“What the fuck…” he whispered. He walked further inside and bent to pick up a shard of glass from the smashed coffee table.
Eleanor stared at the carnage in shock. “Is anything missing?”
“I’ve no idea. Shit… how the hell did they get past security?”
“Do you think you should call the cops?”
He turned and fixed his gaze on her – his handsome face was gripped with worry. It was true that the place was a mess and this was a violation, but Joseph seemed much more distressed about being burglarized than Eleanor would’ve expected.
“Do you have something important here, Joseph?” she asked, holding his hand. “Something you think’s been taken?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “My brother Ivan… he’s on the run.”
Confusion spiralled through her. “What?”
Joseph pulled her close, seeming to want to extract comfort from her. He composed himself. “Ivan invented… something… I can’t tell you what. And he faked his own death… There were these Russians trying to kill my brother Dylan. This is what I’ve been dreading. I think they might still want to get to him and I don’t know how to protect him.”
“Dylan?”
“No, Ivan.”
“What did he invent?”
Joseph caressed her face, searching her eyes for answers. “I wish I could tell you. I’ve been fantasizing about unburdening myself because I know you’ll listen. No one’s ever made me feel like… you know…”
“You can talk to me anytime.”
“I want to…” He sighed. “But for now, I guess I’d better call the cops. Don’t mention any of that stuff about my family to anyone, will you?”
She reached up and caressed his cheek, feeling honoured that he trusted her with this. “No of course not.”
He pulled out his phone and explained to the cops what had happened, then he hung up and gazed around the room, distracted. “They said they’ll be here as soon as they can.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah. And if they can’t help, my brother Dylan has a friend who’s quite senior in the NYPD, so maybe I’ll speak to him about this. Go straight to the top, you know. He’s a good cop… not corrupt like some of them…”
Eleanor hugged him. “You okay?”
“Yeah. You want some coffee?”
“Sure. I’ll wait here with you until you feel better.”
“I’m okay. You don’t have to.”
“You want me to go?”
“No… no. I’d love you to stay. But I’m okay.”
She kissed him. “Good. I’ll stay. Let’s have that coffee.”
Joseph disappeared into the kitchen, so Eleanor hoisted one of the couches upright and sat down. Her mind swam with curiosity, wondering what Ivan had invented, and why the hell anyone would want him dead. This suddenly seemed incredibly dangerous. A sense of foreboding crept over her, but she forced herself to remain calm. Abandoning Joseph now would probably be sensible, but her heart wouldn’t allow it.
Joseph came back through with the coffee. He gestured to the couch. “Hey, I would’ve done that.”
“It’s okay.” She smiled. “I’ve got strong muscles from all my yoga.”
He grinned. “I know. I can’t wait to get my hands all over your gorgeous body again!”
She opened her mouth to say something flirty, but there was a knock at the door.
“The cops?” Eleanor said. “That was quick.”
He winked. “Maybe they recognised the name ‘Joseph Quinlan’, and came running fast.”
She laughed, glad he’d lightened up. She watched as Joseph strode over to the front door and pulled it open. But as he registered who was standing on his doorstep, the atmosphere clouded over with gloom – reflecting the upturned furniture and strewn clutter.
“You?” Joseph said. “What the hell are you doing here?”
A man’s voice replied. “Can I come in?”
Eleanor grabbed her coffee and took a sip as Joseph stood back to let the man in. She almost spat out her mouthful as Gerald Stinger strolled inside. He halted and stared at her – seeming equally as surprised to see her here.
He looked flustered – as if he’d left the house in a hurry. He wasn’t even wearing a coat, even though it was freezing outside. “Eleanor, how did you get here so fast?”
Eleanor opened her mouth, hoping an excuse would appear on her lips as she spoke, but she didn’t get the chance, because Joseph suddenly grabbed Stinger and pushed him against the wall, pinning him as he’d so recently done to Eleanor. But this wasn’t playful or sexual – there was only aggression in his demeanour now, as he held the struggling Stinger in place, ready to rip his head off – or something lower down his body.
