“You’re the best person for the job.”
“Okay. So who is she?”
“Eve Marrin.”
Xavier’s heart galloped, and he found himself on his feet, towering over Jaxon. “Why?”
Jaxon’s lips curved before his gaze turned serious. “Our chiefs believe that Veronica Lee didn’t leave Your Eyes and Ears because of her health. They found out that she had an affair with someone who turned out to be Barker’s crony, and Barker’s men started threatening or blackmailing her so that she’d only present segments that they wanted her to feature.
“The IR team was quietly investigating this, but unfortunately, the police also got wind of the situation. They made a misstep by asking Veronica too many questions that must have tipped Barker off, because Veronica resigned from the show not long after. But our chiefs don’t think Barker would give up on Your Eyes and Ears, even if Veronica’s no longer there. Having one of the show’s hosts under his thumb served his syndicate well, with Veronica having given bad publicity to Barker’s enemies and good publicity to his cronies. So the chiefs are worried that Eve might be Barker’s next target. She’s new, so Barker might think she’s easy to manipulate.”
Fear for Eve crawled up Xavier’s chest. “What about Chester Blunt? Is he being manipulated, too?”
“Not as far as they can tell. Chester’s been on the show for over fifteen years. If Barker’s looking to make another minion of someone at Your Eyes and Ears, Eve is the likely target.”
Xavier looked out the window, crossing his arms. “I hate to say this of my first assignment, but I don’t think I’m the right person for this job.”
“Why? Because you and Eve had a thing?”
He frowned. “How did you know about that?”
“I saw Eve here in your gym two months ago on my way out from our session. The two of you seemed to be flirting. Then later that day, the IR team got the news that she was given Veronica’s old role, and the chiefs wanted someone to start monitoring her movements to make sure she wasn’t being approached by any known criminals. I was given this assignment first, so I was following Eve with the intention of introducing myself without looking like a creep. But I never got the chance because the two of you went out on a weekend-long date.”
Xavier let out a harsh breath.
“That’s why you’re the best person for this job. You can get close to Eve by using the attraction excuse.”
“But she’s reported about my parents. Why would I still be interested in her?”
“Aren’t you?” Jaxon asked knowingly.
Xavier raked his hair. Yes, he supposed he was. Besides, he wasn’t mad at Eve. He knew she was only doing her job. He didn’t blame her for that. But he also didn’t want her poking around his parents’ affairs. “Look, she might already have decided that a relationship with me would be too complicated. We haven’t spoken since she arrived back in Sydney.”
“Even if that’s the case, there’s another reason she’d want you around.”
“What?”
“One of the chiefs found out that the witness who tipped off the police about seeing Barker in this gym has also contacted Your Eyes and Ears to give them the same tip. Apparently, Eve’s been assigned to follow up that lead, so she’s likely to want to get information from you too.”
Xavier’s jaw dropped. Damn it. This was getting worse and worse.
“So what do you say?” Jaxon asked. “Are you ready for this?”
Well, he didn’t have much choice, did he? Besides, Eve could be in danger.
Eve could be in danger.
Suddenly, the gravity of the situation hit him.
“Yes, I’m ready. But I’d like to meet the chiefs, or at least, the one who found out that Eve’s been assigned to work on my story.”
“You can’t meet any of them until you pass initiation. They’re pretty strict with what initiates can and can’t know. In fact, they’re very particular about what information they release to whom. It’s why criminal organisations, and even the police, find it impossible to discover anything about the Indie Rebels apart from what the chiefs choose to post on our website.”
“That’s not gonna wash with me.”
Jaxon laughed dryly. “What are you gonna do? Threaten them? With what? Quitting? They’ll just assign another agent to Eve, and you won’t get the Indie Rebels’ help. Loyalty is a must in this team, Xavier, or we won’t be as effective in what we do. That’s why new agents have to go through initiation first, to prove they’re a good fit for the team.”
Xavier sighed. He supposed he didn’t have a lot of leverage to ask for special treatment. “Fine.”
“Good. And don’t forget that Eve must not know we’re trying to protect her. We can’t risk her investigating and reporting on us. But more importantly, no one can know who the Indie Rebels are except for the Indie Rebels themselves. You’re ultra clear about that now, right?”
Xavier nodded grimly. If the Indie Rebels wanted to protect an ordinary citizen like Eve, she must truly be in danger.
And damned if he wasn’t worried sick about her.
Chapter 10
“Excuse me, Eve,” Alex said.
Eve looked up from the report she was reading and smiled at her favourite admin assistant. Apart from Chester, he’d been the most open and supportive person on staff. “Hey, Alex.”
“Guess who turned up at reception?”
“Who?”
“Xavier Stirling.”
Eve’s heart skipped.
“I didn’t realise he’s so good-looking,” Alex said with a sigh. “I wonder if there’s a chance he could be gay.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. No chance of that, she was sure. “Is he… looking for me?”
“Yes. Maybe he heard of the tip-off from that anonymous lady and decided to talk to you about it?”
She stood. “I’m not sure, but I’ll go see him.”
