Before we left, I had gone through the bags quickly to see what he had managed to shove in them from my room. It wasn’t everything but it was close to nearly everything that we had downstairs. Clothes were mixed up and shoved in every corner of the suitcases like he had just dumped drawers and pulled clothes off hangers at random.
In the top of one of the bags, however, I found my phone and my charger. The phone had very little battery life on it, having been unplugged for more than a day but it still had some life. I had three missed calls from earlier yesterday when we were at the pool and no other notifications.
One of the calls was from the Camp Latimer registration group. The other two were automated messages selling goods.
Rationally, I tried to break down my options while I used the bathroom as an excuse to have a private moment away from the Fleming twins.
I bit my lip and leaned against the counter while clutching my phone.
Brock’s issue with his business was pretty much done. I hadn’t made any promises to stick around afterward. I said I would help and I did, sort of, although my help did absolutely nothing.
Having sex with him had been great. More than great. My body clenched just thinking about having sex with him. On the other hand, this seemed to be getting into more of a mess than I needed to deal with.
And he lied.
Okay, I had semi-lied to him too, which didn’t make me feel great either. I withheld the truth though. Was that a lie by omission?
That sounded like fuzzy territory to me. Where do you go when a relationship, even a friendship, was built on half-truths from the beginning?
The one thing that was holding me up from trying to bolt right now was what we shared in bed last night and this morning. More importantly how he made me feel. Like I was wanted and that I meant something to him. I wasn’t sure what he meant by being his family but I assumed it meant I was a part of this weird circle of friends he had adopted as his family.
The things he said made me want to surrender my trust to him. Made me want to believe he could take care of everything but my blind faith in my parents had taught me to be cautious. Hadn’t they promised me a life and then taken it away?
I did know that I could take care of Drew and I on my own. I trusted myself to get things done when I needed to. I knew my own strength. If I had learned anything over the last four years, it was that I could trust in myself to put our lives ahead of every selfish thing that I had ever wanted. Chasing my dreams became less important compared to the reality of what I needed to do.
I took a deep breath and called the camp to get directions as a backup. Having a Plan B wasn’t technically assuming that I needed one, just precautionary. I would see what help Brock could provide for the moment then make my move if I had to.
“Camp Latimer,” a chipper woman on the other end of the phone answered.
“Hey, this is Andi Jones, my brother Drew Jones is attending the camp,” I said.
“Yes, I think I recognize the name. He was in here yesterday I believe signing up for a canoe ride with some of the camp volunteers. Sweet kid.”
I smiled slightly. “Yeah he is. Listen, I may have to pick him up early, unfortunately our grandmother has taken a turn for the worse. She’s been hospitalized.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I won’t say anything to him but you can pick him up at the camp if you need to. We’ll refund the remainder of the camp if you decide on a pick up. Just come to the office and we’ll track him down when you show up.”
“Thank you. Okay, uhm, I’m afraid I’ve misplaced the directions on how to get to the camp. It’s been crazy the last couple of days.”
“I understand,” she said and I could hear her doing something in the background. “I’ll send you an email with the directions. I have it on his admission forms I think.”
“Yes, you do. Just send it over and I’ll figure out if I need to get him or not.”
“Okay, it’s already sent. Should be over to you in a couple of minutes.”
A feeling of relief flooded me. At least I had it if I needed it. I told her goodbye, then hung up. The email was already in my inbox when I checked it.
There was a knock at the door. “Andi?”
It was Owen, time to go.
Shoving my cell into the back of my pants, I covered it with my shirt. I walked out of the bathroom and both brothers were patiently waiting with the luggage.
“Ready.”
Noah gave me a speculative look. “Everything okay?”
I smiled. “Yeah, let’s go. Oh, I checked my luggage. I have no idea how I forgot, but I left something at my apartment apparently. Can we swing by there?”
Noah nodded. “Not a problem, headed that direction anyway.”
I walked through the door ahead of them, down the hall and out of the penthouse.
We made our way down to the lobby. Each man took on a serious look as we descended. Like they were switching back into job mode and preparing to deal with things if something happened. I could see why they were likely very good as bodyguards. Their focus became very clear in their faces. They reminded me of Brock the more I spent time with them.
We stepped into the lobby and the noise level was noticeable.
The hotel was officially open today and it was evident with the amount of people walking around and the line at the elevator.
I got a couple of curious looks, likely directed at my jeans and t-shirt. Everyone else looked extremely well dressed in expensive clothing.
The twins and I wandered through the crowd and out into the main lobby.
I turned to Owen and asked, “Do I need to get my car? It’s up in the parking garage. I would feel better about all of this if it was moved to my apartment.”
He considered that for a moment when we came to a stop at the couches in the lobby. Noah continued to head through the crowd with my luggage.
“Noah is getting our truck. We’ll take that back to Brock’s house but I don’t see why that would be a problem.”
I smiled. “I could drive it over there.”
He shook his head. “No, one of us will follow in the car.”
He was looking over my shoulder at something so I turned and noticed there was a big screen TV on mute but showing the latest news.
