Rising Up: Finding Me book 1

by J J Harper

  "Nothing, don't worry we'll talk later. I'm sorry I tried to wake you up earlier but you were so deeply asleep. Go on I'm fine, I promise."

  "Okay, if you're sure." I kiss her quickly and shoot out of the door. Lucas catches up with me waiting at for the elevator.

  "You all right, Mase? You look stressed out. Look don't worry about Ginny, I'm all over this guy and Mark and Lauren had their computers hacked last night and a very shitty virus is at this very moment trashing everything they've got stored there."

  "Thanks, Luc. Ginny had been crying when I left, can you check in on her this morning. I'm in court all fucking day so I'll call her during any recess, but find out what was wrong. Maddie needs to speak to you as well. I'm sorry I'm making you do this, I know you've got loads on."

  "Don't worry about it, this is what I do. I've got a shit hot team taking all the other cases, we need to get this guy before he gets to Imogen, and she’s family now."

  The elevator reaches the ground floor and I race out and grab my car, luckily I still have Lauren's Mercedes here so I could get about while the Porsche is in the garage. The case takes up all my thoughts and I switch off Imogen as much as possible concentrating on making sure my guy in court gets acquitted.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Jake

  This deal sounds amazing! I could be made for life, cracking the US of fucking A is the hardest thing to do and they came to me. Damien has been thrashing out the contract for hours now, it doesn't normally take this long, I'd already had a look through it, and it seems pretty straight forward.

  At least I can check out the guy I'd just found who'd been sacked from the place Heidi now works, and I can start digging for information from him. If I didn’t hate her so much I’d be impressed at the way she orchestrated her change. But fuck, I want that bitch under me again and then I’ll kill the whore. No-one and I mean no-one gets one over me!

  Just then Damien comes storming out of the office and heads straight for me his eyes blazing fire. "Get up Jake, we're outta here, right now!"

  "What the fuck Damien, have you all reached an agreement?" I look around for the other teams’ lawyers expecting smiles and handshakes but there’s nobody anywhere.

  "Not here Jake! Just get up and get out of here."

  We reach my hotel and climb silently up to the penthouse suite with only the tinny elevator music and Damien's heavy breathing in the air.

  Walking into the room he throws his briefcase on to the sofa and turns to face me, his face bright red and his eyes bulging. "Shit Man, what is up with you?" I’m starting to feel uneasy as he whips round and points his finger in my chest.

  "I'll tell you what's fucking wrong! Your position on the show has been dropped due to the recent restraining order filed against you by Imogen bitch-whore Banks lawyers! That's what is wrong.

  You are officially off this job and I seriously doubt if anyone else will want you once this gets out. You said you were sorting this. We are well up shit creek and there is no chance in hell we will ever get a paddle."

  "That bitch! I'm going to kill her when I get my hands on her. Let me call her mother and see if she can persuade her to drop it. She has always been able to manipulate her. Failing that I'll get Peter to round her up and get her to me. I can't believe she has done this!"

  "Why the hell didn't you get her to sign the NDA I gave you?"

  "Because she's too fucking smart and would have questioned my motives, I just played on her gullible nature and a lot of fear if she ever spoke out, but I'll pull up her contract I think I shoved an agreement form in there without her noticing."

  "Well, it looks like she no longer feels gullible or afraid; these lawyers she's working with are damned good and will not back down. I don't think they have ever lost a case yet. Anyway I'm getting out of here and back home before my name is dragged into this. If you try and leave now the order will flash up and the police will be called. Goodbye Jake."

  Reaching him and grabbing hold hard to his arm I spit out my next sentence. "Trust me Damien, if I go down I'll sure as hell be bringing all of you with me."

  "Fuck off you bastard!" Grabbing his jacket and briefcase he was gone.

  I check my messages and see that I've got one from Mark, the ex-employee, and it's very interesting. It seems that his computer has been hacked and a virus has shut it down. Mark gives me another number to call him on as his other phone has stopped working. I quickly call him and get him to hang around the office just watching if she goes in or out. I can't believe how quickly I'm losing control here, the ex-girlfriend has also had her computer wrecked.

