The Other Side of Greed (The Seven Sins #5) - Lily Zante Page 0,17
with all sorts of lice and fleas? And then I remember what Jessica told me. Fredrich starts to pick up a box with his one good arm but I tell him I’ll do it.
Holy crap.
It’s heavy.
I follow Fredrich over to a table. Just as I set the box down I catch sight of Kyra who is carrying a box that looks way too big and, given the way she’s struggling to carry it, seems too heavy for her.
“Will you stop it?” she cries as Fredrich tries to take the box from her. Then she sees me as she sets the box down.
“I see you made it,” she states in a voice that drips more with disappointment than relief.
“You asked me to, and here I am.”
“How about you help me get the rest of the stuff out?”
I swear under my breath as I follow her.
“I hope I didn’t ruin your evening,” she says.
“I was free, like I said.” My voice is tight, like hers. We eye one another like pit bulls about to fight. She opens the double doors of a large van, fumbles around inside it and then hands me over another heavy box. She tells me to take it back to the tables and then to come back for more.
This is shit I’m not prepared for. Feeding people? I’ve left a perfectly fine, ridiculously expensive meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant, for this?
A quick glance at the crowd of people all standing quietly, patiently, waiting for something, unnerves me.
I have never been in a situation like this. Not in this life. I have spent the last twenty years trying to forget. I wipe my hand across my face and turn away, wondering how I am going to get through this evening. I see now that the people at the tables must be Kyra’s staff and workers, and the group of misfits over in the distance are the ones needing to be fed.
“You can admire the scenery another time.” Kyra’s voice ricochets off my back. I turn around. “Jump in, make yourself useful.”
“I carried a box.” The words sound pathetic out loud.
“Get used to it. There are a lot of boxes to carry.”
“I can manage.” I sound like a teen trying to convince his parents he can handle booze.
Kyra stops. “Do you have any questions? I know it must seem like I’ve thrown you in at the deep end.”
“You don’t say.”
“You told me you’d be willing to do anything. If you can’t handle it, just let me know.”
This woman is taunting me. I quirk an eyebrow. “I’m up for this.”
She folds her arms as her expression turns jubilant. “You look as if you’re going to throw up.”
I force a laugh. And then my stomach rumbles, reminding me of what I gave up for this.
“You’re mistaken.” I head towards the tables, towards Simona where I expect a better reception and I get it.
“Brad!” She greets me with a smile. “How lovely to see you.”
Chapter Nine
KYRA
The new guy looks lost. Like a fish out of water.
It struck me that his speech about him wanting to do this type of work, was too good to be true. And now I know that for a fact. He had no idea what he was letting himself in for.
He has stationed himself next to Simona which means I’ve been able to observe him from a distance.
He seems hesitant. As if he doesn’t want to touch anyone lest he catches something. While I am aware that this is a hard situation to be thrust into without knowing the full details, I was determined to give him the benefit of doubt. His reaction tells me that he can’t have worked in those poor communities doing what he claims he did, if he looks so uncomfortable now.
I expect someone like him to be more at ease in the financial district than here.
“He’s getting along with it.” Fredrich catches me ogling Brad. “Why do you keep looking at him?”
“He doesn’t seem to be handling it well.”
“He came, didn’t he?”
Because Fredrich won’t stay away, I’ve put him on napkin duty. It’s not really a duty, but he doesn’t seem to want to go home, so I’ve given him something that won’t damage his arm even more.
I’m going to have to force him to stay at home for a week or two, otherwise he will make his arm worse and I can’t afford for that to happen.
We’ve got Mr. Hartley now.
At the end of the evening, I tally up how many plates we’ve