“Alexander White, how the hell are you? Long time no speak,” came the brutishly deep East End voice.
“Mark, I’m good thanks. Listen, I need your expertise with something,” he replied.
“Righto. Whatcha got for me? Always happy to make another fat wage packet from you, and your assignments are some of the more interesting ones I take on,” he said with a wolfish laugh.
“Two things actually. I need you to find some dirt on Henry DeVille, something that could break him apart if I chose to give it to the media. He’s fucking good at hiding it so it won’t be easy. Actually, you could just make it up. I don’t give a toss. It just has to be something that you can make stick to him like shit,” Alex said with a laugh. “And also, I need as much information as you can find on a woman called Evelyn Peters. She works at Bluetech. Conner will give you anything else you need regarding general details.”
“Okay. No problem. When do you need the info by?” Mark asked. He could already hear the tapping of a keyboard through the phone. He smiled and wished everything was as simple as Mr Jacobs made it appear.
“Soon as you can. I’ll have Louisa send the twenty this afternoon and the rest when you’re finished as usual,” Alex said, lowering the privacy screen between him and Andrews.
“No problem, mate. I’ll call you by Monday at the latest. Cheers,” he said as he finished the call. Alex chuckled and slid his phone into his pocket. He’d never met a more tenacious character than Mark Jacobs. They’d been acquaintances since before he’d become the man he was today, from the time when East End boozers and dirty money were more his cup of tea. Too many times they had been together in situations that pulled that fucking guilt flying back to the surface again, but thankfully, they knew just enough dirt on each other to be able to find a mutual respect of sorts. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck at the images that assaulted him - blood, lots of fucking blood again. His fists balled at the thought so he flexed them out and imagined her mouth to focus on something more peaceful. It worked instantly and he sighed out another breath as he tried to process Jacobs without the carnage that normally associated itself with the man. He was an animal in all reality and a gun for hire. Regardless of that, though, he was also a fucking good investigator. If there was dirt, he’d find it, and if something wasn’t right, he’d fix it. Alex liked him a lot, always had, even when the man’s gun had been pointed at him. Well, he probably deserved it at the time. He was a bloody nasty piece of work back then. Aiden Phillips had a lot to fucking answer for.
“Home please, Andrews. Change of plan.”
“Yes, sir,” Andrews replied as he manoeuvred the car to the next lane. He frowned a bit, noticing again that Andrews had been uncharacteristically sombre in his tone for a few days. Maybe something was wrong. His brain quickly travelled back to more pressing matters, like Henry DeVille.
He’d started the ball rolling on finding a new source of investment and there had been a few positive interests, but once again his fate lay with Conner. He was introducing him to the American giant, Tyler Rathbone next week, who apparently had a shit load of cash and nothing to do with it. Rathbone had been buying Conner’s designs for years and using them in his media corporation for various ventures and until now he’d shown little interest in property or land acquisition. Luckily, though, he’d spoken with Conner a few weeks ago about looking to the east and trying something new. Fucking perfect, although he’d have to go in at his most charming. Rathbone was known for being the hardest man in business and wasn’t afraid to stamp all over anybody to get what he wanted. A man after his own heart. The irony wasn’t lost on him at all. In fact, it was just the challenge he needed.
As the car glided down the road towards the house, his mind fell back to Elizabeth. What should he do with her this evening? He had to keep the pretence up for a while longer. He had to keep it emotionless and let himself work out if he could actually do what she wanted him to do. Their time together had given him a rollercoaster of emotions from the word go, and he had to find some damn control again before it all came tumbling down around him, before he curled up into a ball and cried on her shoulder like a baby about his fucking arsehole of a father and the life that haunted him daily. Frowning, he turned his attention back to the road and noticed Andrews sighing in the front of the car.
“Andrews, are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,” he responded with a flat voice.
“Yeah, sounds like it. What’s going on?” he tried again with a more authoritative tone, hoping it would do the trick.
“Nothing, sir. I’m fine,” he snapped almost fiercely. Obviously it hadn’t worked.
“Andrews, I’m not fucking around. I don’t like being lied to and you are lying. I can hear it in your tone and you’ve been a miserable shit for a few days,” he said calmly with genuine interest.
“It’s private, sir. I don’t want to discuss it with you,” he replied as they pulled into the drive of the house. Parking the car, Andrews walked around and opened the door. He felt himself recoil a bit at the tone. He’d never heard Andrews be so brusque with him before and then his eyes narrowed. Was he hiding something? Distrust and doubt bit at him. Something was definitely not fucking right.
“Andrews, what the hell is the problem? Is it your family? Can I help at all?” He watched patiently as the man paced a bit and eventually pinched his brow.
“Do you mind if I speak freely, sir?” Andrews said on a sigh. Well this was fucking interesting.
“I think I probably do, but do it anyway,” he replied with a small smirk as he put his bag on the gravelled drive and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“I have driven for and looked after you for six years now. You have been a good employer and I’ve no reason to say this other than the fact that I have come to care about you somewhat like a father would his son. I have watched you enjoy your money and never once have I questioned your behaviour or believed I had a right to, but… But I cannot watch you destroy something as precious as Miss Scott. She does not deserve your disrespect,” he said, without removing his castigating stare from Alex’s eyes.
