456 Oil and Water

(Cass)

It's fine. Really.

I mean, they're paying me double the normal chef rate to do this, and honestly, after everything I've been through, I am lucky to be here.

But as I dump another stack into the industrial washer and catch my reflection in the steel, I can't help but feel I'm clutching at straws.

A letter doesn't mean instant success, I have a long road to get there.

By the time the shift ends, my arms ache, and my stomach growls so loudly it's probably scaring the mice away.

The head chef mutters something about "grit" and "paying dues" when he finally waves me off for the night. They are all butt-hurt over me getting paid more than half of them.

Whatever. I've always been good at keeping my head down and proving people wrong.

The night air hits me like a slap as I step out of the estate's main building. The path to the cottage is dark, and my legs feel like lead with every step. All I want is to collapse on the couch, shove some food in my face, and sleep for a year. But then I hear them.

The deliberate footsteps.

"What, are you waiting to see if I trip on a rock or something?" I snap.

Viktor doesn't reply, just keeps walking at a steady pace.

"Seriously," I say, stopping in my tracks and turning to face him. "Do you have to follow me everywhere? It's not like I'm running off to start a drug cartel in the woods."

me off, always hovering,

hate. Looking after corporate fat cats, black and white outlook on life, discipline, rules, boring as

some creepy-ass stalker? What's the

stoic, his eyes like

position of following me a broke, washed-up ex-junkie-through the woods. Bet your parents would be so proud." At this point

bite. Of course, he doesn't. He's probably incapable of being

asks, his

suits and your rules and your perfect little world. But let me guess-your big 'job' consists of kissing Jayden's ass and glaring at people who step out of line. What's

"Your life choices are none of my concern," he says

"Because God forbid I 'risk' your precious boss's life with my very existence. You don't know anything about me,

enough," he says, his tone maddeningly

bitter. "No, you don't. You know what

a thin line, but his eyes remain steady on mine. "Mistakes

it show. Instead, I let the anger bubble up, hotter and

have a goddamn

you're talking about.

been hungry, have you?

to wonder if you'd have a

de

handed to you, living in your perfect little world of rules and discipline. Newsflash, Viktor-some of us

change, but there's a flicker in his eyes. Is it anger? I hope it's

go on, stepping closer, practically in his face now. "You wouldn't last a day in my

again, his voice steady, calm, like

I'm not fucking finished," I snap, my fists clenched. "You don't get to judge me. You don't know what I've been through. I'm a survivor. I'm

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