After five days of pleading, and promising that I wouldn’t do anything reckless, Alejandro had finally relented and allowed me to leave the house to go to work at the shelter for a few hours, under the watchful eyes of Hugo and Hank. Whilst I completely understood why he didn’t want me to leave the house with everything that was going on, I was going stir crazy being stuck indoors. Alejandro was working long hours. Lucia was back at school. I could do some work from the house, but I missed being at the shelter and working kept me feeling sane.
I’d arrived at my office ten minutes earlier. Hank wasn’t allowed in because he was so serious and grumpy he scared some of the women and children, so he waited outside. But Hugo was like my shadow and I imagined he would be for the rest of the afternoon. I was just about to make a fresh pot of coffee for us both when I got a message that Kristen was looking for me.
I walked down the hallway and popped my head into her office. ‘You wanted to see me?’
‘Alana! Yes, come on in,’ she said as a smile spread across her face. ‘An old friend of yours called by, and he’s presented us with an offer we can’t refuse.’ Then she looked at whoever must have been sitting across the desk from her but was obscured from my view by the door.
I stepped into the room and her visitor turned and gave me a huge smile too, showing off his perfect white teeth.
‘Bobby?’ I stammered. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Hey, Alana. I found out you worked at this place and I thought I’d stop by. I got chatting to Kristen here and I think we can do some business together.’
I stared at him, I had so many questions but Kristen was my boss and I didn’t want to look completely unprofessional in front of her.
I forced a smile and walked further into the room, leaving Hugo standing in the hallway. ‘What kind of business?’ I asked.
‘Well, first and foremost, I’d like to make a sizeable donation to the shelter,’ he said as he leaned back in his chair and flashed his eyebrows at me.
I wondered if I was supposed to be impressed by that. Probably.
‘Well, that’s very generous of you,’ I said with all the charm I could muster.
‘I’ve spoken to the board and my corporation would also like to fund your post for the next five years.’
Jackass!
‘I work for free,’ I said with a smile. ‘But that money will come in handy, I’m sure. There’s so many things we could do with it.’
Kristen sucked the air through her teeth. ‘Actually, Alana, having a full time fundraising co-ordinator post puts the shelter in a much stronger position. The money will be ring-fenced anyway, it doesn’t detract from the sizeable donation Mr Conroy is already prepared to make. Obviously, it goes without saying that the job is yours for as long as you want it. You know that. But if something happened to you, or you found another job, or decided not to work here anymore, I’d be stuck. This way, the post would still be funded, and you would also be under contract and that offers me certain protections.’
I sat down in the chair and blinked. ‘Seems like you two have this all worked out?’
‘Alana, I know that you have given your all to this place and I know that you will keep on doing so, but none of us know what the future holds, and I always have to have the center’s best interests at heart.’
‘I know that,’ I said. ‘It’s just …’
‘Just what?’ Bobby asked, his eyes burning into mine and the hint of a grin on his lips. He knew exactly what the problem was. When Alejandro found out that my ex-boyfriend was essentially paying my salary, he would go loco. I had a suspicion that was exactly what Bobby wanted.
‘Never mind. Whatever you think is best for the center, Kristen,’ I said with a smile as I stood up.
‘That’s not all though,’ Kristen said.
‘Oh?’ I frowned. What else did Saint Bobby have up his sleeve?
‘We’re working on an app that will assist abuse victims to record and report any assaults. It’s discreet and undetectable. It could be a game changer,’ Bobby said, puffing his chest out with pride.
‘And what does that have to do with us?’ I asked.
‘Bobby wants to trial it here for some of the women at the shelter or in the outreach programs.’
‘I’d love for you to work on it with me, Alana,’ he said with a smile.
‘I’m not tech savvy at all,’ I replied.
‘You don’t have to be,’ he fired back. ‘I’ve got that side covered.’
‘You have a connection with the women here though, Alana, and a way of making people see things from a different perspective. I think you and Bobby would make a great team,’ Kristen said.
‘So, what do you say?’ he asked.
I swallowed. ‘I’ll have to think about it.’
‘What’s stopping you? This could be huge. It’s the perfect challenge for someone as smart as you,’ Bobby said, his face almost a sneer.
Jackass!
‘I’m busy is all, with Lucia, and Alejandro’s father is in hospital. Developing an app with you might be a little too much to take on right now, that’s all.’
