Big Ben

by Nana Malone

  I forced my gaze to meet his.  “Arsehole,” I said with equal parts of disdain and irreverence. “Still a prick, I see.”

  Cassandra raised her champagne glass to her mouth, but I could see the corners of her lips twitching as she bit back a laugh. It wasn’t like I was lying. Everyone knew he was a dick. Just because his family owned a diamond empire, he thought his shit didn’t stink. Well, that was going to change.

  He rolled his eyes then drained his glass of champagne. “You really are predictable, Covington.”

  I whisper-shouted loudly enough for the nearby groups to overhear.  “Ladies, you know that him being a dick does not equate to him having a big dick, right? I know that’s confusing.”

  In my ear, East cursed. “Can you get closer, mate? You’re too far away.”

  One of the redheads in the group gave me an appraising look from top to bottom. Her gaze slid over me as if calculating exactly how much I was worth by what I was wearing. Tom Ford shoes, the slick Armani tuxedo, the classic Tag Heuer, even the Hermes tie all rang up the cash machine in her head. When her gaze met mine, I winked at her. “Care to jump ship, love?”

  I inched closer to Van Linsted as I sidled up to her. I thought I might still be too far away, but East’s voice reassured me.  “That’s it, right there. Don’t move. Closer if you can, it’s a little slow to download.”

  I leaned in to whisper, “I’m Ben. You can call me Big Ben if you prefer.” She chuckled at that, and I nudged even closer to her.

  Van Linsted scowled. “What do you want, Covington?”

  “I wanted to say hello. It’s been a while. Obviously, things are moving in the right direction for you.”

  From my peripheral vision, I saw security inching their way through the crowd, trying to be discreet as they sliced through the people like a Damascus steel knife. I was running out of time.

  I was going to have to agitate him. East’s frustration was clear as he growled, “Mate, closer. Something is wrong.”

  Bugger.

  I needed Van Linsted to initiate prolonged contact. And there was only one way I could think of to do that. “How is it hiding under Mummy’s skirts, Bram? Your family did always bail you out of problems. Rumor has it she’s going to skip you for inheritance. Is that true?” I turned my attention to the crowd.  “Ladies, did you know that Bram here doesn’t control his purse strings? Mummy does. Those diamonds you see draped around her neck are solely controlled by her. You’re better off trying your luck with Miles, his younger brother. Bram here has no say in Van Linsted holdings.” It was true.

  Marcus Van Linsted, Bram’s father, might have been the head of the mines on paper, but marrying April had been the infusion of cash, all told in the billions, that the business needed.

  All eyes were on me. I spread my arms. “I, on the other hand, am a self-made billionaire with a B.” I mock-stumbled forward.  “So that should help in your decision making.”

  In my ear, East chuckled and egged me on. “That’s it. It’s working. Also, you’re a right git. Thank God you’re not on the side of evil.”

  I was going to have to physically climb the fucker if the download didn’t go any faster.

  The other women in the group didn’t even bother casting Van Linsted a goodbye glance as they stalked over to me. The tallest one with the dark auburn hair grinned.  “My name is Fiona.”

  “Ah, like the princess. I’m Ben. You can call me Big Ben, though. I don’t falsely advertise. Bram here, well, he’s known for having a little prick. And, you know, generally being a prick. Just his Mummy’s errand boy.”

  I knew Van Linsted. He didn’t get his hands dirty. He didn’t know how to fight. Not like I did. I could afford to take a few calculated risks. But security was close.

  In my ear, Bridge growled.  “You’re going to have to get right up next to him. We still have at least a minute and a half left.”

  I needed to push him. I stepped closer still. If I could get him to attempt to run at me, that might help.

  “How does it feel, Bram? When everybody in your life chooses someone other than you, including your mother?”

  The muscle in his jaw ticked.

  Come on, you fuck. Get in my face. I needed it to be showy. I needed him to think he had the upper hand.