“You wanna tell me what the fuck’s going on?” Joseph hissed. “Or I’ll show you how it feels to have your private thoughts smeared all over the public arena – when I rip off your head and crack open your goddamn skull!”
Chapter Thirteen
Gerald pushed back against Joseph, refusing to be intimidated. “What’cha gonna do, boy? Break my nose and force me to sue you for assault? Let go of me right now!”
Eleanor watched Joseph tense up even more, refusing to loosen his grip. Joseph started to reply, asking what the hell Stinger was doing here, but a couple of NYPD cops burst in through the front door – both burly white guys who looked weary and worn. One of them pulled his gun and pointed it at Joseph.
“Release him right now!” the cop shouted.
Joseph let go of Stinger and stepped back. “The police department are protecting you?” he asked.
Stinger chuckled sinisterly. “You called the cops, you stupid boy.”
The cop who was doing all the talking seemed confused. “There was a report of a burglary here. What’s going on?”
Stinger brushed himself down. “I was just leaving.”
The other cop held up his hand. “No one’s leaving until we find out what’s happened.” He transferred his attention to Stinger. “Did you call us, sir?”
Eleanor stepped forward. “We called you. This is Joseph’s apartment. We came back to find it had been ransacked, so Joseph called you.”
Joseph glared at Stinger. “And this asshole showed up before you did, because he’s been tapping my phone.”
Stinger’s jaw dropped in surprise. “You’d better have a good lawyer – going round making accusations like that.”
One of the cops frowned at Eleanor. “Wait, are you saying this man might be the robber?”
She inspected Stinger who was scowling at her. “I don’t know. He showed up after the burglary had taken place, so I couldn’t really say.”
The cop stepped away from the doorway. “In that case, sir, you’re free to leave.”
“But he’s been tapping my phone calls,” Joseph growled. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“Then I suggest you report him to the police,” the cop said.
“Didn’t I just do that?” Joseph asked.
“We’re here to check out the burglary,” the other cop explained. “Mind if we look around?”
Joseph shrugged. “Sure.”
He turned back to face Stinger, but he’d gone – having fled while the attention had been off him. Eleanor wondered what he’d wanted and why he’d arrived so quickly. She had a bad feeling she was probably going to find out soon.
The cops made a quick inspection of the apartment and took photos of the carnage, while Joseph and Eleanor stood watching by the door. They both drifted back over. “Has anything been taken, sir?”
“I don’t think so. Not as far as I can tell.”
“Right. And that guy’s been tapping your phone you think?”
Joseph nodded. “Yep.”
“Well, alright. We’ll file this information and send round a detective as soon as we can.”
“How long will that take?”
“Hard to say, sir. There’s a lot of crime going on in
the city – murders, shootings, drugs, gangs… we don’t have the manpower to cope.”
“So my little break-in’s heading to the bottom of the pile, I guess.”
“Nothing’s been taken, sir,” the other cop reminded him. “If you discover anything, please don’t hesitate to call. You can clear up, okay. We’ve got all the photos we need.”
Joseph shook his head despairingly and thanked them for their time. He closed the door and turned to gaze at Eleanor. “They were helpful, weren’t they?”
She laughed cynically. “Sounds like they’ve got quite a lot on at the moment.”
He strode over to join her and wrapped her in his arms, making her feel content. “I know. And I bet I know what Stinger’s gossip column will be full of tomorrow.”
“Same bullshit as usual?” she said with a grin.
He chuckled. “Yeah, but this will be bullshit about my place being burglarized.”
She rested her head on his strong shoulder. “It’s terrible what he’s doing. It must be illegal to tap your phone, surely.”
“The cops don’t seem interested.”
“Change your phone as soon as possible, okay?” she said. “Throw him off.”
