Alphahole

by DD Prince

  I wince. “All my panties are missing. They’re not there. All the ones I wore, anyway.”

  He shakes his head. “I didn’t touch them. I haven’t been in your room at all. Honest to Christ.”

  I frown.

  “What the fuck?” he mutters.

  My eyes are wide and I’m chewing on my lip.

  “There was a plumber here fixing the shower,” he says. “When we were both at work.”

  Braeden is back.

  “Put your shoes on, Braed,” Aiden instructs. “That doesn’t explain my phone, though. Wonder if it’s connected.”

  “Your phone?”

  “Someone screwed with my cell. It was cloned. I got that text sayin’ you weren’t to be trusted. But it was a fake text and we scanned my phone, finding spyware on it. Now someone’s taken stuff of yours? What the fuck?”

  “Bad words Unco Ay-ben.”

  “Sorry, pal. Carly, I’ll handle this,” he says. “I’ll talk to you at the office. Thanks again for watching him.”

  “No problem. Congrats, Braeden. I bet you’re going to be an amazing big brother!”

  “I am. Bye bye Car-ee.” He runs to me and jumps into my lap. I give him a hug.

  “Backpack, Braed.”

  He then reaches for the backpack on the table, zooms to Aiden, grabbing his hand as they go. I follow and lock the door behind them.

  I stand there for a minute just dazed. There was something different about him in the past twenty-four hours. Maybe my brain is just addled by seeing a hot guy be so amazing with a toddler.

  Maybe it’s part of him being somewhat contrite about the shit he pulled at the nightclub on Saturday.

  I can’t be sure. I can’t totally put my finger on it.

  I go grab a shower to get ready for my day. I am freaked out, though. Did the plumber that fixed my shower take my underwear?

  Was someone else in the apartment in my stuff? Why would they steal my underwear? Nothing else appears to be missing. Yeah, it could’ve been the plumber. Better that it wasn’t Aiden; that eases my mind a little bit, but yuck. It’s pretty creepy, especially given my clean underwear are all accounted for as far as I know. I brought twenty pairs with me. Seth the Security Douchebag seems the most likely suspect, having never met the plumber.

  I have a flood of panic and jump out of the shower and before even getting dried off, I dash to my lingerie drawer and start moving things around, looking for my grandmother’s tiara. It’s gone. No. No!

  I feel sick to my stomach as I text Aiden, fingers shaking.

  “I had a very sentimental and valuable piece of my grandmother’s jewelry in my drawer. I just checked and it’s gone.”

  He phones me five minutes later.

  “Hello?” I answer. I’m on the verge of tears.

  “I have my PI on this. He’s slipping in today to put surveillance equipment into the apartment. There won’t be any in your room but with us bein’ gone, it’s a chance to see if anyone has been slipping in.”

  “Okay,” I whisper.

  “You alright? If we can’t find it, I’ll reimburse you.”

  I choke on tears.

  “Carly?”

  Shit. No crying should be one of my rules. Right now, I’m thinking fuck my rules. Fuck everything. I can’t believe that tiara is gone.

  “Sorry. I, uh, it was my grandmother’s and she died last year and left us all this jewelry. All this ugly jewelry but it was all real and valuable and my sister pawned all but this one piece. It’s the last piece and… my sister is a drug addict, so I’m already crushed she would do that to fund her habit, but this was the last…” I’m wiping my eyes. Bawling. I can’t stop.

  He’s silent.

  “Sorry. This isn’t your problem,” I say. “I gotta get downstairs. The cab’ll be here in five minutes.” I sniffle.

  “You got pictures of it?” he asks.

  “Uh, my Mom... I’m pretty sure she would.”

  “Get me pictures. Jude’ll try and find it. In fact, get me pictures of all of it. All the shit your sister hocked. I’ll have him try to track it down.”

  “What?”

  “Do it, peaches. I’ll see you at work. Bye.” He hangs up.

  I’m in shock.

  When I get to the lobby, the other guy is there. I’m so glad I don’t have to look at Seth right now or I might accuse. I might also scratch his eyes out.

  Ally is already in the cab.

