Charge, page 18
And now I was getting yelled at for not delivering what was basically an egg sandwich, even though I knew I’d put the order through correctly.
Damn Saul.
The handsy cook refused to make more than little changes to the menu. And since it wasn’t him who had to bear the wrath of our customers, he continued to ignore most changed orders. Sometimes he was feeling generous, but most times he didn’t. Like right now.
My brittle smile wasn’t even close to convincing. And my unhappy customer knew it when she narrowed her eyes at me, shoving the plate with the sub to the edge of the table.
I caught it as it was about to slide off. Barney had made sure I knew that anything I broke would come out of my paycheck. I’d worked in plenty of diners before I met William, and that had never been a thing back then.
But I’d been out of the game for a while, so maybe rules had changed. I was desperate for a job and wouldn’t question things when I’d only just started.
“I’m so sorry. I’ll get you a replacement.”
“You better. I mean, how hard can it be to leave the tuna out?”
Picking up the plate, I winced when it touched the burn on my hand. I’d burned myself on the stove this morning, and instead of putting ice or burn cream on it, I’d kept going since we’d been slammed. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”
I only had ten minutes left on my shift, my eyes wandering to the clock over the entrance for the hundredth time.
“Can you please make the sandwich for table seven again?” I asked, pushing the plate through the opening to the kitchen. “Without the tuna this time.”
Saul grunted, but whether it was in approval or disgust was anyone’s guess. I only hoped that whatever he planned on doing, he’d do it fast.
I checked my table one last time, making sure everyone was happy, then circled back to the kitchen.
The sandwich was sitting on the counter, and I couldn’t see any tuna this time. My body relaxed a little. Delivering the sandwich to table seven, I was thinking of dinner options.
I’d had the early shift today and would be home before anyone else. I’d get Sofie from school on my way home, and we could stop at the supermarket to get what we needed.
“Are you stupid?” the tuna sandwich without the tuna lady yelled at me. “There’s still tuna in here.”
I didn’t realize what she was about to do until it was too late. The sandwich landed on my head, the tuna sticking to my hair.
It’s laughable that I thought I could ever be more.
I turned around without another word. She was the customer, after all. They’d certainly fire me if I did what I really wanted to do, which was throw the bits of sandwich still clinging to me right back at her.
After locking myself inside the bathroom, I plucked bits of tuna and bread off my hair and clothes. Once I’d cleaned myself up as much as I could with soap and paper towels, I handed over my tables to Tina and left without another word.
When I pulled up to the school, Sofie was already waiting outside, waving at me as soon as she saw my car, her whole body swaying back and forth from the movement.
“Hey, Auntie Thea.” Her greeting was enthusiastic as always as she threw herself into the passenger seat. “You’ll never believe what Kayla did today.” Sofie inserted a dramatic pause, complete with her eyes widening comically. “She kissed Miller.”
“Hey, munchkin. Isn’t she too young to be going around kissing boys?”
“Totally. The teacher thought so, too, and she had to stay back for detention.”
I pulled away from the school, my driving resembling that of an eighty-year-old. William had insisted I take at least one of my cars with me when I left. Apparently it was rude to give back presents.
I’d chosen the least conspicuous of the cars, my Mercedes SLR. The other ones he’d given me would draw much more attention.
I’d been tempted to sell them to make life a little easier. I was sure William wouldn’t mind if I did, but they were still in his garage. If I ended up selling them, I’d have to go back and tell him what I planned. Then he’d insist on giving me money, and it would all end in an argument.
So I persevered with my job at the diner and hoped one of the other hundreds of applications I’d sent off would work out.
Parking at the supermarket, I turned to Sofie. “What do you feel like for dinner?”
“Lasagna.”
Her enthusiasm for lasagna was only surpassed by her love of glitter.
Tapping her nose, I undid my seat belt. “Let’s get the ingredients, then. And maybe a pie for dessert? Frozen, of course.”
She giggled. “Of course.”
We found a shopping cart, and Sofie hung off the side while I pushed it through the aisles.
“Auntie Thea, why do you have fish in your hair?”
My hand snapped up to my head, frantically searching for the bit of tuna I must have missed. “Someone threw a sandwich at me at work today.”
Sofie stretched up and plucked it out of my hair. I wrapped it in a tissue and stuffed it in my purse. I hoped I’d remember to get it back out. “Thanks, honey.”
“I think they need to be put in detention as well.”
I chortled. “Definitely.” Reaching for a pack of Oreos, I mentally calculated how much I could spend without overdrawing my account. Since the answer was not much, I pulled my hand back, leaving the cookies where they were. I could do without.
It was something that had become my mantra over the last few weeks.
We finished our shopping, and I cringed when I paid for our food, hoping my card would work. I’d opened a new account to signal my independence. I still had my old account, and it was incredibly tempting to use it, but I wanted to do this on my own.
The sigh of relief when the card worked must have been audible two blocks away. Sofie had been chattering away the whole time, thankfully oblivious to my worries.
