a glass of water over Makhi’s crotch. Nash should have fired me on the spot for that, and I don’t understand why he hasn’t.
My eyes fix on his muscular forearms, focusing on his tattoos. None of Jeremiah’s men have tattoos, and I hold on to that detail to stay grounded.
“Darlin’?”
My eyes snap to his face as he takes a step down, his forehead furrowing.
I force a smile as I retreat. His expression doesn’t change, but when he backs up a step, I realize I need to work harder not to look like a deer in headlights.
“Fine.”
He nods, his blank expression making me think he’s not convinced. “You need any help?”
“No.” My tone is sharper than I’d intended, but I don’t want him anywhere near me.
“Well,” he says, retreating another step. “If there’s anything you need, you let me know, okay?”
I nod as I mentally will him to leave. He has nothing I would ever want. All he does is remind me of Jeremiah and the compound, a life I try every day to forget.
“I was in the army in a past life,” he says, his voice quieter than I thought a big man could speak. “You never have anything to fear from me.” He smiles a little. “See, the government paid me to keep people safe.”
“And to kill.” The words slip out, but I need him to know I don’t trust him, and I never will. Nothing he says will ever change that.
He slowly nods. “And to kill. But, like I said, that was in a past life. I’ll leave you to it.”
