by Drake, Aspen
“Of course it is.” He wipes the corner of his mouth and smiles. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason.” I watch his dark eyes peer right into me and want the rest of him to follow. “Things just seem serious with work.”
He nods and takes another bite of his sandwich. “I’ve got a lot of irons in the fire.”
“Sounds hot.” I smirk, giving in to the flirty side I feel whenever I’m around Hunter.
He takes a drink of water then winks. “Well, ya know, living the dream.”
His eyes are smoldering as he licks his lips.
My breath hitches and a shiver passes over my skin. “How are you still single?”
He laughs and pulls back, obviously thinking my lust-induced question is a joke rather than a completely real and serious question.
“I’m smart.” Hunter winks then reaches for his sandwich. “I like to keep things casual so there aren’t any expectations. No expectations means no one gets hurt.”
I force a smile as his words sink in. It’s not like I had grand expectations of this becoming anything serious. I didn’t. But it still stings to hear him say the words. And the reminder of why I need to keep my heart sheltered is staring me in the face.
Again.
This is probably for the best, though. With all of Eli’s shit and Jenna needing my help with Ollie, it’s better that I don’t look for anything serious right now.
“Yeah, I guess a guy in your position has too much to lose by settling down.”
“Totally,” Hunter says over a mouthful of food. “I doubt I’ll ever get married. Too much risk for too little reward.”
“But you’re such a romantic…” I deadpan, hoping he buys my act.
I just need to get through lunch and then I can go lick my wounds by myself. Hunter James is at the prime of his life. I’d probably judge if he were willing to sacrifice everything he had going for him for a girl like me.
And if I’m looking for a bright side, I guess the fact that he’s opposed to relationships with all women and not just me is comforting.
Kinda.
But not really.
Eighteen
Hunter
The call from Alex confirms our hunch. Several women have come in and out of the make-shift agency where Carolina interviewed for the personal assistant position. I’m surprised the group isn’t moving their operation on a daily basis, but I guess after getting away with their hustle for a few months now, they’ve gotten comfortable.
Which is good for us.
Comfort makes the bad guys careless and provides more opportunity for missteps that will lead us to them. A number of the women who have been in and out of the building match the profile of those who have gone missing in the past.
Jorgenson has approved several small teams to watch the woman, providing surveillance for those who don’t have family at home. Unfortunately, that’s most of them since the suspects seem to be targeting those who live alone and don’t have a strong support system.
That’s something we found out during Carolina’s interview. Several questions came up about the type of privacy issues the applicants might have at home, such as a roommate or spouse. Of course, Carolina’s training kicked in and she made certain to let them know she lived alone and wouldn’t have any trouble keeping things confidential. No one would even know she worked for this person. If that doesn’t set her up as prime picking, I don’t know what will.
Alex has a team watching a fake apartment that’s been set up for Carolina. Cameras have been placed throughout the place and she’s playing the role of lonely and innocent girl looking for a job, hoping the kidnappers will strike.
If they make a move, we should be able to hand this off to the Feds so they can make some arrests.
But for the time being, all we can do is watch...and wait.
* * *
“Want to get a drink?” Normally, I would text Emma, but right now, I want to hear her voice. I’ve had a shitty day at work, and one of the women the team was watching this morning has already disappeared and we’ve only got eyes on two others. I have no idea how many have been interviewed, but if we get a missing person report for any of them, it’ll officially become a federal case.
I’ve been thinking about the unfortunate possibilities all damn day.
In my head, I’m sure the woman we lost track of is fine. But in my gut, I’m worried we’ve already lost her.
Emma is huffing into the phone, and there’s a ton of street noise in the background. “Sorry, I can’t. Got plans.”
“We can make it quick. If you’re tired, I can bring a bottle to your place.” Am I begging? I feel like I’m begging.
Emma laughs. “Yeah, right. Because you at my place gives me so much time to relax.”
Okay, she has me there. “Just an hour. You don’t even have to go home first. Just head to my office after your last delivery, and we’ll go from here.”
“Has it even crossed your mind that I might actually have other plans?”
Oh, she sounds feisty. I like when Emma gets all heated and fights back. “Do you have other plans?”
“Yes, I do. I said that in the beginning. I might be free tomorrow or the next night. But I’ve got a thing with my friend later.”
“A girlfriend?”
Emma’s heavy breathing stops, and I imagine her frozen on the sidewalk, pausing her frantic pace toward her next delivery. “Why? Are you jealous?”
Am I? Fuck, I think I am. “No, just wondering.”
Emma’s labored breathing picks up again, and the wind noise dies down. She must’ve entered a building. “Not that it matters, but yes, I’m going with my best friend to a thing she has.”
Good. Although, I don’t know when I became so needy. “Are you free for lunch tomorrow?”
“Hold on a sec.” I can hear her tapping the screen of her phone, and then she’s back on the line. “I think so. Doesn’t look like there are any new bonuses I’ll be working toward. I should be able to take time off at lunch.”
