Page 40 of Fragile

There was a moment's pause as Max said something else to whoever the fuck he was with.

“Max, for fucks sake. Did you hear what I said?” the rein on my temper was rapidly dissolving.

“Yeah, yeah cool your jets, your majesty. So, what do you want me to do? Shall I put her on the phone?”

I weighed up that option. “No. I’ll see her when she gets in. Can you make sure she gets in a taxi OK?”

“Trevor always walks her to the rank if it’s late,” Max informed me. I took that information like a bullet.

“Who the fuck is Trevor,” jealousy came back for an afterburn. I’d always thought Trevor was a dumbass name; I’d known of a Trevor at High School and he had the intelligence of a turnip.

Max snorted down the phone, “Fucking cool it psycho. Trevor, he’s the head bouncer here, he’s OK. Old enough to be her dad. I know his daughter.” I didn’t ask how.

“Right. Fine.” Relief pooled in my stomach.

“I take it you didn’t know she works here?” Yeah, state the fucking obvious dickweed. Max had the most power when it came to getting a rise out of me. The others were amateurs and rarely witnessed me losing my shit.

“Of course I didn’t know where she fucking works,” I fired back, wishing I could reach down the phone and throttle him.

“Why are you so pissed? It’s not like she’s your girlfriend. You’re not together in any capacity. Or are you?” he said with an amused, provoking tone. Alright dickhead.

“Are we what?”

“Screwing?”

“It’s not about that Max, she isn’t a city girl and hasn’t a clue how to look out for herself. She’s way too vulnerable and easy to manipulate.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“Now I get it,” he chuckled, pausing for a split second before adding, “You’re fucking goose is cooked mate,” Max bellowed down the phone, sounding extremely pleased with himself. Like he’d solved the unsolvable.

“My what?” I snarled back, my temper on a hair trigger.

“You care. Fuck me, the mighty Knight has feelings for a woman.” From his pitch and delivery, it sounded like he was also explaining his piecing together of the puzzle to those around him. That pissed me off even more, I was a private person.

“Are you wasted?” I snorted, attempting to deflect. Max drank booze like a whale took on water.

A muscle ticked in my jaw as he stated, “I’m as sober as a judge sunshine. The beer here tastes like warm piss.”

Nice.

There was an awkward three-beat silence apart from the thump of the shit music the club was playing. Tacky as fuck. My annoyance throbbed as I heard a woman laughing; clearly Max’s piece of arse for the night.

“Max!” I whisper-shouted down the phone to regain his attention.

“What!? You’re a needy fucker suddenly.”

“Just promise me you’ll keep an eye on her,” I said, feeling thoroughly frustrated that I wasn’t there and had little control over the situation. Part of me wished he hadn’t called me; what you don’t know can’t hurt and all that.

“Well?”

“I’ve said I’ll handle it.” His tone was now much firmer and I realised I’d pissed him off. That never boded well.

“I just want to know she’s safe. I can only imagine the amount of attention she’ll be getting in that shit hole.”

“Well, I don’t need to imagine it mate, that shit is right in front of me.”

And I snapped. “What are you saying? Are there guys hitting on her? What about security, shouldn’t they be looking out for the staff? If anyone touches her, you have my permission to get involved and knock them the fuck out.”

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