“Yeah, I’ll do it first thing. And I’ll speak to Dylan’s friend – the senior cop. Maybe he can push my case through.”
Eleanor pulled away from his arms and glanced at the mayhem of the apartment. “I’ll help you clear up.” She inhaled deeply and grinned. “And then I’ll head back and break it off with Matthew.”
“Really!”
“Yep. And tomorrow, I’ll break it off with Blair Robertson. All change, huh?”
Joseph stared at her in shock. A smile crept onto his face. “You’re quitting?”
Excitement rushed through her. “I am.”
“But it’s your dream.”
“Not this. Not like this. I’m a good journalist, and I know I can make it without Blair Robertson and his corrupt empire.”
He squeezed her tight. “You’re awesome, Ellie. You’re brave and honest. And so hot too, of course.”
She laughed. “Yeah, yeah… come on, let’s get this place straightened out. I need somewhere to sleep tonight, and I’m not staying in the aftermath of a tornado attack.”
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Joseph said. “And you’ll still come to dinner at Dylan’s, right? I can’t wait for you to meet them all.”
“Sure, I’d love to.”
Joseph kissed her, then he put on some music and they had fun tidying the place together, laughing about stupid stuff and letting their defences down.
Eleanor could see that Joseph was rattled by what had happened with Stinger, and she was pleased with her decision to leave News Scape behind. But first, she needed to severe ties with someone else…
She took a cab back home and let herself into her apartment, then shrugged off her winter coat – knowing Matthew would be around here somewhere. She drifted into the living room feeling a pang of sadness waft through her. She was going to miss this lovely apartment. It was Matthew’s, and she’d moved in with him when he was already living here. There was a breathtaking view of Manhattan through the wall-to-wall bay window, the furnishings were luxury, and the couches were squishy and soft. The wall opposite the window had been chiselled back to reveal the brickwork, which wasn’t to Eleanor’s taste, but she knew it was fashionable. The white walls were covered with huge bright modern canvases, which had cost a fortune from the local art gallery. Eleanor had been happy to call this place home for the last three years. But now it was time to move out and find her own space – to make her mark on the world as an independent woman.
She gazed out of the window at the buzzing city, losing herself in the hustle and bustle. The sound of an ambulance siren made her jump, pulling her out of her thoughts. Somehow she felt out of control; as if everything was up in the air. But she was sure she was doing the right thing by leaving Matthew. If it felt right, then it probably was right. The icy rain was lashing down out there, but even the warmth from the heat in here couldn’t make it feel cozy. It was a lovely apartment, but soulless.
She rolled her shoulders away from her ears and stood tall, preparing herself to confront Matthew. Then she decided to procrastinate by taking a shower and packing first, so she crept past his office where the light was on. He was probably hard at work as always.
She stood under the warm water of the shower, enjoying the sensation of washing her troubles away. She reached down and started to touch her clit, which made her grin – not just because it felt so good, but also because it reminded her of Joseph. Everything reminded her of Joseph. Every breath was infused with him. She decided not to masturbate now, but to wait until she got back to his for the real thing, so she washed herself with a soapy lather, then climbed out the shower and dried herself in a big fluffy towel.
Anticipation merged with excitement as she slid her engagement ring off her finger and placed it on the vanity table. In truth, she’d never been very keen on it. Matthew had selected it for her, and their tastes weren’t that similar, even in the simple things. But it wasn’t even about their conflicting tastes, was it? It was that he’d picked out a ring she didn’t like – and he hadn’t bothered to find out what she did like. He didn’t know her. Not really. Joseph was right – he was neglectful of her needs. She inspected her empty finger. Somehow it looked better without that clunky diamond dragging it down…
She gazed at herself in the mirror. Come on, Eleanor, you can do this. She threw herself a reassuring smile, then she tossed some of her favourite clothes into a suitcase, grabbed her laptop, and strode in her heels to Matthew’s office up the hallway.
