Page 6 of Property of Chaos

My guess is the fucker is Candy’s father, going off the grey creeping into his temples and perfectly maintained scruff. Either that, or she sure knows how to get her bills paid—red flags be damned. I take far too much satisfaction in his sudden shift backward when the steam hisses out of the wand.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Theresa states in level tones. “I asked if there’s a problem here.”

“The orders were mixed up,” I explain, the first vestiges of a panic attack creeping over my skin in a hot flush.Not now.For fuck’s sake.

“I can talk for myself, you know,” Candy bitches.

Could have fooled me.I lift an eyebrow and glance at her daddy to convey my thoughts.

“Your staff member refused to replace my order and then rudely shoved the wrong one back at me, creating a mess that could have burned me.”

Excuse-the-fuck-me?“I’m making your damn replacement now.” My tone rises—high and pitchy—as I slam her new takeout cup beneath the nozzle and pump in three shots. My heart rate doubles due to the unnecessary conflict. Bitch needs the extra caffeine to calm her ass down.

Fuck. Ineed something to calm my ass down.

“You hear this?” the guy exclaims, waving his hand toward me. “This is the attitude we’ve received since politely bringing the issue to her attention.”

Theresa sighs and sets both hands on her hips, chin dropping while she stares at the floor as though she searches for the strength to get through the next ten minutes.

I can’t blame her. The adrenalin pumped into my system for an initial round of panic quickly morphs into anger. It takes everything I have not to write “Bitchface” in crisp lettering on the side of the cup.

“With all due respect,” a husky male voice pipes up behind the entitled duo. “Nothing was polite about how you spoke to Nessie just now.”

Oh, Mike. These aren’t your people.I love the old guy. I really do. A simple pot of peppermint tea every morning at ten and today’s paper is all he asks for. I give him a sneaky biscuit or two anyway and pop a few dollars in the till out of my pocket.Genuine souls like his need looking after, given how rare they are in the world.

The veteran rises from his seat with a groan and moves to stand beside Candy. “It’s a simple mistake that may have been avoided if you weren’t facedown, nose in your phone when you blindly grabbed a cup off the serving counter, missy.”

Candy opens her mouth and shuts it as quickly.

“You’re blaming my daughter now?” Three-piece snaps.Called it.

“I’m calling a spade a spade,” Mike interjects. “Now, I’ve tolerated your goddamn voice for the past half an hour as you made call after business call loud enough for us all to know exactly how big your…budgetis,” the old-timer snaps, eluding to the size of the fucker’s ego. Or dick. Either one is equally as unremarkable. “But this has crossed the line.” He turns his head slightly as I slip the new coffee onto the damp counter and nods toward the paper cup. “Kindly take your drink and leave.”

“We’ll be sure to rate you one star,” Candy snaps as she takes the coffee and then snatches a wrapped cookie with a huff.

“Bitch just shoplifted right in front of my face,” Theresa whispers as the out-of-towners storm toward the door.

I move backward until my ass hits the storage cupboards behind me, hands braced against the top edge while I will the feeling of my fucking skin melting off to ease. My heart pounds against the bars of its cage, angry fists beating to a frantic tempo.I should have gone home.The minute I opened that goddamn envelope, I should have just walked my ass back indoors and feigned sickness. Theresa would have understood—eventually.

“Watch it.” The father’s broad frame fills the exit as he comes to an abrupt halt, reaching forward to set a protective hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

Mike grins, shaking his head as he returns to his table.

“Here we go,” Theresa mutters, setting an elbow atop the baked goods cabinet to settle in for the show. “Been a while since I’ve seen these fuckers around here.”

I’m too far down the spiral to care about whatever drama she has going on. My chest hurts to breathe. My heart feels inflamed. I close my eyes and let my head fall forward, reaching for the tie around my wrist to give it a healthy snap.Get it together, Ness. They’re leaving. You’re strong enough to get past this. Clear your mind.I snap the hair tie twice more, yet it does nothing to ebb the rising fears.

The echoes of nightmares past.

I need to get out of here.I need to be somewhere private where I can fucking meltdown without the added shame of peopleseeingmy crazy.

I remove the apron from around my waist as I veer left in a controlled stumble toward the back room, dumping the grounds-covered cotton atop the cabinets. The door swings shut behind me with a slight thud, my shoulders jumping as I shift Theresa’s bag off the sole chair in the corner. Muffins sit atop the counter opposite, ready to be slipped into their paper casings and displayed out front. I drop my ass to the creaky plastic seat and set both elbows on my knees, cradling my head between my hands.

My heartbeat vibrates through my entire fucking torso.

My skin feels too tight. And hot.

Nausea swims in my empty stomach.

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