Secrets and Lies

Chapter Twenty Four

"Do not be such a loser Lennon. The position is still open. Would you be so kind as to follow me to my office, I could interview you there." Carl spoke to Richard. Richard turned to me "Amber did you hear that? Amber?" He had grabbed me now, shaking me. I was speechless and simply stared at the wall. "Amber what's wrong?" I pointed to the wall.  And in capital letters read.

AMBER AIDEN MISSED ME. YOU MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED THE LAST TIME BUT I WILL GET YOU. YOUR ON MY LIST, I AM WATCHING YOU.

"Shit" was all Richard said. He led me to a coach and whispered words into my ear but I wasn't listening. My mind was far away. He might have seen none of that was working because in the next moment he stood up and walked straight to Mr Brayden. They were both of the same height. Different in complexion.  And differently formed. Yes Richy did go to the gym every weekend but you couldn't compare his body to that of Mr Brayden. 

"What the hell is going on here? What have you done to her?" He held onto his lapels and pulled on him.

It was a wasted effort since Mr Brayden didn't move. "You will mind your language.  Your in my office and I haven't done anything to her." He pushed Richard off with all ease.

"I won't bloody mind anything when she is involved what the fuck is going on here? Who the hell is after her ?" He pointed to the wall.

"The same person that is after her is after me and my daughter. So I wouldn't know, but I can guess it's a business associate that is trying to get under my skin and they think that going after her will do the trick. It won't.  If they wanted to get to me they should use someone that I care about not someone that works for me. Besides, they are just words. It's not like she was hurt."

"Besides they are just words it's not like she was hurt" Richy mimicked. "She could have been hurt last night when she reached home." This made Mr Brayden to stop in his tracks. Meanwhile Carl watched with amusement in his eyes.

"To bad maybe she should have shut her mouth up last night and not react like some stupid kid." Richard didn't know about what happened last night but that didn't stop what happened next.

He grabbed Mr Brayden and punched him right in the face. This sent him back wards for a few minutes. Mr Brayden straightened and came for Richard. It was a blow to his stomach. It sent him bending almost falling to the floor. He tried to grab into something.  I watched with horror I couldn't move. I was rooted to my seat. Mr Brayden approached him, grabbed him and threw him to a side glass table. 

He fell on it shattering it into a thousand many pieces but he didn't stop. He kept on throwing blows after blows, punches after punches towards Richy's face. Richard was grinning, he had a spilt lip, a blackened eye and blood running out if his nose. "Your a monster. You just proved yourself right in front of her." Mr Brayden got furious and brought his hands up to hit him again.

I wasn't thinking. I threw myself on Richard. It was all my fault. I was crying now. "Please do not hit him." Mr Brayden dropped his hand by his side. Carl for some reason assessed the situation with a smile and said "Now since you both are done acting like kids. Would you be so kind as to tell us what happened and how she was almost hurt last night."

Richard stood up. He had blood stains on his back from the broken glasses. He held a protective hand around my waist and using the sleeves if his shirt wiped the blood away from his face.

He ignored Carl's words. "I have never seen a fool that is so ignorant to feelings and emotions surrounding him." He shook his head and his grip on me tightened " Her house was trashed. Some lunatic wrote similar words on the wall threatening her. Whoever is doing this isn't stupid. They are targeting her for a bloody reason."

"Yes" Carl said as he stood up from his seat and walked to stand in between Mr Brayden and Richard. "Clearly the person is playing his game well, either she or he is after Amber because you have a close attachment to and with her or because your daughter Isabelle does.  But whatever reason it could be Amber has to be kept safe."

He turned to Richard "Please forgive my friend he is." He shook his head. Clearly at a loss of words "He lets his anger get the better of him and his logic. Are you still interested in the job opening Richard?"

Richard looked Mr Brayden in the eye. "I hope you know what your doing, she doesn't know anything about you or your past. Do not hurt her. She can be very vulnerable and stupid at times but do not hurt her. If you do, I promise you, you won't have your balls. I do not bloody care whether you're  her  employer. She is my little sister and I will protect her with every fibre in my body."

Then he turned to Carl "No thank you. I wouldn't want to work for him." And with that he walked out.

By the time I reached him downstairs he had already driven off, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. I dropped to my knees. I was exhausted from running down flights of stairs. My hair was a mess, I was a mess.

I walked back to my office, where a brooding Brayden and a calm Carl sat. They both looked at me once I walked in.

______________________________________