Conquered: She Who Dares Book Two (26 page)

She shakes her head, an almost panicked look in her eye. “No, it needs to be me.”

She doesn’t want me speaking to her. “Will it help if I have my people deal with it? Just a simple pay off.” I offer.

She sighs. “You won’t talk to her?”

“No.” I say quietly. She doesn’t want me involved in her business, that’s all.

“Theo, you have to understand, the woman is poison. She needs to stay in the past. I don’t want her tainting any of my future.”

I smile. “So I’m in your future am I?”

She stands and moves to the kitchen. I follow. “You’ve been a good friend to me.” What the hell does that even mean? I get fucking whiplash around this woman. She hates me, she loves me, she wants to slap me, she wants to kiss me. Jesus. “Look, I’m really grateful for your help, but can we not do this now?”

“Okay, but we will be doing this at some point. I haven’t got a fucking clue what is going on half the time with you.”

“You and I both.” She murmurs.

I clear my throat. “Well, I need you to write down everything you know about her. Name, age, former addresses, partners. Then I’ll ring my security guy and he’ll put a team on it.

She scribbles down some details on a piece of paper and hands it to me. “This is everything I know about her, but of course I don’t have the last eight years. She could have married or skipped the country for all I know.”

“That’s fine. I’ll make the call.” Her fingers brush mine as she hands me the paper, her eyes hold mine and I don’t miss the spark of heat in them. I should be focused on helping her, not fucking her, but well… try telling that to my other head which is currently trying to fight it’s way through my fly. Every time I’m around her it becomes a battle of mind over matter. I take the paper quickly and go through to the front room again before she notices my fucking jeans tenting. I reach down and adjust myself. She does this to me, and yet another woman could strip down and lap dance me and nothing, not even a twitch. She’s ruined me in the cruellest of ways.

Miles is my security guy. He mostly over see’s software, security and personnel, but he’s ex-military and when needed is a very useful guy to have.

The phone rings once. “Miles Scott.” He answers abruptly.

“Hey. I need a favour.”

“Ah, he lives. Long time no speak.” He says cheerfully.

“Well, when it comes to you I find myself lucky not to have to speak to you. It means no-one is planning to kidnap or kill me.” I’ve had a few threats over the years. You have to expect it when you’re as high profile and wealthy as I am. Miles organises body guards and is good at discreetly getting rid of people. I don’t ask about the why’s or how’s.

“Tell me you’ve got something good for me. This software shit is making me twitchy. It’s almost not worth the stupid amount of money you pay me.” He laughs. “Almost.”

I smile. “Nothing too interesting, but I need you to track someone. She’s in London, but I have no idea where. Do you think you can find her?”

“Can you find a needle in a haystack?”

“Um…”

He laughs. “The answer is yes, you just burn the haystack. You can find anything if you’re prepared to use any and all resources.”

“Okay, you scare me. Find her, but no burning.”

“Okay, you got the details?” He asks.

“I’ll email them across now.”

“Cool, later.” He hangs up.

If anyone can find her its Miles. I don’t even ask questions when it comes to him. I pay him money and he produces results.

When I step into the kitchen Lilly is leaning against the side, her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee. Her eyes are vacant and far away.

“My guy is looking for her. I’ll let you know when he finds anything.” I watch as her eyes slowly drift to mine. She nods. “So, I’ll just go.” I say awkwardly. I really want her to stop me. I want her to want me to stay with her or some shit. Fuck, I’m a total pussy. I feel like a stray dog just begging for her to throw me a bone. I don’t know where the fuck I’m at with her, other than confused. She hates me, then she wants me. She tells me to fuck off in one breath, then says that she needs me in the next. I do love her though, and because of that I want to help her through this thing with her mum. Whatever this shit is with her mum, it’s taking its toll on her. She looks haunted, her eyes showing a world of hurt that she won’t let me into. As always with her though, I’ll take what I can get. I’ll find her mum and make her leave one way or the other. There’s no love lost between Lilly and her mum. It’s probably best I don’t know exactly what the woman did to make Lilly hate her so much, what I’ve heard already sounds bad enough. Any more and I may just lose my shit.

