A stone flipped in my stomach and the awkward silence whipped around; for a long moment I could only hear our shallow breaths. Kel was by the door in case someone thought it was too quiet inside. When we decided to interrogate Fiorillo, I didn’t expect to hear that Rufus was willing to sell information about La Caz Corporation to our rivals. He would never do anything like that; he loved working for Paranormal Personnel.
‘What happened after that? Did you manage to see Rufus?’ I whispered, afraid to hear the rest.
‘We agreed to meet somewhere away from the city, in the country, close to one of the pubs in the village called Condridge,’ he explained in the same low voice. I swallowed hard, remembering what Dad told me a few days ago.
‘He is telling you the truth. Dad said that Rufus’ car had been found in a ditch somewhere outside London,’ I whispered to my friends. ‘Dad also said that Rufus was in Manchester only for a few days and then he was back in London.’
Kate took over. ‘What happened when you got there? Who else knew about this meeting?’
‘I’ve been asked to keep this quiet,’ replied Fiorillo. ‘I parked my car by the pub between the trees so I could see if Rufus was going to show up. I wanted to make sure we were going to be alone and no one followed him, so I waited until he walked into the pub. He turned up half an hour later. I was just about to walk up to him when I saw two cars pulling up. A few trolls surrounded him; he didn’t stand a chance. He tried to fight, but there were too many of them.’
I sank back into my chair, thinking about calling Dad, but I waved that thought away quickly. Rufus had been trapped. Someone must have known he was going to be there.
‘Who were the people that took him?’ I asked.
‘I didn’t know any of them. They were strangers.’
‘He didn’t even help him, I can’t believe this’ I said, looking from Kate to Kel.
‘Tell us what happened after that,’ Kate demanded, looking a little disturbed about the news.
‘They dragged him away and then someone took his car.’
My brain was like a sponge, trying to process what we all heard. This bastard saw everything and chose to keep it quiet. I couldn’t believe it.
‘Holy macaroni, Julia! You were right about this,’ said Kel after a long moment of silence. We needed to know more, so I turned to face him again.
‘What’s the name of your boss? Are you talking about the giant that owns StaffSpell?’ I asked, but Fiorillo looked like he was going to be sick. His face went pale and he tensed, his shoulders rising rapidly.
‘The spell is fading. You guys need to go now. If you wait for me outside I’ll sort this out,’ Kate said, standing up with her magic wand.
‘Can you keep him a bit longer, I need to know—’
‘Julia, it’s too late. I can’t hold him any longer. Leave, otherwise we will be fucked,’ she hissed. Kelsie dragged me away. I wanted to help Kate, but she was right, we risked a lot already coming to the office. And from the stories I knew, I shouldn’t interfere when a witch was in the trance of magic. Besides, I didn’t fancy going to prison.
I told Marcia that our partner was completing the paperwork with Mr. Fiorillo. She bought my story but didn’t seem happy that she was ignored earlier on. Kate joined us five minutes later, looking slightly flushed. Kelsie left ahead of me, bringing her car while I waited. Once we were all outside, safe and sound, I could breathe again.
‘What did you do to him?’ I asked, looking at Kate. Her purple hair was static and her rosy cheeks only confirmed that she’d been creating spells only a moment ago.
‘I wiped his memory and created a strong impression that the meeting with us went really well,’ she explained. ‘But this is messed up, Julia. Why on earth would Rufus talk to our rivals?’
‘I’ve got no idea. This bastard saw Rufus kidnapped and he chose not to say anything. But it seems pretty simple—he set up the meeting with Rufus, someone found out, so they had the perfect opportunity to snatch him away,’ I said, chewing my lower lip.
‘I don’t want to sound like a bitch,’ Kelsie said, ‘but I think your boss was trying to make a deal on the side; meeting the enemy to discuss a precious contract in the middle of the night. This just doesn’t add up.’
Rufus was a great boss and had never shown that he could do something like, but I couldn’t disagree with her over what we’d just heard. ‘We need to dig deeper and find out who Fiorillo’s boss is,’ I said, deflated. I respected for Rufus, so I couldn’t quite believe he could do something like that.
