Chapter Fifteen #2
“Noah’s father is a mayor,” Carlisle replies. “His family has a lot of connections and goes way back. His father, in particular, is tied to several well-known families.”
I meet Carlisle’s gaze. “I need better evidence than this.”
If I’m going to go in, guns blazing, after the man who once held London’s heart, I’d better be damn sure.
Anything less will cost me London, and it’s a price I’m not willing to pay.
Carlisle nods. “Noah was in the neighborhood at the time of the car crash, and there’s a paper trail that leads to him.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “Not good enough. If I’m going to nail him, I need more.”
This will kill London.
First, her parents want nothing to do with her, and now this.
Fucking hell.
Is Noah right?
Am I the one who’s holding her back, taking apart the life she’s worked hard to build?
Then again, I’m not the one scheming with criminals to get revenge on my ex.
Is Noah really trying to get rid of London and give himself a clean slate?
Or was he hoping that working with my enemies would drive her away and back into his arms?
The asshole even had the nerve to show up, act concerned, and try to paint me as the villain.
I should’ve had my men drag him out of the club and into my basement.
Do not start entertaining what the bastard said. He was trying to get under your skin, and you know it.
No one made London stay. At least, that’s what I tell myself as I pull my chair closer and study the pictures. My blood boils as I stare at Noah’s smug face and realize, with a chill, what I might have to do.
I don’t know if London can forgive me for entertaining what the evidence is showing me.
I don’t know if she should.
It might be the nail in the coffin of our rocky foundation, but I can’t let this go unanswered.
London deserves to have people in her life who won’t stab her in the back when things get hard.
This is the excuse you need to bring him in. London can’t blame you for taking your precautions. She’d understand if she saw these pictures.
I know I’m grasping at straws.
A few pictures of him with the enemy doesn’t make him guilty enough.
If I’m going to go after London’s ex, I better be damn sure of what I’m doing, and as much as I hate to admit it, I hope I’m wrong.
For London’s sake.
How many more rejections can she take?
“Find out everything you can about the dad,” I say, after a long pause. “This needs to be airtight, and I don’t need to piss off a man like that.”
Carlisle nods.
“Boss, if his dad is as powerful as he seems, just looking into Noah could be a huge risk. Are you sure you want to do that with everything else going on?”
“Are you questioning my decisions? I would hate to have to find someone else to fill your position, but it wouldn’t be hard.”
Carlisle’s jaw locks, and he says nothing.
“Get out,” I finish. As Carlisle leaves, I brace my arms on either side of the desk and inhale.
Olivia appears on my third exhale, the pounding in the back of my head having spread around my skull.
Wordlessly, she steps into the office and shuts the door behind her.
She stops on the other side of the desk and glances from the pictures to my face.
“I just passed London on my way here. Is everything okay?”
I push myself off the desk and press two fingers to my temples. “Does it look like it’s fucking okay? You shouldn’t have come back, Livvy.”
“You and I both know that Dad would’ve found a way to bring me back against my will,” she snaps. “At least this way, I got to do it on my terms.”
“You know he’s going to try and stop you from leaving.”
Olivia’s bright eyes flash. “I’d like to see him try. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve that even the great Jack Payne doesn’t know about.”
I snort. “He always did underestimate you.”
It was how she got away the first time, and damn if I don’t admire her all the more for it.
Even with all the dangers lurking around every corner, I can’t imagine walking away.
This is the only life I’ve ever known, the only one I know how to live.
Olivia’s eyes move steadily over my face. “You know, you could leave too. I could help you.”
I chuckle humorlessly. “I think you’ve been gone too fucking long.”
“You know Mathew isn’t going to stop trying to undermine you and looking for ways to get rid of you. Why don’t you just do him a favor and step back?”
I raise an eyebrow. “You honestly think it’s that simple? You can’t just walk away from this life. No one says no to Jack Payne.”
I might have fought for the job, bled, and killed for it, but our father had options.
He chose me because he wanted to, and the minute he did, I turned my back on the life I could’ve had.
