Chapter 27
LILA
I flip through my flash cards while sprawled across Tessa's obscenely comfortable couch.
"Okay, hit me," I say, reaching for my wine glass.
Tessa straightens her shoulders, putting on her best impression of a stern-faced editor. "Ms. Marks, where do you see yourself in five years?"
"Dead inside and mainlining caffeine while investigating corporate fraud." I take a sip. "Or maybe winning a Pulitzer. Whichever comes first."
She snorts, breaking character. "You can't say the dead inside part out loud."
"Fine. Then I'd say something about building a portfolio of impactful investigative work that serves the public interest." I roll my eyes. "Happy?"
"Much better." Tessa flips to another card. "My turn."
Tessa got an interview with Catalyst, which means we're both capitalizing on our plans. I couldn't be happier for her,
I set down my wine and adopt my most serious expression. "Ms. Monroe, tell us about your greatest weakness."
"I work too hard and care too much," she answers with practiced earnestness.
"God, that's terrible." I throw a pillow at her. "They'll see right through that corporate bullshit."
Tessa catches the pillow. "It's not bullshit if it's true. I do work too hard."
"Okay, new question." I clear my throat dramatically. "Ms. Monroe, how would you handle an unethical directive from senior management?"
Tessa opens her mouth to answer, but I cut her off.
"Wait, I have a better one. If your boss asked you to grab coffee after work, what would you wear? The blue Prada or the black Gucci?"
"Oh my god," Tessa laughs, nearly spilling her wine. "Wait, is he hot?"
"Yes, but he's married, the creep."
"I hate it so much that kind of possibility is still real in this day and age, that for women, advancement can depend on that."
"I'd rather bartend until I'm ninety than do something like that.
" I shudder. "Actually..." I swirl my wine glass, staring into the burgundy liquid.
"There was this one creepy investor guy at the Veritas interview.
Kept looking at me like I was on the dessert menu.
And he's going to be there during the follow up. "
"What? You hadn't mentioned that." Tessa sits up straight. "Who?"
"Some investor hotshot named Brian Langford. After the interview, he cornered me with that classic 'I-can-help-your-career' bullshit. Stood way too close, kept giving me a creepy look."
Tessa's wineglass freezes halfway to her lips. "Brian Langford? From Rockwell Blackstone Capital?"
"Yeah, that's the one. How'd you know?"
"Holy shit, Lila." Tessa sets down her glass with a sharp clink. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"
I shrug. "Just another day in the life of a woman with a pulse? I've dealt with worse behind the bar."
"No, you don't understand." Tessa leans forward, her eyes wide. "I've met him. At one of my parents' charity galas last year."
"Let me guess… total creep to you too?"
"Actually, no. He was there with his wife—this gorgeous woman who looks like she walked out of a Ralph Lauren catalog. Super polished couple. But..." She pauses, frowning.
"But what?" I press, refilling my glass.
Tessa lowers her voice like we're at a country club instead of her apartment. "There were rumors about him. Something his family swept under the rug when he was a freshman at Yale."
"What kind of rumors?"
She leans closer. "The kind that involved a girl from a local college who suddenly no one saw again. The kind where campus security reports mysteriously disappeared."
"Jesus." My stomach tightens. I've heard this story before. Hell, I've lived this story before.
"His family has the kind of money that can make entire human beings disappear from the public record," Tessa continues. "They could probably buy Connecticut if they wanted to."
"That's saying something coming from you," I laugh, but it feels hollow. Tessa's family is New York money going back a few generations, but even they have limits. "Your parents own half of Manhattan."
"No way. A tenth, at most." Tessa waves dismissively. "The Langfords are different. Old, old, old money plus new tech investments. They donated an entire science building to Yale after the... incident."
"And everyone just forgot about this girl?"
"Pretty much." Tessa nods grimly. "The story only circulates in certain circles. My mother heard it from someone on the Yale board."
"Do you think… she's dead?"
"Hell if I know."
I set down my wine, suddenly not in the mood. "And this is the guy who cornered me after my interview."
"Lila." Tessa grabs my hand. "If they offer you that internship and he's involved?—"
"I'll be careful," I promise, though my mind is racing. How many predators get to walk through life consequence-free? How many girls learn the hard way that no one will believe them?
"Maybe you should tell Dane," Tessa suggests. "He's protective of you… in a good way."
I picture Dane's face when I told him about Mr. Colton. That cold calculation in his eyes when he offered to 'educate' him.
"Speaking of Dane," I say, glancing down at my phone. "I kind of want to see him tonight."
"Kind of?" Tessa arches an eyebrow. "You mean desperately need to see him, right? Your face does this whole glowy thing every time you mention his name."
"Shut up." I feel my cheeks flush as I open my text thread with Dane. "I don't glow."
"You're literally glowing right now."
I ignore her and type.
Lila: Free tonight? Could use some company after this internship prep session.
"What, no sexy text?" Tessa tries peeking at my screen.
I angle my phone away. "None of your business."
Truth is, Dane's texts have gotten increasingly explicit these past few days. Last night, he sent one describing exactly what he wanted to do to me that had me crossing my legs behind the bar. The man has absolutely no chill, and I'm completely into it.
My phone buzzes with his reply.
Dane: My place tonight? I have something I want to try with you.
Heat spreads through my body. It's ridiculous how three dots on a screen can make me feel like I'm already in his bed.
"From that look on your face, I'm guessing he's available," Tessa laughs.
"Maybe." I type back.
Lila: Can't wait. Wear those tights boxers I like.
"God, you're disgusting," Tessa says, but she's smiling. "You've got it bad."
"Yeah, well." I shrug, trying to sound casual despite the warmth pooling low in my stomach. "The sex is phenomenal. Like, rearrange-your-internal-organs phenomenal."
"TMI, but I'm here for it." Tessa refills our glasses. "So it's just sex?"
"No." The word comes out too quickly. "I mean… we talk too. Like, really talk."
"About?"
I twirl a strand of hair around my finger. "His family. Why he became a marine, and other stuff." What he's shared with me—it's not for me to divulge. I take a sip of wine. "He acts all tough, but there's this... vulnerability to him. Like he's spent his whole life afraid to care about anything."
"Until you," Tessa points out.
My phone vibrates again.
Dane: Wear your hair down, and a dress and nothing underneath.
"Jesus Christ," I mutter, feeling my pulse quicken.
"What?" Tessa demands.
"Nothing." I quickly stuff my phone in my pocket. "Just Dane being... Dane."
"So are you ditching me for him, or what?"
"Maybe." I check the time. "Probably. Definitely."
Tessa sighs dramatically. "Fine, abandon me for your hot detective. But before you go—" Her expression turns serious. "About Langford. Promise me you'll be careful if Veritas offers you that internship."
"I promise." I stand and collect my notes, trying not to rush too obviously. I need to get to my place and find a dress. "But honestly, after what you've told me, maybe I should look into him for my first investigative piece."
"Lila..." Tessa's voice carries a warning.
"Kidding. Mostly." I grab my jacket. "Thanks for the prep session. And for the Langford intel."
As I head for the door, my mind splits in two directions—half racing toward Dane and whatever he has planned for tonight, half circling around Brian Langford and the girl from Yale who vanished without a trace.