  I climb in, ready to fill her in, but then I say, “It smells wonderful in here.”

  Ash smiles big over his shoulder at me. “You like it?”

  “It’s great.”

  “My night driver. He always leaves his food garbage in here.” Ash waves his finger. “I have no sense of smell. But I tell him, no more. My favorite customers don’t like it.”

  “Good. I hope he keeps it smelling like this.”

  He pulls away from the curb.

  I turn to Ally. “What’s the scoop on Meryl?”

  She smiles. “They stayed up all night talking. They made out a little but didn’t go all the way. She’s such a good girl.” She rolls her eyes.

  I smile. “That’s okay. She had a good time?”

  “She did. They’re going out for dinner tonight, but she says it’s not going anywhere. She leaves next week. She refuses to take it all the way with any man until her wedding night. Then again, she’s on a re-read of Fifty Shades.”

  “Awe, that’s sweet. A re-read, already?”

  “Yep. She’s obsessed. And sweet? Yeah, I guess.” She rolls her eyes. “What’s new with you? How were things in the apartment with Aiden after I left?”

  I take a big breath. “Aiden is having surveillance put in the apartment. Not only are my underwear missing but someone took a very sentimental piece of jewelry of my grandmothers. From my lingerie drawer. I’m sick about it.”

  Ally gasps. “You’re sure it wasn’t him that took your undies?”

  I shrug. “He seemed legitimately shocked.”

  “He did,” she agrees.

  “There was a plumber that fixed the shower Friday. Maybe it was him. But, I think it might have been Seth the Security douchebag.”

  Ally gasps. And then she thinks on it and starts nodding slowly. “That guy is not right. You’re probably correct.”

  We natter about how creepy that was. And then I tell her about my night of babysitting.

  We get to work, and I call my Mom, who I spoke to yesterday afternoon. She’s on her lunch break at work and surprised to hear from me again so soon. I fill her in on the missing jewelry thing, not telling her about my undies, because that’d freak her out in a big way. I just tell her that some stuff is missing from the corporate apartment and my boss wants pictures of it, if she has any. Mom says she’ll check some old photo albums tonight and let me know.

  “Don’t stress out, honey. Your Grams is in your heart. Her jewelry isn’t that important.”

  “I know,” I say, but I can’t help but feel so much sadness at the idea of it being gone. Of someone else having it, melting it down or whatever, not knowing any of the stories attached to it.

  Aiden is in his office and he’s shouting on the phone.

  “I do not fucking think so. Go have another drink. This time take a fucking taxi,” He slams the phone. I glance behind myself. His face is like thunder. He slams his office door and the sound echoes through the whole office.

  Yikes. I turn my back and don’t allow myself to do any peeking.

  I get an email from him a minute later. It’s a department-wide email.

  Today’s mkt’g meeting: Canceled.

  And then I hear all his blinds go down, one by one. Loud.

  “Wanna come downstairs and work in the atrium with me?” Stacy asks. She’s got a pile of paperwork in her hands. “We can go over some of the stuff from the last Eastmark conference George went to. He told me before he left that if I got a chance to go this year, I should go through his notes. Said he made notes
on the best brands and conferences to spend time on. I have this big folder of whatever he collected as well as his notes so maybe you know what to look for this year?”

  “You should really be coming to this,” I say.

  She shrugs. “Next year, maybe.”

  I know what it’s like to be an intern. Expected to know everything and yet being left out of all the important stuff. She was probably going to get to go, but then they hired me instead.

  To Stacy’s credit, she’s been nothing but awesome with me.

  I gather my notebook and unplug my laptop and follow her to the elevator.

  She heads to the coffee cart and I get hit with a great feeling. My bonus. I forgot!

  I tell her I’ll be there in a minute and go to the big area of beanbag chairs and put my laptop on the floor and sit down in a big yellow beanbag and swipe my banking app on my smartphone. I check my bank balance and see there is $7,102.48 in my account.

  I smile big and decide I’m splurging for some biscotti as well as the Trenta coffee today.

  I buy a biscotti for Stacy, too.