  Now just to call Elizabeth and then it's up to Peter to start the ball rolling, it's a good job I've got such a tight hold on him. It amazes me what lengths some people will go to just to keep their family safe. Fucking waste of time, I only do what I want when I want and bollocks to anyone else. I know I'm Number One. Storming off towards the shower I clean up and head out to find some cheap tart to shag.

  Imogen

  My phone woke me up so I crept quietly out of the bedroom to speak.

  "Mother, you cannot be serious, how did you get this number? Have you been fucking my ex-boyfriend! Do you realize how sick that is? Has he started beating on you yet? Or getting you to fuck his friends? He's a sick bastard and needs to be stopped."

  "Oh Heidi. You've always been a drama queen. Jake is nothing like that, he's never even so much as raised his voice to me. You know you’ve always been clumsy and thoughtless. If you had been a better girlfriend to him he wouldn’t have pushed you over that one time. Do as I say and drop the restraining order.” Her exasperated voice is harsh and cold, how can this dreadful woman actually be my mother?

  "I don’t believe you still believe his lies so no Mother I will do no such thing. You deserve to be dumped in the shit by him. In fact if you call me or try to get in contact with me again I'll go to the press. All I want is to forget about him and you, so leave me the fuck alone!” I'm crying now which makes me even angrier.

  "Jake is in the States now, and believe me Heidi he is looking for you to make sure you don't ruin his life, so be a good girl and drop this ridiculous order against him and do as he says. He'll be in touch with you today. You always were such an ungrateful little bitch and when he catches up with you, will deserve everything he does to you." Her spite holds no bounds as she spits out her last words.

  "Good bye Mother. I hope your life goes to shit." I throw the phone down and drop to the sofa with my head in my hands, shit the thought of Jake coming for me scares me, like really, really scares me. He threatened to kill me if I ever exposed him. My mother is showing her true colors as the bitch inside her comes to the surface, and she's lying about Jake, he has something to hold against her and she's scared.

  Pulling myself together I grab a shower and get dressed for work, Mason is still sleeping and after shaking his shoulder he still does wake, I let him sleep. I don't know what his plans at work are today so maybe he doesn't need to go in since his alarm wasn't set.

  I hear him get in the shower and he calls out to me. I pour a coffee into a travel mug for him and hope that he doesn't notice my face, but of course he does. "I'm fine. I'll talk to you later." And he's gone.

  *

  I'm afraid to even turn my phone on today so leave it at the bottom of my handbag. Mason will call my office phone if he wants to speak to me but I know now that he'll be busy all day so I'm not expecting to talk to him, Maddie pops her head round my door. "Shall we go out for lunch today? I know you spend most of your lunches sat here and I fancy something highly calorific today."

  "I don't really want to go out today Mads. I'll be at home tonight so we can have a pig out then if you want?" I can't bring myself to tell her, I'm too afraid to leave in case Jake is around and him being in touch with me doesn't necessarily mean he'll try to phone me.

  "What's going on Ginny? You look like shit, has Mason upset you?" Her face looks worried.

  "No, of course
not, Mason is as always fantastic...."

  "What aren't you telling me Imogen?" Her hands hit her hips as she looks stubbornly at me. "I'm not leaving 'til you tell me."

  "Okay, fine. My mother called this morning and well, putting it mildly she's not very happy." I hate not telling her about Jake but I want to talk to Mason first. Unfortunately Maddie always knows when I'm hiding something from her.

  "Your mother is never happy so I’ll have the rest of it please, you're leaving something out." Her foot taps the floor impatiently.

  I hate the way she can tell when I’m lying to her. "I need to speak to Mason first Maddie. Please leave it alone for now." Pleading at her to let it drop she shrugs her shoulders at me.

  "For now then but shit Ginny, go and talk to Lucas, if it's about your mother or Jake he needs to know and Mason will spank your arse if you leave it. I'll bring you a sandwich at lunchtime." Blowing me a kiss she leaves but I can tell she's not happy with me.

  "April? I just need to pop out for a bit, I won't be long, can you take my calls and any messages?"

