Chapter Twenty-Nine
“D on’t go back.”
Even though I respected the weight of Cameron’s plea, I stood in the elevator waiting for the doors to open to my floor at Pulse360—nervous, but with a renewed sense of purpose.
I can do this.
I hadn’t been at my desk since Thursday, so showing up on Monday as if nothing was out of the ordinary didn’t feel quite right.
This is what it was like to have a well-meaning but overbearing family.
I arrived at my cubicle and took my seat, sensing the tension coming off Chloe, who hadn’t acknowledged me. She was typing fast, words spilling onto her screen as she worked passionately.
She was the first real friend I had made here, and her not responding to my arrival made me uneasy.
Not wanting to invade her privacy, I focused on my own tasks, on researching my story and hunting for current events that might catch Julia’s interest. Also, I reviewed the work sent out for me to follow up on. I’d been sent several articles to review, and I needed to fact check and concisely edit them. It was going to take me a while.
Finally, Chloe paused and said, “She wants to see you.”
She was telling me this now? “Julia?”
Chloe leaned back in her chair and looked at me. “Hadley.”
I tried not to swallow the nervous lump in my throat. The last time I’d seen Jewel we were at Pendulum—witnessing an orgy. And my doppelganger had gotten up to some crazy things in front of her.
I sensed I’d gotten away without her knowing it was me.
There was no reasonable excuse for a low-level journalist to be summoned up to her office.
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“She came looking for you.”
“Did you ever find out who gave you that chandelier snow globe?”
“Not yet.”
“Weird.”
A shudder slithered up my spine. “What are you working on?”
“The same as usual. You?”
“An edit, and my own story about drinks being tampered with.”
“Covered that. Last spring.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, realizing my mistake in not checking that detail.
Chloe pursed her lips. “Is it true? You’re related to the Coles. The Coles?”
I looked away. Perhaps that explained her coldness.
“Chad told me,” Chloe said. “Can’t keep anything private around here. We’re surrounded by people who professionally sniff out secrets.”
“I want to make it on my own merit.”
“Sure, but Jewel knows who you are, right?”
“Did she mention what she wanted?”
“I covered for you. Told her you were at a dental appointment. Don’t make me lie for you again.”
“Sorry, and thank you.”
“Look, Willa, for everyone else, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you don’t take it seriously—”
“No, I do.”
“Then act like it.”
I stared at my hands as though it were possible to undo the last twenty-four hours. “My brother…it was a family thing.”
My brother kind of kidnapped me and drove me out into the middle of nowhere to show me what Jewel was capable of.
Chloe could never hear that.
I tried to get a sense of what kind of reception was waiting for me on the top floor. “How did she react to me not being here?” I asked.
“She looked around your desk.”
I swallowed hard. “I was also researching a story.”
She looked unimpressed. “Tell her.”
“Something exciting,” I added, my gut aching over how Chad had betrayed me—even after I’d promised to help him.
“What’s the story?” She looked intrigued.
“A missing person turned up dead.”
She thought on it. “Who?”
“Dean Hersey.”
“The journalist?”
“Yes.”
“So sad. You know his boyfriend works here?”
“Yes, Chad?”
“Did he ask you to help him?”
“Kind of.”
“Anything interesting come up?”
“It might be connected to Lance Merrill’s death.”
“That’s senior level shit. Don’t.”
“Don’t look into it?”
“Dean was digging around where he shouldn’t. No guardrails, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t think I do.”
“Dean’s boss at The Times had no clue what he was working on. Look, once you get close to billionaires, especially oil tycoons like Lance Merrill, and start digging into their business, you’re treading on dangerous ground.” She glanced at her watch. “You better head up.”
I took her advice and rode the elevator to the top floor.
Jewel’s receptionist wore an expression that reminded me of someone who’d bitten a bee; the woman seemed as intimidating as her boss. After a while, she finally looked up from her screen and, without a word, tapped on her phone to notify Jewel I had arrived. The coldness in her demeanor didn’t sit well with me. It was as if everyone around here was part of some silent conspiracy to bring my spirits down.
I was told to go in, and I nodded in thanks, psyching myself up to face off with the woman Cameron had described as evil.
My heart was racing as I strolled through her glass doorway.
Jewel Hadley sat behind her desk, speaking on the phone. She raised a finger, signaling me to wait until she was done. The gesture was a clear warning not to sit yet.
She looked truly stunning in black and white Chanel, her hair perfect. She sat there like running a billion-dollar news empire came as second nature to her—calm and collected, with eyes as sharp as a predator’s.
