"Perfect."
Jack’s scowl seemed to get even deeper if that was possible. She smiled and strode across the food court.
Time to call his bluff, and maybe get a job in the meantime. A job that would make her parents see red.
But anything was preferable to staying under their thumbs.
Chapter Twelve
Jack
He’d thought he was in hell already. He’d been wrong.
Jack stared as Janet filled out the application. She was going to get hired, that much was obvious. The manager was practically drooling on her.
Maybe she liked that. She should be used to it by now.
Jack narrowed his eyes. If that’s what she was into, so be it. She could wait forever. Jack wasn’t going to fawn all over the girl.
She looked overjoyed to be put on display like a piece of meat. The girls that worked there were half-naked. He didn't think a girl like her should be working at a place like that.
She was too good for it.
Clearly though, the manager was thrilled with her. He kept touching her arm and smiling at her. But he wasn't smiling at her, he was smiling at her boobs.
Jack wanted to kill him.
"If you would just try this on in the back, I can take a picture and send it to headquarters."
Janet giggled and disappeared into the back with the uniform. Dev and Kaylie were sitting at the bar with their heads together. They were always like that, totally in tune. Too bad that right now it meant they were missing what was going down.
Jack walked over and tapped Dev on the shoulder.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Dev and Kaylie both snapped their heads up and stared at him.
"What man? You mean Janet?"
"Yes. She shouldn't be working in a place like this."
Devlin looked baffled.
"Why not? The girl needs a job. Her parents are being real hard on her since she dropped out."
Kaylie lifted her shoulders in a graceful shrug.
"They don't need anyone at Mae's right now unfortunately. It’s the mall or baby sitting.”
Jack didn't say anything. He just walked away to stand near the door that Janet had disappeared into.
He had an unsettled feeling in his gut. It took him a minute to figure out what it was.
He was angry at Dev for the first time in his life.
They were missing the point. This was not the place for a girl like her. She’d be on display constantly and someone would put his meat paws on her eventually.
It was only a matter of time.
Janet chose that moment to walk out of the storage room in the tightest orange shorts and the smallest top Jack had ever seen. It was cropped to show her flat midriff and way too small. He stared at her, his breath coming hard and fast.
The tank hugged her gorgeous tits, pushing them up and out until they practically spilled over the top. He felt the blood rushing to his groin as hot lust sliced through him.
And anger.
The whole place was hooting and hollering like animals at the sight of her. Janet smiled and cocked her shoulder at the crowd, preening. Didn’t she realize the danger she was in?
The crowd was like a pack of damn wolves.
And she was the lamb.
The girl was too damn gorgeous for her own good.
Jack had to stop himself from throwing his jacket over her. He was frozen in place, his eyes glued to her, feeling utterly enraged. A group of college guys at a nearby table started chanting.
"FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT!"
Jack felt his blood begin to boil. Devlin was beside him in an instant. Kaylie looked freaked out too.
But Jack only had eyes for her.
Red. He saw red.
"I see what you mean, man. Come on Janet, let's get out of here."
Kaylie scooped up Janet's clothes from the storage room and grabbed Janet's arm. She had the good sense to look a little concerned when one of the guys stepped in front of her.
Before Jack could move the little turd reached out to grab her breast. Jack shoved him backwards with one hand and then elbowed his buddy in the chin when he tried to intervene.
Without turning Jack drove his heel down into the little shit's foot and heard a snap. The guy let out a blood curdling wail. Jack ignored him and threw 20 bucks on the counter top.
“For the uniform.”
It was over in less than a minute.
Chapter Thirteen
Janet
Janet was shaking as they practically ran out of the mall toward the parking lot. Once they were outside she wrapped her arms around her bare midriff. She had worn far less as a ballet dancer, but she had never felt more naked in her life.
She hadn't been expecting that. They'd made her feel like a stripper. Worse, they'd made her feel like she was for sale. Like she didn’t deserve respect.
Thank God she hadn't been alone…
Kaylie helped her pull her shirt over the trashy tank top. She was trying not to cry. It didn’t work.