He was completely taken aback, mouth fucking gaping open like a fool. Never had he been spoken to in such a manner. The only people who would dare were Conner or Pascal, and even they would have had the decency to avert their eyes a little. Well actually, they wouldn’t in the slightest, but that wasn’t the point. To have his bloody staff talk to him in such a way was completely unacceptable and disturbing the fuck out of him, regardless of the fact that he might be right.
“Did you just tell me off, Andrews?” he asked with cool eyes as his venom took hold. “Because I don’t think it’s any of your damn business what I do with the women I fuck.”
He’d never seen Andrews move so quickly in his life. It was a blur of movement and before he knew it, he was pinned against the side of the car by his throat. Struggling to get free, he pushed at him and felt the panic rising as the fingers constricted, but Andrews wasn’t moving and instead he pushed his entire body weight into him, giving him no room to kick his way out, then pinched his fingers tighter and effectively started to shut off his air supply. That is, after all, why he’d hired the forty-five-year-old ex-special forces soldier. He wasn’t just a driver; he was probably the most ingenious and lethal fighter he’d ever seen.
“And there’s the heart of the problem, Alex. You see, you don’t fuck a woman like Elizabeth Scott. You protect her from everything and you thank your lucky fucking stars that she even dared to give you her affection. God knows men like us don’t deserve women like that. You need to grow the fuck up now and start acting like a bloody adult or you will lose her and it will be the biggest mistake of your life. Or I suppose you could keep grazing your way through the whores and see which field you end up in,” he sneered and with a final shove of his hand into Alex’s throat, backed up and let go.
Alex stood there for a moment in absolute shock and wondered what the hell
to do next. Fire him, yes - no, he didn’t want to fire him. He liked him. He’d been there for so long that he felt like the man was the closest thing to family he had apart from Conner. Hit him? Yes. No, bloody stupid. Then the statement hit him again. “Like a father would his son.” Did Andrews really feel like that? Fuck.
“Consider that my notice handed in. I won’t watch you demolish her extraordinary beauty and innocence because of your own damn failings. You’re a bloody fool if you don’t grab what she’s offering and beg for her love,” Andrews shouted as he turned his back on him and walked into the house, presumably to pack his bags.
He stood confused for a few moments. What the hell was going on in his life? When did so many relationships in his life become personal? Why hadn’t he just shouted at Andrews and sent him on his way? Or fucking hit him? And why the bloody hell did he now feel the need to go and talk to the dick about his relationship with Elizabeth? It was fucking odd. His whole fucking life was beginning to feel odd.
He walked in the house and listened to try and hear where Andrews was. A loud thump came from upstairs so he made his way up to find him. The flat on the top floor was right at the end of the top corridor and gave him plenty of time to listen to the irritated ramblings of Andrews. He chuckled a bit and pushed the door open.
“Andrews, what are you doing?” he asked as he watched him throwing things into a suitcase.
“Packing. What does it look like?” Andrews mumbled as he walked across to the bookcase.
“Well stop it for a minute, will you, and come downstairs. I think we could both use a drink, don’t you?” Alex said as he walked out of the room and headed for the study. Glancing down at his watch, he noticed it said five minutes past three and there had been no phone call from Elizabeth. Fucking great. Could this day get any worse?
He slumped down at his desk and poured two large whiskeys, waiting and oddly hoping that Andrews would walk down the stairs without bags in his hands. Thankfully, within minutes he was sitting on the other side of his desk, staring at him coldly.
“Drink the fucking drink, Michael,” Alex said, pointing at the whisky. “And while you’re at it, calm down,” he said, sipping his scotch and tapping his fingers. Andrews picked up the drink, downed it, slammed it on the desk and continued with his glare.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m not going to beg you to keep your job. It should be the other way around, don’t you think? A bloody apology wouldn’t go amiss either, you great big oaf,” he continued with a smile as he stared at the man. He couldn’t recall ever seeing Andrews so mad before. Normally he was cool and collected while he beat the living crap out of people. Clearly Miss Scott had tapped quite effectively into his emotional side as well.
“I’m not sorry for what I said, but I am sorry for what I did. I just thought it might be the only way you’d understand. Violence seems to be what stimulates your brain cells the most,” he replied in a monotone voice, clearly trying to regain some of his normal demeanour but making damn sure that the whole point of his attack was hitting home. Alex felt his brows shoot upwards and swirled his drink around for a while, trying to find the way to make this situation better. He still couldn’t decipher why he was about to discuss his feelings with Andrews but decided that for once, he wouldn’t try to second-guess the issue and just take a leaf out of Elizabeth’s book and trust.
“I am a little lost with her. I took her somewhere very personal the other night and it confused me so much that I lost my temper,” he eventually said, looking at his desk. Andrews sighed.
“Alex, I don’t know all of your history and I don’t want to. A little lost is fine. Embrace it. You should let every piece of yourself be open to her, give her everything she wants from you and don’t regret a bit of it. She won’t hurt you or punish you for your insecurities. She’ll give you a shoulder to lean on and a face to trust amongst all your other so-called friends. She is quite exceptional and in the blink of an eye she could be gone,” he replied with another sigh as he reached across and poured another drink for himself.
