Page 103 of Stepbrothers

“Er, are you open?” A woman with a navy-blue pram stuck her head through the open door. “Serving babyccinos?”

“Yes.” Clarice nodded, her heart thumping. “We are.”

“No.” Trig snapped. “Come back later.”

The woman retreated hastily.

“I said get your things.” Trig nodded at Derek’s office. “You got a purse in there?”

“Er, yes. But—”

“She’s got…another…three hours…” Derek was clutching his throat, and his ribs expanded with each word. “To work.”

“She’s quit. Take this conversation to be her notice.”

“Trig! I can’t just—”

“You don’t need this job, Clarice, and you don’t need to put up with this loser’s crap.”

“But—” She hopped from one foot to the other, clenching and unclenching her fists.

‘There’s no but. Tell him you quit.” He paused, frowned. “I promise it will be okay. You will be cared for. Quit this job, you deserve to be treated better.”

She dragged in a deep breath. Trig was right, she didn’t need to work for Derek anymore. Even if she didn’t get on the teaching course, she could find another job, a job with nice people. Somewhere she’d be valued, learn something even. “Derek.” She undid her apron at the back and pulled it over her head. After slamming it on the counter, she tilted her chin and glared at her boss. “I quit. You’ll get it in writing later today. I would like to say it has been a pleasure knowing you, working with you, but it really hasn’t, you’re a slothful, despicable asshole.”

“Good girl.” Trig managed a half-smile, though it could have been interpreted as a snarl when he turned his attention back to Derek. “Her notice starts now, and I’ll expect her to be paid in full, including leave not taken.”

“She can’t just go. Not now. And you can’t just walk in here and—” Fury narrowed Derek’s eyes, though his voice was shaky. “I’ll have you reported and—”

Trig stepped up to him again.

Derek whimpered and took a pace backward, seeming to shrink.

“I can do what the fuck I want.” He crowded over Derek, almost as if seeing the overweight older man tremble was part of his fun. “And just so you know, there’s three of us and we’re all really fucking protective where our sister is concerned. So if you don’t get that pay check signed and sealed to the sum of exactly what she’s expecting, one of us will be paying you a visit real soon. Oh, and just so you know, I’m the polite, understanding brother.”

Derek nodded. “Okay. Okay. I understand.”

“Good.” Trig turned back to Clarice. “We’re leaving.”

“My purse.” She dashed into the office, grabbed her small red leather handbag, and slipped the strap over her shoulder. “Goodbye, Derek, and don’t forget to clean behind the refrigerator, to rotate the milk, and not overheat the frother. Inspection next week.”

His jaw clenched, and a vein throbbed on his temple.

She didn’t linger. The man had been a thorn in her side since the day he’d walked into Grind ‘n’ Go. Why the hell had she put up with him for so long?

“Come on.” Trig wrapped his arm around her waist. “You don’t need to waste another minute of your life breathing the same air as that man.”

“Thank god.”

She allowed Trig to steer her outside into the sunshine. They walked quickly across the pedestrianized square, over the canal bridge, then onto the street. Soon they came to a small green area that held two metal benches and a water feature which flowed through it, down stone steps, and blocked out some of the sounds of the city.

She sat on a bench and sighed. A wonderful sense of freedom seemed to fill her lungs, her veins, and her soul.

Trig sat beside her, his wide, jean-clad thigh touching hers.

“I’m sure he could report you for assault but…” She shook her head.

“But he won’t, because he knows he deserved it. Every bit of my anger.”

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