An Eye For Illusion: A Private Investigator Romantic Suspense: (Dunn Security Group Book 2)

Chapter 1

Istand in front of a counter-height reception desk. Bright lights and white walls surround me. On the other side of the desk sits a small-framed brunette. Her back is to me as she types quickly.

Her name plate simply says, Administrative Assistant to Jade Foster. I find it strange that it doesn’t list her actual name. Jade Foster is who I’m here to meet. She’s interested in hiring me to follow her fiancé. Also strange.

The small brunette jumps as I clear my throat to gain her attention. She turns toward me and stumbles as she stands. “I apologize, I didn’t hear you there.”

I stifle a laugh. Not at her, of course, but at her demeanor. “No harm done. I’m Colin Brooks. I’m here to see Jade Foster.”

“Right, of course, Mr. Brooks. You’re a bit early. Ms. Foster isn’t back yet.” Her eyes dart between me and what I assume to be Jade’s office door.

“Uh, okay.” I check my watch. I’m only about three minutes early.

I casually slip my hands into my pant pockets as she comes from behind the reception desk.

“You can wait in her office. Right this way, Mr. Brooks.”

I’m not sure if her nervousness is because she thinks I’m a good-looking guy or if Jade Foster is a hard woman to work for.

I follow the receptionist a few steps behind and pause to allow her to push the large, solid brown office door open.

“You can have a seat here, if you’d like.” She pats the top of a chair across from Jade’s desk.

I nod but don’t take her up on the offer to take a seat. After a few more awkward moments, she murmurs what I think is her excusing herself before she hurries out of the office, pulling the door closed behind her.

I look around the large corner office. It’s minimally decorated and with mostly neutral colors. The only appealing thing I see here are the two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. I bet the view of the city lights is spectacular at night.

I walk behind her desk and scan the documents neatly organized in stacks. Each one has a sticky note with a company name and “potential resale value vs. investment cost.” I smirk at that. It’s always about the bottom dollar.

I did my research on the company Jade works for. Foster Global, Inc. It’s owned by her father, Harrison Foster. Jade is the CEO and has been for a few years.

Foster Global buys failing companies, makes necessary changes, and resells them for massive profits. And when I say massive, I mean massive. Harrison started this company while he was still in college and never knew a moment’s failure from the start. He’s the epitome of a successful businessman.

I pick up one of the framed pictures from her desk. She’s standing with her father, who I recognize because there are hundreds of available pictures of them when searching online and on their company website. Her bleach blonde hair flows over her shoulders and stands out against the black blazer she’s wearing. The signature designer logo on the buttons is impossible to miss.

She and her father are side by side, both smiling. Her hand is on top of his as they hold a pair of giant scissors, ready to cut a red ribbon in front of them. I can’t make out the sign name behind them. Likely just another notch in their belt, so to speak. Another company they “saved” from ruin. It seems more like theft to me.

I hear two women’s voices outside the office door. One of them is raised. Judging by the administrative assistant’s demeanor before, it isn’t hers. I set the picture down and make my way over to the chair across from the desk, sitting just as the large office door pushes open.

I turn in my seat to find a stern-faced blonde dressed in a navy skirt and matching blazer. Her skirt stops a few inches above her knee. The clack of her heels grows louder with every step. She damn near stomps toward me.

“Mr. Brooks, I didn’t call you here to ogle me,” she says as she stops right beside my chair.

The nerve of her to think I find her attractive. Taking in a client’s appearance is part of the job. Nothing more.

I stand, refusing to give her the impression she intimidates me. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Her shocked expression brings me more satisfaction than it should. I should be more interested in landing this case. Not just for myself but for Dunn Security Group. The more high-profile clients we represent, the better.

“Have a seat, Mr. Brooks,” she says dismissively.

She walks behind her desk, unbuttons her blazer, and takes a seat across from me. She crosses her long legs, leaning back in her chair as if she’s waiting for me to present a case for why she should hire me.

That isn’t how this works. She called Dunn for help. Liam chose me for the case. I won’t ask this overconfident trust fund baby to hire me. She needs my help, and I won’t try to sell her on it.

“You called us, Ms. Foster.” I remain standing, my hands clasped behind my back. The ball is in her court. I don’t need a thing from this woman. Least of all, an attitude.

She uncrosses her legs and shifts forward in her chair. She grabs the top of her desk with both hands and pulls her chair under it. My eyes travel from her face to her cleavage, her full breasts now greeting me.

She softly clears her throat. My eyes blink before turning my gaze out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. I did get caught ogling that time, although I won’t admit it to her.

“Mr. Brooks, what I require of you is simple. I’m set to marry Elliott Moore in three short months. I’m not sure Elliott is the caliber of man who should marry into a family such as mine.”

I keep my face indifferent, but everything about this woman sets me on edge. “What I require of you…” “Caliber of man…” Who the fuck does this woman believe she is?

“What do you suspect Elliott is up to?”

“Well, I don’t know. That’s why I’m hiring you. That’s for you to find out and report back to me.”

“Most people don’t hire a private investigator without some sort of evidence or suspicion beforehand,” I explain.

She runs her hands through her long blonde hair. Her breasts shift with each movement she makes. She takes her time, smoothing out her hair before clipping it high on her head. Her soft curls fall around the clip.

“I’m not most people, Mr. Brooks. Do you want the job or not?” she asks in a no-nonsense tone as she lowers her hands back to her desk.

Do I want the job? No. Will I take the job? Yes. I’ll saddle myself with putting up with Jade Foster for Liam and for Dunn Security.

I blow out a breath, not giving a damn that she sees how annoyed I am with her already.

“Yes, I’ll do the investigation.” I don’t use the words she did. I’m working for her, and she wants me to know she’s the boss here.

She slaps the top of her desk with both hands. “Wonderful,” she says almost cheerfully.

She pulls a file from a drawer and stands, extending it to me over the desk. She leans forward much more than necessary for me to reach the file. Clearly, she wants me to “ogle” her, as she put it.

“Everything you need to investigate Elliott is in this file.” She gives me a wink as I take it.

Part of me wants to scowl, and part of me is a little turned on.

What the fuck?

I’ll admit that Jade Foster is an attractive woman, but the bite that accompanies her looks isn’t as attractive.

I flip open the folder and find all of Elliott’s personal information and calendar schedule for the next several weeks. She has everything—business meetings, a golf schedule, and even doctor’s appointments.

I close the file and look at her with a raised eyebrow. I’m not so sure she’s not a private investigator herself.

She shrugs. “I don’t have time to follow him around, which is why I want to hire you. I’ll provide you with updated schedules as they’re available. We’ll talk soon.” She sums up the rest of our meeting in three short sentences.

“I’ll be in touch,” I respond before turning and walking toward her office door.

“Looking forward to it, Colin,” she says from her place behind her desk.

“That makes one of us, Jade,” I quip before stepping into the hallway, allowing the door to close behind me.

As I walk past the reception desk, the brunette keeps her head down without uttering so much as a “have a nice day.”

I stroll over to the elevators, a little proud of myself. I jab the down arrow and wait. It doesn’t take as long as I would’ve expected with being on the twenty-third floor. When the doors open, the elevator car is empty. I step inside, push L for lobby, and make my way to the back. I lean against the wall behind me as the doors close and the car descends to the ground floor.

I chuckle to myself, imagining Jade’s shocked expression at my joke. It was a joke…mostly. I enjoy my job, and she isn’t the first difficult client I’ve dealt with. However, she might just be the first who has ever given me both a pit in my stomach and a semi hard on simultaneously.

Jade Foster will be a pain in my ass. I’m already sure of it.