It looked like there was a press conference starting in front of a building I didn’t recognize and a woman was talking about something.
The headline caught my attention: “Latimer Tech Trouble, Data Leak”
The screen cut to the stairs in front of the building as Aiden walked down them. It was evening there but the lights of the cameras were focused on him.
Behind him, looking polished and in a black suit, Brock was following. He smiled at the blonde woman beside him. The same one that had been at the party the previous night, Angela.
I watched as she wrapped her arm around his elbow as they stepped down the stairs. She was wearing a vibrant blue skin-tight dress that once again pushed her chest out for full display. Even in the dimming light it highlighted her features and made her stand out.
If I hadn’t suspected that she was after Brock before then it was evident now as she leaned into him on national news. They seemed chatty with each other as they waited for Aiden to finish speaking.
My nerves were on overload as it was. I felt stretched emotionally from the rollercoaster of the last twenty-four hours. Seeing Brock and that woman, smiling at each other about something as Aiden started answering questions, was making me sick to my stomach.
He said they were colleagues but I hated that she was even there. She still had her arm around his as she leaned in to tell him something. Her chest was dangerously close to touching his arm and he didn’t look like he cared to create some distance.
I had no reason whatsoever to be jealous. None. So, the thought of her tripping down the stairs and watching her land on her ass was unwarranted. It didn’t stop me from thinking it though.
Brock leaned over close
to hear her say something once more, then smiled and laughed. It was the Fleming smile I was getting used to seeing. Open, gorgeous and amused. The same one he gave me.
My eyes slid from the TV and over to one of the plants in the lobby. I didn’t want to watch it anymore.
There was an achy feeling in my chest that gave me a chill.
Owen stepped closer to me. “I don’t know what’s going through that head of yours, girly, but you need to shut it down. He has to make a statement today that everything is good or the business could be in trouble.”
I looked down at the floor. “He’s a player and a liar.”
“Whoa, he’s neither. What’s eating you?”
I swung my gaze back up to the TV just as he and Angela stepped to the microphones. She was still snuggly against him and he gave her another flashy smile.
I gestured toward the TV with my hand. “What the hell, Owen? Do you even see that? He’s flirting! She was doing that shit at the party last night too. And I know you saw her come out of that room, whatever it was, with him before we took a walk around the room.”
A few people glanced over at me and I realized I had been yelling.
I leaned into him slightly and hissed, “He lied about you, he lied about where he was today. He said I would flip out and I’m flipping!”
“Andi, he’s the face of that particular branch of Latimer Enterprises. That woman is his public relations manager and she does a great job keeping that company in a positive spotlight as far as I know. I don’t know everything that’s going on but I suspect they’re trying to put up a united front for all the bad publicity. That doesn’t mean anything. He’s worried about you and he’s faking as best as he can. Look at him, he’s smiling but he’s not smiling. I know my brother.”
I looked back again but couldn’t see what he was seeing. All I could see was Angela. And Angela’s tits dangerously close to rubbing again Brock’s arm.
What the hell was wrong with me? Why did I care?
The TV switched to a breaking news segment and cut off the press conference with Angela and Brock. I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye and pealed my eyes away from the TV.
Owen growled, “Shit, we should have left sooner.”
I turned toward the flash and saw a couple of cameramen snapping photos in my direction. I looked around to see who they were photographing. A man was standing a couple of feet away from me, smiling as the cameras kept clicking. I thought he looked like some celebrity I had seen in a movie.
A reporter was doing an interview but her cameraman was doing a small sweep of the room and landed squarely on me.
I looked over at the TV and saw myself on national news, looking like a bystander in the room with Owen scowling over my shoulder.
My face, on national news. Holy shit.
Owen moved in front of me but the damage was already done. If a random lawyer from New York had recognized me then it was possible someone else would too. But who watched celebrity news these days?
Like, more than half of the country.
I groaned.
I glanced back at the TV and saw the name of the person they were interviewing. Colton Blackwell. Aiden’s competitor that they suspected was behind the data breaches at the company.
I flashed back to the moment when Robert had recognized me at the table. Maggie had been there and Robert had clearly spoken my name.
If he had been hauled off as one of the conspirators this morning it was possible that he had told this Colton man before he was arrested. If they were in league together. Big if.
Possible. Not probable. No need to panic yet.
Noah approached us from the side. “Everything is good, just need to get out of here. What’s the media swarming for outside?”
Owen answered, “Colten Blackwell standing to your left. They just got a full view of Andi on camera.”
Owen’s eyes flicked toward the muted TV showing the interview.
Noah growled. “Shit. Bad timing.”
There was a small commotion behind Owen but I couldn’t tell what it was. His wide chest was blocking my vision.
Noah started for the front doors. Owen snaked an arm around my waist and started moving both of us in the same direction.
Mr. Blackwell was commenting on the latest news about the security breach at Aiden’s tech firm as we passed. It sounded like he was denying any involvement.
