Can’t you?
Hadn’t she been handling all the disruptions like a pro? But this was a temporary thing. On a day-to-day basis, she needed more stability or things started to unravel. She just didn’t know what to do.
Usually, Darin wouldn’t be brave enough to risk Reuben’s wrath and do something like this. But this time, he actually had a good point. If she was truly in danger, then being here could endanger someone else. That obviously made him feel safer.
“Now, you were also late today, which normally I’d have to give you an official warning about. But if you’re reasonable about staying away while there is some threat,” the asshole made quote marks with his fingers as he said the word threat as though she was making it up, “then we’ll call this the first day of indefinite leave, and there’s no need to put anything official on your record.”
Awesome. So now he was blackmailing her as well.
With a nod, she stood and walked numbly to the door.
“I knew you could be reasonable, Juliet. I hope you’ll explain this to your brother.” He blanched. “Please, when this is all over, let me know if you want your job back. But I’m sure you understand that we might have to hire someone else in the meantime.”
Asshole. He was practically radiating with smugness. What she wouldn’t give to pick up that cup of coffee and throw it right in his face.
But she didn’t. Because she was a good girl. Juliet always did what was best for everyone else.
Well, mostly. She kind of liked sassing Brick for some reason. Maybe it was because he was so serious all the time. Although, now that he was actually angry with her, it wasn’t going to be so fun.
As she walked out of the door, Brick stopped her by grabbing her arm. He drew back immediately when she flinched. “What did he say? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t feel like explaining it. So instead, she headed back to the breakroom.
Where Gladys sat with her best friend, Lorraine. Awesome. The two witches of Wishingbone.
Gladys looked up from her cup of coffee. Or hell’s brew. Who really knew what she was drinking?
“Aww, Juliet, why are you looking so sad? Has something happened?” she asked with false sympathy.
Juliet clenched her hands into fists as she moved to her locker to remove her handbag. She knew just who had complained about Elias being around yesterday.
“You’re leaving already?” Lorraine asked. “It’s not even lunchtime.”
“Juliet? It’s rude to ignore people when they’re talking to you,” Gladys said snidely. “And aren’t you going to introduce us to your man? My, you are hanging out with a lot of different men lately, aren’t you?”
“We’re her bodyguards,” Brick said stiffly.
She grabbed her whiteboard from her purse and scribbled out a message.
I’m out of this hellhole. Have fun doing all the shelving yourselves, you dried-up old hags.
She grinned at the look of shock on Lorraine’s face. Gladys had just taken a sip of coffee and she spewed it out as she read what she’d written.
Juliet slammed the whiteboard on the desk. She had plenty.
Take that mic drop, bitches.
With a smirk, she turned and strode out of the room.
“Juliet,” Brick came up alongside her, putting an arm out to stop her from opening the back door. When she glanced up into his face, expecting to find a scowl of disapproval, she was shocked to find him grinning.
“I can’t believe you wrote that.”
It was a long time coming. They’d always been careful to wait until she was alone to say things to her. No doubt they didn’t want to bring the wrath of Reuben down on their heads. Somehow they knew she wouldn’t tell him. Maybe that had been a mistake.
But now, she no longer had to be around them.
She was free.