One to Keep (One to Hold) (14 page)

* * *

Calm put in an appearance around two o’clock. I’d worked solid through lunch, sent out the welcome packages to my new clients then spent several hours analyzing the email accounts from the phishing ring. A pattern was forming, but whether it matched the same scam being used across servers was as yet unclear. My mind was effectively numbed by the repetition of tracking URLs and looking up owners in the
whois
database, and I needed to walk around.

I went down the hall toward Derek’s office. As far as I knew, his door had been closed all day, but I knocked. He’d been distracted the whole time we were in Scottsdale, so I wasn’t bothered by his strange behavior now. What did bother me was that since we’d returned, he seemed sadly distracted instead of happily.

“How’s it going,” he said, focused on his computer.

“It’s coming together. I’m starting to see a pattern.”

“Good,” he nodded.

“So what’s up with the Star situation?” I sat in the same square leather chair I’d occupied my first day here when he’d read my resume for ten minutes, royally pissing me off.

He looked up from his laptop then made a few quick clicks before leaning back. “You’re not looking so great today.”

“You look pretty shitty yourself, but enough about us. Why’s Nikki back?”

He looked down at his desk a moment before speaking. “The other girl took a different job. And I asked if Nikki could come back.”

That pulled me forward—I was almost relieved. “The other girl? You mean Star?”

Derek’s brow pierced, and his blue eyes cut to mine. “Remember when you suspected a setup?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s possible your instincts were right.”

“What the hell?” He paused, thinking, while I waited impatiently for the rest. “What happened?”

He exhaled, picking up a pen. “I finally caught up with my aunt, and she was confused by everything I told her. She said the temp had called in and said she wouldn’t be able to start with us until Monday. Sick kid or something. Then she said she took another job.”

“But—”

“Right. But Star showed up on Thursday.”

“And she never mentioned having a kid.”

“Or a husband.”

My lips pressed together, and I leaned back in the chair again. “Good point. So what makes you think it’s a setup?”

“The other girl’s name was Monica.”

“The fuck!” I was out of the chair then and pacing. “So what now?”

Derek shrugged. “Nothing. We don’t have anything to go on. Stuart and I never felt the need to install security cameras in the office, so we have no images.” He paused, slanting an eye at me. “And God knows I don’t need to see whatever you’re doing behind closed doors.”

I let it pass. “But the building has cameras. The elevators?”

He shook his head. “Already checked. She kept her head down the whole way in and out.”

“So she fucking wouldn’t get caught.” I couldn’t believe I’d been set up. But why?

“Which means we don’t have an image to run through the databases.”

“I could probably describe her well enough to a sketch artist.”

Derek stood and joined me by the windows looking out at the courtyard below. “At this point, I say leave it. Nobody’s asked for anything or made any demands. If anything comes of it, then we’ll do something.”

The anger burning my insides was compounded by the frustration I was already feeling. “That’s not good enough. I want to know who and why.”

“I understand that.” For a moment we didn’t speak. “Is there anybody you know of who might be after you?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I mean, sure there are people I’ve sent up, but nothing that would warrant something like this. I don’t even know what she was after. She never asked for anything.”

“And you stuck your dick in it.” He exhaled and went back to his chair, taking a seat and reopening his laptop. “Nope. I say we leave well enough alone.”

My lips tightened. There was no fucking way I was letting this go. I’d gotten too close, and I’d be damned if I didn’t find out what this was about. If he was out, I would do it on my own.

“So what’s up with that other thing?” I asked before I left.

His eyes moved from the laptop to me. “What other thing?”

“Whatever had you so distracted in the desert.”

He stared back at his computer, made a few clicks, then leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers.

“Hey, you said it was my fault. I should know what I did.” I hoped a joke might loosen him up some. I was not expecting it to work.

“I met someone. The first night we were there.” He leaned forward on the desk, picking up his pen again. “I’m in love with her. But it’s complicated.”

“Met someone? I only ever saw you with…” Realization washed over me. “It’s Melissa?”

He didn’t answer—he didn’t have to. The answer was clear on his face.

Having my own heart freshly ripped out had me feeling generous. “Want to grab a beer after work?”

He looked up at me. “That actually sounds good.”

“Just head to my office when you’re ready.” I was at the door when I paused. “And I’m glad you got Nikki back.”

“She knows the office,” he said quietly. “I’m not traveling anytime soon, and at least I know what to watch out for.”

Pointing out he might try discussing the problem with her didn’t feel like the right thing to say at the moment. Besides I could probably help with that—later. For now, I had another matter to investigate.

* * *

Derek was on his fourth beer, and I was two vodkas in. We’d hit the time of the evening when we started wondering aloud why we didn’t do this more often, and it was all brotherhood and bonding.

“She was not what I expected to find,” he said. “And then, it was like I was powerless against her.”

“I know that feeling,” I said, holding my glass aloft.

His hand went to his eyes, which he rubbed too hard. “I can’t stop thinking about her.”

“I know that fucking feeling, too.” I finished the vodka in one long drink. Then I signaled the bartender for another. Looked like I’d be taking a cab home tonight. “How did you figure this was my fault again?”

He lowered his hand and laughed bitterly. “All your acting up and talk about living. I’m sure you put the idea in my head.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, watching the bartender prep my next drink. It was back in front of me again, and I stared down at the contents.

“Now all I do is wonder what she’s doing,” he paused. “I wonder if the way I felt was all just me. If she’s with him now.”