  I walk towards the elevator to take myself up two floors to where Lucas runs his operations from. I can feel my hands shaking and I can't stop myself from watching around to see if there is anybody following me. I step out of the elevator and walk up to a desk where a very pretty girl is speaking on the phone and typing into her computer. I wait patiently for her to finish.

  "Hi, can I help you?" She smiles a beautiful All-American smile at me.

  "Is it possible to speak to Mr. Davenport please, I don't have an appointment." I feel very dull standing in front of this golden girl.

  "I'm afraid he's in back to back meetings today. Can I take your name and get him to call you or would you like to make an appointment?"

  "Um, okay. My name is Imogen Banks and my numb..."

  "Oh Ms. Banks, I'm sorry, he has asked me to call him as soon as you asked for him. Please take a seat I'll let him know you are here." She picks up her phone again and quickly notifies him about me, and within a few seconds he's marching down the hall towards me.

  "Ginny, why didn't you call?" He puts his arm out to direct me down towards his office, I turn and smile at the pretty receptionist.

  "She's pretty Lucas, how do you keep your hands off her?" I whisper to him laughing.

  Chuckling back at me. "Who's says I don't?" Winking at me. "No actually, I don't mix business with pleasure and I'm sure her boyfriend wouldn't be very pleased with me. He's a Navy SEAL and huge!!"

  We sit down in his office on a very plush and comfortable couch and I look around at all the technology that is buzzing and humming away. There are screens mounted on one wall that all show a different CCTV camera views and another wall that is all frosted glass but seems to have a projection camera pointed at it.

  "Wow Luc, this is really impressive. How can you tell what you should be watching or looking at when all these screens are different?" My eyes switch from one to another not really able to make any distinction between them.

  "It's just second nature to me now Ginn, I know what or who I'm supposed to be watching out for. But these are recordings of an earlier surveillance operation that I was using as a teaching tool to a couple of new team members."

  "I'm sorry if I've interrupted something important Lucas. Look I can come back later or speak to you tonight if it's more convenient for you." I go to stand up but he reaches for my arm and stops me.

  "Sweetcakes, you are important to me. I was going to come and see you later anyway and now you've saved me the trouble. What's wrong? You look like shit and that's not you at all."

  "Jeez, am I that bad? Maddie has already said that to me today, I think I'd be better off at home with a paper bag over my head."

  "I'm sorry darling, I didn't mean to upset you. Tell me what's going on? Is it something to do with your ex?" He gets up and walks to the coffee machine and pours us both a cup.

  "Shit Lucas, I'm really scared! My dreadful mother called today before Mason was up and started laying into me about dropping Jake's restraining order. But what was worse was she said that Jake would be in touch with me today and that I deserved whatever he decided to do to me. Shit Luc, he threatened to kill me after he drugged and raped me if I ever left him, or worse exposed him as the shit he really is. He doesn't know for sure that I've got a copy of the recording.

  I haven't turned my phone on today in case he tries to call, but what if he doesn't call but is waiting for me somewhere. I heard Maddie tell Mase last night that he will find a weak link in your armor and will find a way to me.

  "He used to monitor my Facebook and Twitter accounts and check my emails. I closed my accounts as soon as I left him, and changed my email address regularly but he always seems to find a way through to me. I thought I'd be safe from them both with a new name but somehow my mother had my new number, how the hell did she get it?" I stop and take a deep breath and take a drink of my coffee.

  "Okay Sweetheart, this is what I'm doing already to keep you safe and then I'll tell you what I'm going to do now you've told me this. Firstly, I know where he is and as long as I know you don't need to, okay? Secondly, he has been searching through Facebook pages of people who either work here or have an association with Mason, looking for someone bad-mouthing us and unfortunately he has been found out about Mark, and we also know he has been talking to the dreadful Lauren.

  Both of their computers were disabled this morning so that he can no longer reach them that way. I have also managed to get their cell phones blocked and now he can't get to you through them. I have both of them under observation 24/7. I think he has gotten your mother involved as he can no longer reach Mark or Lauren. Are you with me so far?" He smiles at me, I'm sure he can see my brain trying to take it all on board.

