by KB Winters
Oh, fuck…now what do I say?
“Um, well, this is kind of an odd questions, but do you happen to know what company he is currently working—or consulting, for?”
“I really don’t know. We try not to talk about work too much. Why? What’s going on, Allie?”
“This is really hard to say, but, I found proof that he hacked into Plush and tried to steal our database.”
Silence.
I knew I hadn’t given the most graceful delivery, but then how could something like that ever go smoothly?
“What are you talking about? Clay isn’t a hacker for hire, Allie. And to be frank, I’m more than a little offended that you would call me up and tell me something like that, especially after all the shit you’ve put me through.”
I reared back as if he’d reached through the phone and slapped me. Through everything that had happened at Spotlight, Bryce had always been incredibly supportive, and even afterward, when Rita had made his life hell to punish him for hiring me in the first place, he’d remained gracious.
“I’m sorry, but I have proof. You have to know I wouldn’t have even asked if I wasn’t sure about this. I know these are really serious allegations.”
Bryce scoffed. “Did Cooper put you up to this or something? Is this another game? One of his tests for you?”
“What are you talking about?” My heart rate jumped up again, it sounded like my pulse was ringing in my ears.
“You know he can’t be trusted, Allie. He’s been playing you this whole time.”
I was too stunned to speak. My mouth flopped open, but nothing came out. Bryce’s tone was harsh and vindictive and he continued without waited for me to respond.
“He made me a deal, Allie. If I got you a job at Spotlight, he would hire Clay to work for him at Brighton Enterprises. I didn’t realize that once I got you fired, that he would swoop in and give you Clay’s position.”
Full alarm bells were ringing in my head.
“Got me fired? It was you?”
He let out a cold laugh that scattered goosebumps all over my body. “Yes. Clay was at the party that night, Allie. He was the one who caught you tongue fucking with Cooper in the hallway. I sent the pictures to Rita.”
“But why? What did I ever do to you?”
“You really don’t get it, do you?” he replied. “It’s not personal, Allie. I did it to get back at that conniving Cooper. I held up my end of the bargain, but he backed out of his deal with Clay the moment he saw you at Spotlight. So, when Clay snapped the pictures of you at the party, we knew sending them to Rita would get you fired. He wanted you there, and after he backed out of the deal, I no longer wanted you here.”
I couldn’t think straight. The cold cackle on the other end of the phone filled my mind, leaving no room for anything else. I hung up the phone and backed away as though it were some sort of venomous snake. My hands were shaking and all the blood had drained from my face. I wanted to stand, to run away and never look back, but I didn’t trust my legs to carry me.
Bryce’s confession played over and over in my mind.
He had been the one to send those pictures. He’d gotten me fired from Spotlight.
All for what? So his boyfriend could get some tech job?
I shook my head. Something wasn’t right.
And what had he said about Cooper? Cooper had forced him to get me the job at Spotlight in the first place. But how did he even know who I was? For the life of me, I couldn’t recall ever seeing him at the cafe before and that was the only place I’d ever seen Bryce. Before I started at Spotlight, we only knew each other because he was a regular customer. Had he told Cooper about me? But, even if he had, why would Cooper have made a deal like that?
Nothing made sense. I leaned against the desk, burying my face in my hands, trying to get the room to stop spinning.
When I righted myself, I knew what I had to do.
I grabbed my purse and stalked out of the office.
I went to the parking garage but stopped short when I realized that Cherry Bomb wasn’t sitting in the parking spot where I’d left her.
“What the fuck?” I hissed, looking around to make sure I was on the right level.
Once I confirmed I was in the right place, I fished my phone out of my purse and called Cooper’s cell phone.
“Allie,” he answered on the second ring. “Hold on one second.”
I didn’t respond. I waited until the shuffling sounds on his end cleared.
“Okay, go ahead,” he said.
“Where’s my bike?”
“Are you leaving the office? What time is it?”
“I don’t know and I don’t fucking care. I’m done. Tell me where my bike is so I can go home.”
“Home?”
“I just had a very interesting conversation with your pal, Bryce,” I said. “You know what, I’m not even mad at you. I’m mad at myself for, once again, getting sucked back into your fucked up game. I mean really, I played right into your hands again.”
“Hold on. I’ll be there in ten minutes and we can talk about this.”
“No, Cooper, I’m—”
He hung up.
“Fuck!” I yelled, releasing all my pent-up anger. My outburst echoed around the garage and some businessmen a few stalls away stared at me in disgust. I clenched my fists and starting pacing. I knew that I could call a cab and go home or even hop on a bus, but a part of me wanted to stick around and wait to confront Cooper face to face.
I also wanted my bike.
However, I wasn’t willing to wait in a parking garage all afternoon. I left and went down the stairs to the street level. I walked down a few blocks to the coffee shop I liked, praying I wouldn’t run into anyone from the office, especially Parker. I’d been lucky to avoid him since our awkward date and his even more awkward premature break up email.
For all I knew, Cooper had him stuffed in a closet somewhere.