  He did step to me then, a sneer twisting his lips, turning him into a Disney villain in stark contrast to his perfectly ordinary features. His voice was pitched low when he said, “How is your friend, Toby?”

  And we had lift-off. In my ear, East said, “Yup, almost there. Thirty seconds.”

  The good news was my reaction wasn’t forced. Everything I felt was real. Every emotion, the anger, the hatred... I just had to play it up, let it loose. Unleash it.

  “I will fucking kill you,” I ground out.

  “Sure you will.” And then he started to move away. Fuck. I still needed another few seconds. Running out of options, I charged ahead and rushed him. Security was dangerously close, but I landed a satisfying straight jab to his nose.

  Blood splattered everywhere, and then I grabbed him by his very expensive Armani jacket.  “You always thought you were too good for us. You think being a Van Linsted makes you any better than Toby? He was the best of us, and you’re envious because you will never be as good as he was.”

  “If you say so. I beg you to kindly take your hands off me.”

  And then it was over. Hands grabbed me from behind.  “Sir, you’ll have to come with us.”

  Shit. Another couple of seconds.

  God, I hated Bram. At that moment, I could’ve killed him.

  I had no choice. I had to struggle. To my right, my eye caught a shimmer of red, and something made my skin prickle. It took my attention off Bram for a fucking second. A swath of red. A distraction. My attention was divided, and a crack came out of nowhere.

  It was the sting I noticed first, then the sound. And then my head jolted to the right. I continued to struggle. I needed my arms to defend myself. Who was I kidding? I needed my arms to kick his arse.

  I saw the lady in red, her eyes wide with shock and horror as she rushed forward. Bugger. I didn’t need her next to this. She was going to get hurt.

  East tweeted in my ear.  “We got it. Get out of there.”

  The guards were starting to pat me down, restraining my arms. Oh, this was definitely going to hurt.

  Angling my body to the right, I rolled my shoulder up and slid my arm out of the grip of one security guard. She was getting so close. Too close. Could I do this?

  She ran up to us.  “Stop it. Release him instantly. You’re making a scene.”

  Her gaze met mine. Midnight eyes looked straight into my soul, twisting me up at the most inopportune time. If they patted me down before they handed me to the police, they were going to find the drive.

  Performing the drop wasn’t going to happen. There was too much attention on me, and I needed to hand it off. Ditch it. Something.

  The woman. She was my only hope. They might not look too closely at her purse. The guard grabbed for my arm again, but not before I elbowed him in the gut and lunged for her.

  I had no idea who she was, but she’d be on camera, so we’d be able to get facial recognition and find her later.

  The guard reached for me again, and I stumbled forward deliberately. She reached out for me as if she’d known the plan the entire time. As if we’d orchestrated this synergistic clusterfuck.

  In the scuffle, she almost went down. One of the guards reached for her and tried to help her. I took hold of her purse and slid the device in and then let myself be taken down. “Fuck. All right, all right, all right. I’m going.”

  She glowered at me.  “He’s the prick who broke my pin, but this is overkill.”

  I prayed to God that no one had noticed the transfer. I’d fucked this up. All of it was c
ompletely fucked up. If we lost our chance to dismantle the Elite, there would be no justice for Toby. Not now, not ever.

  Livy

  So much for minding my own business.

  I’d gone my whole life following the rules. Playing by them. A year ago, my mother had told me to start living like I was only going to get one take.

  Somehow, I didn’t think this was what she meant.

  Two grown men fighting... at a political fundraiser? Who the hell would do such a thing? It was asinine. I had meant to find the Viking and give him a piece of my mind for breaking my pin.

  I’d found him all right. Right in front of me. In an actual fight.

  In the span of thirty minutes, I’d broken what was likely a priceless artifact, then hidden in a closet with a man so hot I could still feel his warmth wrapped around me. He’d whispered things to me that I’d only ever imagined someone saying. And then, I’d witnessed that very same man in a fistfight with Bram Van Linsted, firstborn son to one of London’s most elite families.