If she hadn’t been so stubborn and refused the cash I tried to give her last week, she wouldn’t be so worried about trying to hit a bonus. I need to find a way to be sneakier. “Gee, thanks. I appreciate you penciling me in.”
She giggles. “Sorry, but I’m not just the face of Meals2Me. I’m also the arms and legs of it, so I can’t really take time off. But I have to go now. It’s time for the face to stop chatting and make this delivery.”
“All right.” I sigh, annoyed that she can’t talk longer. “Be safe with your friend.”
She harrumphs into the phone. “Don’t worry. I definitely will. Bye.”
Emma hangs up before I have a chance to ask what the hell she meant by that. Now I’m really curious about her plans for the afternoon.
And part of me wonders if she even considered inviting me to meet her friend. It’s silly since I’m the one who should be avoiding a relationship at all costs. I need to focus on work and my own shit, not worrying about Emma.
But I think I’m too late for that.
I shouldn’t care if she’s going out with a guy, but I do. I don’t want to commit to a relationship, but I don’t want her hooking up while we’re sleeping together. We may have to come to some kind of agreement sooner rather than later.
Of course, I’m a complete dumbass for saying what I did while we ate lunch the other day. I can’t blame her for being a bit standoffish. What woman wants to hear the man she’s sleeping with say he isn’t interested in getting married.
But I guess it’s better to be honest with her upfront before she really starts trying to build something between us. But I won’t lie and say I don’t want more than what we have now. And if she wants me to commit to just her, I’m willing to consider it. For her. I think I can be happy with one woman, especially if that woman is Emma. She’s not like any other woman I’ve ever been with. She’s stubborn in the most sexy way. And although I’m able to hide my emotions a little bit better th
an she does, I feel the same crimson flush across my body that she shows on her face when we’re in close proximity to one another.
I’m just grateful it doesn’t spread across my face, displaying the truth about the effect she has on me. She’s learned quickly that I’m the one who’s in control and she has to be a good girl to please me.
But the fact is that she’s the one in control over me.
And I think she knows it.
Now I’m calling her and practically begging to spend time with her. It’s pathetic but seeing her again and feeling her body reacting to mine will be worth it.
My cock hardens at the thought of what I’d do to her if I were able to see her tonight. But it’s just an exercise in frustration, so I try to refocus on the paperwork in front of me and pray for this day to finally come to an end.
Nineteen
Emma
Jenna and I pull up to a set of office buildings downtown about ten minutes before her scheduled interview. She’s nervous and excited, so I have to tell her more than once that she’ll be great and to just flash that brilliant smile everyone loves. I reach over and squeeze her arm. “You can do this.”
“What if they don’t like me? Maybe I shouldn’t have been so excited on the phone when they offered the interview. I don’t want to come across as desperate.” Jenna steps out of the car and begins running her hands over her blouse, as though she’s trying to smooth out invisible wrinkles.
“You’re not desperate, so don’t panic when they ask you questions. Take a moment to breathe and answer as openly and honestly as possible. They’ll love you. If it’s meant to be, it will happen.” Giving her a hug, I point to the coffee shop next door. “I’ll be right in there waiting for you.”
Jenna takes a deep breath then exhales nervously. “I’ve got this.”
“Yes, you do. Now go knock ‘em dead.”
She puts on her sparkly smile and walks up to the nondescript building. I watch her until she disappears into the lobby before I turn toward the small café. Once inside, I head to the counter and order a medium latte before settling down at a table by the window.
After lugging a borrowed paperback around for the past few months, I pull it from my bag and open it up, hoping I haven’t forgotten the entire story as I start to read. The story quickly pulls me back in and the next half hour passes quickly. Assuming she’ll be done soon, I order a latte for Jenna too, hoping we have something to celebrate.
After I read a few more pages, Jenna finally drops onto the chair across from me. I push the drink toward her and look at her excited expression. “That good?” I ask, knowing from her face that she had been worrying over nothing.
“Better than good. I think they’re going to offer me the job!”
“That’s great.” I reach for her hand from across the table and give it a squeeze. “I told you not to worry.”
“I’m not sure how many applicants they have, but the two guys I met with seemed very impressed.”
“And why wouldn’t they be?” I ask pointedly. “You’re amazing, after all.”
Jenna chuckles and takes a sip of her latte. “I didn’t mention Ollie though, so I hope they don’t find out about him and not offer me the position.”
“They didn’t ask about him, did they? Really, they aren’t supposed to ask about family or kids in job interviews.”
“No, they didn’t. It’s just, from the way they talked, they’ve had issues with people not being able to perform their work because of sick kids or relatives. I figured it was best to just keep quiet. I could really use the extra money, and I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me out if Ollie does get sick.”
A genuine smile pulls at my lips. “Of course. You know you can always count on me for anything.”
“I know,” she says before taking another sip. “I just hope I get a call back.”
“Did they mention how soon they would be making a decision?”
