Bully King - J.A. Huss Page 0,87
show up in the kitchen. Like you’re a visiting family member asking if she can help with the dishes after dinner. And you’re not. You’re an employee, Cadee.”
“Thanks for the update.”
“You report to people here.”
“I know.”
“And it’s not Cooper Valcourt.”
“Is it you?” My tone is overly sweet now. I’m so not interested in fighting with this guy.
He actually sneers at me. “No.”
“Then who do I report to?”
“You can serve the coffee. But hurry up. The second challenge is today.”
As if I didn’t know that.
I don’t know what Victor has stuck up his ass, but I suspect it has something to do with me not accepting my place and station in life. So I don’t spend any more time thinking about it. I just get the coffee ready without speaking to any of the other servers, and try to control my nervousness about what’s coming today.
And when I go outside and start setting up the coffee service in the tent, all the girls look pretty nervous too.
“Cadee,” Sophie whispers as she comes up to me.
“What’s up?”
“Do you know anything about the challenge today?”
Cooper knows what the second challenge is, obviously. But he didn’t fill me in on it. “No. But don’t worry about it too much, Sophie. You’re going to be fine. Michael is on your side.”
“Right.”
“He didn’t mention anything?”
“No. He didn’t know.”
Or he’s lying. But I don’t say that out loud. Sophie is a gentle soul. But not the same way I am. She’s also… weak. Always on the verge of falling to pieces.
“Mona is in the house!”
Everyone turns to see Mona walk out of the woods, her hands up in the air, her trademark just-fucked hair piled on top of her head. Her lips are glossy red and she’s dressed in head-to-toe black. I’m talking cargo pants, t-shirt, and combat boots. She looks like she’s been cast as an enemy tart in the next Mission: Impossible movie.
“Yay!” I say, smiling at my new friend, but then realize—I’m the only one happy to see her.
Except Dante. “There she is, folks. My woman.”
Mona makes a face. I wait for her bodyguards to appear, but she enters the tent alone and there are no men in black coming out of the woods.
Dante is approaching Mona, but she puts up a hand and walks right past him over to me.
“Hey, where’s Meat and Chatter today?” I ask.
“Ask your boyfriend,” Mona says.
“What?”
“Cooper said I couldn’t bring them anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because they fucked up my challenge, that’s why,” Dante says.
Mona turns to Dante. “You got your way, asshole. But if you think the scariest thing about me is my troop of bodyguards”—she lifts her sunglasses up so she can stare him in the eyes—“you better think again.”
Dante mumbles, “Bitch,” and then walks off.
“He really told you they couldn’t come?” I ask Mona.
She sighs. “Yes. Apparently, Dante’s father called the Chairman complaining about the bodyguards and managed to get them banned from the rest of the challenges. So we’re on our own.”
I look around at the other girls and figure the bodyguards probably aren’t needed anyway. Elexa and Ivan are best friends now. Sophie has Michael. And Maddie, Natasha, Jamie, and Roland have settled into some kind of foursome. But they look happy. They’re sitting over at a small table laughing and smiling at least.
“But don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Mona smiles at me. “I know how to handle Dante.”
I catch Victor shooting me a dirty look from across the tent at the other side of the service table. And when Dante wanders over to grab some fruit, Victor leans in to whisper something in his ear.
Dante’s eyes immediately find mine. “Fugling!” he yells. “Get your ass to work before I let the Chairman know you’ve been fucking off this whole time.”
Mona and I roll our eyes at each other. “Go. I’ll take care of him.” She saunters off, calling Dante’s name, and I gather up trash and straighten the glassware.
Cooper’s hand slides over my hips and he leans in to whisper. “Don’t let him get to you. Just ignore it. He’s just pissed because he knows I’m looking for a way to cut him.”
“I’m fine. I’m actually looking forward to working today. I’ve had enough sitting out by the pool.”
He kisses me on the cheek and this time when I look around the room, I catch Lars staring at me. I give him a little wave and he returns a half-hearted smile.
Yeah. Cooper and I need to have a talk with him.
Maybe Ax is OK with how