  Who the hell was this Viking guy that he didn’t fear the wrath of the Van Linsted family? To hear it told, if everything went the right way, Bram would be prime minister in a decade or so. That would be enough time to make his foray into politics.

  I shook my head and searched the crowd for Dexter, the only man I should be concerned with. But as usual, he was MIA. He loved a party. Me, not so much.

  Did he ditch you?

  I swallowed my annoyance. Before leaving our flat, we’d made a deal. He was to lay off the booze and not overindulge.

  I couldn’t find him, though. The Viking caught my eyes again as security engaged him. Who the hell was he? And what did he have against Bram Van Linsted? More importantly, what the hell had he been doing in the closet?

  “I will say, it’s never a dull occasion when the Van Linsteds are involved,” a voice whispered from behind me.

  With a shudder of disgust chasing away my curiosity, I stepped back. “Mr. Mills. Have you seen Dexter? I can’t find him anywhere.”

  He grinned at me broadly and leaned into my personal space. “You are all right, aren’t you? Not injured at all? I was worried as I watched you walk into that fray.” He reached out an arm to wrap around me, but I ducked just out of reach as I searched the crowd again.

  “You know Dexter. Working the crowd. He’s really made himself an invaluable asset at the firm.”

  I gave him a wan smile. Dex loved his job. All he wanted to do was make partner. I’d ruined his first shot, so I had to play nice, no matter how badly Fenton Mills made my skin crawl. “His career is so important to him. And he has my full support.”

  He stepped closer, not quite touching me but standing so close that the gin and tobacco on his breath were mostly what I smelled. “Not everyone has someone as supportive as you. I know Emily doesn’t always understand my drive. My need.”

  I forced myself to swallow the bile that surged in the back of my throat. The last thing I wanted to hear about was his need. “Well, it’s a very demanding career. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to text Dexter and head back into London. I’ve got a hell of a migraine looming.”

  His brows furrowed as his gaze searched mine for any hint of falsehood. He wasn’t going to find any because I was done. Ready to bolt.

  His frown eased, and he nodded. “I’ll send you in my car. As a matter of fact, I can join you.”

  Oh hell no. Not happening. “So kind of you, but what about Emily? I know she said she had to travel in the morning, and she can’t very well ride the shuttle if you send the car with me.”

  His lips pressed together in annoyance. He knew I was right. He couldn’t leave his wife behind. “Of course, you’re right. Remember, I count you as part of the Mills family and will do anything to look after you.”

  “Uh, thank you, sir.” I eased back, plastering a smile on my face that I hoped seemed genuine but aloof. He gave off strong level-five creeper vibes, and the less time spent in his presence the better.

  Thankfully, the security line was almost empty, and I handed my clutch to a guard while I was patted down. The guard was so busy staring at his monitor and talking to someone on his walkie about how cameras in a sector were down that he barely looked at me. “Have a good night, miss.”

  Once outside, I dragged in all that blessed fresh air, crisp and clear, and I felt like I could finally breathe for the first time all night. The estate was located in the village of Virginia Water, close to the city, and it sat on an acreage of sparkling green. Automatically I glanced around, hoping I’d catch a glimpse of the Viking, but he was already gone. And you were going to, what? Interrogate him about what he was doing with you in the closet? Get real.

  I didn’t know him. He didn’t owe me anything. Except a new pin. And I had a boyfriend. One who abandoned you at the party, knowing full well crowds make you crazy.

  I squashed the voice of discontent. It wasn’t useful right now. My social anxiety had gotten worse since Mom’s passing. Well, really since the car accident. I knew how to manage on my own. Depending on anyone was a recipe for disaster.

  I snapped open my purse to find my shuttle ticket and pulled out the stiff cardstock. I frowned when I noticed what looked like a black tube of lipstick in the bottom of my clutch. My lipstick was in a silver tube.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention, and I glanced around. I’d made it through the security check point with no problems. But something made me wary.