I turn on my heel heading for the door. “Oh Theo?” I glance over my shoulder at Lilly. “Thank you.” She offers me a small smile. I dip my chin and leave.

Miles calls me a few hours later.

“Found her.” He says.

“That was quick.”

“Did I ever tell you I’m a fucking genius?” He laughs. “I found a mobile phone registered to her name and tracked the number. She’s staying in Tooting.”

“Good job. Send me the address and I’ll sort it.”

“You need some security?” He asks sounding concerned.

I laugh. “I’ll be fine. Thanks though.”

“No worries. Later.” He hangs up.

I stare at my sat nav as it says; ‘You have arrived at your destination.’ Seriously? I look around the street. It’s rough here, like seriously rough. I don’t know what I expected, but Lilly and Harry both seem to be from an okay background. They’re educated, well spoken…I expected her mother to have money in some form, even if she is a prize bitch. I look across the street to the block of flats. They look like council flats…the kind of council flats where you’re likely to get stabbed in the stairwell. I haven’t told Lilly I’m coming here. I know I said I’d send someone to deal with this, but I just can’t entrust this to someone else. For Lily’s sake I need her gone. I don’t know what it’s going to take to make that happen, so it’s best I’m here in person. I need to keep my shit together. Get in and out. Don’t think about Lilly, or what this woman has done to her, or this could go awry very quickly.

I get out of the car and cross the street. I glance back over my shoulder at my baby, looking so beautiful in this run down place. Fuck, she’ll probably have no wheels by the time I get back. With a resigned sigh I turn and keep walking. I pull the GPS tracker that Miles dropped by out of my pocket. It says she’s on the fifth floor of this shit hole building, or at least her phone is. The lift is out of order, not surprising, so I take the exposed concrete steps up to the fifth floor. The overhead lights flicker, and the whole place smells of piss and mildew. The walls in the hallways are covered in graffiti, and the floors are littered with cigarette butts, rubbish and god knows what else. I understand that some people are forced to live in less than ideal conditions, but would it kill someone to clear this shit up a bit.

The tracker shows she’s in the next flat on the left. I stop outside the door numbered 52. I knock and wait. For a while I hear nothing. I knock again. There’s a shuffling of feet and then the door swings open revealing a very thin bleached blonde woman. She’s older, her hair is greasy and her make-up is overly heavy.

She smiles revealing yellowed teeth. “Well, this might just be my lucky day.” She says in a course cockney accent.

For the first time in my life I have no idea how to respond to a woman. Fuck. “I’m looking for Jane Samson.” I say, trying to keep my voice stern. Truth be told the way she’s looking at me is scaring me a bit. If she tries to touch me I may vomit. The things I fucking do for Lilly.

“Oh.” Her face falls in disappointment. “She’s in here. Come in.” She winks. Why do I feel like I’m being lured into the dragons den? I step inside. It smells like a dive bar in here, of cigarettes and beer.

“Jane!” She shouts. I wait. “I’m Tracey by the way.”

“Nice to meet you Tracey.” I say politely. She leads me into a small living room. It’s dingy. The wallpaper is yellowing, the carpet looks about fifty years old, and the furnishings are no better. It is tidy though, which surprises me.

She smiles. “You sure are fancy to be hanging round a place like this. What brings you here?”

“I need to speak to Jane.” She keeps looking at me as though waiting for more of an explanation. “I’m friends with her daughter.”

Her smile comes back. “Oh Lilly. Pretty little thing. Doesn’t surprise me her getting herself a man like you.”

“You know Lilly?” I eye the woman again. How the hell does a woman like this know Lilly?

“Known her since she was a little girl.” Her eyes dim a little. “Shame about what happened to her dad.”

I’m just about to ask when the woman I saw yesterday steps into the room from a hallway. She watches me with cold eyes for a moment. “How did you find me?” She asks coldly. It’s scary how alike her and Lilly are, right down to the arctic tone of their voice.

I smirk. She has no fucking idea. “Do you know who I am Jane?”

She narrow my eyes. “You’re the man who’s made my daughter into his latest whore.”

