by Sam Crescent
****
“I can’t live with you forever,” Hannah said. “I’ve got to go back to my apartment.” It was lunchtime on Friday, the last day of the week. It had been a long, hard one. She couldn’t wait to get home to relax and put her feet up.
“It doesn’t have to be tonight. Please, go back to my place.”
West was being difficult. She didn’t know why it mattered so much to him where she stayed the night. She just wanted to go home and relax. Chinese food was calling her name, and she hoped to phone Emily as well.
She’d started to feel like a really shitty friend. West had come into her life and completely dominated every single part. She loved it though. Waking up with his arms wrapped around her or going to sleep with his warmth made her feel complete. The only problem was she hadn’t been home in a couple of days.
The clothes she wore were the ones he’d purchased for her.
If she sat back and thought about how easy it was to lose herself, she started to feel afraid. She’d never been the kind of woman to fall for a man so hard and so quickly.
It no longer felt like weeks but actual years that she’d known him.
“I don’t know when Emily’s going to be back. All I want to do is go grocery shopping. Clean my place. Please. You’re not going to be there.” She placed a hand against his chest, feeling his heart beat.
Whenever she was around him, hers always seemed to speed up.
“I don’t want you to be alone,” he said.
She laughed. “West, you’ve got an important meeting. I’m not going to be the kind of woman that can’t function without you.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “This will mean that you miss me and maybe we’ll be able to get on that vacation after all?”
West wasn’t happy. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Stroking her fingers across his chest, she didn’t back down.
She didn’t get why he seemed determined to make her stay at his apartment.
“Okay, fine. Rome’s going to be with you though. He’ll take you to the supermarket and to your place. I don’t like this.”
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head.
“It’s a shame, really,” he said.
“What’s a shame?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I just had plans is all.” He pulled out of her arms, and she watched him.
“What are you hiding?”
“A surprise.”
“You have another surprise?”
“Just a little something.”
He opened his desk drawer, and she tensed up. Her ass had been given a reprieve today. She’d already taken the large plug and begged him to stop. That she needed one day to just be able to walk around without a huge plug up her ass. He’d relented.
He held out a black velvet box. It was too big to be a ring, so she wasn’t overly concerned.
If he was to propose to her, would she accept?
What are you doing?
Why are you even thinking in terms of a proposal?
They were not at that stage yet. Not even close.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Why don’t you open it and find out?”
Letting out a breath, she stepped up to his desk and picked it up. Flicking open the lid, she saw a key.
“This isn’t a car, is it?”
“No.”
“You got a new apartment?”
“I got us a new apartment.”
She stared down at the key, tilting her head to one side.
“How did you get us an apartment when I didn’t even agree to living with you?”
“Because you’re going to agree?”
She laughed. “I am?”
“Yes.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “You see, I know what is going on here. You know what is going on here, and one day you’re going to admit it. I’d like you to let Rome take you here.”
“But my place?”
“Go to the grocery store and stop by your apartment. Do what you need to do, but please, promise me you’ll go here.”
She heard the desperation in his voice, which shocked her. “It really means that much to you?”
“I’ll go to my meeting feeling a lot happier, yes.”
“Wow.” She stared at the key. “This is all too much.” Just say thank you. He wants you to live with him. He wants an actual commitment. What the hell are you doing?
“I’m laying my cards out on the table for you to see. I’m not holding anything back. I want this, Hannah. With you. Me and you.”
She couldn’t say anything. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him the same thing, but she held back.
Why did she keep holding back?
“This is amazing, West. Thank you.”
“You’ve not seen the apartment. I have a feeling you’re going to love it.”
“Then why don’t we wait until we’ve seen it together? Why do I have to go now without you?”
“Because I want you to see it. Please, Hannah. For me.”
He kept repeating the same words, and she didn’t have the heart to keep on fighting. She didn’t even know why she was.
“Fine. Fine. I’m not going until I’ve gone to my place though. If Emily returns before I get the chance, I don’t want her to have to go get food and stuff.”
“Thank you.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she sighed.
Pleasure flooded her body, reminding her of all the sinful things he’d done and would keep on doing.
Just the thought of him coming to their apartment to wake her up to have his wicked way with her filled her with need.
Pulling away from him was hard.
“I’ll be fine.” Patting his chest, she went back to her desk and continued working on the figures HR had sent to her.
This wasn’t the job she wanted long-term. She didn’t offer anyone financial advice, but it was a good place to be. The salary was amazing, and she didn’t have to worry about being fired.
Of course, it helped that she was dating the boss.
Dating West Gallo.
Everything was crazy right now.
Near the end of the day, Emily called her.
