Something Real (Whiskey Men, #2)(20)

“Jim.” Ford interrupts him. “I think that’s enough. You’re making the whole table uncomfortable.”

Jim just laughs. “No, everyone’s uncomfortable because it’s obvious she shouldn’t be eating that. She’s too fat.”

Victoria gasps, and I don’t even think before I hit my full glass of wine, knocking it over right into Jim’s plate. The splash makes it up onto his jacket.

Before I can even pull my hand back, Jim has his hand wrapped around my wrist. Ford stands up and leans over in Jim’s face. “Let her go, Jim.”

Because Jim doesn’t do it fast enough, his tone is low and lethal. “Now.”

Jim’s face is scrunched up in anger, and when he releases me, I pull my hand back.

Ford grabs Jim by the front of his shirt and pulls him out of his seat. The whole restaurant goes quiet, and people are watching with interest.

I put my hand on Ford’s back. “Ford, he’s not worth it. Please don’t.”

Ford reaches back, and I wrap my hand around his. He looks at the other woman. “Will you be okay, Victoria?”

She nods. “I always am.”

Ford nods in understanding and then leans down in Jim’s face. I can’t hear what he says, but when he releases his hold on him, Jim’s eyes are huge. Ford gently pulls me away from the table. We stop at the hostess stand, and Ford leaves cash for the bill. We walk across the casino and then ride up the elevator to the top floor. Neither Ford nor I have said another word to each other, but I can feel the anger radiating off him.

That man was despicable. There’s no way I could sit there another minute with him. I glance at Ford, and his jaw is pulled tight. In the two years I’ve worked for him, I haven’t seen him this mad before.

I shouldn’t have come.

I open my mouth but close it quickly. What am I going to say? Should I apologize for dumping my drink on that guy when I feel no remorse at all? I can’t. Instead, I slam my mouth shut and wrap my arms around my middle. As soon as the elevator dings, Ford holds his hand out for me to go through.

I walk quickly down the hallway to our suite. He gave me a key earlier, and I have it out of my purse and in my hand when I get to the door. I open it and don’t stop walking until I’m in my room with the door closed behind me.

Pacing back and forth, all I can think about is that poor woman. I should have done something for her. I don’t know what, but something.

There’s a knock at the door, and I take a deep breath before sitting on the edge of the chair in the corner of the room. This is where he fires me. “Come in.”





Ford





I open the door, and when I see Lilian sitting on the chair in the corner, I walk over and drop to my knees in front of her. I reach for her hand, pressing the ice wrapped in the towel against her wrist. Seeing the red marks on her delicate skin has me seething all over again.

I feel like I can’t catch my breath. I should have killed Jim instead of walking away like I did.

“This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have come, Ford.” She seems to weigh her words before blurting. “I’m sorry that I pissed you off. I just couldn’t sit there and watch him treat her like that.”

I pull back. “You think I’m mad at you?”

She won’t look at me as she shrugs her shoulders. She looks so sad. I lean toward her, putting my finger on her chin and pulling her face to me. “Look at me, Lily.”

Sadness fills her eyes, and I don’t know what to do to make it right. “Oh honey, I’m not mad at you at all. When he touched you, I wanted to kill him. He had no right…”

My voice is thick with emotion, and I clench my eyes shut, trying to get the image of Jim grabbing Lilian out of my head.

Her hand touches my shoulder, and she squeezes me. “Ford, I’m fine, though.”

I look at her. “He shouldn’t have touched you.”

She pulls the towel from her hand and sets it on the floor beside us before holding her wrist out to me. “Look, it’s fine.”

I run my finger over the red marks on her skin. “I should have killed him.”

She gasps. “Don’t talk that way. I’m not worried about him. I’m worried about Victoria. I have to help her, Ford. I have to.”

I nod. “We can talk to her tomorrow, or if you want to call her tonight, I have her number saved in my phone.”

She grabs my wrist. “Oh please, can I? I won’t sleep at all if I don’t know she’s all right.”

I find Victoria’s number in my phone and hit dial. She answers on the second ring. “Hi, Victoria, this is Ford. I hope it’s okay we called. Lilian would like to talk to you, but if this is a bad time—”

“This is fine. Put her on.”

I hand the phone to Lilian, and she quickly puts it to her ear. I only hear one side of the conversation. Lilian doesn’t say much except to ask her if she’s okay, and then by the end of the phone call, Lilian’s eyes are wide, and she’s telling her goodbye.

“Everything okay?”

She nods. “What did you do, Ford?”

I don’t have to ask her what she means. “It’s okay.”

She’s shaking her head. “You can’t cancel all contracts between Blaze Whiskey and the Ogle stores.” She puts her head in her hands. “Oh no, Ford. Do you know how much that’s going to cost you? Geez, Lucas is going to be so mad I’m the reason you guys lost this contract. You don’t have to do that, Ford. Call him back.”