Big Ben (See No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,58
a crack I’d left unguarded. Dexter turned with a smile. “Fenton. There you are. Look, Olivia came by. She wanted to hang out. Why don’t you and her chit chat. Get to know each other better. Liv, Fenton and the missus have been saying we need to go over there for dinner. Why don’t you two sort it out? And be nice.”
I forced myself to smile at Fenton. More of a gritting of teeth really. “Just one moment please.” I pulled Dexter aside. “Dexter, I told you he makes me uncomfortable. Please don’t leave me with him.”
“Oh, just stop being such a fucking cunt. That’s my boss. The least you can do is help me grease the political office wheels a little bit, yeah?”
My stomach turned. “What the fuck do you mean grease the wheels?”
“He’s going to notice you’re always rude. You never want to do dinner, you won’t even talk to him at events, and you won’t dance with him.”
“I didn’t realize it was my job to dance with your boss. And I do all those other things. To support you. But you’re going to go back inside and leave me with him? That makes me really uncomfortable.”
“Well it’s not my problem. Leave if you want. It’s not like you ever gave a shit about my career anyway.”
I winced as if I’d been slapped. “Are you being serious? Or are you taking the piss?”
“I don’t even know what you’re doing here.”
I straightened my back. “You know what, neither do I.”
I couldn’t even watch him walk inside. But when I turned, and Fenton was right there not two steps away. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. Look, I’m sorry if my presence causes you discomfort.”
I swallowed hard. “Look, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. It’s just… I like my space.”
He sighed. “But you recognize I’m just trying to help.”
I tried to choose my words carefully since I was now outside, alone, with a man who made me uncomfortable. “And it’s kind of you to be so helpful. Dexter thinks the world of you.” There I was, doing it again. Making excuses for him, always trying to smooth the way. But he’d just left me. Like I was nothing.
“Why don’t you let me take you home? You know Dex. He’s had too much to drink. We can try to figure out a solution for him.”
How exactly did one say fuck that noise politely? I was sure there was a way to do that. “That’s all right. I think I’ll just call an Uber.”
He chuffed a laugh. “You know, Dex told me what happened. That you got mugged after the event. I was horrified. If you had just listened, did as I told you and took my car or let me take you home, none of that would have happened.”
No, but something much worse would have. Something I needed to avoid now.
“Possibly. But I don’t think one is related to the other. And I just want to go home and get to sleep.”
He took my upper arm in a tight grip. “Let me help you. You never take my help. Never say thank you for what I’ve done for Dexter. It’s distressing. It’s like you don’t understand how much I’ve done for you.”
Bile churned in my belly. “Mr. Mills, you’re hurting me.”
He stared down at his hand, brows knit tight. “Stop being melodramatic. I’m not hurting you. I’m just trying to explain to you how it could be. Just let me take care of you. We’re all a family here. I can give you what you need.”
“I have what I need, Mr. Mills, thank you.” I tried to pull my arm free, but he just tightened the vise. “Ow. I really need you to let me go.”
His eyes roamed over my face. “So beautiful, but so ungrateful.”
He pulled me closer, and I recoiled from the stench of gin. I hated that smell. Stale gin on the breath, there was nothing worse than that. “Let me go. Now.”
His gaze narrowed. “You’re such an ungrateful—”
“I think the lady told you to get your hands off her.”
Goose bumps prickled my skin. I knew that voice. Did I dare pray.
“Mind your business, mate.” Fenton spat. “My lady friend and I are having a conversation.”
Ben’s voice lowered to a growl. “Well, considering she works for me, she is my business.”
I whipped my head around to find Ben taking long strides along the sidewalk.