Surviving Stirling

Chapter Twenty Eight

My eyes felt extremely heavy, I needed sturdy matchsticks to prevent my eyelids from closing.

After the embarrassment Kingsley and Charisma caused last night, I aimed to avoid him but truth be told, I didn't need to try very hard.

When Kingsley returned home last night, he was alone. Stirling drove off to some unknown location and this morning his bed remained not slept in.

Curiosity had me tossing and turning all night and so did Kingsleys words; you're changing him for the better Rae.

I wasn't changing him, Kingsley was just starting to notice what had always been there. Stirling wasn't a bad guy, if you looked deep enough.

I balled my hands to fists and rubbed away the tired, my last hour at work was counterproductive, just one of those nights where I would watch the clock tick down so that I could leave at the end of my shift.

Bernard was showing Stephen videos on his phone, completely obvious to me. Delilah had taken sick leave thanks to the trauma of Stirlings burglary.

The bell jingled above the door and I legitimately felt my soul leave my body because a customer five minutes before closing was never a good thing.

My attention diverted upward just as Lu pulled down shades to reveal her eyes. She smirked at me from across the room and my stomach knotted up. 

"Hamiltons is closing in five minutes." Stephen called out.

"Hm." She commented and ran her finger along one of the jewellery cases, her snake-like eyes never leaving mine.

I made my way across the store towards her.

"What are you doing here Lu?"

"Is that how you greet all of your customers?" She asked, moving onto the next case of jewellery. "Maybe I'm in the mood for some diamonds." She moved her head closer to the case to get a better look and then turned back to me, "or maybe I heard this store closes in five minutes and I wanted to take you somewhere."

My eyes narrowed on her expressing my skepticism. After a beat, I shook my head, "I don't want to go anywhere with you."

She moved to the next case, pausing for a second to admire the jewels on offer. "Not even for the sake of curiosity?"

"I'm not curious. I don't want anything to do with you, or your little spider people. Stirling has warned me to stay away and keep out of it and I'm going to listen."

"Oh no honey, I meant not even for the sake of my curiosity?" She pointed at the most expensive bracelet in the case, a 14k carat, white gold bracelet encrusted with 33 naturally earth mined diamonds. "I'll take that one."

"And are you planning on paying for that out of real cash?"

"No love, with my gold American Express card."

"I'm not going into the vault and getting that for you. The vault is timed and I have to request certain permissions. We have five minutes until closing, if you want it then come back another day."

"Fine."

"You can head out Rae, we'll lock up." Bernard called over.

Lu smiled at me, "I hear the bus is always tardy. A few hours Rae that's all I want and then I'll never bother you again. King will never know."

I sighed, she was right, I really didn't want to get the bus. "A few hours, that's it and then you take me straight home."

She held her hand up like a Girl Scout, "I promise."