Page 70 of The One I Hate
“I hate to admit it, but you’re pretty good at this.”
I look over to Wes, who is shaking his head in disbelief. “Did you think I was going to suck? This is Izzy and Oliver’s wedding. I wasn’t going to let my best friend down.”
“Of course you weren’t,” he says. “Do you need a break? You’ve been back here all night.”
I switch the song to a ballad, because it’s been a minute since I’ve slowed it down, and I guess it is a wedding. Plus, I haven’t seen Bug since before dinner. Yes, I want to annoy her. But something also isn’t sitting right with me about Billy.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind,” I say. “The next few songs are cued up. If I’m not back in time, play anything that isn’t your emo rock bullshit. Actually, you know what? Don’t pretend to know what to play. Ask your kids. They’ll know.”
“I take offense to that,” he says as I move past him. “But you’re right.”
I pat him on the back and don’t even pretend to go anywhere other than straight toward the kitchen. I know I’m notallowed to go in there to check on her, but is anyone really going to stop me?
I walk through the doors only to see a quiet kitchen. A few cooks are cleaning, and some of the servers are milling around, but no sign of Bug or Billy.
I keep walking through, no one saying anything to me, when I hear a noise coming from the back office.
“What the fuck, Billy? Get away from me!”
I don’t wait. I don’t hesitate. I definitely don’t think. I just blow through the closed office door to find the slimeball trapping Charlie against the wall as she tries to push him away.
Yup. I’m going to punch him.
No. I’m going to fucking kill him.
“Get the fuck off her!” I yell, pulling him away and throwing him against a wall. My fist is cocked back when I feel Charlie’s hands on my arm.
“Simon! Don’t!”
I turn to look at her, her eyes pleading as she digs her fingers into my arm.
“Did he hurt you?”
My voice is clipped and my arm is pulsing, wanting more than anything to knock him out cold. Charlie shakes her head as she slowly lets go of me. “No. I’m fine.”
I give her one more check before turning my attention back to the weasel. I take a step toward him, which only allows me to tower over him more than I already do. “You do not, ever, and I mean ever, come near her again. Do you understand?”
“Or what? You going to do something in your pink fucking suit?”
I have to give him credit. He might be small, but his confidence is through the roof. I mean, it’s about to get him his ass kicked. But I appreciate the confidence. Kind of.
I take another step, pinning him against the wall. I watch as the confidence he had a minute ago evaporates into thin air. “Don’t fucking touch her. Never to speak to her again. Don’tcontact her. Don’t think about her. Oh, and you’re going to pay her double on her last check.”
“Why would I do that?”
I tighten my hold on him, making his eyes start to bulge. “Because I’m letting you live.”
I see him gulp, and any amount of confidence he had is now gone. As it should be.
“Do you understand?”
Billy frantically nods his head as I jerk him forward by his shirt before throwing him into the wall for good measure. He slides to the ground, moaning in pain. I turn my attention back to Charlie. I don’t say anything, and neither does she, as I grab her hand and take her outside.
The crisp September air hits us as soon as we step through the door. I grab her face, assessing her for injuries, when I feel her shiver in my hold.
“Here,” I say, quickly taking off my jacket and putting it around her shoulders. “Did he hurt you?”
I know I already asked that, but for my sanity I need to hear the words again.
