the moment the door opened and turned her gaze to the man who had the human mountain whimpering on the floor.
The guy from the diner smiled, a wicked curling of his lips. Wilson struggled and diner guy tightened the grip he had on his arm making the much larger man wince.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Who are you?”
Grey’s voice was filled with barely contained rage. Ellie watched as he brushed his fingers across his face, his expression growing more thunderous as he realised he was bleeding.
“I’m Stuart, Stuart Reynolds, and I realise this isn’t exactly the best way to introduce myself but it might be the best way to show you how I work.”
“Reynolds?”
Grey’s voice and expression suddenly lightened, the tension in the room coming down several notches.
“You’re Riley’s brother? He said you were good but I didn’t truly believe him… I’d appreciate it if you’d release Wilson, he’s been with me a number of years and he’s a good guy. I’m sure whatever little hiccup occurred between you both can be amicably resolved.”
Ellie moved towards the door as Stuart released Wilson, the larger man dropping towards the floor as he cradled his arm.
“You?”
Stuart seemed genuinely surprised as Ellie tried to slip past him. Ellie kept moving, she wasn’t going to stop. Although, she was grateful he’d decided to make his appearance when he did she couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment that erupted within her the moment he’d appeared. It didn’t even make sense for her to be disappointed. It wasn’t as though she knew him and he didn’t owe her anything.
But deep down, part of her had hoped that he had been honest with her when he’d said he didn’t know Grey. It was important that he be honest… To find out now that it had been a lie? It hurt more than Ellie dared to admit even to herself.
She brushed past him and out into the hall. When he called after her she continued to ignore him and headed for the door, refusing to even acknowledge him.
----
E llie made it back as far as the main road before her vision blurred badly enough to make her pull over. She didn’t want to cry. It seemed like such a weak thing to do and a man like Grey didn’t deserve her tears. Yet Ellie still found herself slumped over the steering wheel, sobs rattling through her body as she fought to breathe.
A light tap on the window had her lifting her head and peering out through the steamed up glass.
“I’m fine, thanks…” she called out, hoping whoever the blurred shape was through the glass would get the picture and just leave. The last thing she needed right now was to explain to a stranger why she was parked up on the side of the road sobbing her heart out.
“It’s Stuart… The guy from the diner…”
His voice was soft and for a split second Ellie imagined him saying her name, the thought of it sending a shiver rippling down her spine.
Don’t be so soft, Ellie! You don’t know this guy and if he’s hanging out with Grey Mattheson then he’s obviously a big creep.
The voice in the back of her mind instantly piped up, destroying the moment and Ellie shook her head, a frown settling across her face. Reaching down she tried to turn the handle to open the window but it was immovable, the window remaining frustratingly in place. She pulled the door handle and pushed the door open, squinting out into the sunlight that streamed down behind Stuart.
“What do you want?”
Her voice was filled with irritation and for a split second Ellie felt bad as she watched his bright smile dim around the edges.
“I wanted to make sure you were alright, after yesterday in the diner and then today… Well, you seemed really upset when you left. Did he do something to… upset you?”
Stuart’s voice was soft as though he was talking to a fragile child. It irritated Ellie even more to think that he felt the need to speak so gently to her.
“I’m fine. You should go back and
The guy from the diner smiled, a wicked curling of his lips. Wilson struggled and diner guy tightened the grip he had on his arm making the much larger man wince.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Who are you?”
Grey’s voice was filled with barely contained rage. Ellie watched as he brushed his fingers across his face, his expression growing more thunderous as he realised he was bleeding.
“I’m Stuart, Stuart Reynolds, and I realise this isn’t exactly the best way to introduce myself but it might be the best way to show you how I work.”
“Reynolds?”
Grey’s voice and expression suddenly lightened, the tension in the room coming down several notches.
“You’re Riley’s brother? He said you were good but I didn’t truly believe him… I’d appreciate it if you’d release Wilson, he’s been with me a number of years and he’s a good guy. I’m sure whatever little hiccup occurred between you both can be amicably resolved.”
Ellie moved towards the door as Stuart released Wilson, the larger man dropping towards the floor as he cradled his arm.
“You?”
Stuart seemed genuinely surprised as Ellie tried to slip past him. Ellie kept moving, she wasn’t going to stop. Although, she was grateful he’d decided to make his appearance when he did she couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment that erupted within her the moment he’d appeared. It didn’t even make sense for her to be disappointed. It wasn’t as though she knew him and he didn’t owe her anything.
But deep down, part of her had hoped that he had been honest with her when he’d said he didn’t know Grey. It was important that he be honest… To find out now that it had been a lie? It hurt more than Ellie dared to admit even to herself.
She brushed past him and out into the hall. When he called after her she continued to ignore him and headed for the door, refusing to even acknowledge him.
----
E llie made it back as far as the main road before her vision blurred badly enough to make her pull over. She didn’t want to cry. It seemed like such a weak thing to do and a man like Grey didn’t deserve her tears. Yet Ellie still found herself slumped over the steering wheel, sobs rattling through her body as she fought to breathe.
A light tap on the window had her lifting her head and peering out through the steamed up glass.
“I’m fine, thanks…” she called out, hoping whoever the blurred shape was through the glass would get the picture and just leave. The last thing she needed right now was to explain to a stranger why she was parked up on the side of the road sobbing her heart out.
“It’s Stuart… The guy from the diner…”
His voice was soft and for a split second Ellie imagined him saying her name, the thought of it sending a shiver rippling down her spine.
Don’t be so soft, Ellie! You don’t know this guy and if he’s hanging out with Grey Mattheson then he’s obviously a big creep.
The voice in the back of her mind instantly piped up, destroying the moment and Ellie shook her head, a frown settling across her face. Reaching down she tried to turn the handle to open the window but it was immovable, the window remaining frustratingly in place. She pulled the door handle and pushed the door open, squinting out into the sunlight that streamed down behind Stuart.
“What do you want?”
Her voice was filled with irritation and for a split second Ellie felt bad as she watched his bright smile dim around the edges.
“I wanted to make sure you were alright, after yesterday in the diner and then today… Well, you seemed really upset when you left. Did he do something to… upset you?”
Stuart’s voice was soft as though he was talking to a fragile child. It irritated Ellie even more to think that he felt the need to speak so gently to her.
“I’m fine. You should go back and
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