Page 116 of Sterling Heat

“Stop lying to me,” I bark, stalking closer to her. “You took money right from the drawer.”

Her head pops up and she stares me right in the eyes. “Just once.”

“Funny, I don’t believe you.” Coming closer to the display case, I pause at the entrance to the counter area, caging Rena in the space. “And you’re still lying.”

“I didn’t—”

“Stop,” I snap, smacking my palm on top of the display case.

“Sebastian. Boss, you know I wouldn’t ever betray you.”

“But you did. You stole from me and then blackmailed a fucking kid.”

Just like someone once took advantage of me. Knowing I needed the money, and I was eager to help my family, someone reached out a poisoned apple, and I took a bite. I ate the entire promise of money to assist my family and it all backfired. I’d hurt them. I’d killed someone. I’d been in jail. And I was fucking ashamed of myself for those decisions.

We glare at one another. Her face goes hard. She knows I know what she’s done.

“How could you do that to Barnett? And how dare you go after Enya? What did she do to you?” Our stare down continues. “How could you think it was okay to go into her house without her permission? That’s breaking and entering.”

“You’ve done it.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” I argue, my voice rising enough to shake the overhead hanging lights.

Rena scoffs and crosses her arms. She hitches her hip and turns her head a second. “You don’t care about Enya. You just like the attention she gives you. You’re her hero,” Rena mocks. “You’ll never be anything to someone like her.”

Fuck that hurts, but I won’t let Rena see the stab wound. “You know nothing about Enya.”

“She has money and built that new house. What could she possibly want with a reformed addict?”

Stunned again, I don’t give Rena the satisfaction of knowing I’ve asked myself the same question a thousand times. “So, you decided to case her joint. For what?”

“You’ve heard the rumors, boss. Buried treasure.”

“So you broke into her house on some bullshit myth?” Un-fucking-believable. But I’m no longer surprised by anything this woman does. This trusted employee who has turned out to be deceitful, manipulative, and sick in the head with her reasoning.

“Technically, I didn’t break in.” Rena glares, giving me a cocky smile while tilting her head. “Maybe you’re just upset because I might find it first.”

The wind comes out of my sails, and I rock back before forming a fist on my display case. “You’re lucky you’re a fucking woman or you wouldn’t see tomorrow. And you’re not getting anywhere near Enya, or her house again.”

“Oh yeah. I heard about that, too. Killed the guy who stashed the money in that house, right?”

What?

“Maybe you do know where the money is and you’re keeping the secret to yourself.” Rena looks around the bakery. “Or did you use it for this place.”

I have loans up the wazoo for the bakery but that’s none of Rena’s business.

“I offered you a second chance,” I remind her, disgusted with myself for trusting her so fucking easily.

Rena glares back at me.

“You’re fired.”

“Boss.” Rena drops her arms.

How can she be surprised? “You’re not getting your last paycheck as recompense for what you stole from the till.”

“You can’t do that.” Rena stands taller. As tall as her short stature allows. The tough woman with red hair and tattoos flares.