Just Lois Lane It
Hazel
I didn’t think an office could be intimidating but Senator Claren’s district headquarters is quickly proving me wrong.
The whole first floor is open plan with staffers buzzing around the desks. A group of women in suits are in the middle of a meeting on the low couches to the right and up above, the senator’s office looks out over his empire through a large glass wall.
I tug at the sleeves of my top. I should just go. I don’t even know what I’m doing here except that I’m pretty sure Flynn is planning on killing the man up in that office.
The senator walks around his desk, his gaze tracking across the lower floor.
His eyes stick on me and I hold my breath.
I think for a moment he’s going to call security on me because I definitely have no reason to be here, but he just smiles a little, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
Then he presses a remote and the glass wall turns black.
Unease crawls down my spine. He didn’t do anything really but something about the whole interaction unsettles me. I can’t see the senator anymore, but I have a feeling he can still see me.
“Coffee?”
I jump at the man who’s appeared at my side.
He gives me a self-effacing smile, his thin framed glasses slipping down his nose a little.
“Technically it’s just for staff, but I can sneak you a cup.
” Hands tucked into the pockets of his slacks, he nods towards the fancy coffee bar behind the couches.
I still haven’t figured out exactly what my plan is, but I decide it can’t hurt to have a reason to hang around. “Sure, coffee would be great.”
“I’m Danny, by the way.”
“Hazel,” I reply, then wince internally because not giving your real name is like sleuthing 101.
My gaze drifts back up to the blacked-out office as we walk across the room and Danny catches me looking. His loose Afro curls bob as he glances up at the office before giving me a lopsided smile. “Kind of creepy right? Like Lex Luthor’s lair.”
My shoulders loosen a bit and I smile back. “Just a little.”
Danny grabs a fancy white mug off the top of the coffee machine and presses for a latte.
“Does he black the window out a lot?” I ask, because I think sneaking in probing questions is also on the sleuthing 101 list.
Danny shrugs. “Only when he has a meeting.” He shoots me a conspiratory look. “Which feels like constantly but that might just be because I’m the one scheduling them.”
“So, you’re his PA?”
“Personal Aide. Speaking of which, who exactly are you, miss?” He hands me the coffee and I take a sip to buy myself some time before deciding to just go ahead and Lois Lane it.
“Will you kick me out if I say I’m a reporter?”
Danny laughs and leans back against the counter. “That depends, are you looking for a good story or a smear piece?”
“Uh, good?”
Danny tsks and leans in close. “Wrong answer.”
My laugh catches me off guard. “What?”
Danny just looks around and lowers his voice. “This is entirely off the record, but the senator isn’t as shiny as he likes to make out.”
I put the coffee down on the side and shift closer. “Seriously? Why do you work for him then?”
Danny shrugs. “Figure I can do more good on the inside, you know?”
I raise a brow. “How very heroic of you.”
“Shh you or I’ll take back the coffee.”
I twist my lips. “About that, I actually kind of hate coffee.”
“Ah, well, there goes my plan to ask you out for coffee this weekend.” He shoots me a sheepish smile, and I realize flirting your way into places comes with consequences.
“Oh, I um. I’m actually seeing someone.” You know, if you count accidentally going on a date with a serial killer and then letting him interrogate you with a vibrator as seeing someone.
Danny reaches into his jacket pocket and hands me his card. “Well, if you change your mind, the Senator is hosting a fundraising gala this weekend. Might be a good way to get close to him…”
I smile in amusement. “Are you leveraging your insider knowledge to get me to go on a date with you?”
Danny grins. “Is it working?”
“Nope, definitely not,” I say, even as I take the business card. He shifts his hand a little, so our fingers touch, and I shoot him a look.
His eyes round, all innocent and puppy dog. “An accident, I swear.”
“Uh huh, why don’t I trust a word you say?”
Danny glances up at the still blacked out office. “Because I work for a corrupt politician?”
He says it as a joke but all the evidence found with Flynn’s victims flick through my mind. I think I came here to warn Senator Claren, but what if he’s not the good guy?
“Is he? Corrupt?”
Danny glances around the office before looking back at me, his voice quiet. “I guess that’s what we need people like you to find out, right?”
