It was an honest question, but I couldn’t help but hear reproach in his tone. I sniffed. “I’m so sorry, Declan, I shouldn’t have left! Yes, I had fun, but now I wish I had been here with you!”
Declan mustered a small smile. He was visibly tired, too tired to even wave me off. When he spoke, it sounded like he had a sore throat. “It’s okay, sis. I don’t blame you. You can’t keep babysitting me. We– you are paying good money for other people to do that.”
“Don’t say that. I’m responsible for you, remember? So, from now on, I’m not leaving you.” I sat on the chair next to the bed, dropping my handbag to the floor. “I’m going to stay here for as long as you are!”
He turned to look at me. “You don’t have to, Syd. I’ll be up and running in no time. You know how I am.”
She smiled. “I know, Declan. Rest now, okay? I will be here if you need me.”
“P.S. Don’t think I’m going to ignore what you’re wearing.”
Ugh I was still in the red bodycon dress. Awkward.
He blinked a couple times, and then shut his eyes, falling asleep before he could roast me anymore.
I exhaled. It was painful to see my brother like this, but I was glad to see him holding up. I texted Julia, saying that all was fine, and she was happy to hear it, but she also wanted details on Owen. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
How could I have been so careless? What if Declan had collapsed somewhere in the street without anyone to identify him and get in touch with me? I was so stupid. The important thing was that I was there with him, and that his condition was stable and treatable. For now.
Worn out by the stress and all the thoughts, I dozed off in the chair, listening to the rhythmic beeping of the monitoring equipment.
When I came to, the moon was out in the sky, casting cold light into the room. I walked over to the window, yawning, and shut the blinds. The room got very dark, so I turned on the dim lamp next to the small table by the chair. Declan was still asleep, but moving around, uncomfortable, but too tired to change his position. I took his cool hand, and he opened his eyes.
“Sorry. I woke you up,” I said.
“I barely slept. My chest hurts a little. Every breath feels like my lungs are wrapped in barbed wire.”
“That’s awful Declan.”
“The drugs help.” He smiled a little. “So, tell me about him, your prince on a white horse. He better be treating you well!”
“Do you really wanna know?” In all the years, we had barely shared any real detail about our relationships, even though we were very tight. I thought Declan might be interested because he wasn’t feeling well, so I said, “Well, he’s a nice guy… but things aren’t serious. So you don’t have to worry about anything.”
I was the one who had to worry. I broke our deal, leaving him. Now I would have another huge hospital bill to contend with.
“Hmm, not serious? And where did this guy take you, exactly? Seemed far for not serious.”
I didn’t know where to begin. “Well, out of town, to his place out of town.”
“As opposed to his place in Chicago?” he asked.
“I suppose so,” I said, silently panicking about not having any cover story. “He’s got a house, and he lives in an apartment here in Chicago.”
“Oh, big money then,” Declan said.
Like you wouldn’t believe, I thought.
“And you met him at work?”
“Oh, yeah.” I knew how that sounded. I had never been good at lying to my brother, and even when sick, he was smart enough to keep the interrogation going.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Syd?”
He knew, of course he did. I said, “Well, look, I’m sorry, I’m not trying to fool you.”
“Yeah? Because Julia told me you met this guy at a club. Since when are you hot on nightlife, Syd? Come on, you can tell me, I’m on my deathbed here.” He said that with such cynicism that I was ready to cry.
“Don’t you say that, Declan.”
Declan smiled. “Go on then, lay it out for me. What, does he have some weird fetish? Why don’t you want to talk to me about him?”
I guessed there was no way out of it. And to what end? My brother had every right to know what was going on.
“Promise not to get angry.”
He frowned, which was visibly hard for him. “I will try.” Pale as he was, I thought he was beginning to get red in the face already.
Taking a deep breath, I told him exactly what had gone down. How Julia tipped me off about this club, and how it turned out to be an auction for rich men, and how there was a spark between Owen and me, and how I left the club with him…
“Let me stop you right there,” he said, his voice sore. “He bought you at an auction?”
“It’s not like that!”
“If I’m honest, it fucking sounds exactly like that.” The equipment beeped faster as Declan’s heart began racing.
“You need to calm down, Declan.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
Now it was my turn to blush. “It wasn’t because of the money.”
He shut his eyes tight, as if he wanted to disappear. I felt the same way.
When the silence got awkward, I said, “I really liked him Declan, and not to get money for me. I did it for you, Declan. I’ve been trying, but I just can’t do it on my own.”
His eyes were still closed, but now there were tears at their corners. He coughed, then said, quietly, “I’m sorry, Syd. It’s all my fault.”
“It isn’t!”
“I want you to be happy.”
“And I want you to be better. And we’re both getting what we want. I’m not selling myself into slavery, Declan. Besides, it’s over now.”
“Why?”
“We had a fight, or whatever. Anyway, he’s not coming back here anytime soon. We’re done.”
“But you’re okay?” he asked, like I was the one who needed saving.