I fix my expression into one that I know intimidates, an expression known to cause people to sign over millions of pounds and entire companies. “Firstly…I’m Theodore Ellis. Secondly, call Lilly a whore again and you’re going to realise very quickly exactly what that means.” I take a step toward her and she takes a stumbling step back. I see the fear flicker in her eyes. “It means…” I smile. “That I have more money and power than you can possibly comprehend. It means that if someone stands in my way, I roll the fuck over them, and it means that if you hurt what’s mine, I will return the favour ten-fold.” She swallows quickly. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?” She says nothing, just stares at me. I pretend to glance around the room, as if she’s not worth my time. Tracey is still standing in the corner, her eyes roaming over my body appreciatively. When I still get no response from Jane I continue. “Lilly is mine. What hurts her hurts me.”

“What do you want?” She finally asks.

“I want to know what it’s going to take to make you disappear.” I meet her eyes, never backing away, always pushing forward. This is how you negotiate, you give no leeway until you get what you want. Everyone has a price.

“I came to see my daughter.”

“And that was a real fucking happy reunion.” I force a laugh. “Did you enjoy the loving embrace of her hands around your throat?” I smile.

“You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about!” She screams.

“No? I know that your daughter hates you, that she begged me to come here and get rid of you before Harry finds you.” I cock an eyebrow. “Somehow I think he’d sooner see mummy dearest in a box in the ground than anywhere near his sister.” Her face turns red, her fists clenching. “Lucky for you, I have the better resources, but Harry’s definitely got the funds to track you down, so perhaps you should run before he finds you.”

Then she really blows. “That fucking bastard took everything from me!” She shrieks. “Lilly used to be good until he turned her against me.”

“You abandoned them. If it weren’t for Harry Lilly would be dead.” I say through gritted teeth. I’m going on a hunch here. The conversation I heard yesterday, the way Harry is with Lilly…I have a vague picture in my mind. I can’t let her think that I don’t know the situation. It will show a weakness in mine and Lilly’s relationship that I can’t afford for her to see right now.

Her face blanches. “I…I made mistakes. I regret it. I came to make it right.”

I laugh humourlessly and step into her space backing her against the back of the sofa. I let all my anger go. “You have no fucking idea do you. You let an innocent child down. You have to live with that. She wants nothing to do with you, it only hurts her.” I snap out of it, realizing that I’m scaring the shit out of her, and that it’s not my place to reveal anything to this woman about Lilly. I take a minute to regain my cool control. “We both know you didn’t come to find her because you wanted rekindle some long lost relationship. What do you want?”

“I told you.”

I sigh. “How much do you want?”

“I…” She stumbles.

“Look, let’s be realistic here. You’re not exactly living it up.” I gesture around the room,

“Hey.” Tracey pipes up from the corner I had forgotten she was standing in.

“No offense.” I say quickly.

“I could make your life considerably better. Nice house, nice car…you’d never have to worry about money again…versus staying and trying to make amends with Lilly, who is never going to forgive you. I don’t know what she was like as a kid, and you don’t know her as an adult, but let me tell you; that woman does not do forgiveness.” Fuck, isn’t that the truth.

“How much?” She asks. I try to hide my smile. I knew her whole ‘I want to make amends’ was bullshit.

“One million and you walk away today.” I hear Tracey make a choking noise in the corner. Now, I could offer more of course, guarantee her absolute compliance, but the idea of giving this woman anything when she has caused Lilly pain, irks me. I’ll get her out of Lilly’s life, but I’m not going to offer her more than necessary. She doesn’t deserve it.

She purses her lips. “I heard you were worth billions…” She says.

I laugh. “No. I’m worth a lot, but not billions. Your choice, one million pounds or a daughter who hates you.”

“One point five.” She says. The look in her eye says she knows how much I want rid of her.

I sigh. “Fine, done. Give me your details and I’ll get it wired. If I find out you’re still in London after tonight…well, let’s just say I know some people who aren’t above illegal activity.” I raise my eyebrows at her and she nods her head in understanding. She scribbles some details on a piece of paper and hands it to me. I tuck it in my jacket and turn to leave.

“Theodore.” She says my name and I pause, but don’t turn. “Be careful with my daughter.” For a moment I think she’s actually concerned for Lilly. “She’s not who you think she is.” Her voice is full of bitterness. I open the door and leave without a glance back. Bitch is crazy.