“Is it safe?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation, walking briskly towards the reception area. Despite the anonymous witness’s accounts, it hadn’t occurred to her to be afraid of Xavier. Suspicious, yes, but not afraid. And she was glad he was here today. She’d been meaning to see him. They had to talk.
She rounded the corner and her heart banged hard in her chest. Xavier was standing near a window. Arms crossed and looking formidable. And, yes, hot.
Argh, why did she have to keep thinking that?
“Hello, Xavier,” she said with a professional smile, conscious that there were studio employees everywhere. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to learn how close she and Xavier were—or had been.
“Hello, Eve Marrin,” Xavier said, the curve of his lips not matching the bleakness in his eyes.
“Can we talk somewhere private, please?” She motioned for Xavier to follow her to the goldfish bowl, which, unfortunately, was the only private room available at the moment.
“So that’s why you didn’t want to talk about your job or surname, huh?” Xavier said when she’d closed the door. “You didn’t want me to know you were going to report about my parents and their company.”
She turned to face him, inhaling deeply. She’d heard the hurt in his voice, and it pinched her heart. “No. Like I said, I was told not to mention it to anyone. I don’t know if you saw the ads for my first night at the show, when they billed me as a mystery co-host. I truly couldn’t tell anyone. And, Xavier, I honestly didn’t know that you were Gerald and Adele Stirling’s son.”
Xavier stared at her, his gaze scrutinising.
“For what it’s worth,” she said softly, “I’m sorry you had to find out about my new job the way you did.”
He smiled thinly. “It was one hell of a shock, I can tell you.”
She nodded, looking away. She’d been thinking long and hard on how she was going to investigate Xavier, but she was still torn between directing hard-hitting questions at him and going about it slowly, hoping he’d open up. She hadn’t
made up her mind. All she knew was she had to get answers.
“What have you found out about me?”
She glanced back at him sharply. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you put your investigative reporter hat on the moment you found out who I was.”
“Well, I now know you’re the son of the owners of Stirling Mortgage Brokers and the brother of the one of the most popular pop stars in the world. I still can’t believe it, to be honest. I was just as shocked as you were.”
“For what it’s worth, the person who spent a whole weekend with you two months ago was me—a one-hundred-percent genuine version of me.”
To her horror, her eyes started watering. “I was too, you know,” she murmured, then shook her head in annoyance. For heaven’s sake, she couldn’t succumb to Xavier’s charms. She mustn’t forget that con artists and psychopaths could be very good at hoodwinking people. Besides, even if he hadn’t meant to fool her back then, he could still be a criminal.
“I’m sorry it’s become complicated for us,” Xavier said. “You probably need to continue investigating my parents, and probably even me and Holly. But I’m here to let you know I’m not gonna get in the way of your work.”
Her brows lifted.
“But I’m not going anywhere, either, Eve. I know—I know—you’ll find my family innocent because we haven’t done anything wrong. We’re not complicit in Ross Anton’s crimes, or any other crimes for that matter. So I’ll let you do your job, but I’ll also keep asking you out.”
She gaped at him as something in her chest did a little dance of joy. Stupid, betraying heart.
She shut her eyes for a second to silence the inner cheering and gazed at him. “That’s very flattering. But I’m afraid my answer will be no. It won’t work, Xavier.” She couldn’t put her professional reputation at risk.
Xavier winced. “I thought you might say that. Well, I’m not the kind of guy who gives up that easily. We had a connection, Eve. Something I haven’t felt with anyone in a long, long time. I don’t want to…” Xavier looked down, sighing harshly before glancing back at her with eyes dark with emotion. “I don’t want to let go of something special.”
She blinked. Damn him, how could he do this to her?
Damn her, why did she have to feel so much for this man she hardly knew?
She shook her head, willing for her professional facade to fall back in place. “It’s not gonna work. You’d hate me because I have to continue probing your parents’ business. I have to do a follow-up on their clients that I interviewed.” And you’d hate me for having to investigate you.
“I promise I’ll let you do your job. We don’t have to let it come between us.”
She threw up her hands in frustration. “Can’t you see how impossible it would be? We can’t continue to date. Yes, we had something special. I admit that. But we weren’t aware of certain things about each other then. Critical things that changed everything.”
“Look, I’d even fully cooperate with you—give you whatever you want. I’ll even ask my parents to give you access to whatever you need to complete your investigations. I don’t see a problem, because we don’t have anything to be afraid of. The sooner you see that for yourself, the better.”
She stared at him. He was going to help her have access to anything she needed? That would help enormously, so she could also see the other side of the ledger. She’d always been about fairness. While she’d keep on going to bat for victims, she knew that the more details she could dig up, the bigger the picture she’d be able to see.
Of course, Xavier could provide her with manipulated proof, but she could compare that with what she’d received from various other sources—including official police evidence. She might see inconsistencies that would help piece the puzzle together. In the end, the more she had, the better.
“Okay,” she said with a big breath. “I’d accept your offer of full cooperation with my investigations. But that’s all at this point, Xavier. There can’t be anything more between us.”