“I’m fine. I’m with you, and that’s what’s best for everyone.”
Chapter 19
Owen
I should have fucking followed her.
Why was I sitting here, doing nothing on an island? Jesus Owen, what a fucking mess.
As soon as the plane returned to the island, I said goodbye to paradise. I had to face my demons, and Sydney. I needed to win her back.
Immediately after I stepped on the plane, I got out my phone and called the office. Even at this late hour, the key people were there, working with the legal team on fixing everything. Or so I hoped.
Thankfully, my last phone call had been effective, and instead of describing more problems, my people offered solutions, most of which I approved of. It seemed like everyone was collected enough to handle it on their own, and I wouldn’t need to use my ace this time. I would keep that pretty little picture of the DA for another issue.
My next call was to my personal lawyer, who reported on where they were regarding my own personal safety. It wasn’t a fruitful conversation – all the lawyer said was that I had to come home to discuss the matter in private.
Which was exactly what I did. After I deplaned I had my driver take me all the way to my penthouse in River North. I was on the lookout for paparazzi. Even though I wasn’t a public person, the latest inquiries by the IRS had made their way to mass media – influencing the stock, while they were at it – and I knew there would be people eager to hear what I had to say.
Thankfully, the parking garage was private territory, and I had to take just a few steps to the elevator that took me back home, without ever seeing another person.
My lawyer was there, having a cup of coffee on the balcony, waiting.
“Glad you decided to show up, Owen.”
I spread my arms. “Time to face the music.”
“Very well.” Baxter walked back inside and set his cup down. “Coffee?”
I slid open the bar door. “Whiskey.”
“Good choice, considering.”
I poured three fingers and drank half of it. I knew the news wouldn’t be too good. “So?”
“The good news is we were wise to be preparing for the worst, even though it isn’t exactly what happened.”
“Get to the point, will you? I’m here, so let’s not sugarcoat it.”
“Internal Revenue spooks are on your ass, Owen. That deal you made last fall raised all kinds of red flags. We managed some damage control, in that this particular deal has you in the clear, but after they did some digging, they decided to go back as far as 2006 to see what else you have been up to.”
“But they have no proof, right? We’ve been covering all bases.” I was sure of it, because I had been personally double-checking everything.
“Yes and no. They have no concrete facts, at least not until they get through ten years’ worth of paperwork all over the globe, but the amount of suspicious activity on its own is enough for them to get whatever clearance they want. And considering the money involved, they will want to dig deep.”
I downed the rest of my drink. “So what? Let them dig. If we’re innocent until proven guilty, we can bury them under paperwork, just like I’ve told you already. We’ll start by giving them everything from ’06 and ’07. That’ll keep them occupied.”
“Had we given it up voluntarily when it was first brought up, sure. Only they’re not stupid. They know we’ve buried something–”
“A lot of things.”
“You said it. They know we’ve buried something, so they will insist on arresting everything we have in the file room, and they’ll start from yesterday’s files.”
“I’ll call the office, see what they can come up with. Honestly, I don’t care about the files as much at the moment. What about me? You said I was clear?”
“Technically, yes. If they were to look into you, they’d find nothing.”
I felt there was a but, yet I said, “Does that mean I can relax?”
“Not in the States. They will be following you, like they’ve been following Lawson, and a few of your other ex-partners. You’ll be a red flag for them. Better to lay low for a while. Full lockdown – no calls, no travel. Get somewhere and stay there. Understood?”
I had to grin at the cruel irony. For the past few days, I’d been hiding away on an island, where nobody would reach me, and the moment I leave, I’m told to go right back.
But this time – alone. I knew I couldn’t take Sydney away from her brother, and it wouldn’t be safe for her, anyway.
“Fuck… Fuck!” I turned around and smashed the glass against the wall, startling my lawyer.
“I know, Owen, it’s a shitty situation you’re in. But it won’t be for long. You’ll take a vacation, get yourself collected–”
“I am collected! I have been for the past few days, until all this bullshit began!”
Baxter didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Listen, this is how things are, and I’m telling you how they are going to be, but you have to listen to me. We will take care of it, you have my word. How long have I been working for you?”
“Five years?”
“Close enough. Six, actually. And in that time, how many times have I fucked up?”
My silence was my reply.
“Exactly. So, you have to listen to me, and do this. I understand that you have met someone. Sydney, is it?”
I gazed at him.
“It’s my job to know, if that’s what you’re wondering. Now, for Sydney’s sake, leave the country for a little while. I’ll give you call when the coast is clear. Oh, and I’ve made sure the money you send to the hospital go through as charity, so don’t worry about that.”
The money, my money. It didn’t matter to me that Sydney was over our relationship. I was still holding up my end of the deal. It was only fair. Her brother didn’t deserve to get caught up in my mess.
I gave him a nod, my eyes full of gratitude. “Thank you. I will follow your advice. Hell, my plane is still warm, so…”
I got a new glass and poured myself another drink.
