Page 17 of Jump-Start
“Yeah?” Polo Dude asks with a cocky grin. “What are you going to do?” What a spoiled dick.
“Make another advance at her and find out,” I challenge, but he senses how willing I am to knock out a few of his perfect teeth because he steps back and raises his hands in surrender.
“No bitch is worth it,” he says, and I feel a violent scowl coming onto my face. Yeah, he really shouldn’t have said that.
“Alright, stand down,” Jack says only loud enough for me to hear.
“Nah, I’m going to break his nose,” I reply, making Polo Dude turn to me with a poisonous smile.
“You shouldn’t have said that,” he says before disappearing and then returning moments later, causing all hell to break loose.
* * *
“I cannot fucking believe you,”Chiara says while pulling her long, brown hair out of the ponytail she had it in.
“This is for the best,” I reply, although I’ve never felt this guilty in my entire life.
“For the best?” she spits my words back at me, turning around and pressing her finger into my left pec. “You just cost me my job by threatening my boss’s son. This isn’t for the best, you piece of shit. I needed this job. I can’t afford my life without it!” Chiara barks, sending another wave of guilt through me.
“You shouldn’t work here, Starling. We’ll find you something better, somewhere you’re not treated like an object,” I say softly, but she’s so mad, she shoves me backward. Once, but hard enough to surprise me.
“You think I liked being degraded like that every night? You think that’s a fun job for a woman to have in an area like this? It’s not, Leonard! It’s horrible, but it was the only job where I was paid a good base pay and then got tips as well. I can’t find that anywhere else, asshole. So, yeah, it may not have been the best job in the world, but it was the only one that offered enough money. You, out of all people, should understand that,” she rants, and I feel like the worst person in the world.
It wasn’t my intention to get Chiara fired. I didn’t know who that prick was when I threatened to break his nose, but I can’t deny that I’m happy Starling doesn’t have to feel violated every time she’s here. The way Polo Dude spoke to her made me furious. I know she doesn’t want me to, but I will protect her, even if we don’t like each other. It doesn’t matter. I will get her into a better, more stable job. I will.
“There are other jobs. We’re going to find you one. You could even work for me—”
She cuts me off, impatience lacing her words. Her green eyes are so full of anger toward me, I want nothing more than to figure out how to get rid of it. I messed up, I’m well aware, but there has to be a way to get her to forgive me.
“You’ve done enough. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to see you again until you bring me Benz before fucking off to wherever the next race is. Meanwhile, I’m going to have to do the impossible and find another job that pays me well and goes with the rest of my schedule. Thanks very much,” she says and storms off toward her car.
Chiara gets in, but I hear the rumble of her engine minutes later before watching her slam her hands against the steering wheel. She tries again, but her garbage on wheels doesn’t turn on. I walk over to where she is parked, signaling to Jack that I need another minute before we can go home. He gives me a small nod, compassion all over his face.
I knock on Starling’s window while her head hangs between her arms, her hands grasping the steering wheel. She doesn’t respond, so I open her car door. My fingers move to her arms, and she doesn’t flinch away. I put them at her sides, seeing her watch me with confusion and anger. My face is barely an inch from hers as I undo her seatbelt, her scent filling my nose and driving me absolutely crazy.
“Come, I’ll drive you home,” I assure her, holding out my hand for her once I’ve stepped back. Chiara merely glares at my palm, but I can see how tired she is. “I know you’re pissed as hell, Starling, and you have every right to be, but let’s get you home,” I say, keeping my hand in front of her. Her fingers tremble as she reaches for her steering wheel and pushes herself out of her car. I furrow my brows from confusion and concern.
“I’m calling a taxi,” she says, but the adrenalin from before has worn off now, and Chiara stumbles against the side of her car. I grab onto her arms while panic widens her eyes.
“Leonard?” she asks before her body slumps against mine, and she passes out.
Fuck!
“Chiara? Come on, Starling, don’t do this to me,” I beg and scoop her up into my arms, barely registering the fact that I close her door and lock her car before sprinting to mine.
“What the hell did you do?” Jack asks, and I shoot him a look I hope tells him to fuck off.
“I didn’t do anything. She passed out. I think she’s too exhausted and the adrenalin wearing off made her crash,” I say because it’s the logical explanation. Then again, a million other reasons rush through my head, and none of them are rational. None of them are what I would usually think, but my brain has a way of going against my norm when it comes to Chiara.
“I’m calling myself a taxi. You go take care of Chiara,” my brother says, and I don’t waste a second before obeying.
I place Chiara in my passenger seat and wipe her hair off her face. To ease my hypochondriac thoughts, I press my fingers to her pulse to reassure myself. It’s there. Strong even. Good.
Thank fuck.
CHAPTERTEN
chiara