Xavier’s lips curved. “That’s a start.”
She couldn’t help but smile back. Was she doing this to convince herself that Xavier was indeed a decent, law-abiding citizen?
It didn’t matter. Facts were facts. She’d be sure to focus only on facts.
“Well, I’ll let you go,” Xavier said. “You must be busy.”
“I am.”
“Liking your new role so far?”
“Yes, it’s been good.”
“And you look great on TV, by the way,” Xavier said softly.
A thrill went up her body. “Thank you.”
“Can I have dinner with you tonight?”
“Xavier!” she said with a laugh. “We just said we won’t be dating.”
“Whoever said that dinner has to be dating? It’ll be just a friendly thing. And don’t you want to start telling me what you need from us so I can go get it for you?”
She sighed. She guessed he had a point. And Aaron should be happy that she’d “befriended” Xavier. “Okay. There are things I need to do after each show finishes, but I can leave here at eight tonight.”
“Okay, I’ll be here at eight.”
“I’d rather meet you wherever we’re having dinner. I especially don’t want anyone here thinking we’re going out.”
Xavier rubbed his neck. “Okay. Where do you want to meet?”
She named a restaurant in the city. “I can be there at eight-twenty.”
“Okay. I’ll see you there. Thanks, Eve. I’m glad we had this conversation.”
“Me too.”
Xavier opened the door for her and she walked out of the goldfish bowl, instantly spotting Aaron watching from a distance.
Oh, great.
“Can you find your way out?” she asked Xavier.
“Yup. See you later.”
She extended her hand for a professional shake.
Xavier’s lips quirked, but he took her proffered hand.
Electricity zapped through her at his touch, and she quickly let go. “Bye,” she said, then walked the other way, although she wanted to follow Xavier with her eyes.
“Eve!” Aaron called out.
Here we go.
She faced him. “Yes?”
“Was that Xavier Stirling?”
“Yes. I’m surprised you recognised him. Have you met him before?”
“No. Alex said he was here. So what did he want?”
“We’re having dinner so he could tell me a little bit more about his parents’ business,” she answered, choosing her words carefully.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about! Get his trust. Make him think you’re here to help them.”
“My thoughts exactly,” she murmured.
“I think he’s very taken by you. Kept glancing back at you on his way out,” Aaron said with a knowing smile. “You should take advantage of that.”
She gave him a saccharine smile. “Yes, absolutely.” Asshole.
“Anyway, here are a few tips we were given. Have a look, then talk to Jody about what you want to work on for future episodes. I’ve given Chester his own list.”
She took the sheet from Aaron. “Why do Chester and I have separate lists?”
“You’re very new to this role, Eve. There are some topics you’re too green to tackle.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t want you messing up certain investigations due to your lack of experience, so Chester gets the more complicated ones. I know you did reasonably well on that Ross Anton/Stirling Mortgage Brokers story, but you had a full, uninterrupted two months to prepare for it. You still have to earn your badges around here, you know, even if it was the big boss who put you on the co-host chair. So you better not stuff up this Xavier Stirling story if you want to keep earning your place.” Without giving her a chance to respond, Aaron stomped away, huffing.
Eve glared at him. What was his problem?
She checked out the ti
ps on her list. Most weren’t even worthy of investigation, apart from three items: A plumber not turning up for appointments after deposits had been paid, a car dealership charging unsuspecting senior citizens for test drives, and a child care centre operator over-declaring the number of kids in its care to get higher government subsidies. Sure these were important, but they were a few steps down from something like the Ross Anton/Stirling Mortgage Brokers story. Not only would these topics not help with the ratings, they wouldn’t usually even make the cut.
A cold shudder went through her. Was Aaron trying to sabotage her? Did he really dislike her that much?
She crumpled the sheet. She wasn’t taking this lying down.
She walked over to where Alex sat. “Hey, Alex, can I ask you something?”
“’Course,” the admin assistant said readily.
“Do you know if there’s a list of tips or topics that we never got to report on for whatever reason? I’m looking for recent ones that had been shelved because we just never had time to work on them.”
“Yes, we keep a list of everything, including the ones that never got followed up.”
“Do you know how I can get a hold of them? I’m just looking for leads.”
“Hasn’t Aaron given you a list of current stuff he wants considered?”
“Yes. But, frankly”—she leaned closer to him—“the topics he’s given me aren’t something that anyone here would be interested in airing.”
“Oh, he’s such a son of a bitch, isn’t he?” Alex said in a loud whisper. “Yes, I can give you the list of tips that never got actioned.”
“Thanks. I only need the ones from the last couple of months. The others might be too old to be relevant.”
Alex nodded, tapping on his keyboard. “I’ll print it off so Aaron can never know I gave you a list. He could be a vengeful bastard sometimes. He’s still making my life hell for failing to put an extra teaspoon of sugar in his coffee three months ago.”
Eve shook her head. How Aaron had risen in the ranks, she had no idea. She guessed the fact that Your Eyes and Ears had been staying at number one in its time slot was enough for the bigger bosses to turn a blind eye to his ugly traits.
Xavier Page 9