Alex’s phone vibrated on the table so he picked it up to read the message.
Sorry, disaster in the kitchen. Andrews can pick me up at 5 x
He watched his thumb rub against the screen. It lingered on the kiss unconsciously and he smiled at his own reaction to her.
“She is rather special, isn’t she?” he said quietly, still looking at the text. “I think I’m probably falling in love with her.”
“Who wouldn’t be?” Andrews said, laughing as Alex raised an eyebrow at him. Pushing his chair back, he moved toward the door. “I think my work here is done. I’ll pack my things and leave in the morning if that’s okay with you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Michael. I don’t want you to leave. I think you did exactly what was needed at exactly the right moment, even if I didn’t want to hear it. I was about to do something that may have been detrimental and you just changed my thoughts on the matter. Mind you, I think you should probably take a holiday or something. You’re far too tense and I actually quite like breathing,” he replied and then frowned at him. “Have you ever actually taken a holiday?” he continued with a chuckle.
“Yes, two years ago,” Andrews replied sardonically.
“Oh, that’s just bloody stupid. Take the jet and go wherever you want for a week. Just sort me out a different driver, will you? I’ll leave the details up to you. Liaise with Louisa. She’ll sort you out with a hotel.” Andrews looked back at him in shock. That was happening a lot, too, his own staff being shocked by something that came from his mouth. He smiled at the thought of her softening him up. Conner was right.
“Are you sure? I would have pinned you by the throat sooner if I’d known that this was the reaction I would get.”
“Yes, go, but don’t push your luck. Just because I have feelings again, it doesn’t mean I intend to use them all the fucking time. Oh, and by the way, can you pick Elizabeth up from Scott’s at five and bring her back here. She’ll be staying for the next couple of weeks.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll wait for my holiday until after that then. I wouldn’t want her with a stranger if you don’t mind,” he said, frowning a bit. Alex smiled at him and nodded. He couldn’t bear the thought of her with anyone he couldn’t trust either, and Andrews had certainly proved his loyalty to her this afternoon. It seemed everyone that she touched was in awe of her.
“Right, now that’s over with, I have a phone call to make and some paperwork to do so I’ll call you if I need you,” he said, standing and making his way towards the stairs. “And, Andrews? I’ll be quicker next time and more than likely rip your fucking head off so don’t try that again.”
“I’ve always known I’d only get one shot at it. This seemed an important enough reason for me to try my luck at it,” he said with a damned cheeky smile as he headed out of the door.
Well fuck… What an afternoon, and now he’d got an hour’s conversation with Chinese lawyers about the most significant deal of his life. Yeah, his head was definitely in the right place for that. All he wanted to do was bury his head and dick in Elizabeth and float off to that drifty place he found himself in when she was near, pulling him closer, deeper. Christ, he looked down to notice that his dick was in absolute agreement with his brain and decided that it was probably best to take a long, cold shower before his four o’clock with the Chinese.
Christ, what had she done to him? He needed to get his fucking head together before he blew this deal and humiliated himself even more than he currently was doing.
An hour later, he put down the phone, threw his glasses on the table and grimaced with anger and irritation at the audacity of the lawyers who had now decided that things were being handled less efficiently than they would like. Westfield had been a little lax with his deadlines and that had dishonoured someone of seniority in the Chinese government. That had then caused a lot of tension surrounding the deal, and therefore negotiations were now hovering between “W
e’re not comfortable with...” and “We’ll destroy you if...”
Only two things pissed him off to the point of no return and being threatened was one of them.
“Andrews, I’m going to see Westfield. I’ll be back by seven thirty. Tell Elizabeth to make herself at home and that I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He released the button on the intercom and kicked the wall so hard it actually hurt his foot. Fuck!
Getting in the Aston, he floored it down the drive and called Tate. Was the bastard doing this on purpose? Was he in it with Henry? He hadn’t got a fucking clue but he was starting to wonder about the merits of the man regardless. This political bullshit was fucking tiring. All he’d wanted was her smile and now he had to go unleash hell on someone he’d considered a friend of sorts. Tate’s voice kicked in.
“Alex.”
“I hope you haven’t got company because I’m on my way over to kick your fucking arse all over the place. If I lose this deal because of you, I’ll destroy you,” he grated out and hit the accelerator again.
“Alex, I don’t know what you’re talking about?” the dick replied quietly, and a little too nervously for his liking. He was fucking hiding something, or lying purposefully.
“Well you’re about to find out,” he said as he ended the call and grumbled to himself. He needed to see his eyes. You could only ever see someone when you looked directly at them. That’s where you saw the difference between deceit and truth, between lust and love, between hate and adoration. It’s the one thing he knew with absolute certainty because it was the one thing he’d spent years perfecting. Nobody knew how much his own eyes were hiding and nobody knew the horror behind them.
The windows of his own soul were definitely too cloudy for others to read, and that’s the way he wanted them. It’s the way he’d made them appear.
Chapter 26
Seeing White Page 44
