by J. H. Croix
A couple of the lawyers were around earlier, finishing up with their work for the day. As the night wore on, they departed, leaving me alone to clean. I planned on doing some more snooping since there was nobody else around.
Under the pretense of collecting more cleaning supplies, I did a quick sweep to confirm everyone had left. I ran the vacuum cleaner along the lines on the carpet, checking behind me to make sure it was clean.
Hitting the power button, I switched it off and wound up its cord before stowing it in the corner for the time being. I was in one of the bigger offices again, though it was much smaller than Ken’s.
Spray bottle and cloth in hand to cover for what I was about to do if someone should come back into the office, I moved over to the filing cabinet.
Whoever this office belonged to wasn’t very careful about not leaving documents lying around. The cabinet was next to a wide oak desk littered with open files. They’d even flagged some of the documents in the files, giving me an obvious but easy place to start looking.
The first few documents I looked over didn’t seem to be connected to the case. There were clients’ names written on top of contracts and other legal documents.
Under the guise of moving them around to spritz cleaner onto the desk and wipe it away, I dug deeper. My heart faltered when I saw the corner of a document bearing the chief’s name. Rolling my head back, I said a silent thank-you to the gods of snooping that the person who worked in this office left something useful lying open right there on the desk.
It was covered in other papers, but it had still been easier to find than most of the other documents had been. As I lowered my head, the light caught on something shiny in the ceiling.
Pausing, I took a step back to take a closer look. Nervous fluttering started in my belly when I realized what I was looking at. A new camera.
My blood ran cold. Every inch of the place was covered in cameras, which was why I told Evan I wasn’t afraid. The offices never used to have any in them, though. I always assumed it was to ensure privacy or confidentially or something.
It appeared that had changed. Blinking up at the ceiling, I noticed there were two cameras in this office alone. And it wasn’t even one of the biggest ones.
My hands started trembling as I contemplated this new development. There were probably a million reasons why they would have installed new cameras, but the only one that kept popping up in my mind was that they suspected me.
I backed away from the camera and grabbed my bottle. Hastily spritzing and wiping the remainder of the surfaces in the offices, I emptied the trash into the larger container of my cart and got the hell out of there.
The rest of the night, it was like I could feel the pinpricks of the security guards eyes on the screen watching my every move. It was the same in every office I went into. Each one now had at least one camera installed in it.
The longer I cleaned, the more I freaked out inside. Outwardly, I hoped I was doing a good job of remaining calm. I finished my job as quickly as I could and practically ran to my car when my shift was over.
All the way home, I kept an eye in my rearview mirror. A part of me was waiting for red and blue lights to appear behind me. For a cop in Ken’s pocket to arrest me for stealing information from the firm. I didn’t know what the crime was called, but I was sure it had to be a crime.
The rest of me—the part that recalled how haunted and worried Evan had looked when we talked about Ken knowing about us the other night—wasn’t waiting for the cops. I was waiting for a dark sedan with thugs in it, perhaps carrying weapons or even a cloth with chloroform on it.
Evan was right. I didn’t really know what these men were capable of. I knew they were bad, but I didn’t know how bad. If they caught me, would they hurt me? Kidnap me? Would they do something worse?
My heart was galloping by the time I got home. If something happened to me, there would be no one to take care of Emery. Lori or Evan might step in, but I’d never considered asking anyone to be her guardian because I was young and healthy.
Thinking back to that decision now, it was a stupid one. I should’ve thought about things like accidents and made sure she would be taken care of. If something happened to me… Well, I’d be dead. And Emery would be alone.
By the time I parked outside my house, I was a wreck. I couldn’t go inside in the state I was in, so I gulped in a few deep breaths of air and clenched and unclenched my trembling fingers repeatedly.
Lori and Emery were on Emery’s bed when I finally went inside. I heard Emery say, “Let’s read Cinderella again.”
“Again?” Lori said in her singsong voice. “Aren’t you tired of it yet?”
Emery giggled. “Nooooo.”
I stood in the doorway watching them for a second, allowing my relief that Emery was okay to soak all the way to my bones before I walked in. “Cinderella, huh? Why not Snow White?”
Emery’s nose scrunched up as she considered my question, and then she scooted over on the bed to make space for me. “Nah. Cinderella.”
Lori and I exchanged a look, and she handed the book to me. “She’s all yours. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Emery was fast asleep about five minutes into the book. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her about her day at school, but it must’ve been exhausting for her to fall asleep so fast.
Lori was in the kitchen as promised, holding up a glass of wine. “I saw those eyes when you walked into Emery’s room. What’s wrong?”
I shook my head. If only I had a penny for every time someone asked me that the last couple of days, I wouldn’t have to put up with working for people like Ken.
My friend’s gaze was dark with worry, a deep line between her eyebrows. I suddenly wanted nothing more than to confide in her about everything, but I couldn’t about the stuff to do with Evan’s dad.
Sighing, I decided to confide in her about the other stuff that had been worrying me since my talk with Evan. Lori was my closest friend, and this was the kind of stuff I should talk to her about regardless of how much I never wanted to rely on anyone if I didn’t absolutely have to.
