Page 47 of Imogen

I remove my coat, gloves and scarf and place them on the back of the chair. “You know you aren’t allowed caffeine. I can make you one of your favourite teas. So, what would you like?”

“Scrambled egg and toast will do. The tablets still unsettle my stomach.”

“Scrambled eggs it is,” I declare as I move over to the kitchen. Thankfully, it’s attached to the dining room so I can still keep an eye on her.

“Does the hot guy coming out of your home mean you finally got rid of that pompous arse? Because if it doesn’t, it really should.”

“He works for my dad. He was helping me.”

“Why would you need someone involved in protection helping you?”

I sigh, because I know I won’t be able to leave until I tell her. “I got fired from my job.”

“Why on earth would they fire the best thing that’s probably ever happened to them?” she yells.

“Calm down. We don’t want your blood pressure to rise.”

“Fuck my blood pressure. Why did you get fired, young lady?”

“Zach and I broke up a few weeks ago—”

“As happy as I am to hear that delightful news, I want to know why you were fired. You loved it there and said you really enjoyed it. What happened?” she demands. “And for your information, if I could jump up and down and do a few twerks, I would. I’m glad you made the right decision and got rid of him.”

A smile touches my lips. This is her way of comforting me. “If you would let me finish, I was going to tell you.”

“Well… get on with it then.”

I throw the eggs into a pan and drop the bread in the toaster. “Zach and I broke up on my birthday. I could have done it better, but he had annoyed me by keeping my phone from me. It was my mum and it was an emergency.”

“The Night Stalker Killer? Layla and I were in the hospital when the news reached us. I did see your father’s company named in the paper the next day.”

“Yes. The guy you saw last night was the one who got hurt.”

“I’m glad to see he is doing better,” she whispers.

“Me too,” I admit.

“So you broke it off with him because he kept you from going to the hot one?”

I laugh as I begin to dish up her food. “No, I didn’t even know what the emergency was until after I broke it off with Zach and answered the phone. At first, he didn’t want to accept it. He kept messaging me and calling, but I ignored him.” I carry the plate to the table before going back to boil the kettle. “I never wanted it to end the way it did. I could have handled it better.”

“But the boy kept pushing until you snapped. It’s why I never liked him. He always acted like it was his way or no way, and if you didn’t do what he wanted the second he asked, he kicked up a stink like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum,” she intones. “What I want to know is how he has something to do with you being fired.”

“He came to my work unannounced. Civilians aren’t allowed on the floor without an appointment. The new receptionist made an error by bringing him to my office, but the blame is mine because I didn’t tell Zach to leave. I thought we were going to try and be friends, but then the next day, I noticed the disc to the new game we’re launching was missing. We searched the entire floor and scoured every room for it. But it turns out Zach stole it. I’m facing criminal charges if I can’t prove it was him. All I can do is wait and hope the police get a warrant to search his house. I have to leave right after I’m done here to give a statement.”

“That sorry mistake for a specimen. Wait until I tell my Layla’s husband. He’ll wring Zach’s bloody neck.”

“Mrs Langley,” I choke out, unable to hide my laughter.

“Not that you’ll need him. You have that mouthy one in your family. What’s her name again? Harden?”

“Hayden, and she’s just spirited.”

“She could give a man a limp dick for life with that mouth of hers.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s being dealt with.”

“Well, you showed him by bedding that hunk of meat. Rub that in his face a few times.”

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