  I was a firm believer in our evolutionary cues that warned us of danger. Maybe some of that came from micro expressions, maybe a change in the air, but something told me to wait until I was on the shuttle back to London to investigate.

  My feet dragged as I boarded the black limousine party bus with three other people. I chose a position close to the back where it was dark. The whole time I could feel the lipstick tube burning a hole in my purse. How had it gotten there?

  Once the bus had been moving for ten minutes, I pulled out the black tube and examined it. It was only then that I realized it wasn’t lipstick. I tugged on it and it separated into two parts. It was a flash drive. What. The actual. Fuck?

  Think, Livy. Slow it down. That was a game my mother had played with me as a kid when I would get so worked up about a social situation that I couldn’t function. It always worked. Once I got over my initial fear, I could always think more clearly.

  One deep breath. The lingering scent of various perfumes clung to the air. Another deep breath. The chill had me pulling my shawl tighter around myself. A final breath. My mind played back the end of the party, those last moments when I’d tried to play hero.

  The Viking.

  He’d done this. He’d made me his accomplice. But to what?

  3

  Livy

  As the seconds ticked by, my brain speed processed the seven stages of mental ass kicking. I was desperate for answers. Had I been targeted? Did he do this on purpose? Was this a game? Was he someone who assumed, that like my mother, I was a diplomat?

  He’d be very disappointed. I was an executive assistant. I had no access to anything or anyone important.

  I’d changed industries after moving back from the states to be with my mother, and I hadn’t been able to find an operations position. And unlike my mother, I had zero taste for the diplomat’s lifestyle.

  Denial came quickly. Because no way was this happening to me. There was clearly a mistake. I hadn’t just broken a priceless artifact then unwittingly smuggled out some kind of flash drive. Even I wasn’t that stupid. Dexter was going to be furious. How the hell did I get myself into these situations?

  Guilt lingered. I should go back and turn myself in. The anger though, that was surprising. I wanted to put on the gloves I used to have when I did Krav Maga and go to town, grounding and pounding this flash drive. I hadn’t asked for the disruption in my life. The other stages followed quickly after the denial and guilt, and finally, I was left with the flash drive stil
l in my palm.

  The shuttle pulled up to St. Pancras Station. For fear of being searched again, I shoved the drive into my bra, using my shawl to cover the misshapen bulge.

  My stomach knotted and tightened as I stepped down off the shuttle with not a cavity search in sight. It was disturbingly easy to walk away with whatever this was. I was in such a tag that I took no notice of the glass arch above. Or the inky blankness only broken by crystals of water as it drizzled. What was on the damn thing? What if this was all a horrible misunderstanding? And why had the Viking handed it to me? I was a total stranger. Naturally, I flinched as I thought about how we’d first met. I was in such a fog I almost walked into The Meeting Place Statue. The bronze statue of the couple only served as a reminder of how my evening had ended.

  I laid my head back against the glass as my train passed Victoria station. I could almost see myself talking to my mother about what had happened earlier and her saying, ‘At last, some adventure.’ I blinked my eyes rapidly, dissipating the sting of tears.

  This was no adventure. The Viking screamed danger. And while I wanted some excitement in my life, I didn’t have a death wish. Not to mention, Mom had loved Dexter. The two of them had been thick as thieves. But then Dex was always a charmer.

  When I reached my station, I stepped off the train, pulling my shawl closer around me to ward off the wet chill. With my clutch tucked under my arm, I started the four-block trek home. On the street, my shoes made soft suction sounds as they tread on the wet roads. My phone rang, and I pulled it out from my purse, smiling when I saw who it was.  “Hey, Telly.”

  Telly Brinx was a legitimate walking, talking badass and had been since Uni. We’d shared a flat with two other girls and then promptly moved out on our own. “Hello, gorgeous. How’s the event? How are you feeling? Tense? Anxious? Do you want to have a night of wine and reading at mine?”