“She’s diplomatic. I figure most people would tell me to suck it up it when I ran into a problematic client, but she understood and reassigned me.”
He pulled into the driveway, but didn’t turn off the car. “How were they problematic? There are only so many ways to scrub a toilet.”
His energy had shifted into protective mode, and I knew he wouldn’t let this go. “It was over two years ago, Punc, but this client liked to, um, watch me.”
“Watch you. What does that mean? Make sure you didn’t steal their jewelry or some shit?”
I held up my hands. “Don’t worry about it, Punc. It was uncomfortable, and Rita took care of it.”
He shifted in his seat, and gently put his hand on my neck. “Don’t make me go to Rita about this, babe.” He dipped his chin and shot me a sly grin. “Shouldn’t tell you this, but she said she likes me for you.”
I closed my eyes and ignored those words, though I had no doubt Rita didn’t like him for me, shelovedhim for me. “He liked to watch me in his house. It didn’t get to the point where he harassed me, but my instincts said that day was coming soon.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “You sound almost broken up about it.”
I twisted my hands up. “Not really, it’s just that Rita keeps her employees in the same area for efficiency. When I got reassigned, I lost two other clients out in Ponte Vedra, and they were really great tippers. Though, to be fair, if I hadn’t switched, I’d never have met Muriel… so it all worked out in the end.”
Punc’s lips twisted with cynicism and his eyes slid to the garage door. “Let’s take the food in through the garage.”
We put the groceries away, and it surprised me how well we worked together. Then again, putting food away wasn’t exactly the height of teamwork.
My phone rang with a familiar looking number on the display.
“Who’s that?” Punc asked.
I didn’t want to tell him I thought it might be Frank.
I shrugged and took the call. “Hello?”
“Did you hook up with a biker? Or did your sister?” Frank asked.
“Why would you ask that?” I asked.
“Saw the Harley in your driveway earlier. You got a biker boyfriend all of a sudden?”
“That’s none of your business,” I said.
“I disagree. Your daddy tells me there’s an insurance policy paying out soon.”
Oh, my God.
In the weeks since I got out of the hospital, I’d left tons of messages for Dad and got nothing in return. Catalina left him a message, but then he returned her call at two in the morning without leaving her a voicemail.
Now, my worst fears had been confirmed. Dad was somehow tied up in all this.
“Why would you talk to my dad?” I asked.
“I’m taking that settlement in full,” Frank hissed.
My temper got the best of me, and I blurted, “No, you aren’t, Frank. I don’t even get the full payout - her creditors get paid first.”
Suddenly, Punc stood in front of me, his eyes blazing with anger.
He snatched the phone from me. “Listen up, asshole. She doesn’t owe you shit.”
There was a pause, and I wished the phone was on speaker.
“I’m part of the Riot MC and she doesn’t exist to you, and neither does her sister.”
