Chapter 12 Rosco #2
“I’ve been with them since before they opened,” Rachel replies, lifting her chin. That’s my angel. Don’t let this man intimidate you. “I’ve had a wide variety of experience in the service industry before joining Baby Girl’s.”
“Well, it shows,” the man compliments. “I have to say this is the first event Gladys has hosted without having at least one minor disaster. So, thank you, for making this a good day for both of us. When she isn’t happy, no one is happy.
” The man wraps an arm around his wife, who gives him an adoring look.
“He knows me too well,” the woman giggles, “I can be a bit much when things aren’t going my way, but he loves me anyway.”
“That I do, my darling.” The man kisses her temple. “Here is the agreed upon sum for the event with a little something extra for everything going so smoothly.” He hands Rachel a plain white envelope.
She takes it from him. Her hand trembling before closing around on it. “Thank you,” she utters. “We had better be going. Lots more work to be done when we get back to the restaurant.” She lets out a nervous giggle. I’ve never, in all the months I’ve known her, heard her giggle in such a way.
“Ah, yes. The restaurant,” Laurance says. His eyes rove over Rachel again, stopping to stare at her breasts. Ire rises in me. I’m about to say something but hold my temper. I can’t risk Rachel’s safety. “You do most of your preparation and clean up there?” Why’s he so interested in the details?
“Yes, usually,” Rachel’s reply is clipped. Lawrence narrows his eyes briefly, but his friendly demeanor quickly returns.
“Again, many thanks for such a great event,” he says after a beat.
“Time to go, angel,” I urge, tightening my hold on her side.
Gently I guide her out of the library and back through the large house to the kitchen where the rest of our staff have gotten everything packed up.
She remains stiff and silent, only giving short responses when one of the staff asks her something.
“Where’s the fire?” Enos asks the second he lays eyes on me. “You were in an all fired hurry for us to get here, but the event is over. Why did you need us?”
Making use of every bit of training I’d had in service I manage to keep myself calm so that I don’t end up killing my little brother. “I needed you here,” I bite out through gritted teeth, “because I couldn’t keep an eye on Rachel and all the other servers.
“She disappeared for nearly thirty minutes. During that time something happened that frightened her, but I can’t get her to tell me what the hell happened.”
“I don’t blame her,” Enos retorts. “I wouldn’t tell you shit either. You’re always being an asshole whenever she’s around. Let me talk to her. She’ll tell me.” My jaw hurts from how hard I’ve been gritting my teeth to keep from saying or doing something I shouldn’t.
I want to tell him to fuck off. If he’d been here when he was supposed to be, Rachel wouldn’t need to tell anyone anything, but he hadn’t been here. We need to know what she’s afraid of, so I’m going to have to do what’s best for her and not myself.
“Fine,” I agree reluctantly. “See what you can find out and let me know.” Enos heads over to where Rachel is helping to load the van. I watch him approach.
I don’t even bother to hide my grin when less than a minute later Enos is strolling back toward me after Rachel sends him packing. “She said, and I quote, ‘You tell him that I’m not talking about this until we are far from here. If you want to know, help pack up so we can leave’ end quote.”
Rachel glares at me over her shoulder before turning back to the van. Well, fuck!
It doesn’t take very long to get the vans loaded.
I direct Rachel toward my truck as we prepare to leave.
While she seems to be a little calmer, now.
I can tell she is still anxious. Her eyes dart around as if she’s expecting to be attacked at any moment.
Her anxiety has bled into my own, feeding my need to protect her.
I find my senses are on a higher alert than when we arrived.
After settling her into the passenger seat, I round the truck and slip into the driver’s seat. My truck rumbles as I fire it up. At the end of the driveway, I check both ways for traffic before entering the highway.
Once we are on the main road, I spare a glance at Rachel. She’s staring straight ahead. Her face is still paler than usual, and she doesn’t appear to be ready to talk, but I need answers.
“You going to tell me what the hell happened?” I ask, sounding harsher than I intended.
Inside I’m seething but not at her. How could I have allowed her to wander off and get in to trouble?
I should have been paying closer attention to her, but I’d been focused on checking in with Enos instead of watching her every move.
She’s now another woman I’ve allowed to be harmed by my failure.
“Please, don’t be angry.” Rachel’s voice is so soft and low, I can hardly hear her. “I…I’m not ready.”
“You promised,” I gently remind her.
“I-I don’t know how to tell you,” she whispers.
“Just spit it out!” I growl, losing patience. I’m not angry with her, but she doesn’t understand. Rachel cringes, scooting closer to her door. Breathing deeply, I force myself to calm down. No good will come from me blowing a gasket and pissing her off. I need answers. Answers only she can give me.
“Rachel, baby.” I try again in a calmer voice, reaching out to take her hand in mine.