Chapter 20
Sydney
Three weeks had passed since that night at the hospital. In that time, Declan and I had spent hours talking, catching up. I told him about Owen, everything there was to tell, the good and the bad.
He was getting better, too. It took a week for the infection to retreat and for Declan to get some of his strength back, but once he was feeling well enough to walk on his own, they transferred him to the hospital in Zion. The doctors there had ran every test there was to run in record time, and got Declan into their latest experimental program. Chemotherapy and drugs were still on the menu, but this time the effects were apparent. He had even put some weight on, which caused a new wave of banter between him and I.
I went back to work, but I visited Declan almost every day, spending some nights at the hospital with him, even though he asked me not to. “That’s out of question, Declan,” I would say.
The bills were paid the moment they arrived, but in that time, I had not heard from Owen once. I knew he was paying them, and even though I broke our deal I was thankful. He didn’t have to do that. I wasn’t his problem anymore.
But I missed him.
I hated to admit it, after everything, but I did. I truly missed him. And it hurt. So many times I wanted to reach out, to apologize, to say thank you for helping with Declan. But I didn’t even have his number.
+++
After a few weeks of treatment I drove to Zion to meet with the head of the clinic, who was going to update me on Declan’s well-being. I arrived there just after six and went straight to the doctor’s office, nervous, as if I was walking into an exam.
“Happy to see you Miss Mercer,” the woman said, when I stepped inside. “I’ve been looking forward to this day!”
I couldn’t hold back the smile. “I assume it’s good news then?” I sat down across from her.
“Very much so! Your brother is a tough cookie, I’ll tell you that much! There’s almost no trace of the infection that we could find in his lungs. He can breathe and speak normally, and he does that every time the nurses are around!” They giggled, and she continued, “The cancer is still there, and we have to continue treating him until we see a positive trend. The cells diminishing. Not growing back.”
“How much longer will that take?” I asked.
“Impossible to say, I’m afraid. We are doing everything we can, but there is only so much we can do. It can take a couple more weeks, or it can take a year. I don’t want to alarm you, but you must be ready for the long haul.”
“Oh, I’ve been preparing for that our whole lives.”
The doctor offered a sympathetic smile. “What I can guarantee is that the treatment can make things better, but I can’t promise it will cure your brother. I wish I could say that.”
“I know. It’s okay. Thank you. We will keep fighting. Like you said, Declan is a tough cookie, and he makes me tough. We’ll get through it.”
“I know you will, Sydney, and we’re here for you.” When I began to get up, she added, “Do say hi to your brother from me when you are delivering the news, okay?”
“Will do.” I smiled, and left the office. I felt like I could fly! It wasn’t a knockout victory, but I felt they were half-way there. The Bon Jovi song popped into my head, and I went down the hallway humming the melody and mouthing the words. This was something, real progress. And it was all thanks to Owen.
I walked into Declan’s room with a huge smile on my face. Declan was watching TV, sitting in my bed.
“Have you talked to Dr. Morrison?” he asked.
“I sure did!”
“A-and?”
“No infection!”
“Fuck yes no infection! I kicked its ass!”
“I’m so proud of you! The doctors here have done an amazing job.”
My brother turned more serious. “About that. I assume we have some private benefactor paying out bills.”
“Yes
,” I said simply, unwilling to go into details. The subject was bothering me, too, but I wasn’t going to worry about until after Declan had been released from the hospital
“Is it a lot?”
“It’s at least twice more than a lot. The monitoring here alone costs more than what we have paid on our own.”
“Holy shit…”
“Yeah. But that doesn’t matter for now, right? We’ve been given this chance to heal you, so let’s focus on that.” I sat down next to him, looking at the TV screen.
Declan said, “Tell him I’m thankful. If you ever speak to him again that is.”
“Yeah I will, one day.”
“You should look for him,” Declan said, matter-of-factly.
“What? No. He doesn’t want to see me. Otherwise he would’ve called.”
“He’s paying my medical bills, if that’s not an attempt to reconcile, I don’t know what is. I just can’t stand seeing you suffering. Let me worry about you, for once!”
I sighed looking at him. I did need to thank Owen for his help, if nothing else. “You know, you might be right. Thanks, I’ll try.”
“Please, do. For your own sake. And for mine, I can’t handle you moping around here anymore.”
I pushed him as he laughed. “Fine, I’ll find him, okay?”
+++
I got home that evening and did the only thing I could think to do.
Google Owen Hayes. And pray something of value came up. I saw dozens of articles surrounding both the company and person, but I ignored all that – all I cared about was how to find someone who didn’t want to be found. What I did look into was the company’s address and phone number.
I made numerous calls, but when one finally connected, the secretary said, “I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to disclose phone numbers of my superiors.”
Which wasn’t a surprise on its own, but the way the woman spoke, it was as if she’d been trained to say exactly that sentence. I hung up and tried another number. Same result. The next number wasn’t much better. I had tried every number with every extension on the corporate website, but each time I was either denied the information or given another number that led to nothing.
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