  "I can't believe you are doing all this for me, you hardly know me." My hands start to shake again around the mug causing some of the hot liquid to spill out. Lucas takes it from me and passes me a tissue to wipe my hands.

  "Imogen, I don't need to know you well to do all this for you. Mason loves you and you are now part of our family, and hell we fight for our family, if anyone or anything tries to threaten one of us we, all club together and quash any problem.

  Right here's what I want to do next, I want to have your cell and your laptop, and you can use one of mine for now. I will intercept any calls or messages and have them scrambled so that any phone or computer that they come from is disabled rendering it useless. Jake, your mother or anybody else trying to hurt you is going to find it fucking hard to get to you."

  "How can you do all this?" I'm astounded at the skill and knowledge he has.

  "I'm not just a pretty face girl!" This makes me laugh. But when he takes my phone from me and turns it on it immediately starts to ring, I can feel the blood drain from my face as I start to panic.

  "It's okay Ginny, its Mason." Handing the phone over to me he walks away towards his door leaving me to talk privately.

  "Ginny, please talk to me. I haven't been able to get hold of you. Your cell has been off and April didn't know where you were. What's going on babe? I'm worried about you." He sounds panicked.

  "I'm with Lucas, it was my mother that had me upset this morning. Jake is supposed to be getting in touch with me today..." I can't finish what I'm saying because Mason is shouting down the line.

  "WHAT THE FUCK!!!! Shit Imogen, why didn't you tell me about this this morning?" He is shouting so much that I start crying.

  "I'm sorry Mason, you were in such a rush and I hadn't really had time to process any of it. I haven't wanted to turn my phone on this morning so please don't be cross with me. I'm so sorry." Hardly able to get the words out now Lucas walks back in and takes the phone off me. I can still hear him shouting down the line.

  "Mason calm the fuck down! You're scaring her. I'm getting it under control and sorted. Look I promise you I'll keep her safe today and get her home tonight. Finish up in court and then get back to her, she'll be using my
cell from now on, it's the third one. Okay, I'll pass you back to her now."

  He hands me the phone and I can hear Mason breathing hard as he gets himself under control again. My voice is just a whisper. "Mason sweetie, talk to me please. I'm sorry I made you cross."

  "Imogen, my darling girl. I'm not angry with you I promise. I'm angry because I wasn't awake when your awful mother called. Look babe, I've got to get back inside. Go home with Lucas and make sure you are never alone. Don't go to your place, I'll send Lake or Luc to get your stuff and you will stay with me until this is sorted. Okay? I love you Ginny, please stay safe."

  I love you too Mason, bye." I hand my phone back to Lucas and he envelops me in his arms and hugs me tight.

  "We've got this sweetheart, trust me please," he kisses my hair and lets me go, "I'll meet you at your office tonight and we'll go home together."

  "Okay, thanks Luc." I walk away from him and back downstairs feeling drained but more hopeful than I did this morning. A feeling of ease washes over me as I take the elevator back to my floor and back to work.

  I should feel guilty for handing my problems to Lucas but he was obviously so much more capable than me I just felt relief. Jake could call or email me and Lucas has made sure that all outside calls for me are directed to him first, and more importantly he knows where he is, and if it was anywhere near me he would probably have me under lock and key at home. Getting back to my desk I call Maddie and tell her I'm on for our lunch date after all.

  We do in fact manage a very high calorie lunch thanks to a deli on the corner. As we are walking back to the office Maddie stops. "Shit I've left my phone on the table, go on ahead Ginny I'll run back and get it, I'll see you later." Turning on her heel she rushes back to the deli.

  Just as I'm turning the last corner an arm grabs my elbow. "Keep walking Heidi! Don't turn round and keep your fucking mouth shut. I've got some unfinished business with you."

  I feel something sharp poking in to my ribs. Oh my god, He's found me. Why the hell didn't Lucas tell me he was here? I suddenly find my voice. "No! Get off me! Help! Someone help please?" I'm suddenly surrounded by men all of them trying to pull me free. I look back at the man on the ground I know it's not Jake its Peter Jenkins, what the hell is he doing here?