Page 3 of Crush (Deadly Hearts 1)

ChapterTwo

Ruby

Searching through the short list again a few hours later, I figure I’ve got the best three out of the ten best Doorman in the city. They are all discreet, have good references and have worked the underworld business for a while. I have certain allies and we share information, but the likes of the East side gang are not my friends. I would even go so far as to say they are my enemies. They want to bring me down, but I’m untouchable right now. That may not last which is what makes this so exciting. Keeping one step ahead, always looking over my shoulder and sleeping with one eye open.

I live for it.

“Yeah, these three,” I say eventually to David, who is waiting patiently for my decision. “Contact them and tell them it's an immediate interview with a view to immediate start. If they’re not interested, they can fuck off and will be removed from the short list. Got it?”

“On it,” David says and disappears to make the phone calls.

Sitting back, I relax as much as I can. Jake has really wound me up tight and I could do with a release of tension. I’m surprised when there is a soft knock on the door. David usually just barges in unless he knows I’m in a meeting.

“Yeah?” I call out, sitting forward again, my shoulders tensing back up.

The door opens a crack and Ramsey sticks his head around it. “You busy?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Not right now. Shouldn’t you be home sleeping though?”

“I had an hour. Will grab another one later. Not much for sleeping,” he says and enters fully, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

Interesting. “Same,” I say lightly. “You’d get on with my dad. He’s the worse insomniac there is.”

He smiles and then walks slowly forward.

“So what’s up?”

He pauses mid-way to my desk and produces his hand from around his back. Balanced on his fingertips is a square box, wrapped up in birthday paper. “Happy Birthday,” he says, presenting it to me by placing it lightly on the desk.

“How did you know?” I grimace at him, but it all becomes clear seeing as I asked that very question not that long ago to my meddlesome assistant.

“David,” he confirms with a laugh, which lights up his dark eyes. “Don’t be mad at him. I pestered the shit out of him.”

“I see,” I murmur and reach out to pull the box closer to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like my birthday, I just don’t want the whole of the underworld to suddenly find out I’m only twenty-five, now twenty-six years old. I try to present an older air, so they don’t think I’m some airhead who just fell out of college.

I lift the lid suspiciously, half expecting something to jump out at me, but instead when I look down into the deep box, I see a small black Pangolin Fixed Blade knife. With a raised eyebrow, I pick it up and examine it.

“Nice,” I murmur, meeting his eyes. “Why this?” I mean, I know why I want it, but how does he know I want it?

He gives me a steady gaze and says, “Because if you are dealing with the likes of Jake Noonen, then I want you safe.”

I lick my lips slowly and place the knife down on the table. “How do you know I deal with Jake Noonen?” I ask carefully. We are treading in very dodgy waters here.

“I know all about the downstairs to this club, Ruby,” he says, my name sounding sweet coming from his lips. He usually calls me ‘Boss’. “I know who comes and who goes. I’ve made it my business to know.”

“Why? So you can hold it over me?” I ask, a hint of danger dropping into my tone.

“So I can keep you safe,” he says.

“I see,” I murmur, wondering if he is on the up and up. “You know that you aren’t supposed to know. Does Benn know?”

Ramsey shakes his head. “Nope, just me. Now do you want the second part to your present?”

“There’s a part two?” I ask surprised.

He nods and pulls something out of his back jeans pocket and bunches it in his fist. I take a moment to check him out. He is wearing a black t-shirt which shows off his rock-hard body and a black duster coat that he rocks like a god. The atmosphere has gone slightly tense as he approaches me slowly, coming around to my side of the desk.

I swivel in my chair so that I’m facing him when he stops inches away from me.

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