Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
How the hell had Donovan done this?
“Yeah, thanks,” he said to Doris.
She peered up at him from where she sat behind her desk.
“How do you take it, dear?” she asked him.
“Black. No sugar.”
Doris shuddered. “Sounds terrible. You know, I’m not really sure that Mr. Stein needs more caffeine. Pretty sure he hasn’t been sleeping.”
“He’s worried about these threats.” He was also a dick. But Hayes didn’t add that part.
She shook her head. “He’s always getting on someone’s bad side. I don’t know why these threats are affecting him so much. He’s not always this . . .”
Much of an asshole?
“This emotional,” she finally managed to say.
“Doris! Coffee! Now!” Stein ordered.
“Or demanding.” She gave Hayes an unbothered smile. “I bet Sondra is doing her best to stay away from him. Lord knows, I’d do that if I could.”
He bet.
“Have you got any thoughts about who the person sending him the threats might be?” he asked.
It occurred to him that she probably knew his clients pretty well. And she might have some insight. The sooner the person sending the threats was caught, the sooner he could leave this place.
Get away from her.
Yeah. Right. Like you want to do that.
Hayes had decided to switch places with Donovan in order to get some space from Devi. He’d spent too much time thinking and watching that girl.
She was distracting and he couldn’t afford to be distracted in this job. However, if he had to spend too long guarding this asshole, he might end up strangling him.
“Actually, dear, I’ve been thinking about that lately. Let me get his lordship’s coffee as well as some for you and I’ll tell you what I’ve got.”
Good.
Finally, something productive.
Hopefully he’d be home by the end of the week. Although considering it was already Wednesday that might be too optimistic.
He wondered if Devi was working at the Elk Horn Tavern tonight again.
Not that it mattered since he wouldn’t be going back there. He owed Donovan a night off anyway.
His phone buzzed and he drew it out of his pocket to check it.
Donovan: So . . . Devi.
What the hell did that mean? Frowning, he decided to just ignore his message.
But it seemed the bastard wasn’t ready to stop prodding at him.
Donovan: You didn’t tell me about her.
Hayes gritted his teeth and glanced through the glass at Stein. He was on the phone and doing something on the computer. Hayes wondered what Sondra saw in him. Then again, they didn’t spend much time together.
So perhaps she couldn’t stand him either.
His phone buzzed again and he groaned. What the fuck was up with this asshole?
Was putting up with Stein not enough? Now he had to suffer through whatever Donovan was trying to do.
They weren’t friends. They were work colleagues. He didn’t know him well, but he wouldn’t have thought he was a gossip.
Donovan: She’s really cute.
Hayes ground his teeth together. That bastard just wouldn’t leave this alone. And what was he fucking doing looking at Devi?
He shouldn’t be looking at her. No one had any right to look at her other than Hayes.
Okay. No.
You don’t have the right to be this possessive.
She isn’t yours and she can choose to date whoever she likes.
Except Donovan. She wasn’t going to date that pretty boy. He ignored the fact that before now he’d never had any reason to actively dislike Donovan.
Before now he hadn’t realized how fucking annoying he was.
He’s just fishing. Don’t give him what he’s looking for.
Donovan: Sondra was telling me how when Devi fell over yesterday that you swooped in and helped her get up.
Hayes couldn’t take it anymore. He had to reply even though he’d rather pull out all his teeth than participate in this conversation.
Hayes: There some reason you’re messaging me this crap instead of guarding Sondra?
There. That ought to get Donovan to stop messaging him. He nodded as Doris returned with a tray, taking his coffee from her. Then Hayes opened the door to the office so she could carry coffee in to Stein.
He glanced up with a frown then waved her forward impatiently. Going to win boss of the year.
Dick.
Donovan: She’s come home with a headache and is lying down. So I’ve got lots of time on my hands. Are you going to say anything about delicious Devi?
Yeah. He was going to tell him that he needed to never call her that again if he didn’t want his tongue ripped out of his mouth.
He closed his eyes and just concentrated on his breathing for a moment.
Calm.
“You all right, dear?” Doris asked.
“Yeah.”
“Oh good. You just looked like you had a headache. Or gas. Gas can be very painful. I’ve got some painkillers if you need them. I’ve also got some excellent medicine for trapped gas.”
Dear Lord.
What was happening right now?
“That’s okay. I’m good.”
“If you say so, dear. Just let me know. There’s even a bathroom just down the hall. I won’t tell his lordship if you don’t.”