“I won’t give up, Summer.”
I didn’t answer. I just hung up.
Alex
Sometimes I really wished that I could be wrong.
I started my checks on Devon with a clear mind, clear of my judgements and reservations.
Clear of any suspicious thoughts I had towards him.
I did the normal security checks first to get those out of the way. Those were all fine.
Satisfied that Devon was clean that way, I then looked at his company website and did my own personal review I usually carried out when working with a company.
First I’d go to their website and look over their updates, their products and services page and it helped if they had a section where their customers could leave reviews.
Devon’s company had one of such, and being the professional businessman he was he had a really good webpage.
Too good. That led me to a further search and I stumbled across a comment on Devon’s company left on a site called Which Investments. It was one of those community discussion sites that people threw out questions and answers.
The comment stated:
“Langdon Inc are a bunch of thieves. Investing in Bottlebrite ruined my life. Something has to be done about these people who take our money and leave us to rot in the dirt when everything goes to hell.”
I looked up Bottlebrite, a company that specialized in these new age water bottles that were supposed to be made with water filters. Their shares plummeted recently and the company went bust.
Seeing that made me go back to Devon’s website. I was simply checking to see the investments they’d recommended in the last few months.
Doing that only heightened my suspicions, and further checks revealed that at least eighty percent of the investments they’d gotten people to invest in had gone down the drain. All the companies had gone bust.
All of them.
What were the chances of so many investments going wrong?
It just screamed that something wasn’t right and now that I’d seen this for myself I worst didn’t want the case. I couldn’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t follow my instincts.
I couldn’t ignore them now.
On that thought I went straight to my parent’s house to see my father.
When I walked into the living room he was sitting in the armchair reading a newspaper. Classical music played in the background, part of my mom’s collection, which meant he was missing her and maybe in a mood about it.
He lifted his head when he saw me and frowned.
“Do I even want to ask why you’re here?” Were his first words.
Yup, he was definitely in a bad mood. Normally he would at least welcome me with a smile.
It was late and I didn’t want to spend more time than necessary on this. I had Summer on my mind too and I was anxious to get home to see if she was okay.
“Dad, did you know that more than three quarters of the investments Devon’s company sold in the last few months all had problems. The companies all went bust after a while leaving any shares held in them worthless.” Straight to the point.
This was one of those times when I wished my father would hear me out and not think I was trying to defy him.
“Alex, what relevance is that to your case?” He rested the paper in his lap and brought his hands together.
“It’s part of my vetting process. Checks I do before I take on a case.”
Dad pulled in a haggard breath. “Did you do the standard security based checks on him?”
“Yes.” I knew where he was going with this before he continued.
“And was everything okay?”
“They were fine, but that’s not the point. Dad, I work in finance law, you don’t just do a standard check on a client. Plus with so much money laundering going on these days you have to be careful. You absolutely know this, but you’re clouded by your friendship for the man.”
The look he gave me now was on of sheer frustration. “I can’t believe you Alex, you’re going to mess this up aren’t you?”
“I’m not messing anything up. Dad, something isn’t right. Something doesn’t feel right and doesn’t look right. This is the part where I’d get a PI involved and do further investigation.” Or I’d ask Marc. Damn it, he couldn’t go away for so long next time. If he was here I would have run it all past him and gotten his take on it. “Or, I simply wouldn’t do the case.”
“Alex, can you give me concrete evidence of your suspicions? Or, even tell me what your suspicions are. Give me a label.”
Fuck, this was absolute shit. He wasn’t budging, and this conversation was pointless. I didn’t have a label, I had suspicion.
“You want me to find proof of something I suspect?”
“No, I don’t. what I want is for you to stick to the case. Damn it, son, it’s a simple task. Stick to the case and stop looking for something wrong. We represent people who are guilty all the time and advise them within the remit of the law. You can’t play defense and prosecuting attorney all at once. You have to pick.”
“It’s not about me trying to do both. I feel like he’s hiding something.”
If your client was hiding information it didn’t matter if you were prosecuting or defending. The worry over not being upfront would bite if found out later.
“Alex. You’re allowing your personal feelings to get in the way of the case. You don’t like Devon, I get it, but he’s a client who needs our help. He’s provided all the information we need. I looked the case over myself and I couldn’t see a need for anything else. If he’s hiding something then it’s his business and doesn’t affect our work. Your work.”
“Dad –”
“No!” He held up his hands. “Enough. No more of this. You are going out of your way to find fault and I’m tired of you doing things like this. This is it, Alex. You know no other firm would stand for your craziness. Some of the things you’ve done in the past are so outlandish you would have been fired on the spot. So this is it. If you’re going to mess things up and make us look bad, ruin my friendship with a friend I’ve known and trusted forever, then tell me now.”
