He stepped toward me. “Yeah. That’s right. And you think you’re better than him? We all pay for what we want, me included. You’re not giving me anything for free, so don’t play the martyr. You’ll fuck me to get what you want, and who the fuck cares what I want?”

I stared at him in shock.

He lowered his voice, still breathing hard. “Everyone has a price, Allie. And I’m not paying yours.”

Colin turned and left the apartment, the door latching quietly behind him.

Chapter Nine

“The ants are back!” In my frustration I let my voice ring out through the bakery. It was closed at this early hour anyway.

“Jesus Christ,” Rick swore from the bathroom.

With a sigh, I wiped away the ants and rolled out my dough.

A few minutes later, Rick came out. “You didn’t have to scream at me. Missed the toilet.”

“Well, I hope you cleaned it up, because I’m not touching your piss.” I waved my flour-covered fingers at him.

He narrowed his eyes at me but returned to the bathroom. A minute later he came out.

“Did you wash your hands?”

“Yes,” he snapped but then turned back to the bathroom. I heard the water run for a minute before he came out again.

He leaned against the wall by the phone. “What’s up your ass?”

“It’s not unreasonable to expect you to wash your hands. Clean working environment. Food preparation. Health code violations. Any of this ring a bell?” Working being a relative term for Rick, but between him and the bugs, this place was getting gross.

He shrugged. “It’s not that. You’ve been bitchy lately.”

“This is just how I am.”

His expression turned mulish. “Maybe, but it’s been really bad for a few weeks now.”

“PMS.” I gave him my best feral smile. Drop it.

“See?” He grinned. “Bitchy.”

“Yeah, well, do me a favor and fire me.” Not that he would, and not that I really wanted him to. The job sucked, but it kept Bailey in diapers and that was the important thing.

“Mmm, no thank you. Maybe if you don’t get that custom cupcake order done by the end of your shift.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

He went into his office, probably afraid he’d actually annoy me enough to bail. I was the only person he trusted enough to do the large, expensive orders. And none of the others even did fondant. If only I could use my leverage for something useful, like a raise.

Bitchy. I snorted. Hell, yes, I was bitchy.