  We sit down and drink our coffees and go through the pamphlets and notes of George’s from the last Eastmark conference and then Aiden’s suddenly in my space.

  “Carly!” He looks tweaked.

  “Hi.”

  “Where’ve you been?”

  “Uh… here.”

  “For two hours?”

  I nod and gesture to the piles of paper all spread out on the table.

  “If you’re away from your desk more than five minutes, you put a magnet on your wall!”

  Oh. I forgot about the magnets.

  “Sorry. I forgot.” My face burns red.

  I lift my phone and see it’s dead. Oops.

  “My father wants you in his office. Now.”

  He storms back toward the elevator.

  I look at Stacy. She winces.

  “Go. I got this,” she says, gathering up the piles of paperwork from the table. I grab my laptop and my coffee and follow him. I get into the elevator just before it closes. It’s just us, two.

  He’s quiet.

  “Everything okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah,” he grumbles and runs his hand through his hair.

  “We were just going over the paperwork from the last Eastmark conference. I was making a plan for things to do and see and I…”

  “Whatever,” he cuts me off and the elevator doors open.

  Yikes.

  I follow him to his father’s office.

  I step in. Aiden follows.

  “Thanks so much for last night, Carly. Braeden is very taken with you. Sit down.” He gestures to a chair. He doesn’t look tweaked or angry.

  “You’re welcome. Congratulations on your new granddaughter, sir.”

  He smiles big and then grabs his phone and then he’s passing it to me. I see a picture of Aiden holding a tiny pink blanket-covered bundle. There’s a tiny face with chubby cheeks and loads of black hair. Aiden is smiling.

  “That’s Lilly Rose.”

  “Awe he’s beautiful. She. She’s beautiful.” I clear my throat and pass it back. Hot guys and babies evidently make my mouth malfunction. “I’m sorry if you were looking for me. I was working in the atrium with Stacy and forgot about the magnet system. My phone died.”

  He waves his hand. “No problem. I just need to leave early today so needed to chat quick with you before I go. While you and Aiden are in New York, I’d like you to meet with a vendor who wants us to beta test their social media platform. I’ll send you a brief. Can you do that? During the conference, give him twenty to thirty minutes and listen to his pitch and when you’re back, test it and come to me and tell me about it. His father and I went to college together, so I told him I’d hear it out. He and Aiden don’t get on, otherwise Aiden would do it.”

  “No worries.”

  Someone not getting along with Aiden? Shocker.

  Aiden is standing there against the closed door, arms folded across his chest, a scowl on his face.

  “I’ll get you an email. Now, there’s also a small chance I’ll need you both to take a meeting with Babylon Unlimited. If so, it’ll be a dinner meeting. Aiden will head it up, I just need you to be there. Part of the presence. Are you comfortable with that?”

  “Absolutely. I met with clients several times at Chancellor.”

  He smiles big. “I like that you’re comfortable with that. That keeps doors open for you. Now, I’ve gotta run for a doctor’s appointment. I’ll make sure you get those emails tonight. Have a good trip both of you. You’re all good? Alice filled you in on all the particulars of your travel arrangements?”

  “I’m not sure, but I think so. I’m sure I’m safe in her capable hands. Thank you. Oh, and by the way, I just wanted to thank you for the bonus. Not a lot of companies would hand over an extra month’s salary to brand new employees who haven’t had a chance to prove themselves yet. Giving team members that vote of confidence is very empowering, Sir.”

  He smiles. “I’m glad you feel that way. We’re very happy to have you aboard. Keep doing the things you’ve been doing and you’ll go far here.”

  Aiden opens the door. Mr. C slaps Aiden’s shoulder and makes his way out of his office.

  “Call me after the appointment, Dad,” Aiden says softly. And something in his voice isn’t right.

  “I will.” Mr. C claps his shoulder again and gives it a squeeze, then he leaves.

  I follow Aiden to his office.

  His mood is unnerving. He looks angry enough to chew through glass. I bravely sit down in his office after shutting the door.

  “Did you get pictures of the jewelry?” he asks, rubbing his eyes.

