Chapter Twenty-Seven
Shattered
Crystal
I’d just gotten showered and into some comfy clothes, when Jay messaged. I laid the marriage license on my bedside table, running my nail over the blue print along the edges and picked up the phone.
I need you here within the next ten minutes, make it happen.
Ten minutes?
My mind raced to recall where I left my shoes as I stripped out of the jogging pants and threw on a pair of jeans. He knew I didn’t have a car. I had to walk, and that wasn’t happening in ten minutes!
I opened the door of the club half an hour later. A bike backfired on the highway out front, and I darted inside a little quicker than necessary. I knew it wasn’t Anthony, but I still gave a glance toward the road when I identified the sound.
It was a bit of a distance across the parking lot, but I could have sworn it was a Steel Disciples vest the rider was wearing.
“Crystal,” Zandie gushed, as she came out of the hallway.
She lifted her arm up and wiggled her fingers, drawing attention to the cast she was wearing.
“Oh, my gosh.” I sucked in a sympathetic breath, and instantly decided that was why I was called in.
If Zandie was in a cast, I might get scheduled for a few night shifts after all.
I relaxed at once, “What did you do, girl?”
She fanned the good arm in front of herself, “My kid slammed the trunk when we were emptying groceries.”
The horror must have registered on my face. The child had behavioral issues but I didn’t know it was that bad.
“It was an accident; he was in a hurry to get back to his game and didn’t realize I’d reached in.” She rolled her eyes.
“Jeez. I hope you get to mending quickl–”
“Crystal!” Jay snapped, causing me violently startle. “Get the fuck in here.”
I shot Zandie an apologetic look and hurried that way.
“I said ten minutes. You simple or just can’t fuckin’ tell time?”
My shoulders instinctively climbed toward my ears, as I turned sideways to slip past him into the office. I tried to remain calm, and unmoved by his rage, it sometimes helped if I didn’t react. I placed a hand on the arm of the chair and bent my knees to sit.
“Don’t bother. You won’t be here that long. Here is your final check. I have some parting advice from your friends.”
“Wh–what? What the fuck are you talking about my final check?” I straightened back up so quickly my knees popped.
“You don’t work here anymore. If you want to work in this city at all, you’re gonna take your ass North of the hospital. I got a friend that owns a spot up there he said he’d put you on.”
“Jay, you can’t fucking fire me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Go to the North side. His name is Flynn–”
Jay’s lips kept moving, but the name he’d dropped took me back like I’d been hit by a boulder. I started to shake from the inside out.
“J–Jay.” Tears pricked my eyes as I grappled for my senses.
“Go. To. Flynn.”