‘Well, think about it, won’t you?’ Kristen said. ‘Please?’
‘Yes, of course. Now, if you’ll both excuse me, I have some calls to make.’
I walked out of the office and took a deep breath. What the hell was Bobby playing at?
‘Everything okay?’ Hugo asked as he stepped across the hallway towards me.
‘For now,’ I replied.
‘Who was that?’ he asked as we walked back towards my office. ‘Did Kristen say he was an old friend of yours?’
‘Yes,’ I said with a sigh as I rubbed the back of my neck. ‘He’s also an old boyfriend.’
‘Oh,’ Hugo replied.
‘I’ll tell him myself,’ I said with a sigh, knowing exactly what would be on his mind.
‘I know …’
‘But, you’ll have to tell him anyway. I get it.’
‘More than my job’s worth not to, Alana. You know that. I’m sure he’ll be fine with you working with your ex-boyfriend,’ he said with a flash of his eyebrows.
‘Yeah, right. Besides, I don’t know if I am going to work with him yet. I’m trying to work out what his angle is.’
‘Well, how about I make us that fresh coffee while you think on it,’ he said as we reached my office.
‘That would be great. Thanks, Hugo.’
Fifteen minutes later, I was setting up some new spreadsheets and Hugo was looking out of the window when there was a knock on my office door. I looked up to see Bobby standing there.
‘Hey, Alana, can we talk?’ he asked.
Hugo turned around and glared at him.
‘Hugo, can you give us a few minutes please?’ I asked with a sigh.
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Alana,’ he said, his eyes narrowed.
‘It’s just a few minutes. You can wait right outside.’
‘Fine,’ he snapped as he stalked towards the door.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her,’ Bobby said with a grin.
‘You lay one finger on her and I will break every bone in your body, Cabrón,’ he snarled as he walked out of the room and closed the door.
‘What the hell are you doing here, Bobby?’
He sat down in the chair opposite me. ‘I wanted to see you. And when I found out you worked here, I wanted to help.’
‘How did you even find out where I work?’ I snapped.
‘You’d be surprised at the type of information I can get my hands on, Alana,’ he chuckled.
‘But why? Why did you want to see me?’
‘I was worried about you. That husband of yours seemed like a bit of a jealous asshole. Then I looked into him. Do you have any idea who he is, Alana?’
I frowned at him. ‘Of course I know who he is, Bobby. I married him, didn’t I?’
‘He’s bad news, Alana. The guy is a stone cold killer.’
‘You know nothing about him.’
‘I know enough. And you can’t even come to work without one of his goons following you around.’
‘Hugo is my bodyguard. He’s only here for my protection.’
‘Exactly, Alana. You married a guy so fucking dangerous that you need a bodyguard. If you need an out, then I can help you. I can get us both out of here and take you somewhere he’ll never find you. You don’t have to put up with his shit if you don’t want to.’
I placed my hands on the desk. ‘Enough!’ I snapped. ‘How dare you come in here and criticize my life choices. Alejandro is my husband. He makes me happy. I love him. That is all you need to know. So, if that is all, please get out of my office. We won’t be working on any app together, Bobby, because I don’t trust you. If you still want to donate money to the shelter, then that would be great, but do not for one second think that puts me in your debt in any way.’
He stood up and planting his hands on my desk, he leaned forward. ‘Seems I had you pegged all wrong, Alana. All this time I had you down as the sweet little girl next door, but you like the bad guys really, don’t you? Is that what gets you off? The danger? Maybe if I’d killed someone you’d have let me fuck you too?’ he snarled.
‘Get out!’ I snarled back. ‘Before I have Hugo come in here, rip your arms off and shove them up your ass!’
He smiled at me as he straightened up. ‘Feisty now too. I’ll be seeing you, Alana.’
‘No you won’t,’ I hissed.
The he walked out of the door and I leaned back in my chair as my blood thundered in my ears.
‘Are you okay?’ Hugo asked as he walked back into the room.
‘I am now,’ I nodded. ‘What a jerk!’
‘Want me to go kick his ass?’ he offered.
‘As tempting as that is, no thanks. Let me finish up here real quick and then we can go home.’
‘Good,’ he nodded in agreement. ‘I’ll feel much better when you’re safe at the house.’