His last words were so quiet, they were almost inaudible. I watched his grip tighten on the glass, and that knot twisted in my own throat as I admitted the truth in my head. My thoughts were running in the exact same circles.

Elaine had said she’d just broken up with someone, and all I could wonder was if she’d gone back to him. If the jackass had woken up and realized how amazing she was. If he wanted her back. Would she go back to him? Would she forget me that easily?

My fist went down hard against the bar, and I picked up the drink, almost draining the glass in one long gulp.

“You and Elaine got pretty close,” he said, glancing at me. “Are you still talking to her?”

“No,” I said through the thickness in my voice. “We haven’t talked since we’ve been back.”

Memories of holding her body to me, of kissing her slowly tormented me. Flashes of her lips against mine, her breasts on my chest, her tying me up… I growled, sitting back and shoving my fingers against my forehead.

“I can’t do this.” I was off the stool and pulling on my jacket. “I’ve got to go.”

I fished for my wallet, but Derek stopped me. “I’ll cover it,” he said.

“Sure?”

“Yeah. Sorry if I hit a sore spot. Again.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

With a fist bump to the shoulder, I left him sitting at the bar. I had to get out of there. I didn’t want to think about Elaine, but nothing would stop my brain from drowning in her memory. In the past, alcohol had been a guaranteed solution to the bad feelings. Alcohol or sex. But I couldn’t drink her away tonight, and the thought of touching another woman turned my stomach. I only wanted her. I wanted her so bad it hurt.

Bee stings… needles… rope burns…
Hailing a cab, I passed my hand over my face again.
Jesus, this fucking ache.
I had to fucking get back to the office and get to the bottom of the Star setup. And I was going to break the phishing ring, and I was going to work out, and sleep, and eat my meals, and put one damned foot in front of the other, and do whatever the fuck it took to make this time pass. Until I didn’t think about her any more. Until it didn’t hurt.

I was going to need a lot more work.

Chapter 12 – Something Bigger

Trying to find Star without a photo ID was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I’d started with the database of prostitution arrests in the last five years. She was too good not to be a professional, but I wasn’t convinced she’d have a record. Still, it was the only idea my instincts suggested, so I followed it.

My eyes were crossing looking at photo after photo of bleached-blonde mugshots when I noticed I wasn’t alone. Pausing from my nonstop scrolling, I looked up to see Nikki standing in my doorway, hip cocked, eyebrow arched.

“I was beginning to wonder what was going to make you look up.” Her rose-lined pink lips curled into a smile, and the tightness in my chest eased slightly.

“What’s up?” I asked. Derek and I might have come back to the office changed, but Nikki was the same as always. Teased hair, huge earrings, tight dresses. Funny how her efforts didn’t capture my attention so much anymore.

“I thought you might take me to lunch. Unless you’re skipping it again today?”

“Have I been skipping lunch?” My brow lined as I looked toward the clock. Already two.

“Come on,” she said, stepping around my desk and catching my arm. “I’ll let you buy me a salad in the cafeteria.”

“There’s a cafeteria?”

“In Building C.”

“I’m glad I’ve got you and Derek around. Otherwise, I might miss all the hidden perks of this complex.”

She exhaled a laugh. “The food isn’t that great, but they make a decent salad. And I think Derek said the bacon club isn’t bad.”

Outside, I noticed the season was starting to change. Soon the holidays would begin, but I was glad they were a ways off. I wasn’t in the mood. We walked quietly through the courtyard and entered the third building to our left. My thoughts were preoccupied with the search for Star and how I wasn’t finding a damn thing. She could be anywhere. Hell, for all I knew, she was from another city, another state altogether. Derek was probably right. I should just forget it. Count myself lucky and wait to see if anything ever even came of it.

That just didn’t sit right with me.

“Jesus,” Nikki broke through my distraction. “I’ve never seen two men more changed. What the hell happened while I was gone?”

My eyebrows rose as I took in her posture, leaned back in the chair, she had both hands on her hips as she studied me. Her salad appeared untouched.

“Sorry, Nik,” I said, picking up the club sandwich I’d ordered. “You’d be surprised all the shit that went down after you left.”

“I’ll take that as your funny way of saying you missed me.”

In spite of myself I laughed. “I was pissed at Derek when you left.” I took a bite. “But that was just the beginning.”

She leaned forward and poked her salad with her fork, not eating. After a few quiet moments, she shook her head. “Are you going to tell me?”

Dropping the sandwich, I grabbed a paper napkin and wiped my hands roughly. “First, you can’t tell Derek,” I exhaled. “He told me to drop it.”

A smile curled the side of her mouth. “You’re worried about me ratting you out to
Derek
?”

“Yeah, well, I’ve fucked up enough on this one.” I shook my head, throwing the paper on the table.

“Go on.”

“Derek called the temp agency after you left, and a woman came.” I felt like such a fool saying it out loud to her. “I thought she was your replacement, and I gave her access to everything.”

Nikki’s brow creased, and she leaned forward. “What happened?”

Clearing my throat, I leaned back. “I kind of… Well, I kind of slept with her.”

“What!?”

“In the office,” I hastened along. “And it turns out, she wasn’t your replacement. We don’t know who she was.”

Shaking her head, Nikki spoke. “Are you saying a woman who you thought was my replacement came to the office and you slept with her?” Her eyes blinked rapidly. “How long was she there before that happened?”

“Look, I fucked up, okay? I know it. We were drinking, and the next thing I knew, she was on my dick.”

Her face morphed into an expression of disapproval, which irritated me, but her words cancelled it all out.