Dad was so furious his whole face turned red.
In all my years I’d never seen him look like that, and I had admittedly done a lot of outlandish things.
I’d just never come across a case like this where everything in me screamed don’t do it.
But what choice did I have?
I had to admit too that he was right. All I had were my suspicions. That’s it.
The information I found earlier didn’t say much in regards to my case, but I got the feeling it would tell more if I looked a little deeper.
Was I going to do that?
“I’m being serious, Alex. I want an answer. If you want to be part of the senior partnership this is the way. Are you in?”
“Yes.” I felt my own anger rise within me.
Since I had nothing further to say I walked out, leaving him.
This was the first time in my life that I felt restrained. Normally I’d have some form of control, even minimal.
I hated feeling this way. Hated it like nothing else. But I wanted the damn partnership. Wanted it badly.
I seethed all the way home as I thought about how I was actually going to pull off working this case without feeling like something was wrong.
It wasn’t until I got inside and saw something else that I wanted that my frustration abated.
All thoughts drained out of my mind when I looked at the angel sitting on the sofa watching some chick flick.
Meet Joe black.
My mom loved that film and watched it over and over again. She liked anything like that.
I looked at Summer sitting there wearing, to my surprise, one of my shirts and a pair of sexy as hell denim shorts that showed off her golden legs.
She had that mass of platinum hair up on top of her head in one of those loose buns. It drew my attention to her high exotic cheekbones, but als
o to the sadness that was evident on her face.
She had the light dimmed while the film played, but I still saw everything.
It wasn’t until I walked up to her that she noticed me.
Summer straightened up, eyes red, face blotchy looking like she’d been crying.
“Hi.” Even her voice sounded shaky.
I kneeled down next to her and reached for her hand.
“Hello angel. Are you okay?” There was no way I couldn’t ask. Just like earlier.
“I’m okay.” She seemed a little shaken, definitely not like herself, for what I’d seen so far.
“You’re in my shirt.” I smiled at her.
“My clothes, um … I left them in the washing machine.” She blinked.
I could have said something flirty, like she didn’t have to wear clothes if she didn’t want to, but held back. She didn’t look like she was in the mood for that tonight, or me being that way with her.
“Looks good on you.” My shirt swamped her tiny frame but still managed to look sexy on her. “Bad day?”
She nodded, eyes cast down. “The worst in a while.”
“You want to talk about it?”
She shook her head slowly and the tear that ran down her cheek clenched at my heart. I didn’t want anything or anyone making her cry.
I remembered when she came to me for help when the rats were in her apartment. I felt for her then too.
She was crying then. This felt different.
“Can I at least sit with you?”
She lifted her head and gazed at me. “Yes, I’d really like that.”
I stood up and shrugged out of my jacket, then I took my place next to her.
When she leaned against my chest, I placed my arm around her.
It felt like we’d always been like this. Like we were supposed to be like this.
“You’re heart’s beating so fast.” She whispered against my shirt pressing her hand to the flat of my stomach.
“That’s cos I’m not used to having angels on my chest.” I stroked the side of her neck.
She lifted her head. “Alex, why do you call me that?” The look in her eyes showed an eagerness that told me she really wanted to know. Like it meant something to her.
I thought for a moment as I watched and straightened up a little. “Angels are the most perfect beings I know. Flawless and beautiful inside and out. But the best part is it’s their inner beauty that overpowers everything else. The outer appearance is just a bonus.”
“You think that about me?” she asked, barely able to get the words out. More tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I know so.”
“How? You barely know me.”
“So you keep telling me.” I grinned. “If I’d known you for years would you believe me more?”
“I don’t know.”
“I personally don’t need to know you for any length of time to tell you what I see. But I seriously hope that the people who’ve known you for years make you feel better than me. I’m actually jealous.”
“Don’t be.” She broke down.
I straightened up and cupped her face. “What’s wrong, baby? Talk to me.”
Her lower lip trembled, quivering as more sadness and tears clouded her features.
“I can’t…” she winced.
Whatever it was must have been real bad.
Instead of persisting, I did the only thing I could and took her back into my arms.
She rested her head near my heart which never beat like this before.
“I got you.” I whispered into her ear.
When she took hold of my hand and held on to it something I wasn’t prepared for happened to me.
She felt like she was mine and my heart ached to see her in pain.
Chapter 18
Summer
“I don’t love him. I don’t love Tom anymore.” Saying the words sounded freeing as if I’d slipped out of the bonds that had held me down for the last few weeks.
“Shouldn’t you sound a little happier than that?” Eilesh asked.
We’d been on the phone now for a few minutes. She’d called every chance she got since the last time I’d spoken to Tom.
I sighed and pressed the phone to my ear while I shuffled around on my chair.
