Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Daniel
He knew the words were a mistake the minute they left his mouth, but Sadie shrugged and locked her supply trailer, leaving the shovel and trash bag where they were. She didn’t even look at him.
Fuck. He just wanted her to be safe. Someone, probably Jim the asshole, obviously had it out for her, and without any significant security, she had a target on her back. It about killed him, but he’d rather have her off the property than at risk.
“Sadie, wait a minute. We can talk this over.”
“I don’t work for you, remember?” She sauntered toward an arriving vehicle and motioned for the driver to lower the window. “Hey, Jasmine. You and Lourdes can head out to The Majestic. We’re no longer working this project.”
The tension in his shoulders eased. She’d be safe with the Horsemen. Whoever had vandalized his house wouldn’t dare cross four retired Navy SEALS unless they had a death wish. Unfortunately, knowing that didn’t make him feel any better.
“But…” Jasmine scowled at the spray-painted slur. “Shouldn’t we clean this up?”
“Mr. Palmer has decided to go with another contractor for his renovation,” Sadie replied, her voice smooth and calm.
Ouch.
He winced, almost wishing she’d called him Lieutenant Dan again. He wished he had a do-over too, but it was too late for that.
What if she’d arrived early, while the vandals were doing their thing? What if she’d been alone? His stomach roiled, churning his morning coffee into acid.
She was tough as nails, smart, strong, and didn’t take anyone’s shit. She would probably refuse to admit it, but she was vulnerable.
“Who’s taking the project?” Lourdes asked. “Are you sure we?—”
“I don’t know, nor do I particularly care,” Sadie interrupted. “He’s a big boy, and it’s not our responsibility to hold his hand while he makes stupid choices.”
“Okay, boss. We’ll let him win the stupid prizes.” Jasmine shot him a disgusted look, obviously sensing Sadie’s animosity. “Do you need help with the supply trailer?”
“No, thanks. It’s still loaded from last night. I’ll be right behind you after I text Beatriz to let her know about the schedule change.”
Still ignoring him, she waited until Jasmine drove away, then climbed into her truck. After expertly backing it until the receiver ball was centered under the trailer tongue, she got out and hooked up before boosting herself into the driver’s seat.
Instead of leaving, she opened a laptop positioned on the passenger seat. A scant few moments later, she tugged a sheet of paper from a tiny wireless printer and passed it through the window to him. “I’m billing you for time and materials for the work we’ve completed. The terms are at the bottom.”
“Sadie—”
She held up a callused hand and shook her head. “This concludes our business, Mr. Palmer. Best of luck to you.”
Knowing she wouldn’t listen to him, he fumed as she got into her vehicle and drove away.
“Fuck!”
He glared at the ugly paint on his wall, then yanked his phone from his pocket and called Sean back. Thankfully, his old friend answered.
“Hey, Daniel,” Sean said, “The cameras you wanted will be delivered late this afternoon. I?—”
“I fired Sadie. She’s on her way to The Majestic.”
“Our new sign just came, so it’s officially Club Apocalypse now, but what the fuck?”
“The vandalism was directed at her,” Daniel replied. “I fired her because the stubborn brat refused to leave on her own and insisted on working.”
“Let me guess. You laid down the law, and she didn’t take it well.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Daniel muttered. “So, I need to find a new contractor or figure out how to do the rest of the work myself, and I need you and the Horsemen to watch her.”
“We can watch her, but good luck finding a contractor. Assuming you find one who can start in the next three months, they won’t be as good as she is.”
“Great.” He rubbed his forehead to ease a burgeoning headache. “I’ll take suggestions if you’re offering.”
“I can’t help you with a contractor, but…” Sean paused, and Daniel heard Mark shouting something in the background. “You know what? If you could see your way clear to help our other brat get rid of the meth lab in what’s supposed to be the succulent garden, you’ll have an excuse to watch Sadie yourself.”
“Other brat?”
“Jolene Miller, our landscape architect. But don’t worry about it. Our old CO, Zach Stratton, will be dealing with her. He’s also going to be helping us get the dungeon ready.”
“I think if I get Sadie anywhere near a dungeon, she won’t sit down for at least a week,” Daniel muttered. “She definitely needs a Daddy to spank her.”
“Good luck getting her to consent.” Sean chuckled, then added, “I suggest telling her about your worries, but don’t make it look like you’re ordering her around. She’s stubborn, but she’s not stupid.”
“That’s the truth. On both counts.”
Sean laughed, then said, “I’d say our sweet little construction and renovation brat needs a Daddy who can either help with her job or at the very least, stay out of her way.”
“Not sure I can do that.”
“Sure you can. You can guard her without arguing over her business decisions. If you’re determined to be her Daddy, be the one she needs.”
Sean made several good points, but Daniel still didn’t know if Sadie was even interested in a partner, much less a Daddy. Instead of taking the time to get to know her, he shot off his mouth and fired her over something stupid.
Why shouldn’t she have cleaned up the mess? She’d been wearing gloves and disposed of it in a safe manner, proving she wouldn’t ask her staff to do something she wasn’t willing to do herself.
As much as he hated seeing her put herself at risk, he owed her an apology, but he wouldn’t ask her to come back until they figured out who targeted her.
“Sounds like you’re speaking with the voice of experience,” he replied. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”
“Not really. I already have a bitch taking up all my time and money.”