My phone started ringing and caused Owen to jump. He reached around, pulled it out of the back of my jeans and handed it to me. I fumbled it and it went crashing to the marble floor.
Several eyes turned to us when I bent down to pick it up, including Colton Blackwell’s. He did a slight double take when my eyes met his, then he winked.
An unsettling feeling knotted in my stomach as I picked the phone up.
There were two sharp sounds that pierced the air around us and a loud POP POP rang out across the lobby.
Owen grunted and flung himself on top of me. I went down hard on the marble floor and heard people screaming. The room was suddenly complete chaos.
“We have to get out of here. NOW!” Owen yelled above the noise.
Noah plowed through a couple of people to get back to us.
Owen rolled off me and stood up in one motion while Noah lifted me up and tucked me into his chest as we ran for the entrance.
There was another loud POP and the vase beside the door exploded, sending tiny fragments of it everywhere. I could feel the shards hit my arms.
When we raced outside there was a black SUV sitting in front. Noah opened the doors and shoved me into the back seat. Owen followed me in and flung his body down across mine while shutting the door.
The SUV was on the move in seconds with Noah at the wheel.
Owen rolled off me and sat up. “Stay down Andi.”
I did as he said, too shocked to do anything else.
There was a ringing in the car.
Then there was a loud BOOM behind us. Owen flinched and the car swerved slightly.
“What the—” I heard Noah say.
Owen was looking behind us through the back window and had a hand on my arm pushing me into the seat.
The car sped up and screeched around a corner.
“I can’t tell but it looks like something blew in the parking garage. Possible bomb, get Ian on the line.”
The ringing had stopped then it started again.
“Trying,” Noah said.
“Hey brother, what’s up?” Brock’s voice said over the speakers.
“Sorry man, I know you’re busy.”
“Hold on a second,” Brock said and a muffled sound come over the speakers like he had put his hand over the phone.
I could hear a deep voice then a different lighter voice of a woman.
I buried my face into the seat and started to cry quietly. My adrenaline was starting to come down and I felt exhausted.
Asshole. She was there. Wherever the fuck they were.
Owen’s hand started rubbing my back. “It’s okay little sister, you just get it all out. We’re safe.”
Brock’s voice came back over the phone. “Okay, we’re headed to the airport. Sorry Aiden was on the phone with Liv. Have you moved her?”
Noah’s voice sounded irritated. “Yeah you could say we’re moving her. We’re about thirty minutes out with the way I’m driving and I hope we don’t get pulled over. Your girlfriend’s face was plastered all over national news thanks to Colton Blackwell. There was a shooter in the lobby and something blew up at the hotel. Mind telling me what you’d like to do when you get a chance?”
“What the fuck did you just say?” Brock’s voice had suddenly become deadly. “Where is Andi?!”
“She’s here in the SUV. We’re headed back to Lakefield, to your place. Owen has a shoulder injury. Are you in the dark there, man?”
“Yeah Aiden, hold on! Did you just get a call?” I heard Brock yell. “Okay brother, get her back to my place, it has all the set up you need.
Owen, you okay?”
Owen grumbled, “Just a graze. Andi’s good.”
“Of course, she is. She’s the bravest girl I know.”
Owen, who was still rubbing my back, said, “You can say that again.”
“Drew?” I asked Owen. My voice was still tight with emotion and I let out a small sob. “I need my brother.”
Owen said, “We need a pickup on the kid.”
“On it. Meet you at the house,” Brock responded then hung up.
Owen leaned over me. “Did I ever tell you how much of a complete dick my brother can be sometimes when he’s focused on something?”
I huffed. “Why should I care?”
“Oh, you do. It’s written all over your face that you do. Sometimes he can get so focused on his job or how to solve the bigger problems that he sometimes forgets to be polite.”
“He’s been like that since he was kid,” Noah grumbled.
Owen gave me a sideways glance. “Thought I would let you know since you’re a part of the family now. It takes a lot of patience to put up with him.”
I frowned. “Yeah his extended family full of friends.”
Owen looked at me. “No, I mean you’re a Fleming now. Our family.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, sniffling while I ran a hand over my cheek.
Noah laughed deeply. “Oh God, please tell me she’s getting this.”
Owen smirked. “You’re chipped sweetheart. No question, you’re a Fleming.”
My head came up and I stared blankly at him.
“Chipped?”
Owen and Noah laughed at whatever joke I wasn’t getting.
Owen nodded and leaned back in his seat. “Yeah as in, you have a chip in your arm, just like the rest of the immediate family. Ian’s way of keeping track of us. He’s paranoid of losing one of us. Did he not tell you when he gave you a shot? He told me on the phone this morning.”
My mouth hung open. What shot? He never— My mind went back to this morning when he had pinched me awake. When I had opened my eyes, he was leaning over the nightstand and dropped something in the drawer.
My mouth clamped shut and my eyes narrowed.
Owen chuckled again. “Guess she didn’t know. I can’t wait for this. I’m taking bets on Andi.”
Chase (Lakefield Book 4) Page 14