She studied me intently, sizing me up, ready to take a bite.
Her office was breathtaking, perched high above the city. If this was a skyscraper cock fight, the Coles would win with their grand tower, the tallest in the city.
This was the same building Greyson had designed, and for some reason knowing that made me happy.
Her office was immaculate. A massive glass desk sat in the center with files neatly stacked across the top.
Finally, Jewel hung up the phone and stared at me, not saying anything, merely letting the tension play out.
I really hoped she hadn’t recognized me at Pendulum.
Her sensuality was a thing to behold. She rose and rounded the desk, drawing closer to me, her beauty like a mask. Her scent was subtle yet tinged with something seductive, like a secret aphrodisiac.
“How are you?” I said, trying to read her.
“Let’s not begin with small talk.”
I gave a nod and raised my chin, trying to exude confidence.
“I hear you impressed Julia.” She came out and said it.
“That’s good to hear.”
“It’s me you have to impress, though, Willa.”
“Right.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing what you were working on yesterday. When you were out of the office.”
“I can share that.”
“We are sending you out into the field.”
I smiled. “That sounds great!”
“Tomorrow night, I need you to escort one of our journalists. We need you to be present when she goes in to contact our source.”
“A source?”
“Yes, our key figure.” She narrowed her gaze on me. “She’s going to seduce him.”
I returned her stare, feeling the weight of the moment, realizing I might be the only one who could stop her from hurting anyone else.
“Is that legal?”
She smirked and shook her head playfully.
Her easy elegance, the control and the power she wielded effortlessly—all of this hid a nest in which she ensnared her victims. “It’s a special assignment,” she said. “Do you want to be part of something special?”
I felt a jolt of uncertainty in my chest.
I was conflicted about whether to tell her I could never use someone like that. But then again, I had been warned so there should be no surprise.
“There’s a hotel opening in Beverly Hills.”
My stomach twisted as I sensed where this was going. I tried not to show my uneasiness.
“What’s the story?”
She raised a finger. “Who’s the story.”
“Is she covering the event?”
“Architect Greyson Grantchester. He’s a hard man to get close to. Very secretive.”
I swallowed my surprise. “Wasn’t there an incident at his home?” I said cautiously.
“You heard about that?” She studied my face. “Impressive.”
“I read it on Dredge,” I lied.
“Time for the tough questions.”
My heart ached for my friend, the man I had come to adore and wanted to protect. Objecting wouldn’t help him now. They’d just remove me from the situation.
“There’s not much about him online,” she said.
“Is there anything specifically you want to know?”
“We had a tip his ex-girlfriend was afraid of him.”
“The one who died?”
“Turned up dead in his pool.”
“How about the police report?”
She waved that off. “The invitation is a curated list. But I managed to get Chloe in.”
“Chloe?”
“You’ll be going with her.”
I tried to act nonchalant despite knowing that my co-worker hadn’t mentioned anything about entrapping a man for a story— my Greyson.
Well, not technically mine, but close enough. I’d been to his house, and we’d chatted over tea. He’d hugged me and made no advances. We were clearly best friend material.
Even if I had wanted more.
“After Greyson makes an appearance at the hotel, he’ll slink back off to the Hollywood Hills.”
“You believe he killed her?”
“He’s a man with questionable tastes. Into power play and control.”
“Right.” I quickly added, “I didn’t know that.”
“The event is this Friday night.”
“The hotel?”
“Beverly Majestic. You’ll attend the opening so wear a gown.” She strode back around to the other side of her desk.
“Right.”
There was a deliciousness to her power, to her darkness, and I’d gotten a taste of it back at Pendulum.
She gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What are you working on?”
“It’s not ready yet.”
The weight of her gaze caused me to shiver.
She continued, her voice stern. “You’re destined for exciting opportunities. We both know that.”
“I’m willing to work for it.”
“You’ll work for it, all right. Now tell me more.”
“A journalist turned up dead after he was witnessed getting into a car with Lance Merrill.” I watched her reaction. “Soon after, Merrill died, too.”
It was her turn to freeze. I saw her eyelids flicker, proving I’d hit a nerve. “What witness?”
“Working on it. I have something newsworthy.”
She bristled. “What do you have so far?”
“Minor details.”
She was silent for a few moments, and I felt the tension in the air. “Interesting.”
“Hersey got too close to something important.”
“Email me everything you have on this.”
Her reaction suggested she knew more about the journalist’s meeting with Lance Merrill. Both were tied to Pendulum, the club she wanted to own. Her silence hinted at a quiet complicity.
She waved a hand in the air. “You may go.”