Page 4 of Bred By the Boss

“Yes,” I murmur, offering her a shaky smile.

“You don’t look okay. He shouldn’t threaten you like that. Do you want me to call the police for you?”

“No!” I hiss, which draws a few glares my way. I offer an apologetic glance to the other customers before turning to thewoman. Clearly, she’s new to the neighborhood. “You don’t call the cops around here unless there’s been a murder. even then, you mind your business.”

“What he’s doing is clearly illegal.”

“It could’ve been a lot worse.”

I’ve seen it go a lot worse. I can get Splinter off my back if I just figure out how to cover this month’s installment. Maybe I can get a loan from my boss to cover it and pick up more shifts to pay him back. Anything to keep me safe.

The woman regards me with a long look before clicking her tongue. “Girls like you shouldn’t be working in a shithole like this,” she says. “How about this, my niece recently got an interview for a job, basically already had the job, just had to go through the hoops. But she just found out she’s pregnant, so her plans have changed. You should go in her stead.”

I perk up, eyes wide and heart hammering with anticipation. I could use any extra money I can get. “What kind of job is it?”

“Housekeeping. I have to imagine the pay’s better than what you earn here. Not much, maybe, but enough to help you cover your bills. Plus, the listing says the owner provides other benefits, like health insurance …”

I can feel myself starting to hope, against my better judgment, but it’s all I’ve got right now. It won’t get me the money I need for Friday, but it can help me cover future months. It gets me closer to getting my loan from him paid off. It’s a start. It’s something.

“Are you sure your niece will be okay with me going to the interview in her place?”

“When she learns what you did for me today, I have no doubt about it.”

I smile up at her, my heart warming. “When’s the interview?”

“Today.”

My stomach plummets. I have to work my shift for another couple of hours. There’s no way I’ll have time to clean up here and get to wherever the interview is, but I can’t let this chance just pass me by. “Do you think they would let me reschedule it? I’m not sure I can get the rest of my shift covered.”

“The job’s in uptown, at one of those fancy houses.”

I can feel a chill trickle down my spine at her revelation. That’s a really wealthy part of the city. While it’s not as far away from this neighborhood as the suburbs are, it’s miles away in terms of access. Especially for someone like me, with nothing to my name but debt.

Christ, this feels too good to be true. I am half afraid to believe her.

“Do you want the job?”

More than anything in the world. A job like that could sort out all my troubles. It could get me out of here, give me a chance to pay off my debt. Living like that, without owing anyone anything … It’d be like having a fresh start.

It’s what my mom would have wanted for me.

I bite my lip and look around the little laundromat. It’s been as much of a safe haven as I could have ever hoped for over the past five years. That’s when I realize that I want to leave. I want to take a chance on getting the hell out of here. I might never have this opportunity again.

“I want the job,” I say firmly, meeting the older lady’s kind eyes.

“Then you should go for it. I’ve got a good feeling about this for you.” She presses a piece of paper into my hands with the information I need for the interview. “Your new boss is waiting.”

Before I can talk myself out of it, I untie my work apron from my waist and pull out my phone to dial Lenny’s number.

It’s time I stopped waiting for my knight to come to rescue me and rescue myself instead.

Chapter Two

Connor

When I got the call from my contact, the one keeping tabs on Noelle, I was floored.

It’s not that I didn’t have faith in my plan, I just didn’t expect it to go so smoothly. I’m all about anticipating hitches and bumps. Nothing ever goes quite according to plan.

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