We drove back to the house and deposited everything in Everleigh’s kitchen. Then we made lasagna, something I’d perfected over the last month.
I used to do the cooking when I still lived with my mom, but back then, it was mostly Hamburger Helpers and anything that came out of a can. And when I was with William, Jacques was there to spoil us. I’d been taking cooking lessons from him, but I doubted Sofie wanted to eat any of the fancy and unpronounceable dishes he’d taught me.
My phone rang as we placed the dish in the oven. Closing the door, I set the timer and dug through my bag for my phone.
The display said “William,” and I answered with a smile on my face.
“Darling,” he greeted me. “When are you coming to visit? We haven’t seen you once since you moved out.”
He asked me the same thing every time he called. I’d put off going to visit him, too afraid that I’d regret walking away when I saw exactly what I’d left behind. William had been my world for so long that moving out—and, as a result, on—almost felt like a real breakup.
Has moving out been a mistake? All I’d felt since leaving was loneliness despite living close to Everleigh. But she had her own life, and the last thing I wanted to do was intrude.
“How about Saturday?” I asked, knowing I couldn’t put this off any longer. And Saturday was my next day off. I’d planned on living on my couch for the day, but spending time with William and Ciel sounded much better.
“Done. We’ll get Jacques to make those potatoes you’re obsessed with.”
Laughter bubbled out of me. “You mean potatoes dauphinoise?”
“Yes, that one. You could get him to make you anything and you choose potatoes.”
“Not just any potatoes. They’re the most delicious potatoes ever made. And Jacques cuts them extra thin.”
He groaned, since I’d said the same sentence to him many times over the years.
“If that’s what it takes to get you to visit, then I’ll even make them myself.”
“Please don’t.”
It was his turn to laugh. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare. I heard poisoning your guests is frowned upon. How about you get your gorgeous self here by eleven, and then we’ll spend the day by the pool, drinking margaritas. Just like old times.”
“Sounds great. I’ll be there.”
“Love you, honey.”
“Love you too. See you Saturday.”
We hung up, and the tears welled up. Sofie had gone to the living room to watch one of her shows, so at least she wouldn’t witness my meltdown. I passed by the open door to make sure she was busy and sat down at Everleigh’s sturdy kitchen table, crossing my arms on the surface and then burying my head in them.
Silent sobs racked my body, and I allowed myself a minute to grieve my past life.
“Where is everyone?” Everleigh’s voice rang through the house. “Thea?”
Footsteps came closer, and then I felt a hand on my head. “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
A sob slipped out, and Everleigh brushed her hands through my hair. “What happened?”
“They hate me,” I wailed. “They’re so mean, and I don’t even know why. I tried so hard to do everything right. And I miss William. I’m a mess. Useless. I’m not good at anything. I live in your guesthouse. And I have tuna in my hair.”
Everleigh pulled up a chair next to me. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“The other waitresses can’t stand me. They treat me like I personally offended them somehow. Which isn’t the case at all, since I’ve barely talked to them. But they decided from day one that they didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“Then that’s their loss. Screw them for being such bitches.”
I took a deep breath, needing to get it all out. “I shouldn’t have left William. There was time left. I could have tried another college course. Or found another way to make money. But because I foolishly thought I had to do the right thing, now I have nothing. I could have stayed with him and still gotten a divorce. He didn’t want me to leave, married or not.”
“You did the right thing. And you gave him and Ciel a chance.”
“But did I? Officially, they’re still only friends.”
Everleigh pulled me closer, her arm around my shoulder. “He’ll come around. And you don’t have nothing. You have me, and I’ll help you however I can. If the job is horrible, then quit.”
Another tear escaped. “Then I’ll feel even more like a failure.”
“We all struggle to find our way. And anything worth having doesn’t just fall into your lap. Fight for what you want. And you’re smart. You just have to find what works for you. And if you say you’re useless again, I’m going to push you into the pool next time we’re at William’s.”
A teary laugh replaced my sobs, and I leaned into Everleigh. “You’re wasted in accounting. You should have been a psychologist. Or a teacher.”
“Not sure anyone should trust me with their kids.” She pulled me up. “Let’s have a glass of wine and sit out on the porch.”
We spent the next hour watching Sofie build a tepee. Lucius came home not long after she started and helped her. He frequently looked at Everleigh, as if to check she was still there. His eyes were soft, and it was evident in his every glance how much he loved her.
I hoped to have that one day. And while it might take a while to get over Archer, I finally felt one step closer to getting there.
19
ARCHER
The lighting in the diner was dim, the floor sticky. I wondered if I was in the right place. It was a dump, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was shut down if a health inspector ever set foot inside. I spotted Carter sitting on a bench seat in the corner, giving him a clear view of the door and the whole of the diner.
Why he wanted to meet me here was anyone’s guess. All this meeting was doing was delaying getting to Thea.
He waved to me in greeting, and I made my way over. I leaned on my cane with each step, my gait unsteady. I’d only started walking on my own last week.
