Page 60 of Hidden Fears
“Are you okay?” I ask, hearing Jennica coming over to us.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m okay, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Her eyes dart around before they land on my face. “I just saw the ad saying that you need people?”
I exchange a look with Jennica, who comes even closer, and the girl notices it.
“Not as an officer or anything, but I was hoping I could leave my resume for the dispatcher position or an office assistant or something.” She swallows nervously. “If you’re looking for any of those.”
I watch her face closely, wondering if I have seen her somewhere, but I don’t recognize her.
“We’re looking for someone for those positions,” Jennica chimes in and shoulders me away. “But it’s more like one position for all of them. Is that okay?”
The girl starts nodding quickly. “I can help with whatever.”
“You can leave your resume with me. Right, Boss?”
I send Jennica a stink-eye, knowing she totally cornered me. I sigh. “Right. You can leave it with Jennica.”
The girl’s face brightens, and she’s led away by a very happy Jennica while I rush to the bar, expecting Jake to be in trouble again.
And I’m right. I know it the moment I step into the bar. I find a guy with an ice pack on his nose, the lower part of his face covered in blood. And I also find fucking Josie, who’s standing by the counter, holding Jake’s hand in hers and pressing another ice pack to his knuckles.
Fuck me.It’s happening again. Jake is in trouble, and this time, Josie is here,cradlinghis hurt fuckin’ hand like she has a right to.
Fuck. What if she does? What if they have something going? Jake is young, and Josie is hot. And she’s been left alone by me for a long period of time. Anyone would jump at a chance to impress her. Not me, of course, but everyone else would.
Going to the man first while shooting daggers at the ‘happy couple,’ I get his part of the story first since he looks the worst.
“What happened?” My voice is on the verge of combusting with anger, and I’m not sure who it’s directed at.
“This asshole,” the guy points at Jake, “hit me in the face.”
“And I’d hit you again,” Jake says back not so quietly. In my presence. Shooting him a warning to keep his mouth shut, I return back to the man in front of me.
“How did it happen?”
“I was just having some fun, man, and he went off the rails, punched me, and broke my nose.”
“Yeah?” Josie chimes in, her voice clipped. “You’re missing a few key details, if I recall.”
Slowly turning toward her, I find her pressing her lips tight. Fighting the urge to rush to her side and check if she’s okay, I ask, “Do you want to add something? Or maybe explain what you’re doing here?”
She’s protecting Jake while I’m doing my job. Maybe it’s time to stop coddling him so much and give him a real lesson. I’m usually more patient with Jake, but he’s pissing me off today by letting her take care of him. Pathetic.
“Why do I need to explain myself to you?” Her head rears back with apparent shock. “I’m in a bar! Getting a drink, just like everyone else.”
“It’s not night yet,” I hiss through gritted teeth.
“Oh, you shush.” She rolls her eyes, and Jake snorts. I shoot him a glare, and he instantly bites his lips and stares back at his fist. I hear a few chuckles from around us as the music is lowered, and we become the main entertainment. I can hear every single one of them holding their breath to see how it all will play out.
“What are you going to do?” the man asks, reminding me of why I came here in the first place.
“What do you want me to do?” I ask him as my eyes are still trained on the pretty picture of fury with raven hair before me. She looks like a little dragon while she sends me evil glares with her tiny nostrils flared. I half expect to burst into flames from the intensity.
“To arrest the asshole, that’s what!” he cries out, drawing everyone’s attention to us for good.
Mine including. I slowly turn my head to him. “Are you pressing charges?” I ask.
“Fuck yes!”
