Page 41 of An Angel's Share
I sit seething in the booth. What the hell? The man is a professional liar. I looked him up, well what there was on the internet. Not much. I know he is a CEO of a tech company, a billion dollar business. But there’s not much on him. More on his brother in celebrity security, and his sister obviously with her relationships. But the man who supposedly runs a massive tech company—hardly anything.
I know he upgraded all the security atO’Cleryslast year. Cyber security was also listed as one of his top businesses. My heart misses a beat. He’s been watching us for ages. Probably installed some cyber crap on our computers, keeping tabs on what was going on in the company if he waslooking last year for the thief. I shake my head as pennies start to drop.
Well, I wasn’t even here then. I was still doing my doctorate, and looking in on the American set up when I could, but not a lot, to be honest. I just didn’t have the time or, if I’m totally truthful, the inclination. Anyone could have been stealing and I wouldn’t have known. In fact, I clearly did not know. Daddy never said. But he wouldn’t. No one said a bloody word. Typical O’Clery brothers, Daddy, Dermot, and Marshall. Keeping it on the down low. And certainly not the snake in the grass Jonno Greystone.
We sit in silence as more cake, coffee, and prosecco arrive. I suddenly see Christy stiffen and duck down slightly into the corner of the booth. I look at her in amazement, but she waves her hands at me to slouch down, putting her finger to her lips to silence me.
I’m just about to do the opposite, when I hear the voice of Patrick’s assistant drift over the coffee shop.
“So, have you picked out your décor? Those furnishings were beautiful,” she states.
Another voice answers. “No, Liam has gone today to sort them all out for me. I couldn’t get the whole day off. I gave him a list. And besides, it would look so suspicious if we keep being off together. I’m sure she’ll notice. I mean, he can’t keep his hands off me.”
My eyes are so large, Christy looks at me in panic. We both look at each other and I crouch down further into the seat. Listening. My heart rate picking up. I need to remember to breathe.
“Patrick’s the same.”
My heart sinks to my flip-flops. Christy has gone pale, and looks like she’s going to be sick.
The other woman chirps up again. “Liam said I can havethe penthouse suite. He’s taking it for himself, for us.” She’s so smug, her elitism oozing from her voice. “Has Patrick decided to take a suite for you both? Or…?”
I grab a hold of Christy’s hands and shake my head at her, begging her with my eyes not to do anything.
“No,” the second woman sighs out. She sounds disappointed.
A third woman pipes up. “Well, Chris said I can have an apartment in the new block they’re going to invest in. And it’s in an even better location.”
Fucking hell. Chris? As in Liam’s cousin? The export director? How the hell has he got money for that? Dublin is a fortune on property.
“Did you talk about the engagement?” Patrick’s woman asks.
“No, Chris said he’s not bothering with an engagement. I mean, look at Liam’s. Not worth the cake they ate. A complete joke. So no, we’ll just go straight for the wedding. But he wants to get us settled financially first.”
What the fuck is going on with these three? It crosses my mind it’s the same three that were having lunch at my fucking family dinner table. Patrick’s secretary was definitely there. The other two, I’m not entirely sure, but it certainly does fit these three would be out and about together.
“Has Liam said if he is leaving her?” Again Patrick’s secretary is the questioner. “I mean she is pregnant. Aren’t you worried that if he’s capable of cheating on and leaving his pregnant fiancée what will he do to you?”
Oh I love the bitchy infighting. Strange bedfellows these women.
She tuts. “Next month. He’s getting everything set up first. He gets the keys in a week I think. And it’s not cheatingif you don’t love the person. And he doesn’t.” She pauses for a second then carries on. “I’m resigning and moving into the penthouse. Then he’ll have to break the news gently. But he intends to look after the baby, so I suppose I’ll have to deal with her and them.”
I practically laugh. He’s even lying to his fucking girlfriend. At least he has stuck to the lie.
“And to be fair, he’s told me everyday he doesn’t love her. He even told me on their engagement night. We had a tryst in the downstairs loo. He’s always loved me, but felt obligated due to the baby. So it shows how good a character he has, the fact he hasn’t just dumped her.”
She even sounds like she believes that. What a sucker. I stifle a laugh and Christy stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.
Liam’s girlfriend then starts on Patrick’s assistant. “You need to put more pressure on Patrick. He needs to dump the frump.”
I look sharply at Christy, who has tears in her eyes. I grab a hold of her hands and shake my head aggressively again.
“He’s oblivious. I’ve tried to pin him down since the night at the hotel, but he just sidesteps me. I think he’s getting bored of my flirting. It seems a bit of one way traffic.”
She sounds downhearted. Dejected. Fucking good. And Patrick is a dead man.
“Oh my god, what time is it? We need to get back before anyone comes back and finds we’ve gone. Having an affair with the boss has its perks, and I know most of the office staff will keep their mouths shut. But iftheycome back, especially Christy, different story. She monitors my hours, the stingy witch. If Patrick would just give in to me completely, I could pressure him into getting rid of her. Iwant to swan around, not doing anything, pretending to work.” They all laugh in agreement.
We hear the chairs scrape on the floor and hunch down, practically climbing inside the pink leather. As the door swings and their voices ebb away, I stare at Christy. Her eyes are full of tears, and when she blinks, they start to pour down her face.