But as soon as I’d been sure I could walk long enough to make it onto a plane without toppling over, I’d booked a flight and driven myself to the airport.
Technically, I wasn’t allowed to drive yet. But I also wasn’t supposed to fly. Or walk more than ten minutes at a time. But here I was, still in one piece, if in a lot of pain.
But that was a small price to pay to see Thea again.
Carter watched me cross the diner and slide in on the other side of him with raised brows. “Gunner called.” He pushed a folder my way. “We have a name. And if everything goes to plan, all of this will be over soon.”
I couldn’t suppress the relieved sigh that escaped me as soon as I sat down. My leg throbbed, and I longed to take one of my painkillers. But they made me drowsy, and not even I was stupid enough to take them and then drive a car.
Eager to find out what they’d found, I opened the folder. The first photo showed chain-link tattoo guy, and it had a name scribbled at the bottom. Mikhail Volkov. The next page explained why he had so many resources and left no traces. He was the Russian bratva boss’s brother. And Aleksándr Volkov was one of the most powerful men in Chicago.
My head snapped up, my eyes meeting Carter’s. He looked as worried as I felt.
If they wanted to get to Thea, they would do whatever they had to. They didn’t care about casualties. They didn’t care about consequences. No matter what they had to do to achieve it, they took what they wanted.
Tapping the folder, I shook my head. “If it’s the Russians, then they’ve been going easy on us. They usually just put a bullet through their problems. Are you sure it’s them?”
Carter raised a brow. “You’re clearly not up-to-date on your society gossip. Aleksándr’s daughter married one of the Olysses boys. And since they’re like royalty in Chicago, the Russians can’t just go around killing things anymore. They have to be more subtle. Hence why it took us so long to figure out who was trying to take us out.”
“Fuck.”
“Yes, it certainly is that. But the good news is they have more to lose than ever before. And we have an ace up our sleeve.”
“Freya.”
Carter grinned. “Freya.”
Freya was engaged to Gunner. She was also an Olysses, and her brothers loved her fiercely. And if we could get the Olysses brothers to put pressure on the Russians, we might be able to walk away from this without more casualties to add to the tally.
“Archer.” Someone whispered my name, and I turned to see Thea standing next to our table. I never knew my name could be said with so much anguish. Or that she’d ever flinch when she looked at me.
Her eyes were dull, lacking their usual spark. She had dark circles under her eyes and she’d piled her usually shiny hair on top of her head in a messy bun. My heart stuttered when I took in her shrinking form and hunched shoulders.
I’d taken too long to get back to her. This was my fault.
I jumped up, reaching out for her. When she stepped back, my chest felt like someone was standing on it. “Thea.” Her name came out with reverence and worship. But all it did was make her take another step back.
She forced a smile on her face and held up a pen and notepad. “What can I get you?”
Frowning, I took in the apron wrapped around her waist. “Do you work here?”
She looked taken aback for a moment before putting on an indifferent expression again. “Didn’t Carter tell you? I thought that’s why you’re here.”
Turning to the man in question, I tilted my head. “He didn’t. But he insisted on meeting here.”
“So, do you want to order anything?”
Fighting the urge to put my arms around her and never let go, I smiled at her instead. Her face drained of the little color it had left. “A coffee, please.”
Putting her head down, she nodded at the floor. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”
I watched her make her way to a table near the bar where a row of coffeepots were lined up, most of them empty. I sat back down, still struggling to get enough air into my lungs. My eyes followed her every movement, my attention focused on the sway of her hips. I watched her brush a strand of hair behind her ear, the gesture achingly familiar.
“You could have fucking warned me,” I growled, my eyes never wavering from Thea. It was almost worse being so close to her again but unable to touch her than not seeing her at all.
“Now where is the fun in that? You should have let me tell her about the accident. But since your stubborn ass refused, this is payback.”
“I didn’t want her to come back to me because she heard I got hurt.” And I didn’t think I would have survived if she hadn’t cared and never shown up.
Thea grabbed a few creamers and a pot and made her way back. She didn’t once look at me, her attention focused on the floor in front of her.
She filled my cup, her gaze flitting anywhere but to me. And if it weren’t for the slight tremble of her hands, I would have thought that maybe she wasn’t as affected by my presence as I was by hers.
This wasn’t the Thea I knew. It wasn’t even the Thea from my childhood. This was a new version. One that looked beaten down and disillusioned.
Why is she working at a diner? It didn’t make sense. She had a husband with more money than he could spend in his lifetime.
“How have you been?” My question broke through the crackling silence. I needed to play my cards right or risk scaring her off.
She finally lifted her head but looked at Carter instead of me when she answered. “You guys need anything else?”
“We’re good,” Carter answered for both of us.
Thea turned away so fast her apron fluttered out. She was gone a second later, checking on her other tables. The diner was quiet, only four tables occupied, and she was the only waitress on the floor.
“Why is she working here?” I growled, staring at Carter, who only shrugged in response. I took a sip of my coffee, not caring that it was only lukewarm.
“That’s her story to tell, not mine.”