“Matthew?” she called. “Can I come in?”
“Yep, honey, sure.”
She pushed open the door. His office was decked-out with pine furniture, making it bright, light, and spotlessly clean. Smooth and characterless. Matthew was engrossed in a spreadsheet on his computer, but Eleanor needed his full attention, so she loitered purposefully by the door.
Matthew got the hint and swivelled to face her in his leather chair. “I’m quite busy, Eleanor.”
“I know, but I need to talk to you.”
He absent-mindedly cracked his knuckles. “Can it wait ‘til dinner?”
She stepped towards him. “No.”
“What are we having for dinner by the way?”
“I’m going out for dinner.”
“Oh yeah? Who with?”
She stood squarely on the shiny laminate floor. “Joseph Quinlan.”
“Joseph? He told me he was sick”
“He is. He’s sick of you.”
“Ha ha, very funny.”
“Go ahead and laugh, but it’s true. He’s sick of you. And so am I.”
Matthew’s bland expression dropped to shock. “What are you talking about?”
“Look, Matthew, this was never going to be easy but I don’t love you anymore. You treat me like crap and I can’t be with you. I’ve made my decision tonight... I’ve packed a bag and I’m going to move into my own place. I’ll be back for the rest of my things tomorrow.”
His jaw fell open. “What the hell are you saying? You can’t do that!”
“Yes I can. And I am.”
“No you’re not, Eleanor. Stop this silly nonsense and go unpack. We belong together.”
“No we don’t.”
He held out his hands, as if trying to appeal to her common sense. “Is this because of that one stupid mistake I made?”
She scoffed. “You mean the mistake you made when you admitted to me you’d been cheating?”
“Yes... No! I mean the mistake was cheating.”
“But you’re still doing it, though, aren’t you?”
He ignored this direct question. “Eleanor, come on. We’ve been through so much together, you can’t pull out now.”
“Why not? I don’t love you. And you act as if you don’t love me.”
; “Of course I love you,” he hissed. “But I understand what’s going on here. You’ve used me to get into News Scape and now you think you can just throw me away? Well, I’m not letting you get away with this.”
She folded her arms across her chest. Oh really? And what do you plan to do?”
He faltered, opening and closing his mouth like dying fish. “I’ll… think of something.”
She raised an eyebrow, allowing herself to be filled with a ‘Joseph Quinlan’ type of confidence. “Right. Drop me a line when you do.”
Matthew shot to his feet and loomed over her. She stood strong, refusing to be intimidated by his brute strength.
He spat out his words. “If you think Joseph Quinlan’s interested in you for anything other than a quick screw, then you’re going to extremely disappointed. He’ll use you, just like you’ve used me. And when he does, I’ll laugh.”
“Thanks, Matthew. That really means a lot – after all we’ve been through.”
He clenched his fists with frustration. “Listen, you stupid bitch, I forbid you to walk out on me. I’ll fucking kill you!”
A crash of thunder reverberated inside her as his words struck hard. He was starting to get aggressive now, and fear prickled in her knees. She didn’t dare turn away, just in case he tried to attack. He was furiously digging his nails into his palms, restraining himself. She suddenly felt as if she was trapped in a room with an angry dog.
He pinned her with a fierce glare. “Eleanor, don’t you dare walk out on me.”
With shaking hands, she picked up her bag and threw him a grin full of cocky self-assurance. “Just watch me now.”
Without looking back, she marched out of the front door and strode down the steps to the waiting cab. Matthew didn’t follow – he’d been frozen into shock by her announcement. But it was over and they both knew it. A new life lay ahead, and while she hoped it would involve Joseph, she knew it would definitely involve her own strength, independence, and determination to do the right thing. She inhaled and steadied herself, then climbed into the cab, and prepared herself to tell Joseph the good news.
The Billionaire's Revenge: Billionaire Brothers Billionaire Bachelors (Tycoon Billionaires Book 3) Page 10
