Chapter 21 #2
Even if she'd betrayed me, she didn't deserve that. Did she? Okay, that was debatable. Especially if she'd wanted me dead.
"Right." He snagged up a spoon and gave it a careful stir. "It smells amazing. I might learn to cook something other than tacos."
"I don't mind teaching you," I said sincerely.
If I was going to teach anyone my secret recipes, it would be him. He might choose to give up IT and go into the culinary arts. I could think of worse ways to spend my life than working with him in the kitchen every day.
Gina laughed at something Jules said. A shiver went down my spine. I wanted to march out there and tell him to move away from her, but I had to bide my time. Watch him and wait for him to make a mistake.
He would.
They always did.
Lunch and dinner services went by without a hitch.
Somehow, Jules managed to avoid insulting or offending any customers. He even seemed to get their orders right. Granted, the seating was only couples today. No groups to complicate matters.
The fact he and Gina seemed to get along well put me further on edge.
I'd already lost one staff member, I didn't want to lose another.
The whole time we were preparing plates of food, Cass watched me, a frown etched on the centre of his brow.
As I expected, he was a hard worker. I hadn't needed to tell him anything twice, or give him much in the way of instruction. He picked up everything and took it to the dishwasher, putting it inside carefully so everything would wash properly.
I wasn't surprised to see he was good at dishwasher Tetris.
Yeah, I know some people would disagree that stacking the machine was an art, but it was a skill some people hadn't mastered. In the past, I'd had people working for me who needed to be watched, and reminded multiple times how I liked it done.
Several times, I'd made them empty it and start over. I didn't cut corners, especially when it came to clean crockery and cutlery.
What can I say, I'm a perfectionist. Beside, the Health Department would come down on my head, figuratively speaking.
"That's it for the night," I said, handing Cass the last of the plates and watching him stack them before turning the dishwasher on. "It's time to get out of here." I could use a a few hours sleep after the last week or two.
"This was fun," he said. "It's hotter than hell in here, but I enjoyed it." He wiped sweat off his brow. "Being with you is a bonus."
"You know what they say about being able to handle the heat in the kitchen." I grinned, but may gaze went to the seating area, where Gina and Jules were wiping down tables and pushing chairs back into place.
"I can handle the heat," Cass said, his voice low.
I turned to him and smiled. "Oh, I know you can." I stepped over to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I think I forgot to say I love you too." I was distracted at the time. Surprised by his admission and trying to let myself believe I could trust him.
He bracketed my hips with his hands and deepened the kiss. "I figured you meant it," he said, swiping his tongue over my lips.
"Are you getting cocky, Cassius Titmus?" I teased.
"You tell me." He grabbed my hand and brought it down to the front of his pants, where his erection was rapidly growing.
"Very cocky." I gave him a squeeze.
He hardened in my hand. If we were alone I would have jumped up onto the counter and let him fuck me up there again. That was the kind of distraction I couldn't offer to Jules, or anyone else.
"Get a room," Jules said, tossing his washcloth into the basket. "Preferably not mine. I have to sleep in there too." He grimaced at both of us, but it didn't hold the heat it used to.
Why would it? It wasn't as though we were going to spread cum all over his blankets. Cass' blankets maybe, but not his. I had respect for other people's space.
"You'll get over it," Cass said. "Let's get out of here." He kissed me again before stepping back and taking my hand.
"Sounds like a plan," Jules said, heading over to open the back door. He peered out, looking left, then right before nodding to himself.
If I wasn't suspicious of him, I'd think he was checking to be sure we were all safe.
Since I was suspicious of him, I wondered if he was looking for any witnesses. Someone who might see him kill us all.
"The coast is clear," he said easily. If he had anything planned, he was covering it well.
"Great," I said, not sure if I should be pleased about that or not. I decided I should. I wasn't going to let him kill us. If there were witnesses, they'd be traumatized by his violent death.
No, it was better no one saw anyone shedding more blood here.
I made sure the lights were turned off in the kitchen, and grabbed up my bag to follow everyone out, carefully locking the door behind me.
I made a note to have extra security added to the entire place.
More locks and more cameras. I couldn't guard against people being invited in, but I could stop them from breaking in.
"See you later," Gina said cheerfully. She pushed her bag up her shoulder and headed away toward the street.
"Night," I called out after her.
Cass' hand firmly in mine, we headed in the opposite direction, Jules walking on the other side of Cass.
I half expected something or someone to jump out at us. Or for Jules to… I don't know, push us in front of a bus.
The night air was cool, but my hand was damp with sweat from the anxiety of walking with someone I wasn't sure I could trust. Watching, waiting for something to happen. Sure he was hoping I'd drop my guard at some point.
We reached Archer's building without incident and headed inside.
We didn't say a word all the way up to his apartment. All the way up, I never had my back to Jules. If he was going to stab me, he wasn't going to do it without me seeing him coming.
We reached the apartment door and Cass pulled out his key to unlock it.
"Honey we're—" I started to call out jokingly.
I stopped at the sight of Archer and Boner bound to chairs in the middle of the room. Their mouths covered with duct tape.
Fuck.
It took me a moment longer to realize who stood behind them.
Double fuck.