“I’m assuming you’re not letting her hear you call her that, but congratulations.”
“She’s an almost condemned motel with wiring issues. I call her names several times a day.” Sean chuckled wryly. “Someday, I’ll find a babygirl, and she’ll have zero drama, no angst, and absolutely no assholes dogging her footsteps.”
“I’m definitely down for no drama,” Daniel replied.
“Always. Anyway, come to the Club. We’ll just tell Sadie you’re helping out some old friends, and you’ll have an excuse to keep an eye on her.”
A wicked smirk curved his lips as a police cruiser pulled into his driveway. “I’ll be there after I talk to the cops.”
Sadie
“I do not need some jerk mansplaining how to use a damned chainsaw. Go away.” Jolene hurried past the suite she was working on, followed by a tall, silver fox of a man with blue eyes and a seriously banging six-pack under a formfitting black T-shirt.
Shit. Did the old motel have something in the water, or what? She had a hard time believing the sheer abundance of eye candy presented by the Horsemen, and the man following Jolene was no exception.
Sadie kept her head down and carefully spread a layer of leveling compound on the bathroom floor in the suite closest to the lobby. Thankfully, she’d gotten rid of her own stupidly gorgeous man, assuming he paid his bill on time.
Although she kept telling herself she was being a softhearted idiot, she hoped Daniel could find someone to take care of the last few details in his house. She absolutely hated leaving a job unfinished, but wasn’t about to work for someone who would fire her because she wouldn’t let someone else clean up a pile of poop.
He had a point about whoever had vandalized his house returning though. She and her crew were tough, had self-defense training, and could hold their own in most bar fights, but Sadie didn’t delude herself into thinking they’d be safe against a man determined to hurt them, especially if he was armed.
And that was untenable. She was responsible for the well-being of every last person on her team.
“Should we help Jolene? She looks pissed,” Jasmine said, handing her the piece of wood she was using to smooth what would soon be a level floor, instead of one with a low spot where the sink used to be.
“She can more than take care of herself,” Sadie replied. “Remember the time we went to that dive bar in Holbrook?”
Jasmine giggled and carefully laid a level on the piece of wood, ensuring the floor was true. “Have a feeling the trucker who kept hassling her is still pissing himself when he sees a redhead.”
After the death of her husband, Ben, Jolene had some rage to get out of her system. The trucker was lucky she hadn’t castrated him with her pruning shears. She smiled inwardly, wondering if the man following her would be the one to bust her out of her shell.
Save a horse. Ride a silver fox.
“Right?” Sadie got to her feet and adjusted the straps on her knee pads. “How are the other bathrooms?”
“The south side is fine, and the Horsemen have the two at the end mostly ready for guests. I think Jolene is using one of them, so she doesn’t have to drive back and forth every day.” Jasmine grimaced, then pointed toward the next suite. “We need to do the bathroom floors in the next two rooms on the north, but this was the worst one.”
“Great, thanks.” Sadie side-eyed the stubbed-off water lines. “When we finish the floors, I’ll double check the rest of the suites for water leaks. I don’t want to be back here tearing shit up after the place is reopened.”
“Sounds good.” Jasmine picked up her level. “Do you mind if I get started with the tile in the south suites? I can get at least one done before we leave for the day.”
She considered the idea for a moment, then shook her head. “Get Lourdes to help you install new GFI outlets in all the bathrooms. She wanted some electrical experience. Teach her how to map them for the breakers and check the wiring for the new exhaust fans. They’ll be delivered tomorrow, and I?—”
A metallic ring that sounded a great deal like a spoon banging against a pot echoed through the corridor, followed by Jake shouting, “Soup’s on, ladies. Your choice of roast beef sandwiches, or hickory-smoked tofu wraps with homemade whole-grain mustard, arugula, and tomatoes.”
“Christ, the food porn is strong with that one.” Jasmine lifted a hand to her brow and feigned a swoon. “I swear, that man is gonna turn me straight if he keeps cooking like that.”
“What?” Knowing Jasmine was teasing, she laughed at the ridiculous idea. Jake’s food sounded amazing, but it couldn’t change a person’s sexual orientation. “My sandwiches aren’t good enough anymore?”
“Let’s see…” Jasmine smirked and tapped her chin. “Turkey on white with yellow mustard and weirdly rubbery American cheese, or roast beef. Decisions, decisions.”
“Brat.”
Her gaze softening, she squeezed Sadie’s shoulder. “You don’t have to do that anymore, you know. We can pack our own lunches now, but those sandwiches were manna from heaven back in the day.”
“Oh, please.” Sadie’s cheeks heated and she scowled. “You make me sound like I’m the patron saint of homeless women.”
She didn’t think feeding her crew lunch made her some absurd angel of mercy or whatever. It was simple economics. People with full bellies worked and learned more efficiently. Their increased productivity more than covered the grocery bill.
So what if she started using turkey instead of ham when she figured out a few of her ladies were Muslim? Egg salad for her vegetarian employees wasn’t any great challenge either. Maybe she’d ask Jake for ideas if she hired a vegan. Those tofu wraps sounded good.
“Nah.” After collecting her level, Jasmine smirked. “Not like anyone would mistake you for a saint, Mama Bear.”
Rolling her eyes, she waved her hands to shoo Jasmine away. “Get out of here, you.”
Laughing, Jasmine skipped out of reach. “I’ll save you a seat.”