Page 77 of Heartless
I glanced at Annie. She was sleeping, her head tilted at a weird angle. I had never had to drag a drunk woman to her car after a dress fitting. I wondered if I should call Roger, but I didn’t have his number and it didn’t feel right to take Annie’s phone while she slept. Besides, we were going to be at The Gem. Parker would take care of everything. The situation was under control.
I texted Parker as I promised and when we arrived at the hotel, he waited at the parking lot, Ryan and two more guys standing with him. The men approached the car before the driver had even parked and Parker opened my door while the engine was still running.
“Are you okay?”
The question caught me off guard and I stuttered. “Yes.”
“Are you drunk too?”
The others rounded the car to get to Annie.
“What?” I asked, offended. “Of course I’m not drunk. I was working.”
Parker leaned inside the car to unclasp my seatbelt as if I was a toddler, his face inches away from mine. “I can smell the alcohol on your breath, Madison.”
“We were looking for a wedding dress. A glass of champagne is part of the experience.”
“I’m not paying you to get my clients drunk in broad daylight.”
“She’s a grown woman. She can drink as much as she wants to.”
“Get out of the car," he said through gritted teeth and snuck back out, leaving the door open for me, then rounded the vehicle.
They woke Annie up and she moaned as if in pain. “What’s going on?”
“You’re at The Gem, Annie,” Parker explained in a softer tone than he had just used with me.
“Oh, yes,” She stumbled over her own feet when they helped her out. “Maddie has to get something and we’re going out for a drink. She deserves a raise, that one.”
The look Parker shot me had my heart race, but it was his voice that sent chills down my spine. “Don’t worry, Annie. I’ll make sure Miss Hartley gets what she deserves.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Parker
Ihelped Annie walk through the lobby with Ryan and Madison trailing behind us. All my anxiety disappeared the moment I saw Annie’s car driving in the parking lot, which left room for my rage to grow unproportional to the situation.
Fully aware that I went from flirting with Madison to completely ignoring her a few times already and that she had every right to push me away, it still annoyed me when she cut me off so bluntly the other day. So after I was sure she wasn’t chased by a bunch of dirtbags with cameras, I could let my rage run wild. I just had to control it until we were alone.
“Do you need help, Mr. Wilson?” Melany’s voice flew from the reception desk.
I flashed her a quick smile. “No, Mel. Thank you.”
Somehow that wasn’t enough for her to stay where she was supposed to be on her shift and she ran after me, while we were exiting the lobby.
“I could come with you. Help Miss Foster get comfortable.”
Madison’s bitter laugh came from behind my back. “You would really like that, wouldn’t you, Mel?Comewith Mr. Wilson?”
Melany turned to look at her, her face beat read and I could only imagine the satisfaction on Madison’s face.
“Shut up and move, Madison,” I barked. “This is all your fault.”
“My fault?” She had the audacity to yell.
I stopped and gave orders to all three of my employees.
“Melany, get back to the reception desk. Ryan,” I untangled Annie’s hands from my arm and passed her on to him. “Take her to The Pearl. And you,” I shifted my focus to Madison. “You’re coming with me.”
