Page 107 of Savage Obsession

“I do have company. There’s you, and Janey, and Señora Hernandez.”

His grin widens. “But, what about you? What do you want to do with your life?”

“I want to stay here. I explained…”

“I know. I know that, but… you don’t need to work unless you want to, but I got the impression you fancied a career.”

“I had a career. Well, the start of one. I was an accountant, yes, but?—”

“Was? You’re qualified, aren’t you? You still are an accountant. Or, you could be, if you want to.”

“I left it all behind,” I begin.

He shakes his head. “You brought it with you. In here.” He taps the side of my head with his fingertip. “Why not start over? Set yourself up in business here?”

“I couldn’t. I mean?—”

“Or better still, work for us. We always need a good money man. Or woman.”

“Work for you? For Kristian?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “But he’d never… I mean, he doesn’t even like me.”

“Of course he does. What’s not to like?”

“He doesn’t trust me.”

“He didn’t, that’s true. And he was right. You were a risk to our security. You didn’t fit into our way of life. But that’s all changed. Now, you’re one of us, just like Lily. It was his suggestion, actually. He thinks you could help Janey out.”

“Janey? How?” Janey is fiendishly busy most of the time, managing the various restaurants owned by the Kaminski empire. She’s in her element as far as I can tell.”

“Sure. She runs the restaurants, and her strength is food. Cooking it, planning it, presenting it.”

“Yes. She’s fabulous at it.” The restaurants have thrived under her control, and new ones are being acquired all the time.

“Yes, at the food. Not so much the finance side.”

“I don’t understand. I thought?—”

“She needs a partner, someone to work alongside her, looking after the money. Cashflows, book-keeping, cost management, profit-and-loss accounts. Even if it was only temporary, until you find something else you want to do long-term, she’d welcome the support.”

“Really? She wants to work with me?” I’m incredulous. I never imagined…

“She does. Will you think about it, at least?”

“What about that other accountant? Feliks, isn’t it.”

“He’s about ninety?—”

“Fifty, at most.”

“Whatever. He’s old, tired, stuck in his ways. Profit before anything else, no regard for quality or creativity. He and Janey butt heads all the time. We’d let him carry on with the rest of our businesses, but with Janey in charge, the restaurants need a different approach. You’d be right for it.”

I’ve no need to think about it. “I… Yes. Yes, I’d love to. Do it, I mean. Not think about it.”

“She’ll be delighted. You can tell her later.”

“I’ll go up to the house and phone her now. We can?—”

He moves to block my headlong dash out of the stable. “We have plenty of time.”

---