Jack Payne is many things, but if there’s one thing he hates more than anything, it’s feeling like he’s two steps behind.
Carrying his name won’t stop him from coming after me if he gets wind of this conversation.
And no matter where we went, London and I would never be safe from him.
He’s already itching for an excuse to get rid of her, and I won’t give him one.
Olivia leans across the desk and reaches for my hand. “I know that it seems that way, but I did it. I’m sure we could get you and London out. Her family, too. You could start over somewhere.”
I shake my head. “She’s already given up too much. What makes you think she’ll agree to any of this?”
“Because she’s still here. In spite of everything. That has to mean something, right?”
I stiffen. “Yeah, it means I’m a bigger bastard than I realized.”
I saw firsthand how my father’s life took away the life my mother imagined for herself.
Her love for my father got her killed.
London isn’t your mother, and you know it. If that means you have to take care of every problem that gets in your way, you’ll do what you need to do.
I won’t let her suffer the same fate.
Olivia’s eyes flicker to the pictures. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
I run a hand over my face. “What would you do if I told you that I suspected your ex was plotting to have you killed?”
Olivia exhales and takes an involuntary step back. “I’d say you better be damn sure before you tell me something like that.”
I search her face, and something in me dips and hardens. “And if I’m sure?”
Comprehension dawns on Olivia’s face. “Then you’ll do what needs to be done. You always do.”
I press my lips together.
“But you better be sure, Mason. There’s no coming back from something like that, and you know what happens when you set the wheels in motion.”
I nod tightly.
“A broken heart can make people do insane things,” Olivia says. “Trust me, I know.”
“I remember.”
It had nearly cost Olivia her life, and I’ll carry that weight around for the rest of my days.
I don’t know Noah well enough to tell if he’s doing this out of revenge, but I do know a desperate man when I see one.
And if the look on his face tonight was anything to go by, he’s not ready to give up on London.
Even if that means the idiot gets in way over his head.
Gather your evidence, and when you’re ready, bring him here and question him yourself. This needs to be handled discreetly and as quickly as possible.
Before he does any more damage.
God knows what kind of promises Noah has made to my enemies, and what kind of information he’s given them about London.
“I know I don’t need to tell you to be careful with her.” A shadow settles over Olivia’s face. “She’s not built like we are. I give her credit for making it this far and not running in the opposite direction. Of course, I also don’t know how much that says about her survival instinct.”
I shoot Olivia a meaningful look. “I assume you had a point?”
“She already has enough to deal with. She doesn’t need anything else, especially if it’s just going to make things harder.”
“Well aware.”
Olivia steps forward again, and her expression turns resolved. “I know you’re moving people to some of the more important warehouses, and calling in favors.”
“Olivia, you need to find something else to do while you’re here.”
“I am going to find a way to help,” she says flatly. “You can either let me figure out what that is and back me up, or you can keep having that little man-child follow me around.”
I blink. “What gave him away?”
Olivia snorts. “I might have been away the past few years, but I still know how you think, Mason. You’re still the kind of person who does whatever needs to be done to protect the people he loves.”
I glance away and gather the pictures on my desk into a pile.
“Things have changed in the past few years.”
Olivia nods. “I know, and you’re a lot more like Dad than you want to admit, but you also have something he doesn’t have.”
I don’t say anything.
“You have Oliver and me,” she continues. “Dad knows how to push people away. He instills loyalty through fear, and you know how easy it is to flip someone with the right incentive.”
I huff and turn away.
I know Olivia is trying to help, but she’s been away too long.
The key to making sure my father doesn’t get rid of us isn’t to inspire loyalty.
It’s to stay one step ahead and keep a cool head like I’ve always done.
It’s served me well the past few years, and other than having to keep an eye on London, nothing has changed for me.
If anything, I’m more motivated to make sure the Paynes come out of this swinging for the fences.
I won’t let Noah or anyone else threaten what we’ve built.
One way or another, I’ll make sure the Paynes come out on top. I’ll worry about London’s reaction after we do.
She’ll forgive you. What choice does she have?