“Its left me bitter, Eilesh. The whole thing. I feel like a fool.”
“I understand. I do, and I wish that I could do something to make you feel better.” Her voice sounded weak.
“Talking to you helps.”
“I still wish I could do more. Summer, it’s all such a mess. I can’t begin to understand how you must feel.”
I couldn’t quite begin to describe it. And, the situation was worsened by Tom’s continuous calls. He’d called every other day for the last two and a half weeks.
I’d taken the plunge and decided to change my number tomorrow. The one I had, had been with me for the last six years. I knew it off by heart and it had just become a part of me. I didn’t want to have to resort to changing it but I didn’t know how much I could take of his constant calls which were now bordering on harassment.
I wasn’t sure who in their right mind would expect to not only have forgiveness, but for me to take him back.
Really?
“I just want to stop feeling bitter.”
“Would that include giving more thought to Alex?” Curiosity filled her voice.
God, this really was such a mess because I was so scared of the feelings I’d developed for Alex that I’d avoided him as best as I could.
For two and a half weeks the poor guy had done all the he could to see if I was okay, help me in whatever way he could, or just talk to me but I just kept myself to myself.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Shouldn’t? That sounds vague, and full of possibility.” Her soft chuckle filled the line.
Realistically, I should have kept the focus on my career. Working at Sullivan’s was the only step I’d made so far in the right direction.
But something had happened to me in the last few weeks that I couldn’t overlook.
I felt terrible that day when I found out that Becca was pregnant, and that Tom had cheated on me for years.
I felt like I was nothing, not important enough to be valued, and like something must have been wrong with me for him to have treated me that way.
But then Alex came home and called me angel. How many times had he called me that since I’d met him?
More times than I counted, and I’d never asked why until that night.
Hearing him describe me as perfect and flawless reached into my soul and awakened something that I didn’t know existed. He’d pried open my closed heart that I was trying so hard to keep from breaking any more than it had.
That was the part that scared me, and what I was afraid to feel. All these weeks I’d sensed it coming and wanted to hold back.
“I shouldn’t.” I repeated, talking more to myself than to her.
“Why?” Eilesh’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. “Why shouldn’t you? He’s not Tom. I understand that you’re hurt and bitter about what’s happened, but does that mean you should make yourself more miserable. The man is practically throwing himself at you. God, can’t you just use him for sex?” She laughed.
I had to laugh too. “Right, Eilesh, I’m supposed to use my one night stand guy who happens to be my boss for sex.”
If that didn’t sound like digging a hole for myself I didn’t know what did. Add the fact that I liked him, and he knew it was a time bomb.
“He’s not though. He’s not a one night stand. A one night stand doesn’t go looking for you to make sure your safe, spoils you rotten, flies you around in his plane, and calls you his angel.”
I pressed my lips together and held my breath.
I hadn’t really thought about him in that way, or maybe it was more like I was trying not to for fear that I would see more of what I wanted and indulge on the desire I felt when I was with him.
“Shall I continue?” Eilesh asked with another giggle knowing she’d made a good point.
“No, don’t. Eilesh, I don’t want to like him too much. Fun is fun, but feeling is different.”
“I totally get that, and I know you don’t want to risk heartbreak but that doesn’t mean you have to walk on egg shells for the rest of your life avoiding anyone you may feel for.”
Subconsciously, that was actually the plan.
“I could try.” I sighed and hugged my knees to my chest.
“Summer, you’re a smart girl, and I’m your friend. You can’t live like that. It’s not a good way to be. You like him. There’s nothing wrong with exploring that and becoming closer.”
“Being closer changes everything.” It felt stupid to say that since Alex and I had gotten as close as we could get. “And then there’s Ashfords.” That had been at the back of my mind, but very much there.
“That is so not even something you should be worried about. Plus, I don’t think he’d care about that. I was concerned in the beginning, but now that you guys are close it’s different. It’s just work. Nothing more, and not anything to worry about.”
I heard the front door open and close. Alex was home.
It was nearly eight. He’d been busy all week which was perfect for my avoidance tactics but he still came in to check on me before going to bed.
My eyes darted towards the door and I moved the phone slightly away from my ear so I could listen out better.
“He’s back.” I muttered.
“Good. I’ll dash then.”
I could hear him coming up the stairs, then his footsteps sounded near the door.
“See you tomorrow for lunch?”
“Yes, let’s try that new pizza place. They do a great garlic and herb base.”
Sounded good.
“Sure.”
“Oh, Summer. Remember what I said. Also I’ll just highlight that most women would sign up to be in your shoes right now. I mean the part about living with an uber gorgeous man who’s begging you to be his.”
I sighed at that, unable to argue. “Noted, Eilesh.
Alex knocked on the door.
The Rules Of Attraction Page 18