“Evan asked me to move in with him,” I blurted out. “Us. He asked if Emery and I would move in with him. So, us.”
He hadn’t asked, exactly. It was more like he insisted. When I couldn’t take a step that big without some kind of commitment, he’d backed off. For now. I saw in his eyes that he was far from done with the conversation.
If and when he did bring it up again, I had no idea how to handle it. I understood his argument about how he was worried and wanted to protect us. If it was only me, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal to crash at his house for a couple of weeks until all this got sorted out.
It wasn’t only me, though. Moving Emery in with Evan was something entirely different than me moving in with him. From the perspective of what was best for her, I didn’t think Evan’s argument was good enough. She would be too confused about why we were moving in with him and then possibly moving back out again.
Having him around all the time and being all domestic, only to have that ripped away when the situation was resolved and we moved away would devastate her. It wasn’t a chance I could take without knowing it was about more than keeping us safe from Ken for the time being.
Lori’s eyes nearly popped out of her head from snapping open so wide. “Evan Lovett asked you guys to move in?”
I nodded. “We haven’t been together very long, though. It’s too soon, isn’t it? I mean, what would Emery think?”
Tapping her chin with her middle finger, she considered what I said. “You haven’t been together very long, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. We’re not in the age where people wait until they’re married before moving in together.”
Running my hand through my hair to gather some of it up on top of my head, I sighed. “I know, but I have Emery to think about. It feels too soon for her.”
“It could be,” Lori agreed. “She adores the guy, but
maybe you should take things one step at a time. He’s been spending a lot of time with you guys, but she’s probably still getting used to having him around.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I could see her turning something else she wanted to say over in her head. “What is it? You can tell me.”
Taking a small sip of her wine, she peered at me over the rim of her glass. “It’s just, I mean… he has a bit of a reputation around town for being nothing other than casual with dating. He never gets serious with anyone.”
Pain lanced through my heart. Lori was right. I didn’t know as much about the gossip around town as she did, but even I knew none of the Lovetts were known for being serial monogamists. Jeremy and Sonny were settled now, so it wasn’t impossible. But I didn’t know if Evan wanted to settle down.
Lori and I kept talking. She gave me some more advice, assuring me Evan did seem serious with me. It was too late, though. The seeds of doubts were planted.
As soon as I mentioned commitment to him the other night, he’d backed off. Even when we talked about what we were to each other, he hadn’t given me anything concrete. He simply said he would never lead me on and wanted to get to know me, which wasn’t exactly a relationship status.
The thoughts tumbling through my mind watered the seed of doubt, and by the time I went to bed, it had firmly taken root.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Evan
The workshop was relatively quiet over lunchtime. A bunch of the guys had gone for buy one, get one free burgers at a joint nearby and were bringing takeout back for me.
It was a temporary reprieve from the loud hum of the machines and constant yelling and chatter in the shop. For once, I had the ordered designs under control, and my desk was looking like less of a disaster zone.
Wanting to take advantage of the quiet and the halfway cleared desk, I stood and started gathering the papers still strewn around to get everything properly sorted for once before the guys came back with my lunch.
Soft footfalls walking down the hall grabbed my attention. I turned, thinking one of the guys might’ve come back, only to be faced by my least favorite person. Again.
“What do you want this time?” I glared at Ken Lyons. For some reason, he seemed amused by my greeting.
“I thought we could talk about a mutual friend,” he said, his cultured voice sharply edged. It was a striking contrast to the humor in his eyes. I decided then and there that the guy was delusional, unhinged.
Unfortunately, while his mental state was definitely in question, he also wore suits that cost more than my entire wardrobe and had that kind of money backing him and his criminal enterprise. Where my girlfriend just so happened to work.
It was fucked up.
Jutting out my chin, I crossed my arms. “We don’t have any mutual friends.”
I knew he was talking about Sadie, but I wanted to see if he would come right out and say it. Pulling his graying eyebrows together, he shook his head and steepled his fingers as he sat down without being invited to. “Let’s not play games, Mr. Lovett.”
“Let’s not,” I agreed. “Instead of your usual shitty questions and vague threats, why don’t you tell me why you’re really here? Your surprise visits are getting real old, real fast.”
“Would it help if I called ahead?” he asked, his lips twisting into an unnatural grin. It looked uncomfortable on him.
Narrowing my eyes, I leaned back against my wall. “Who’s playing games now? Just spit out whatever you came here to say and then get out.”
“Fine.” He leaned back in his seat, mimicking my forced casualness. “You might be singing a different tune when I’ve said what I came to say. I’m sure you’ll want to talk then.”
“I highly doubt it,” I retorted, then moved my index finger in a rolling motion to tell him to get on with it.
Ken smirked as if to say “we’ll see about that.”
“I know you’re seeing Sadie Hammel.”
“You don’t know shit,” I spat at him. It was a relief to hear him say something straight out for a change, but my stomach churned at what it was he chose to be so direct about. It didn’t bode well for Sadie’s safety. My fists clenched in the crooks of my arms.