‘We need to be careful from now on. We don’t want any trouble with the police,’ Kate said, polishing her wand. ‘I don’t want to sound shallow but my memory spell is excellent.’
I couldn’t help but agree with her; the effects of the grooming spell could have been dangerous, but we were lucky that Kate was such a skilled witch. We planned to discuss what we heard today at work. Kelsie gave me a lift home, after she dropped Kate off.
‘Kel, listen, I appreciate you helping us and I’ll understand if you want to keep away from all this.’
‘What are you talking about?’ she asked, wrinkling her forehead.
‘I shouldn’t have dragged you into this,’ I pressed.
‘I had fun, so don’t worry about it,’ she said, waving her hand. ‘That’s what friends do.’
Chapter thirteen
God, I miss you, but you are such an arsehole.
‘Thank you again. I don’t think we could’ve pulled this off without you,’ I said, thinking about Rufus and Nathaniel. We were outside my apartment.
‘I always get myself into trouble,’ she said. ‘Stop me if you think that I’m talking some sentimental crap, but I had the impression that we have a connection.’
Funny enough, I’ve been thinking the same thing.
She was right; although we’d just met, we got on really well.
‘It’s not sentimental crap, I would love to have a friend like you,’ I said, smiling. Kelsie looked moved, even if she was trying really hard to hide it. We decided to see each other again, so we exchanged numbers. Kelsie was a shifter, she had probably a completely different lifestyle but that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. I promised to be in touch soon.
Once I got to my apartment I made a quick dinner, thinking about Rufus. I tried to ease the thoughts about what happened today, but I was still shaking once I finished eating. Rufus never struck me as the kind of guy who was dishonest. I refused to believe that he could sell information about La Caz Corporation to StaffSpell. Caleb McGregor was the key to everything that had been going on, but Dad didn’t back up my theory. For some reason, McGregor hated Nathaniel, and if it wasn’t for me he would’ve had a prospective business still hunting down fairies for their blood. I couldn’t switch my mind off, even when I got to bed an hour later.
The next few days passed in a blur. After another sleepless night, I was exhausted. Kate tried to avoid conversation about StaffSpell in front of Sara. After what went on with Jennifer, we weren’t sure who we could trust. I never had a strong relationship with Kate, but Rufus’s disappearance brought us closer. The day ahead of me was hectic so I was glad to relax once all the customers were taken care of. My phone rang just after I filled my stomach; it was a private number, but I answered anyway, hoping that maybe it was important.
‘Julia.’
Nathaniel’s smooth voice sent an inescapable shiver down my spine. I hadn’t had time to think about him in the past few days. Hearing his voice reminded me that he’d invited me for a dinner. I had enough problems already and I didn’t need another one.
‘Hi, Nathaniel,’ I breathed. ‘What can I do for you?’
I knew why he was calling, but I wanted to tease him for a little while. The dinner with powerful business clients could only give me more connections, but I didn’t think I was ready to expand our base of the clients while Rufus was missing. Nathaniel had no idea what was going on.
‘I’m c
alling to remind you about our little dinner. You’ll be happy with the people that I invited,’ he said with his usual tone.
God I miss you, but it’s better if we stay apart.
‘Yes, right. Where are you hosting it?’ I asked, keeping my voice indifferent.
‘My apartment, this Saturday. I only invited a few people, nothing fancy.’
‘Great, I’ll be there with a date,’ I told him. I was playing a dangerous game; the fire between us was still alive but I wasn’t prepared to forget how he left my apartment a few months ago.
‘I was hoping you were joking when you said you were going to bring someone,’ he said coldly.
Score one for me!
‘I don’t see any problem mixing business with pleasure.’
‘Of course, I remember well how we liked mixing those two things together,’ he whispered and the lust in his words curled my toes.
One for him… Prick.
‘If you expect me to come, then you need to accept that I’m bringing a date.’
‘Fine, whatever, Julia, but you’ll never find anyone who can replace me. The dinner starts tomorrow at eight o’clock.’