“I think within the next week or so. One of the guys, Fred, mentioned they had another day of first round interviews before doing call backs for second interviews.”
“So, you think it sounds promising?”
“Definitely.” Jenna is practically bouncing in her chair. “The other guy said he thought I’d be one of the first they call. Of course, he could be saying that to everyone.”
“I doubt it. I’m sure they really liked you. You’d be a great asset to their team, Jenna. They’ll call.” I smile at her warmly, knowing how much Jenna needs a good break. And this may just be her opportunity to finally start seeing a light at the end of her tunnel. “This calls for a celebration. Dinner is on me tonight.”
Jenna smiles indulgently. “Emma, you can’t afford to buy me dinner.”
I wave off her concerns. “You don’t worry about that. Where do you want to go?”
“We should probably get back. I’m sure the babysitter will want to leave soon.”
“I’ve got that handled too. She’s there for another two hours.”
Jenna looks at me with a sly grin. “Sneaky much?”
“Maybe.” I waggle my eyebrows. “But we haven’t had a night out in a while, so let’s enjoy it while we can.”
Jenna takes the last sip of her coffee and nods. “Okay, let’s go.”
The two of us practically race to the car and head to one of our favorite places to eat.
* * *
The next morning, I wake up feeling only slightly refreshed. Having to snooze my alarm twice before finally crawling out of bed isn’t a good indicator of how my day will probably go. After brushing my teeth, I shoot a text to Jenna. Morning sunshine.
I’m running late. She responds almost immediately and a few seconds later, I hear Ollie and Jenna racing down the hallway outside our apartments. Which can only mean one thing. Ollie’s probably about to miss the bus, which means Jenna will have to take him to school. And we both have busy days ahead of us, so another iron in the fire isn’t something she needs to deal with this morning.
Text when you get back. I’m hopping in the shower.
Okay. Her reply is short and to the point.
The warm shower feels great, the spray of water working out the tension in my upper back. Once I’m finished, I dry off before wrapping a towel around my body and then placing my hair in a bun to get it out of my face.
I pick up my phone, surprised Jenna hasn’t replied yet. Knowing she’s probably stuck in traffic, I get dressed quickly then grab the phone I use for Meals2Me jobs and stick my personal phone in my back pocket. Most of the time, I only carry my work phone when I’m working, but since Jenna hasn’t replied yet, I want to make sure I get her message while I figure out if there’s a bonus to obtain today.
Scrolling through the app, I finally come across the information I’m looking for. A fifty-dollar bonus has been added if I make thirty-five deliveries today. That’s my usual routine, so I set my profile to active before swapping the phones out and seeing if Jenna has sent a text. She hasn’t.
Did you go back to sleep? I quickly send her another message, hoping she hasn’t forgotten she has a shift starting at nine.
I wait a few more minutes for her response while I finish getting ready. Since I’m working today, my outfit is simple and comfortable. Jeans and a designer t-shirt along with tennis shoes complete my outfit. I tie my hair into a ponytail, grateful that I don’t have to do more than that to deliver sandwiches.
I check my phone again and still don’t see a response from Jenna. She probably fell onto her couch when she walked through her door after getting Ollie off to school. After swiping my keys from the side table next to the entryway door, I head into the hallway before making a right toward Jenna’s place.
I’m nearly at her door when a noise from behind me catches my attention. It sounds like the quick rapping of metal. I glance over my shoulder before an icy chill washes down my body. Jenna is struggling, with a hand clamped over her mouth. Under the hand is a white cloth. Before I can even react, h
er body goes limp and the elevator doors shut.
Panic sets in.
I don’t know why someone would hurt Jenna, but I can’t let them get away. Racing down the hallway, I make it to the stairwell in record time. We live on the fourth floor of an eight story building, so I’m hoping I can make it to the ground level before the elevator does.
My feet are pounding on each step as I run down the stairs, taking two at a time. I give one final burst of effort when I reach the ground level and push through the stairwell door. Looking around frantically, the elevator doors are closing, so I know I’m too late.
They reached this floor before I did.
I snap my head to the entryway of our building, catching a glimpse of Jenna’s shimmery black blouse on the left side of the glass door. Rushing to catch up with whoever is taking her, I slam through the door and turn left.
“Hey!” I yell out, hoping to startle the man pushing Jenna into the back seat of a black SUV. Unfortunately, the noise from the street doesn’t help my voice carry, and the man slams the back door without even looking my way. Running as fast as my legs can carry me, I reach the door of the SUV right before the man closes it.
As I struggle to pull it open, I try to punch the home button on my phone to get Siri to call the police. I hear the familiar beeping noise, grateful for the impending rescue, when a blunt force slaps at my hand, sending the phone flying onto the sidewalk. Before I can turn and see who’s behind me, the same hand shoves a white cloth over my mouth and nose.
I’m caught off guard and the shock causes me to inhale when he grabs me. A sweetish odor fills my nostrils before the world becomes hazy around me and goes dark.
Twenty
