Page 96 of The Grand Duel

“I said I’m fine, didn’t I?” I snap again, standing and leaving the room before she can come any closer.

As luck would have it, I run straight into Edna. “Hello, darling. Did you catch Lissie?”

I rub my hand over my forehead. “I did.”

“Isn’t she just settling in perfectly? I knew she’d be great for you and this place.”

“For me? What’s that supposed to mean?”

She frowns, as if the statement didn’t hold as much weight as I let it hit me with. “Just that she’s making positive changes around the place that inevitably will benefit you. Never mind that, though. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is that everyone keeps asking what’s wrong.”

“Noted. Why don’t I have Lissie move into my office for the afternoon instead. Or she could even head over to HQ earlier and get set up there for morning?—”

“No.” I sigh, hating that idea even more. “She can use my office for as long as she needs. It’s not a problem.”

She looks up at me and shakes her head. “You’re far too hard on yourself sometimes.”

I pass her and head for the break room, making myself and Edna a coffee and Lissie a cup of tea.

I place it down in front of her on the coffee table and walk to my desk. “Thank you, Charles,” she sings, seemingly forgetting my shitty behaviour before.

The simple fact is I’m jealous. It’s why I paid off Bronwyn, and it’s why I’ve let my best friends get inside my head. Ollie isn’t harmless, but he’s a professional. One of the best I know.

Only thing is, Lissie isn’t likeanyoneI know. I’m not sure what it is that makes her any different to any other woman, but the way I feel when the woman fucking smiles at me. Frowns at me, even. It’s not right. It’s definitely not healthy.

I’ve no idea what the fuck she did to me in that private room, but I’m not the same man I was when I went in.

“Charles,” she says softly to get my attention.

Although I was already watching her and knew it was coming. “Hmm,” I reply, waiting to see if she will look at me. “I take my tea with two sugars.” I snap my gaze down when she lifts her head. “Just for future reference.” I nod, waiting for her attention to fall back to the papers in front of her before I let my smile turn up my lips.

I add it to the list.

When Edna walks in at five, I hold up my hand to tell her to be quiet. Lissie fell asleep at around half past three, and I haven’t had the heart to wake her.

“She’s knackered,” she says, watching down on her curled-up form. “Do you think it’s too much? The hours I gave her here on top of the club? We made it too appealing with the pay, and I don’t think she could turn it down.”

“Maybe,” I say, feigning nonchalance when I’m anything but. I’ve been wondering the exact same thing all afternoon. “Are you heading off?”

“I am. I came to wish you a fabulous two days away and to soak it all up. You’re going and can’t change your mind now, so embrace it.”

“Thank you, Ed. I’ll do my best.”

“Everything will be fine here. You know I can run this place with my eyes closed and a hand behind my back, and I have Lissie now.”

My heart warms at that. “I do. I’d be lost without you, Ed.”

“I know,” she agrees without missing a beat. “Tell Lissie I said goodbye and that if she needs anything tomorrow to just call. I’ll be around.”

Once Edna leaves, I work for another hour before standing and walking to where Lissie still sleeps on my sofa.

She’d be mortified to know that I’ve left her to sleep. Worse yet, if she knew I’d been watching her.

Edna is right. She is knackered. Not that Lissie would ever admit that to anyone. She’s working here, and at home on cases, and then at the club.

She’s doing too much, and I don’t quite know why I care for the fact.

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