Page 15 of Waste
“How ignorant of you!” Drew stated coldly, his eyes holding Jo’s. “A victim doesn’t recover from a violent attack in the blink of an eye. Two months is nothing. Not when you’re battling fear and panic. Is your head office aware of how you talk about your staff?”
Shelley recognised a threat when she heard one, and so did Jo.
Jo’s anger faded, and she became fawning. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Yeah, you did. That was cruel and uncalled for. Shelley, are you okay?” Drew asked in concern.
“I’m fine. Excuse me, I need a few minutes,” she said and hustled away. Tears were welling in her eyes, and a scream was lodged in her throat. She swallowed hard as she headed for the small staff area, where they had their lunches and their lockers were. Minutes ticked past as Shelley tried to control her emotions.
The door banged open, and Jo entered looking thoroughly riled. She glared at Shelley.
“What are you playing at?” Jo demanded.
“Not now, Jo,” Shelley choked out.
“No. You know I want Drew, and you keep interfering—”
“Not now, Jo,” Shelley screamed at her, and Jo blinked and took in Shelley’s condition.
“Damn, you’re having a panic attack,” Jo stated.
No shit, Sherlock, Shelley thought as she wound her fingers together. Tears streamed down her face, and she panted for breath. Black spots appeared, making her feel like she was going to pass out.
Jo shoved Shelley’s head down. “Head between your knees, Shelley,” Jo ordered. Jo left her for a few moments before coming back with a brown paper bag. “Breathe into that.”
Shelley put the bag to her mouth and did as Jo dictated. Slowly, her breathing calmed down, and Shelley seemed more in control.
“I need to go home,” Shelley muttered.
“Totally agree; don’t worry about clocking out. I’ll make sure you’re paid for the rest of your shift,” Jo said.
For a moment, Shelley wondered if Jo felt guilty, but when she looked up, she saw that it wasn’t the case. Jo was worried that Shelley might lodge a complaint, and rightfully so. Jo had overstepped professional boundaries and knew it.
Shelley rose shakily to her feet and collected her purse and bag before leaving through the back exit. She didn’t wish to face her other colleagues right now. Shelley escaped to her car and headed home.
Drew/Ghoul
What a vile piece of work Shelley’s co-worker was. Pushy, rude, in your face and self-serving. What Jo had said about Shelley had rankled him. Anyone who’d treat someone so cruelly was somebody Drew didn’t want to know.
He recognised Jo’s type—out for herself. She’d trap a man with money and have fun spending it until it was all gone or she found herself with divorce papers. Nothing was redeeming about Jo. The world centred around her in Jo’s eyes. Drew had no need for narcissistic idiots in his life, and neither did Shelley.
Drew didn’t understand why Shelley was occupying his thoughts. She wasn’t the first person he’d saved over the years, nor was she the only innocent. Rare, and few and far between,Drew had encountered people that the Sins had barely touched. Shelley was one of them. Strangely, Emmaline, Willow, and Mac were the same. Goodness radiated from them, just as it did from Shelley. But that didn’t mean they were mates!
Drew shook his head. The look on Shelley’s face had worried him when Jo said her nasty words. They’d struck deep in Shelley, and Drew understood Shelley wasn’t anywhere near over the attack. Guilt hit him a little as he realised he might have frightened her when Ghoul had delivered his warning.
Drew now faced a quandary. Did he stop attending the coffee shop? Shelley had looked cornered today, and Drew didn’t want to panic her. But Pandora’s caution rang in his ear. Shelley was in danger if she continued her research on him. Simultaneously, Drew had wished to know if Shelley was okay, and she clearly wasn’t.
As he drove back to his hotel, Drew tried to figure out a plan. He rounded a corner and slammed on the brakes as he spotted several cars in front of him. Parking up and hitting his hazard lights, Drew got out.
“What’s wrong?” he called to another guy.
“There’s been an accident. Strangest thing ever, the car just careened off the road and hit the tree. The driver’s alive and talking, but is badly injured.”
Drew walked closer, spotted the vehicle and paused. He recognised it. Although the last time he’d seen it, it was broken down, and the driver was being attacked.
“Shelley!” Drew gasped and hurried forward. Sure thing, Shelley sat in the driver’s seat with blood trickling down her face from a head injury and puffy eyes. The airbag had deployed, and people didn’t realise it could hurt as well as save their lives. There was a bruise on her cheek.
What worried Drew was the nasty, jagged wound on the side of her head. From the placement, it appeared as if Shelley’s headhad smacked against the side window. He also noted how she was holding her neck. That meant possible whiplash.