  He looks exhausted. I guess he didn’t sleep at all last night.

  “My Mom’s looking for pictures. She’s not exactly tech savvy, so getting copies of them will be… uh…” I’m about to crack a joke but he’s glaring, so I don’t. “fun.”

  “Jude is in the apartment now, installing cameras. It’s down to four people. My ex. Bella. The plumber. And the security guard.”

  My eyes bulge. “That security guard gives me the creeps.”

  “Yeah, I know. We’re looking into it. He’s got access to spare keys for all the condos. He let the plumber in Friday while we were at work.”

  “There’s probably a bigger chance of him taking my underwear than either of your exes.”

  He rolls his eyes. “Yeah.”

  I have a crazy-gross vision of Seth sniffing my panties. Ew. Yuck.

  “Okay. I’ll get back to my desk, but can you tell me what hospital your sister is at and her name, so I can send a baby gift?”

  He looks strangely at me.

  “Is that over the line? Sorry. I love babies. And I wanted to just send something. As well as a little something special for Braeden. He’s absolutely adorable.”

  Aiden is staring at me for a long time. “Adele Burke. B-u-r-k-e. Mercy. Room 555.”

  “Thanks,” I get up and leave.

  I feel his eyes burning into my back for almost the entire rest of the day.

  I order a baby basket with a few gifts in it that say “I have the best big brother” as well as a boy’s sun hat that says “#1 big brother” on it. I pay extra for it to be sent same day. And then I take Ally to lunch and we argue over the bill.

  I channel my Aunt Susan. I win, and it feels good!

  My Mom calls me mid-way through the afternoon and tells me she has several pictures and is going to courier them to me. I tell her to either scan them at work or to take pictures of them with her cell phone and forward them to me ASAP because there’s a PI on it.

  The whole idea of Grams’ jewelry being found? I don’t want to hope. If I can get even one piece of it back, I will be stoked.

  My mind wanders to Cait, and I wonder what’s happening with her. If I were speaking to Steph, I’d find out if she’s been staying in my old room. The apartment has to be vacant by midnight toni
ght. I decide I can’t think about Caitlin right now. I have to do what I said I’d do. Tough love.

  ***

  I say bye to Ally, telling her I’ve put the last two cupcakes in the freezer to save them for when I get back and she tells me she’ll make fresh ones any time I want.

  It’s time to go, so I cart my luggage and my laptop bag to the elevator and head for the lobby. I’m looking forward to sitting through a car ride and flight with him.

  Not.

  32

  AIDEN

  We land in New York. And I should be glad I’m home. But, I’m all sorts of uneasy instead.

  I’ve been running on next to no sleep, other than a nap during the third Spiderman movie and a bit of napping on the flight here.

  Adele was only just eight months pregnant, so my niece, Lilly, scared us to death. It was a rough night, but thankfully she arrived healthy and strong. Audra was passed out drunk when the news came and when my father tried to wake her to get her to go with him to the hospital, she wouldn’t get out of bed. The whole family is absolutely pissed with her. Adele told me she shouted at her and Austin was there and backed her up, which Audra is having a conniption about.

  She was never there much for any of us growing up, but here was her daughter in labor a month early after a complicated pregnancy and her mother could neither be at the hospital nor look after her grandson. Dirk’s parents were out of town. I’d have had to stay home with Braeden or bring him to the hospital if Carly hadn’t been there.

  And all the way to the hospital after the birth, my two-and-a-half-year-old nephew schooled me that I should marry Carly because she’s pretty and nice and covered him with a big comfy blanket when I’d forgotten to bring him a big blanket and he only had his Pooh blankie with him. “If I have a forgetful unco, at least maybe my auntie will remember blankets for sleepovers.” He’d rolled his eyes from his car seat. Bossy little kid. Still carried around a security blanket. Is only just outta diapers and he’s giving me relationship advice.

  But the kid has a point.

  I took him in my SUV, which I rarely use and was thinking of selling. I’d told Carly my Crossfire was a two-seater, but I omitted that I also have an Audi Q7. I wanted the feel of her wrapped around me on my bike last week. I fuckin’ loved it.