My eyes dart to Heather’s office window, and I watch as she grins at me before sinking her teeth into a slice of pizza.
God, I wish I could afford to get up and leave this shitty job.
Just as I turn my attention back to my computer screen, my phone rings. Seeing it’s an internal call, I groan softly.
“Yes, Heather?”
“You better finish the projections by the end of the month.”
“But that’s in four days!” I gasp. “You know it takes much longer than that to get it all done.”
“Not this year. I want it completed by the thirtieth, Laurie.”
I look at her through the window. Seeing the cruel smile on her face as she hangs up sends me over the edge.
Darting to my feet, I stalk to her shut door and shove it open. “Stop treating me like crap, Heather. I’ve given this place six years of my life, and I’m a hard worker. The least you could dois show me some respect. You know it always takes around six weeks to get those spreadsheets done.”
Her eyebrows fly up. “That attitude’s not going to look good when I tell my brother why I fired you.”
A familiar fear creeps into my chest. “You can’t seriously be threatening my job, because I asked you to treat me like a human being?”
Heather picks up another slice of pizza and gathers a string of cheese with her freshly done claws. “Human beings earn respect, Laurie. They don’t storm into my office and scream at me.” She pops the cheese into her mouth and smirks at me while she chews.
My hands curl into fists at my sides. “I didn’t scream at you.”
“Get back to work before I decide to make today your last at this company.”
The threat cuts straight through my anger.
Heather knows how trapped I am in this underpaying job, and she’s used that threat on me before.
Swallowing hard, I step into the hallway, but as I take hold of the lever to pull the door shut, she adds, “And if I were you, I’d treat my brother with much more respect. You’re on thin ice.”
My gaze flies to hers, and once again, I wish I could tell both Heather and Austin to go to hell, but I can’t. Not yet.
Pulling her door shut, I return to my desk while it feels like lava is boiling in my chest.
How on earth am I going to get all this work done in less than a week?
My chin begins to tremble, but refusing to cry, I take deep breaths and force myself to calm down.
You have a plan. Just work until the end of the month so you can get your paycheck.
Luckily, I have another appointment to view an available room tomorrow at eight p.m., and it sounds more promising than the serial-killer-guy’s place.
You’ve held out this long. You can manage a few more days.
Adriano
Waiting down the street from the construction company, I’m wearing a hoodie beneath my leather jacket, the hood pulled over my head to shadow my face.
While Little Ricky waits in the SUV that’s parked in front of the club, I plan to follow Laurie on foot as soon as she gets off work.
I’m armed and have my tracker activated, so nothing should go wrong.
Yesterday, Rosie gave me everything she could find on my little butterfly.
Laurie has a predictable life, so it will be easy to keep an eye on her while I try to figure out what I’m going to do about this sudden obsession that’s caught me off guard.