I was just about to ask him the dress code, but I realised the line had been disconnected. I tossed the phone on my desk, chewing my bottom lip. I pissed him off a little and I should be happy, but I was worried. Nathaniel didn’t just give up—he was stubborn and determined. If I showed up at his apartment with Loony, I was looking for trouble.
Besides, I had no idea if Loony would be willing to go out with me again. I didn’t call him back after our terrible date. Feeling a little guilty for giving him mixed signals earlier on, I dialed his number.
‘Loony Crocker speaking.’
‘Hi, Loony, it’s Julia Taylor,’ I said cheerfully.
‘Julia, wow! I’m glad you called. How are you?’ he asked.
The tiny voice in my head was telling me I was becoming one of those women that used a man to piss off another one; it was sad. ‘Fantastic. Listen, I was just wondering what you’re doing tomorrow evening?’
‘I don’t have plans, why? Do you have anything in mind?’
‘Well, I need to go to this really boring business dinner and I was wondering if you would come with me?’
‘That sounds good.’
‘Really, it will be dull, though.’
‘It won’t be boring as long as you’ll be there,’ he said, and I blushed a little, even though he couldn’t see it. So, his obvious crush on me didn’t magically fade.
‘Great, thank you, Loony. It starts at eight.’
‘I’ll pick you up at seven, then.’
I was smiling again when I put my phone down. Last time I saw Nathaniel, he’d kissed me and I loved it, but this time I’d have Loony with me, so I thought it was better to be safe than sorry.
***
Dressing for a date was easy, but dressing for a posh dinner at my ex-boyfriend’s apartment was a struggle. He had to see what he was missing out on. After careful consideration, I opted for a sleeveless, paneled, red knit bandage dress with matching stilettos. I looked hot and the dress showed all my curves. Loony had no idea that Nathaniel La Caz, the famous business tycoon, used to date me, and I wanted to keep it that way.
My elf was waiting for me outside my apartment just after seven. When I got into his car he gave me a quick kiss in on a cheek. He looked good wearing a grey shirt and trousers; I had to admit I liked his aftershave.
‘You look stunning, Julia,’ he whispered in my ear.
‘Thank you.’
‘So, what kind of dinner is it?’
Dinner with my ex-boyfriend, and technically my boss, who I used to date.
‘A friend of mine is hosting it. He is going to introduce me to a few very important potential clients,’ I replied, feeling a little breathless.
‘Right, interesting. May I ask why you wanted to bring me?’ he asked, staring at me intensely.
He threw me off guard asking about our previous disastrous dinner date. I was terrible; I hadn’t even called him and let Nicky deal with it.
‘Loony listen, I’m sorry I didn’t call. I didn’t think that it could work out between us.’ I had to be honest with him.
‘Don’t worry about it, Julia. I’m glad you called last night. We can start again,’ he said. ‘Where are we going?’
‘Canary Wharf.’
Loony pulled an impressive face, but he didn’t comment. My stomach was churning and the magic crawled around my skin, slowly waking up.
Half an hour later, we managed to get through the gate. I remembered Nathaniel’s apartment well enough; he’d rescued me from the Christmas party after I drank too much and ended up falling asleep. Sticky and warm lust embraced me when I thought about our first night together. I’d never felt so connected to anyone. Too bad we exploded when we got too close to each other.
Soon contractions in my stomach turned into butterflies as the door opened. One of the caterers stood beside the door. Loony looked surprised at the setting, but recovered quickly as he picked up two glasses of champagne, handing one to me. Nathaniel’s apartment was crowded. The setting—the art, and everything else—was exactly as I remembered, luxurious and rich. I was planning to leave Loony and start pitching as soon as I could so we could leave early.
‘Julia, how nice to finally see you,’ sang a sexy voice from behind me. He took me by surprise; I turned around and somehow I tripped over Loony’s foot, landing on the floor.
God, this is humiliating.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked, automatically helping me up. My face matched my dress within a moment. I’d just ruined my grand entrance.
‘I’m fine,’ I said through the gritted teeth.