It wouldn’t surprise me even a little bit.
I stepped inside the—thankfully vacant—coffee shop and ordered a decaf. Lord knew the last thing I needed was caffeine running around my system. I’d probably self-destruct.
My legs were restless, but I knew that pacing around wasn’t an option so I forced myself to sit at one of the tables. I waited, and right at the ten minute mark, a text came through on my phone.
Where are you?
I texted back the name of the coffee shop.
I glanced around again, realizing how inappropriate the venue was for the showdown that was about to unfold. It was an artsy little coffee shop that played delicate, soothing instrumental music in the background. It was not the kind of place for a verbal brawl. And, somehow, with Cooper, I always got loud.
I was staring out the window, watching for his arrival, when I heard the sounds of a motorcycle revving. I turned in the direction of the sound and my mouth dropped open for the second time that afternoon at the scene unfolding along the curb.
Cooper was standing beside Cherry Bomb with a helmet in his hands. There was a white truck pulled up with a trailer and it was obvious that it had been used to transport my bike to the café—the ramp was still lowered out of the back.
I jumped up and threw my cup of coffee in the trash on my way outside.
“Cooper, what the fuck?” I yelled, again drawing scornful stares of passersby.
“You told me I needed a helmet,” he said with a slight smile as he gestured at the helmet in his hands.
“No, no, no.” I started rubbing my temples, trying to hold off the beginnings of a throbbing headache. “What is Cherry Bomb doing here, with you?”
“That was the appointment I had to go to. I was going to surprise you,” Cooper said, gesturing at the bike.
That’s when I realized that the seat was fixed. Brand new leather was stretched over the bike. I stepped closer and ran my fingers along the smooth surface. It was expensive leather and the work looked impeccable. I glared back at Cooper.
“Marx?”
“Won’t be bothering you again.”
“Do I even want to know?” I asked, wincing at the question.
“Marx was arrested this afternoon. He’s going to jail for a long time.”
“What?” My eyes flew open wider as I stared at Cooper.
He paused, stopping to pay the man with the truck and my heart raced as I waited impatiently for him to finish telling me what he was talking about.
Marx, in jail?
I couldn’t say I felt sorry for him. It was exactly what he deserved, but how?
“Turns out that he had a little bit of a drug problem. I had my PI track him down and caught him selling drugs. Pretty hard core stuff. I figured local law enforcement would want to know about something like that. So, Allie, you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
My mind was spinning with all the new information. Between what Bryce had told me and Cooper getting my bike fixed, and now, Marx arrested—it was all too much. I was practically seeing double as I stared blankly at Cooper.
“Why did you do that? A PI?”
“To protect you, Allie. He only got what he deserved.”
“This is too much,” I said. I turned and started walking away. I didn’t know where I was going, but I had to move. I had to get away to think and process everything that had just come to light.
“Allie, don’t go.”
I reeled around at his touch on my elbow and backed away. “What do you want now?”
“Come on, take me for a ride and I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” he said, holding out his hand to me.
“I’m not taking you anywhere. Thank you for this,” I gestured over at the new seat. “But, we’re done, Cooper. I just had a very enlightening conversation with Bryce. He told me everything.”
I paused, waiting for a reaction, but Cooper’s face remained as passive as ever.
“Ugh! I know, okay? I know about the deal you made with him to get me hired at Spotlight!”
“I see.”
“Seriously! That’s all you’re going to say? I see?”
I turned and paced a few steps away before going back to face him like a boomerang. “Cooper, you don’t get it. This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about. You have been controlling me. Whenever I bring it up, you smoke screen me with sad stories about your fiancée and your dad and now your sister, and I’m sorry about all of those things. Really, I can’t even imagine. But this time, you can’t hide behind that. I deserve the truth, Cooper!”
As soon as my tirade left my mouth, I regretted it. I shouldn’t have brought up the people that Cooper had lost. It wasn’t fair. But then, nothing I’d said was a lie. He’d been using it as a way to avoid telling me the truth. Every time I questioned him, he threw up some new tragedy for me to process and by the time I was done, I’d forgotten the original reason I had been so angry with him.
“Allison, I’m not going to have this conversation with you out here on the sidewalk. Come on, we will go back to the office.”
He reached out for my arm and I jerked away violently. “No! I’m not going anywhere with you. Just leave me alone.”
I pushed past him and grabbed my helmet that was strapped onto the back rest. I revved the engine, secretly loving the smooth seat underneath me. It was a massive improvement from the patched together duct tape job I’d done.
Not that I was going to admit that to Cooper.
He stepped in front, blocking my path. “Allie, I’m going with you.”
I sighed. Of course he was. I was about to tell him off, but then thought better of it as a new thought crossed my mind and I had to bite back an evil grin.
Fine. If he was so insistent, I would give him the ride of his life.
“Get on.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cooper seemed taken aback that I would bark an order at him, and I could practically see resistance rolling off him. I revved the engine, relishing in the purr of the motor as well as the look on Cooper’s face, the utter dismay at me being the one in control for once.
“Now or never,” I said.
