Borden

“Then let me in, darling.”

I sighed, pushing away the plate. I stared at the dish for several moments before muttering, “You know how I said I took another job?”

She was nervous. “Yes.”

Another long sigh, another few moments. “I’m working for Marcus Borden.”

Her lips parted and her arms dropped to their sides. “You’re not serious, Emma.”

I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Ugh. The eyes of judgement followed. I looked away, cringing because she’d been so happy to hear about me in a new job. Now it meant nothing.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“No.”

“Has he hurt you?”

I snuck a glance in her direction. She looked pale, her eyes swimming in tears. It broke my heart.

“No, Granny,” I answered gently. “He hasn’t.”

“You have marks all over your body, Emma. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

How the hell did she notice those? I’d tried covering them up. They weren’t bad, though. Just light bruises around my shoulders, and bite marks on my chest and up my neck. I’d covered them with make-up before coming. Maybe the damn lighting gave it away.

“Those weren’t…” I paused, searching for the right words without seeming like a freaky hussy. “He hasn’t hurt me, okay? Just trust me on that.”

To be more specific: He hasn’t hurt me in a bad way.

“I just don’t understand how this could have happened, Emma.”

She threw her mittens off and abandoned the rest of the sausage rolls ready for the oven. She walked over, her steps slow, reminding me how frail she really was, and sat down next to me.

“Haven’t I warned you enough about that man?”

“Yes, you have, but he’s nothing like you’ve made him out to be.”

“You need to quit, Emma. As soon as possible before he sets his claws into you.”

His claws were already in my heart. “That’s not what’s happening, Granny.”

She blew out a breath, shaking her head. “Does this have to do with what he looks like? He’s gorgeous, I know that, but looks aren’t as they seem –”

“No, they’re not, and I learned that about Joel. Remember him? The guy you set me up with? He was crazy.”

Her dark eyes popped out. “What?”

“Yeah, he was Dr I-Love-Death. Kept going on about prison and circling an area some dude died in, Granny. My point is, sometimes you’re wrong about things. Now, I get that Borden has issues, but he’s treated me well, and I’m not going to quit the job because you want me to.”

It was hard being firm to her about it. I knew she was coming from a good place, but I wasn’t prepared to be told to quit. Because quitting meant quitting Borden and I couldn’t do that. I just hoped she’d let it go before I let that pathetic admission slip.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she told me simply, her voice giving away how rattled she was.

“I do.”

She didn’t look convinced. “Your mother said the same thing about your father, and look what happened. He broke into her soul and tore her apart until she was so threatened by him, she killed him. Men can bring out the worst in us, Emma.”

I tensed, like she’d jolted me. There were no words for that. I just stared at her, wide-eyed. She never spoke of her daughter, of my mother. It was a topic we’d silently buried years ago.

She drifted away from me for the next hour I was there. She hardly said a word. Instead, she stood back up and finished the rolls. She packed them away and gave me the Tupperware containers, all the while her eyes avoided mine.

“I’m going to bed,” she told me, lightly brushing her hand over my cheek before moving away. “You take care of yourself, Emma.”

She left to her room and I trekked outside a short distance to Moustache Man’s car, all the while feeling like crap. I regretted telling her. I could have lied and pretended all was good. She’d never have known about Borden, and she’d never have given me that look of disappointment.

“Smells good,” Moustache Man said after I’d climbed inside the car.

I gave him a container of rolls. “You can have a try.”

He munched on them all the way home, while I glumly stared out the window. Anyone would be frightened of my situation, but Borden eliminated my fear of him by bringing me into that office.

“How many women have you seen Borden with?” I wondered aloud.

Moustache Man paused mid-bite. “None.”

My mouth dropped as I turned to look at him. “Really? None at all?”

“Sometimes the men like to shoot a few women his way, but they’ve only stayed in his company for a couple minutes before he tosses them out.”

“Wait, where does he do this?”

“At his apartment. He wouldn’t dream of doing it at work if that’s what you’re thinking. Borden’s always been professional in his office with his head in the game at all times. Women haven’t really done anything for him since…well.”

“Since Kate Davenoth.”

He glanced at me, a grim look on his face. “Precisely.”

I wanted to pry for more, but I held myself back. It would be wrong getting information out of someone else other than Borden himself.

We talked lightly about other things after that. He dropped me off at my apartment, and I showered. Borden occupied every single space of thought that evening.

I ate some rolls and called Blythe for a catch-up.

“Wish there was good news to report,” she said, glumly.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Well, Denny’s talking about closing the diner down. He’s not making enough and he’s in a shit load of debt. I’ve started applying for other jobs, but…I don’t know, nothing’s popping up.”

“Is Tessa searching too?”

“Yeah, but she’s not in any rush. Says her boyfriend’s happy to float her for a while until something comes up. Frankly, I told her she shouldn’t depend on a guy’s word.”

I frowned. “Why? Not all guys are terrible, Blythe.”

She paused on the other end, and then, “Is that right? You used to go on about being single and how great it is, and now your tune’s changed? Tell me how that happened.”