“I need you to tell me what’s going on. I can’t protect you if I don’t know what I’m protecting you from.
” She doesn’t respond. I spare her a glance, shocked to see tears pouring down her face.
“Okay, angel. I’ll let it go for now, but when we reach the restaurant, you will tell me everything. ”
“NO!” she cries hysterically, surprising me again. “W-we can’t g-go to the restaurant! They’re probably following us right now! Please!” She sobs, covering her face with her hands and mumbling into them, but I can’t understand what else she’s saying. WTF?
“Who’s following us?” I ask, but she doesn’t remove her hands or answer my question.
I slip my ear piece into my ear waiting for it to connect to my phone. At the tone, I say, “Call Enos.” It begins to ring in my ear.
“Enos,” he answers after one ring. The company SUV he and Kelvin are in is right behind us.
“Have you noticed anyone following us?”
“No,” he answers after a brief pause. “You expecting trouble?”
“Perhaps,” I say, sparing another look at Rachel. She’s still bent forward with her face in her hands and mumbling under her breath.
“There’s a small park up ahead. Rachel needs some fresh air.” My truck slows when I lift off the accelerator, and I flip on my turn signal. I can’t have this conversation with her while I’m driving. “Come with and watch for unfriendlies.” I disconnect the call not waiting for his reply.
The place is packed since it’s a nice, sunny Saturday afternoon. Finally I find an empty parking spot and pull into it.
“What are we doing?” Rachel exclaims, twisting around in her seat, searching the parking lot, agitatedly.
“We need to talk, angel,” I say, sliding out of my seat. I quickly round the front of my truck and open her door when I reach her side. She’s shaking her head hard.
“No, no, no! We need to go,” she cries, seeming to lose control again. “It’s too open here. They’ll catch us! You don’t understand! I have to get the boys! We have to go! Please!”
“Shhh,” I command while I unbuckle her seatbelt and scoop her into my arms. “No one is going to hurt you or the boys, I promise.” Kelvin and Enos have followed us as I’d known they would. Enos approaches just as I step out of the line of parked cars.
“What’s up?” Enos questions. His eyes flick to Rachel and narrow when he sees her tear-streaked face. He glares at me, likely thinking I’m the cause of her tears.
“Something happened at the event,” I inform him. “I need you to have our six while Rachel and I have a conversation. Can you handle that?”
“You fucking know I can. Why do you insist on being a prick all the damn time?”
I sigh. It isn’t Enos’s fault that I’m on edge, and it isn’t fair of me to take it out on him, but he’s been a slacker since he’d taken Kristen under his protection. Whatever’s going on with Rachel is serious, and I need him focused.
“I need to know you’re not going to take off if Kristen calls,” I reply, ignoring his question. “I need you, brother. I promise as soon as I know what’s up, I’ll let you know.”
“I won’t let you down. I promise,” he replies, looking both annoyed and guilty at the same time. Things have been strained between us for too long, but neither of us is willing to talk about the reason.
“Send Jason to Rachel’s apartment to get the boys and bring them to my place as soon as possible. Have the boys pack a bag with enough clothes and stuff for a few days.”
“No! I heard them say they were going to follow me from the event!” Rachel exclaims. “They will find the boys. Not only that you’ll be endangering everyone else!
” Rachel, near hysteria, raises up to plead with me.
Her eyes are wild, darting all around. Her pulse is pounding in her neck, and a sheen of sweat is on her brow.
“Who said they’d follow you?” Instead of answering, she pushes against my hold. I know if I were to set her down, she’d take off.
“Rachel!” I command, giving her a gentle shake.
“Calm down. We’re handling this. Trust me.
” She stares at me through her tears. Her bottom lip quivers, but eventually, she dips her head in agreement before burying her face in my neck and sobs.
I hold her close, wanting to soothe whatever has her so upset.
“Have Dalton get the boys since he wasn’t at the event,” I say to Enos who gives me a nod.
“Go on.” Enos gestures toward the park. “I’ll make sure the boys are secured while you find out what the hell’s going on.”
With a chin lift of acknowledgment, I stride away into the park, looking for a quiet spot to get Rachel to tell me what’s spooked her so badly. I’ve never seen her like this. She’s always calm and in control, even when the boys are arguing to the point of blows.
“Put me down,” Rachel mumbles against my skin and pushes weakly against my chest. “I’m capable of walking.”
“I’d rather carry you.” A puff of warm air on my neck is the only reply. At least she seems to be calming down a bit.
We continue on in silence until I spot a bench under a large weeping willow.
The spot is secluded with long branches hanging down.
The bench is against the base of the tree protecting our back.
There’s clear view for quite a distance in the other three directions should anyone approach.
I take a seat, noting Enos and Kelvin’s locations.
They’ll be able to watch our back. I settle Rachel in my lap. Time to get some answers.