‘Oh, Julia! Are you OK?’ asked Loony, looking pissed about the fact that he wasn’t the one who gave me a hand. A shot of electricity whipped through my spine; Nathaniel’s touch still drove me insane.
‘I’m all right. It’s just an unfortunate fall,’ I said, staring at Nathaniel who was dressed casually in a navy jumper and black trousers. He didn’t use aftershave; he had his own signature smell that left me breathless every time he was near. ‘Nathaniel, this is Loony—my date.’
Nathaniel’s eyes drifted away from me and rested on Loony. His expression hadn’t changed. I was glad when he let go of my elbow.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ said Nathaniel. ‘I’m curious to know how you two met?’
I was just about to reply when Loony spoke first.
‘Her fairy friend set us up on a blind date. Unbelievable, don’t you think?’
‘Is that so?’ asked Nathaniel. He was laughing at me; I knew him well.
‘Yes, that’s what happened,’ I cut in, annoyed. ‘Aren’t you supposed to introduce to me to someone?’
‘I would rather hear from Loony how the date went. You can meet those rich businessmen later on,’ said Nathaniel.
‘I’d rather do that now. If you’ll excuse me.’
I turned around and walked away, leaving them alone. I couldn’t stand there and listen to what Loony was about to say. I didn’t remember much from the date with him. Nathaniel wasn’t fooling me. I knew he wasn’t curious; he already sensed that the setup was a mismatch.
‘You’re a terrible liar, my firecracker. You’re not dating him,’ Nathaniel said, unexpectedly appearing by my side.
‘Will you stop calling me that?’ I hissed. ‘Just introduce me to whoever you were planning and let me get on with it. I’m fed up with your games.’
He was standing too close to me and my energy was scoring through my body.
‘Why did you bring him here? I ought to believe I was supposed to be your date as it’s my dinner.’
Chapter fourteen
He was planning this all along.
‘We are over, don’t you remember? You finished it?’ I asked, ignoring my lusty sensations mixed with fear. I glanced at Loony who was talking to a tall witch, glancing at me and N
athaniel. A few vampires turned their attention toward Loony, probably aware of his intoxicating scent. I didn’t want Loony to notice how I reacted when Nathaniel was around. It was still early and I had a long evening ahead of me. If everything went well, then Loony would have no idea that Nathaniel and I used to date.
‘I made a mistake. I want to fix us,’ he murmured, moving closer. My throat went dry and I idly wondered if there was any place I could hide.
Is he serious? There is nothing that can be fixed; he humiliated me!
‘I didn’t come here to discuss our failed relationship.’ I shrugged but there was so much unease in my voice that it was difficult to hide it. He knew I wanted him, more than anyone in this room, but I couldn’t do this to myself again.
‘It didn’t fail—I got scared,’ he replied, sipping his whisky.
‘Scared of what? That we were getting closer?’
‘You know that’s not why I left,’ he continued.
‘Nathaniel, I’d rather not—’
‘Let me introduce you to a few people; I don’t want to talk about us here,’ he cut me off. ‘We can finish this conversation later.’
‘Or never,’ I muttered. I was going to tell him that there was no point in dwelling on the past; we were better apart.
A few minutes later he introduced me to an owner of a large pharmaceutical company. I expected him to leave me alone, but he kept caressing my back while I was presenting my pitch. I kept pulling away, but he didn’t stop, causing an eruption of blazing heat in my core. It was hard to concentrate, but between the times when I knew what I was doing, I found out enough to keep people interested in Paranormal Personnel. I had the perfect opportunity to sell our services, but deep down I wasn’t that bothered if people were up for it or not. Rufus was still in the back of my mind and I couldn’t quite figure out how the agency would work without him.
An hour later a few more people joined me, and I had another opportunity to present the agency in a positive light. When Nathaniel finally left me alone, I was relieved. The intense conversation with a few other paranormals went on for about an hour; I managed to gain a few business cards. A stocky wizard that I’d met during the networking event was among the people I was trying to pitch. All of the sudden our formal conversation turned into a debate about the recent murder.
Paranormal Personnel Saga Box Set - Books 1-3 Page 31