“Hey, I thought I’d check in. I got your text messages. What’s up?” Emily asked.
“There’s nothing wrong. I was thinking when you come back maybe you and I should have a girls’ night. You know, just you and me.”
“That sounds cool. We’ve not had one of those days in, like, forever, and I’ve been a bitch to you.”
“You have not been a bitch.”
“I totally have. I was going through a tough time, and I shouldn’t have blamed you and I guess in a way I did. It is entirely my fault. I’m a bad person.”
Hannah couldn’t help but laugh.
“It’s the change in scenery. You had to keep looking at my ugly face all the time.”
“Hannah, you’re not ugly. So, how are things going with your hot stuff of a boyfriend?”
“They’re going great.” She looked down at the key he’d given her. “Do you think things can move too fast?”
“Things?”
“You know. Moving in together. Dating. Sex?” She wished she’d not said anything.
“Does there have to be a time limit or is there a recommended time for anyone who wants to date? I don’t know what you’re trying to ask.”
“West. Things are moving really fast. Incredibly so. He’s amazing. I mean, so good.” She wasn’t even thinking solely about sex then either.
“Do you have feelings for him?”
Hannah stopped.
Feelings.
Love.
Like.
What did she feel for him?”
“I do,” she said.
“Do you love him?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been in love before.”
“I don’t know either,” Emily said, laughing. “I’ve never been in love. I guess we’ll be doing a romance marathon when
I get back.”
“I’m going to head to our place.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’m going to be here a couple more days at least. Have some fun with West.”
Hannah paused. “You’re not?”
“No. There’s no need to go shopping or do anything you want to do.”
She looked toward West’s office. He was behind his desk, typing away at his computer.
Why did she have a feeling that he’d done this?
“Okay,” she said.
“Cool. What are you guys’ plans for tonight?”
Hannah didn’t want to talk anymore. Something didn’t sit right with her. Once again, she had that twisted feeling in her gut like she was missing something, but again, not exactly sure what the hell it was.
“I’ve got to go, Emily. Something’s come up. I’ll talk to you real soon.” Hanging up the cell phone, she stared down at her desk.
It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?
Before she had time to really think about it, Rome entered the floor.
He was wearing a leather cut jacket, a pair of jeans, and a white shirt. He looked ready to blend into a crowd. She was used to seeing him in a suit.
West came out of his office.
“You’re ready to take her?” West asked.
“Yep. Where are we heading first?” Rome asked.
“To the supermarket and my apartment. Actually, make that my apartment and then the supermarket.”
“You still want to go to the supermarket?” West asked.
Again, her senses were tingling all over.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I want to?”
“I don’t know. Just a feeling. You know, I quickly checked Emily’s schedule, and she’s not going to be back for a few days.”
“I still want to go if that’s okay.” She stared at him, but she couldn’t detect anything. She wished she knew what he was thinking, but alas, mind reading was not on her list of skills. “I’m ready to go.” She stepped up to West. “Have a good meeting.”
West caught her around the waist, pulling her close. “Be careful.”
“Always.”
Why was he always insistent that she be careful?
She wasn’t a klutz.
She’d never given him any indication to worry about her.
Pushing some hair off her face, she followed Rome into the elevator. He didn’t say anything, and she wondered if he knew she wasn’t in the mood to make small talk.
Once at the car, he opened the door to the back seat. Buckling her own seat belt, she sat back and waited.
“Are you okay?” Rome asked when they joined traffic.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. You’re usually really chatty.”
“It has been a really, really long day.”
She also didn’t like the thought that Emily and West were somehow working together to … what? To manipulate her?
He said there was no one else.
She believed him, but why would Emily call her not long after her conversation with West?
Not only that, the time back at Dirty.
She’d been worried about Emily, and when West disappeared, Emily called her.
You’re starting to get all paranoid. This is not good for you.
Your life is not one big conspiracy theory.
“Do you know anything about this meeting West has?”
“Not much. I know it’s really important to him.”
“If it’s so important, how come you’re not with him?”
“I’m needed elsewhere. You shouldn’t worry about a thing though. West knows what he’s doing.”
She had no doubt that he knew what he was doing.
She was more curious as to what he was doing in her life. “You’ve been working with him for some time, right?”
“You know I have.”
She’d already asked him about it before.
Biting her lip, she stared out the window. “Do you know if he’s purchased an apartment for another woman before?”
“No, he hasn’t.”
“Do you know Emily?” she asked.
“I’ve met her, yes.”
“Do you even know who I’m talking about?”
“West has made it our business to know your friends. What’s wrong, Hannah?”
“Nothing.”
