Page 124 of Conquering Oz

Oz slowly turned. “Then take it up with your wife.”

Chris glared. “I don’t trust you.”

Oz arched his brow. “You shouldn’t.”

Chris’s gaze darkened, and his jaw squared. “But Elle does.”

“Yes.”

Chris stepped back and cupped his mouth. Oz understood the man’s frustration, but it wasn’t his job to appease him. Putting distance between Elodie and Madalyn wasn’t an option.

“Anything happens to my family? I’m holding you solely fucking responsible.”

“Fair enough.”

What Chris didn’t realize was that his family’s connection to Elodie would forever ensure their safety.

Chapter Twenty-Five

There wasn’t much she missed about living in her apartment except its close proximity to the store. Oz’s house was a twenty-minute drive, and she had to come in a few hours before opening to do her payroll. He was in the process of converting one of the many spare rooms into an office for her.

Elodie heard the jingle of the bell over the front door. Had someone left the front door unlocked at closing last night? She tiptoed from the back office to the main showroom, peeking around the corner.

She drew in a sigh of relief when she saw the woman closing the door behind her.

“You scared the hell out of me.” Elodie laughed. “Your shift doesn’t start for another three hours and…”

Charley spun around, her eyes wide and her makeup smeared. She’d obviously been crying. Her clothes were disheveled and not her usual work attire. Elodie rushed toward her, scanning her body.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Nothing.” Charley grabbed her cuffs in a fist.

“Charley,” she softened her tone. “You look like you’ve been crying.”

She brushed her sleeves under her cheeks, shaking her head. “No.”

A lie.

“Charley, you can…”

“I have to quit,” she blurted.

What?This was the last thing Elodie expected. Though she’d never admit it to the other girls working for her, Charley was her favorite. She was a hardworking and dedicated employee who loved the store as much as Elodie.

“I thought you liked working here?”

“I do,” she whispered, keeping her eyes on the floor, refusing to make eye contact. “But um, I can’t anymore, so…” Her voice trailed off. “I’m sorry. I thought if I told you now, you could get one of the other girls to cover my shift today. I’m sorry. Bye.”

Elodie rushed forward, stepping in front of her and blocking the door.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

Charley shook her head.

“I’m not letting you leave until I know that you’re okay. And I won’t know that until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Charley sniffled. “You know I live with my brother.”

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