Page 72 of Broken Daddy
What the hell had happened now?
It was Tuesday morning and Devi was behind the counter at the café like usual.
Except unlike usual, she didn’t really seem to be there. She was staring straight ahead as the customer in front of her tried to get her attention.
She looked pale, and thinner than before. And he didn’t think that had been possible. Her hair was lank and messy as though she’d pulled it back into a ponytail in a hurry, without combing it. She wore a long-sleeved sweater and worn jeans.
Her usual vibrancy was gone and he didn’t like it.
Go to her. Check on her.
He let out a huff of irritation. Kent hadn’t liked the idea of bugging Stein’s house. It was crossing a line and Hayes got where he was coming from.
But Stein wasn’t a good guy. Hayes knew it. He was also the kind of guy who might do a sweep for bugs, so Hayes understood why Kent had vetoed that idea.
It would be the end of his reputation if Stein discovered they were bugging him.
He’d also told Hayes he was considering pulling them out.
Hayes should have been pleased at that idea.
So why did he not want to go?
The woman across the counter from Devi reached out to touch her arm and Devi startled, jumping with a small scream.
Everyone in the café stopped talking and turned to look at her. He watched her face grow red as she stared around.
“Devi!” the guy behind the coffee machine snapped. “What is wrong with you? Why aren’t you serving people?”
Hayes glared at the guy. What a jerk.
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Dearsley. Seems like I was miles away,” Devi said, her voice thick with embarrassment or tears.
Maybe a combination of both.
Anger surged inside him. He wanted to kill whoever had put that look on her face. And then he wanted to take care of her asshole boss who was still scowling at her.
“That’s all right, dear,” the old lady said. “Some of us just want to make certain you’re okay.” The elderly woman glared at Devi’s boss who turned away.
“I, um, just didn’t sleep well,” she said. “Can I . . . can I take your order?”
She wrote down what the older woman wanted and took it to the coffee machine. The guy leaned in and said something to her which had her flinching back.
Hmm. She seemed jumpy this morning as well as looking terrible.
What was going on?
“Good morning, Sondra, Hayes,” she said as she returned. “Your usual?”
“Yes, thanks, Demon,” Sondra said with a wave of her hand as she walked away after leaving some cash on the counter.
Devi stared after her and then, to his shock, she grinned up at him. “Did she really just call me Demon? And she didn’t even flinch.”
Hayes could care less about Sondra. Which wasn’t a good thing when she was the client. He ran his eyes over Devi’s face. “Did you sleep at all last night?”
This girl needed a keeper.
“Of course I did,” she lied.
