Too Much to Lose by Samantha Holt Read Free Book Online Page B

No,
no way. I left that world far behind when I quit my job, moved to London and
changed my appearance.
    Gulping, I peel it open and
draw out the folded letter. The paper is thick and expensive. Proper writing
paper. Someone’s put thought into it. Written in careful handwriting, the words
make me shake.
    Whores like you should stick to
what they know best.
    “Everything okay?”
    I jerk my head up and nod
hastily before stuffing the letter in my pocket. “Yeah, yeah. Just a… just some
guy I turned down.” I force a laugh. “Guess he didn’t know how to take no for
an answer.”
    Eddie shakes his head. “They’re
expensive flowers. Looks like someone is trying to charm you.”
    “Yeah looks like it.” I snatch
the bouquet. “I’ll just stick these in water.” I lie and head toward the
kitchens. “Hey, Eddie, who delivered these?”
    “I don’t know, Jess. I wasn’t
really paying attention. I just took them and left them here.”
    “Did you sign for them?”
    “Probably. I was busy trying to
get the place ready for tonight. Don’t have time to be dealing with your
admirers.” He says this casually enough but it still sounds defensive. I can’t
figure out why.
    I fling the flowers in the
trash in the kitchen and pause to take a breath. What the hell am I going to
do? I’ve finally got a good job. I can’t start again. Am I in danger? Whoever
this person is knows where I live and where I work. And what can I do? I can’t
go to the police. I don’t know anything and I’m not willing to draw attention
to myself. What if I end up in the papers or something? The thought of being
exposed brings bile into my throat.
    Pain and humiliation swamps me.
Memories of being physically exposed in front of strangers swim through
my head. Gripping the kitchen table until my knuckles hurt, I concentrate on
breathing and trying to forget. At times, I used to self medicate and it’s so
tempting to fall into that trap again—the empty ache throbs in my chest and
begs me to give in. I still have the pills from earlier in my bag. Strong
painkillers often helped when working for hours on end. No one cared if it hurt
or if you were exhausted. As long as they got their shots, that’s all that
mattered.
    But my life is different now.
I’m strong, I can deal with this. I was only eighteen when this all hit—still
raw from running away from my aunt’s home and my uncle’s behaviour. It probably
is just someone I’ve blown off, like I said to Eddie. Guys do come onto me at
work but I never give in, no matter how charming they are.
    Until Hunter, that is.
    Pressing my fingers to my
temples, I attempt to shake myself out of my thoughts. Now is not the time to
be thinking about Hunter or this mysterious flower giver. I rub my forehead and
straighten. Time to get to work and forget either person exists.
    ***
    At three a.m, the streets are
quiet enough but my head bangs as I wait for Eddie to lock up. Though the other
staff came in eventually, it was a busy night and having only just recovered
from a migraine, this shift took its toll. I dodged a few overly amorous and
drunk customers while trying not to remember when Hunter had come to my rescue.
Regret swirls in the pit of my stomach. Funny how I kind of miss him being my
alpha male now.
    Eddie stuffs the bar keys in
his pocket and I check the locks, a duty that falls to me since I seem to have
become second in command recently. Mostly because I will work at short notice I
think.
    “See you next week, Jess.”
Eddie heads off to his car with a wave and I wave back.
    A shiver wracks me and I pull
my jacket tight. Spring might be considering giving way to summer but it’s
still cold at night. Yeah, that’s why I’m shivering. As I turn and head toward the
bus stop to catch the night bus, a shadow catches my eye. There’s people
around—party goers, workers like me, tourists—but something has me on edge.
    I breeze past a laughing tipsy
couple and keep my head down until