Ahead of the Darkness by Simone Nicole Page B

walked off.
    "Sure thing. Mia, don’t let him sign your life away or you’ll end up like Mac,” Jules whispered the latter so she didn’t hear, but I wasn’t sure what he meant and caught up to Drew.
    “Don’t mind them. They bicker like siblings, or so I’m told. I never had any to compare.”
    “You’re an only child, too?”
    “Ye an only child?” Damn it.
    “Yes. Which locker do you want me to put my bag in?”
    “Anyone ye want. It’s more a precaution in case any drunkards wander in. Only the office and stage door have a pin code.” He keyed in the code to the office door and opened it wide for me to walk in ahead of him. “It’s seven, six, nine, eight, but I’ll write it down for ye. Take a seat, I’ll find the form.”
    I tried to look impassive as I absentmindedly took in the room. I waited for Drew to go through the piles of paper stacked on his desk. I was surprised his office wasn’t more organised. It was clear he didn’t spend a lot of time in here. It didn’t seem to have the same attention to detail as his home. My palms sweat the longer I waited. Even though I had all the right fake information, there was always a chance something could go awry, or that the NIN number will be tracked ...
    “Ah! Here we go.”
    I wiped my sweaty hand on my black trousers and took the single piece of paper Drew handed me. The quick perusal didn’t relieve any of my nerves.
    “I didn’t think to bring in my banking details. Can I fill that in later? Is that an issue? Sorry, Drew, I wasn’t prepared to be starting work so soon, and I was more worried about having the right clothes to wear, and...” Nicely done Amelia... I struggled to look at Drew directly.
    “Breathe, ye look fine, and it’s nae bother.” He paused a minute, looking at me too intently again. I was really starting to hate how he did that. “I can pay ye in cash, and ye nae have to bother with the paperwork, aye?” Is he for real? Damn it, how much did he see? I tried to keep my face as blank as possible, but it was a little late for that. He’d seen straight through me, again.
    “Aye it’s settled. Just fill in the next of kin, ye know, in case ye wind up blootered and lost again.”
    “I don’t have any.” Merde, baiser merde!
    “Oh, well, that’s easy. If ye die, we can just dump ye body out back.” He smiled a small smile and I relaxed a little.
    “Can you not tell the others, please? I hate the pitying looks I usually get.” I would get, if I ever told the truth.
    I looked into Drew’s eyes for the first time since I’d walked in his office. There was no pity in them, but... my eyes widened at my detective skills.
    “You’re the same, aren’t you?” I wasn’t sure how the same we could be, but the recognition was there. “I mean, you don’t have any family, either.” It explained why he didn’t apologise, or ask any questions, they were the normal responses from anyone who didn’t understand, and pity, always pity.
    “Aye. Dinnae worry, I’ll nae say anything.” I smiled. In normal circumstances that would have been odd, if not somewhat morbid, but Drew got it and for a moment, I felt like he got me.

Chapter Six
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    “S o ... now what?”
    “Come on, then.” I followed Drew out of the office with a stupid grin on my face. That was ...too easy. Drew caught it, and looked at me with furrowed brows.
    “What?”
    “If I dinnae know any better, I would think ye were a wee bit excited. That cannae be right.”
    “You must have me confused with someone else.” I said it with a dead-pan face, but one side of my mouth refused to conform and I ended up giving away my amusement as I walked past Drew holding the staff door open. He followed me out, laughing, but we both paused when we found Jules and Mac in some argument.
    “I want the front side.” Mac whined at Jules.
    “No, you get the backside. HA!” Drew sniggered at that, and pumped my shoulder to keep us