“You seem a little … distracted.”
“I’m fine.”
She didn’t have a clue what was going on. “Have I ever met you before?”
Did she see him tense? Was that a trick of the light?
“No, we’ve never met.”
“I feel like I know you.”
“We’d never met before you started seeing West. We had no reason to.”
He pulled up outside her apartment building.
“Okay.” She climbed out of the car, not wanting to talk to him right now. She was going crazy.
Sickness filled her, and she rushed up to her apartment. Why was she feeling weird and like someone was lying to her?
Entering her apartment, she saw everything was exactly how she left it.
Rome had followed her up and closed the door behind her.
She went to the kitchen.
Opening the fridge, she saw a couple of items were spoiled. Grabbing a trash can, she filled it with the out-of-date stuff.
With the bag full and the fridge cleaned out, she excused herself.
Entering her bedroom, she closed the door and went straight to the bathroom. Emily’s main door was closed. She opened the door that connected both of their rooms to the bathroom.
What are you doing?
Staring into Emily’s room, she stepped inside.
Beside her friend’s bed, there was a picture of the two of them. She was smiling, as was Emily.
Glancing around the bedroom, she saw nothing that seemed out of place.
Going to the first drawer, she opened it up and found nothing but lingerie. She tried to snoop as quietly as possible.
She didn’t find anything in the drawers or in the desk. Next, the small closet. Opening the doors, she switched on the light. There were several boxes. She went to her knees, opening up one box and checking through it before moving onto the next. She dropped something on the floor, and she picked it up. Glancing under the bed, she saw another box. This was wooden, and it looked like it had been pulled out recently.
Closing up the closet, she went to the bed, and pulled out the large crate-like box. Running her hand across the wood, she lifted it up. There were a couple of folders. Taking them out, she opened them up, seeing old bank statements.
She saw the date went back five years. That was the start of the files.
Pulling one out, she stared down at the figures and frowned. The day she met Emily, which she remembered as it was the start of a new semester and they shared a dorm, Emily was transferred a large sum of money. Every month, Emily was sent money, but it was the account that made her pause.
The company that offered her the scholarship that paid for her tuition, her books, and her rent money, was the same account.
She would recognize the numbers anywhere.
Sitting back, she didn’t know what to make of it.
“Hannah, you okay?”
Shit.
Putting the files down, she padded back to her room.
“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.”
She placed her hands on the door.
Something wasn’t adding up, and now she felt even more sick.
Maybe Emily had the same scholarship?
No, Emily didn’t.
Her friend had told her that her family funded the entire college tuition.
Hannah ran fingers through her hair.
Whatever was going on between Emily and West, she was going to get to the bottom of it.
She didn’t have time right now though. Not with Rome there.
She rushed back to Emily’s room, put a
way all the documents, and slid the box under the bed, careful not to make a single sound.
With the box back in place, she got to her feet and entered the bathroom.
A little over five years ago, her life had changed completely. The scholarship she had originally applied for got taken away as the company that supplied it crashed. She’d struggled to find a replacement until she was contacted and given another.
Quickly shoving clothes into a bag, she changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt.
Rome was waiting for her.
She’d get to the bottom of what the hell was going on.
Until then, she’d be careful.
Chapter Twelve
West glanced down at his cell phone. Lawrence should have been taken by now. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on. He’d arrived at the location where he was set to meet Enrique. He’d already checked all the escape routes. Some of his men were on standby and close just in case he needed them.
This was not his and Enrique’s first rodeo. They’d encountered each other many times, and it had never ended in bloodshed. Their negotiations were always brutal, but neither of them wanted to bring about a war. For the most part, he admired Enrique’s dedication and loyalty to his men, but he’d crossed the line when he listened to Lawrence.
After double-checking the escape routes, he did a quick check of his weapons. His deal with Enrique was that he came alone. Again, he doubted that would be the case.
This was fucking dangerous. If he’d not done business with Enrique in the past, he wouldn’t have even considered a meeting. Without many escape routes, and with what was at stake, he’d be lucky to get out with his life intact but certainly with plenty of wounds.
The only good news he’d received tonight was his men had gotten Isabella and she was in containment. No harm had come to her. In a few minutes he’d call her. His men had only confirmed extraction, not being in the safe location away from Enrique’s spies.
Rome hadn’t called him about Hannah’s safety.
He didn’t understand why she’d felt the need to go back to her apartment. He’d called Emily to dissuade her, and it hadn’t worked.
Rubbing his temples, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with any fuckups tonight. There had been too many in the past few weeks. Lawrence should have been easy, but his biggest fuckup was biting him in the ass over and over again.