“On the contrary, Evan. I know a lot more than you or your brothers seem to realize, and I know you’re rather fond of Ms. Hammel. I don’t blame you. She’s a beautiful woman.”
Fire started spreading through my veins as anger flowed through me, red-hot. I couldn’t fucking believe he’d just said that to me. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. She’s a looker,” he said, every word sending another spark into the fire of my anger. Unperturbed, he carried on. “Even so, if you’re as fond of her as you seem to be, you should know better than to put her in danger.”
Gritting my teeth, I bit out, “I would never put her in danger.”
Ken lifted both of his eyebrows, incredulous. “Oh? In that case, you better steer clear of her if you want to keep her safe.”
I held still, barely containing my fury. Ken smiled smugly and stood up. “Let me get out of your hair, but remember what I said here today.”
I managed to stay calm outwardly, but it was touch and go. The only thing that kept me from at the very least knocking the guy out was knowing I couldn’t do anything to help Sadie if I was behind bars. Ken would definitely press charges if I touched so much as one of the thinning hairs on his head, so I let him walk out of my office unscathed.
When he was gone, Phoenix walked into my office. It wasn’t like him to be worried about anything, but he was both worried and rattled as he plopped into the chair Ken had occupied a minute ago. “What the fuck is going on?”
Inhaling until my lungs were at capacity and releasing it again, I asked, “What are you talking about?”
“I never went with the guys to get burgers. I stayed behind to finish that job I was busy with. Imagine my surprise when I walked to the storeroom only to overhear whatever the fuck that was.”
“It’s nothing. Just a jackass who used to know my father,” I told him. It was true, but I couldn’t tell him anything else. I didn’t want him to know any more. He couldn’t. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it under control. Do me a favor and keep an eye out for that guy, okay?”
“Okay,” Phoenix said, rising from the chair but keeping his eyes on mine. “You know I’m here to help or anything else I can do if you need me, right?”
“I do. Thanks, man,” I said, nodding at him before I went back to clearing my desk. I needed him to give me space, not push me about this. As it was, I was seconds away from deciding to say fuck the charges and go after Ken.
The man was a fucking asshole. Even worse, he was a dangerous asshole. I wanted to kick his ass.
Jesus, Evan. Cool it. Reigning in those thoughts, I knew I couldn’t act on them. Whether he deserved it or not.
When I calmed down enough to think clearly again, I realized the threat Ken posed to Sadie was very real. It had been hypothetical the other night when we talked about it. She thought he knew about us, and so he’d come after her to make some vague threats.
She didn’t take him seriously, and evidently, I hadn’t taken him seriously enough. The man was a psychopath, and he smelled out blood in the water. Why he was so focused on Sadie and me, I didn’t know. It didn’t matter why he singled us out, though it was probably because she was a weak spot of mine, and he damn well knew it. He knew exactly how to leverage it.
And he’d succeeded in doing that. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep her safe. Niki, Marie, and Austin were already safer by living with my brothers. They could and would protect them. Sadie and Emery were exposed, though, and she’d turned me down when I suggested they move in with me.
It wouldn’t have solved everything, but it sure as hell would’ve helped. Ken kept popping up in public places, at our workplaces. He hadn’t threatened any of us in our homes, but we could protect ourselves there anyway.
I couldn’t pr
otect Sadie when she was alone at home with Emery at night. At the diner and even at Ken’s firm, at least there were others around. If push came to shove, she could quit her job at the firm. I could do as I’d offered and find her a better, safer job if she insisted on taking care of them financially by herself.
There were a lot of things I could do if I had time, but I’d officially run out of it. I knew guys like Ken. In his book, the ball was in my court, and he’d be watching closely to see what I did with it. I was fresh out of options. Fuck.
There was only one option left, one more thing I could do if I wanted to keep them safe. And their safety was what I wanted more than anything.
With my mind made up, my heart grew heavier the closer I brought my phone to my ear. It skipped a beat when I heard her voice at the other end of the line. “Hey, Evan. What’s up?”
There was something out of place in her voice, but it wasn’t my place to ask what it was anymore. The realization was like a crushing weight being put down on my chest. I gasped for breath, a kind of pain I hadn’t felt before stabbing at every fiber of my being.
“Sadie, hi. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay,” she said. “Do you want to come over tonight? I shouldn’t be too late.”
“I can’t.” God, I hated how curt how I had to be. “Look, Sadie. I’m sorry to do this over the phone, but I think it’s better to just do it than to drag it out.”
She hesitated. “Drag what out?”
“I can’t see you anymore.” If I wanted to keep her safe, I couldn’t explain why either. It took everything I had to hold my tongue, but since the stakes were as high as they were, I managed it.
“What?” Her voice rose, incredulous.
Gritting my teeth, I bit back the words I wanted to say. I wanted to shout out that I was lying. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to hurt her, yet, I was hurting her. I promised I would never lead her on, and I knew how this looked. I’d done exactly that.