He climbed on the back of the bike and we rocked slightly as his weight distributed. He wrapped his hands around my waist and even through my jacket, his touch sent flames of heat throughout my whole body. I tried to ignore the rampant sensations and ripped away from the curb, smiling like crazy at the sudden tightness to Cooper’s grip on my waist.
I flew through downtown, going as fast as I dared, holding back a laugh the entire time as Cooper dug his fingers in deeper to my sides, especially when turning around corners. I had never had a guy on the back of Cherry Bomb before. I was usually the one on the back. And I loved that it was Cooper and I could fuck with him and throw him off balance for once instead of always feeling like I was at his mercy.
Although…there were certain times when I didn’t mind being at his mercy.
I shook off the thought and tried to refocus on my anger and frustration.
This wasn’t the time to go wandering down lusty lane, I reminded myself.
“Where are we going?” Cooper yelled, the wind whipping his words away.
I didn’t answer. He would see as soon as I took the next turn. He’d been to my apartment a few times, well enough to know the general area.
If we were going to have this out, I wanted it to be on my turf. It was probably going to be long, drawn out and unpleasant and I didn’t want to be the one meandering around in public, trying to find a ride home, with tears streaming down my face.
At the thought, my guts twisted and a sense of impending doom settled over me.
I was really going to do it.
I was going to end things with Cooper.
I trained my eyes on the road in front of me and ratcheted the speed up another five miles per hour.
“Allison!”
I ignored him and bumped up another five.
Eventually, I had to slow as I neared the apartment complex and got off the freeway. I pulled into the lot and immediately jumped off the bike.
Cooper got off and frustratingly, he looked unfazed. His suit barely looked ruffled as he removed his helmet and set it down on the seat of the bike next to mine.
Whatever.
“Why are we at your apartment?” he asked, crossing his arms as he waited for my answer.
“I told you, I’m done with Brighton Enterprises. I told you I was going home. You’re the one who insisted on going with me, so…” I waved up at the building. “Here we are.”
“Fine. It’s not ideal, but fine. Can we go upstairs?”
I sighed with a dramatic flair and stomped up the stairs.
“All right. You insisted on this, so what do you want to say?” Once we were both inside my apartment, we squared off in the tiny kitchen. Our anger and pent-up frustration was palpable in the small space. I wanted to open a window or door in hopes of releasing some of it, but didn’t dare move. It was like encountering a bear in the wild. Small movements, don’t run like crazy or they’ll take you down. I knew I was no match for Cooper’s size, but I liked to think I could match him toe to toe in the attitude and bravado department.
“You’re not leaving Brighton Enterprises.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Yes, I am. I don’t want to be under your thumb anymore and you can’t seem to help yourself from taking over my entire life whenever you want. It’s ridiculous. I gave you the information you needed, the job is done.”
“What is this really all about?” he asked.
“That is what it’s about, Cooper. You plotted this whole relationship, or whatever it is, from the beginning. I’m still trying to figure out how we met.”
“We met at Spotlight.”
“Tell me the truth,” I demanded.
He considered me for a moment, as if debating whether or not to give in to me. Finally, he sighed and uncrossed his arms and braced himself against my dining table.
“We really did meet at Spotligh
t, but before that, I saw you at the coffee shop where you used to work. I wasn’t a customer, I never met you. I was walking by one Saturday morning and saw you getting the shop ready for business. I stopped and watched you for a while and…”
He looked down and my heart jerked. I bit my lip to keep from prodding him into continuing. I was both anxious and terrified for whatever his next confession was about to be.
He lifted his eyes back to mine. “Allie, I swear to God, I fell in love with you right there. I can remember it like it was this morning. The way you looked, what you were wearing, the way your hair was falling across your face as you raced around. You were, and still are, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life and something about you fills up a hole inside of me that’s been open and aching for a long time.”
I couldn’t breathe. My throat filled with emotion and my eyes were instantly wet with tears at his beautiful words and the look in his eyes. They were still dark but there was something behind them I hadn’t seen before, a certain raw edging.
“Say something,” he said.
I wiped at an unshed tear and swallowed the lump in my throat. “You’re in love with me?”
He laughed softly. “Hopelessly, it seems.”
I crossed the kitchen and he straightened as I fell into him. His strong arms wrapped around me and I felt completely enveloped and safe inside his embrace. His lips were pressed against my forehead and we stayed like that, glued together, without words, for a long time.
I wanted to return his feelings, I knew they were bubbling up inside me, but my lips were having a hard time letting them slip out. Cooper backed out slightly and looked down at me, his eyes still soft with vulnerability and I knew he was waiting for me, which only made my heart race faster.
“Cooper, you are the most infuriating, challenging, difficult man I have ever known. You piss me off, push all my buttons and drive me to the brink of my own insanity with record-breaking frequency. But, God help me, I am in love with you, too.”
He laughed and the sound reverberated through my entire body.
“You’ve got a way with words, you know that?”
“Shut up and kiss me,” I said, popping up on my toes, waiting for his lips to press against mine.
