Chapter 54
Over my dead body
Kazimir
The chauffeur comes to a stop as we arrive at our destination.
Harley’s head whips in my direction and she wipes her tears. “We’re taking a helicopter back to Brooklyn?”
When she opened the door at the motel and I saw her face lined with tears, my chest cracked wide open, but her defiant question sobered me up fast. “After my meeting, I returned to find your note.”
Kaz,
Thank you for everything.
I’m sorry. You deserve better than me. Much better.
H.
“Did you think I was going to go about my day as if nothing happened?”
She winces.
“I was prepared to burn the motherfucking world down to find you.”
She flinches, her eyes widening.
“As I was pulling my hair out, it hit me. A few taps and I pinpointed your location. There was no way in hell I was going to suffer through traffic for two—if not three hours—to get to New Jersey. And the same agonizing scenario on the way back. Not in this lifetime. So, I chartered a helicopter to get to you.”
“But… how did you find me?”
I point to the phone she’s cradling in her hand.
Her expression is of sheer disbelief. “You tracked my personal phone?”
I pin her with a glare. “I asked Cressida to send it to the IT department after she bought it for you via the company’s account after Maybellynn had dumped yours in the toilet. I wanted to make sure there was a tracking device installed on it.”
She scrunches her nose. “Why would you do that?”
“You’re mine. And I protect what’s mine.” I reach for her hand, but she pulls it away.
I frown.
“Don’t say that.” She averts her gaze. “I’m not yours, Kaz. The baggage I’m carrying would sink the Titanic.” When her eyes land on me again, they’re brimming with tears.
I feel like an asshole for pushing her like this, but I need answers. “Does this baggage have anything to do with A. Monte Cristo?”
Something flickers in her eyes.
I’ve seen that expression before.
“I’ll never forget the look of sheer terror on your face when that person called. With your two business partners still at large, I thought maybe this person was tied to them.”
She twists her lips. “There’s so much about me you don’t know.”
“Enlighten me. Why don’t you start with A. Monte Cristo? Who the fuck is that guy?”
She pinches her lips together.
Time to remove the kid gloves. “I hired an investigator to look into him, but he didn’t find much.”
“You did what?”
“If Ellen and Qi Zhang had sent a goon to shake you down for more money, I wanted to be prepared. They would have to go through me before reaching you. And over my dead body was I going to allow that to happen.”
She opens her mouth and closes it.
She does that a few times.
“Harley, if you keep closed up like a clam, I can’t help you.”
She stares at me like I’m an alien.
Irritation flares. “I asked you a question. Who’s A. Monte Cristo?”
She bursts into tears.
Fuck, it tears me inside to see her cry.