I blink, buying time in the space it takes me to remember I’m supposed to be a reporter, then nod along. “I guess so.”
Danny straightens up and nods towards the card between my fingers.
“Come to the gala, Hazel.” He walks away before I can give him an answer and I’m left standing by the coffee bar, not entirely sure what to do with myself.
All I know is that the count for attractive, non-deadly guys who want to date me has just gone up to two and yet the only guy I’m thinking about is Flynn.
Upstairs, the glass wall turns see-through again and I catch sight of the senator leaving his office. A moment later he appears on the floating stairs, briefcase in hand.
Sleuthing 101 here we go.
I hang around by the coffee machine a little longer and then time my walk so I’m following him out onto the street.
If I’m honest with myself, I came here to warn Claren.
Maybe the senator is corrupt. Maybe Flynn has a reason for wanting him dead.
But when it comes down to it, I’m not sure I can stand by and let Flynn kill another person. Not when I can do something about it.
The street outside is fairly busy, office workers heading out to grab some lunch. Ahead of me, a chauffeur opens the door to a Sedan and I pick up the pace, my converse slapping against the sidewalk. The senator glances back at me and I imagine what I’ll say.
Hi there, I know you’re busy, I just thought I should let you know that I think the Vigilante Choker is going to try and kill you soon.
I wince. Even I can tell it’s enough to get me committed to a psych ward. Still, the senator’s almost in his car and I have to say something.
My mouth is half open when a hand scoops over my face and I’m swung into a side street.
I scream into the hand, limbs flaying to fight my attacker but then I’m spun around and Flynn’s trademark curls come into view.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Lilac?”
I grunt and hammer at his chest for scaring the ever-living daylights out of me.
Flynn grabs my wrists in his free hand and pins me to the brick wall with his hips. “You keep fighting me, sweetheart, I’ve got some rope in my car I can put to good use.”
I go slack, my heart kicking in my chest.
Flynn takes his hand off my mouth and I glare up at him.
“You scared me.”
His gaze tracks over my face, his pupils dilating on the pulse in my neck. “I know.”
I narrow my eyes at him because of course the sociopath would get off on that. “Let me go.”
Keeping my wrists secured in one hand, Flynn uses his other to grip my jaw. “I asked you a question, Hazel. What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.” I try to look away but Flynn’s hold on me tightens.
“Eyes on me, Lilac.”
My core clenches. Fuck it, I’m already in trouble. “Are you going to kill the senator?” I ask.
Flynn’s gaze darkens. His tongue darts out over his lip and he presses in closer, his breath grazing my ear. “Pretty sure I told you to stop with the investigating.”
I gulp, fighting against the way my stomach flips. My body is magnetized to Flynn’s and it takes everything in me not to press my hips against his. “You didn’t answer my question,” I say, each word making me more aware of Flynn’s grasp on my jaw.
He arches a dark brow. “Do you think you deserve an answer, sweetheart, when you’ve so flagrantly disobeyed my orders?”
I lift my chin. “You’re the one who climbed through my window, Flynn. If you don’t want me digging into your life, maybe you should stay out of mine.” I shut my mouth, regretting the words as soon as they hit the damp air.
Flynn’s face goes blank, his hand falling from my jaw. “Is that what you want?”
My stomach hollows. I should be angry at him. I should want him to leave me the hell alone. But the thought of him doing just that, of Flynn walking away and leaving me in this alley, has panic clawing at my chest. Panic strong enough to make me whisper, “No.”
The harsh edge to Flynn’s jaw melts. He lets go of my wrists and threads his fingers through my mine. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
I’m still annoyed with him for scaring me, but I also don’t want him to go so I let him lead me out of the alley and back onto the main street.
The Senator’s sedan is gone now, an empty space on the side of the road. Flynn leads me away from the spot and further down the street. It’s not till we stop beside a Range Rover that my preservation instincts come to life and I dig my heels in.
“Where exactly are you taking me?”
Flynn opens the passenger door, and my brain clocks that he still hasn’t let go of my hand.
“To my place.”
Alarm bells ring in my head. “Yeah, no. That’s not happening.” I take a step back, but Flynn just tightens his grip.
“Hazel.” His voice pitches low in warning.
“I’m not coming to your house, Flynn. I’m not getting in a car with you.” A whole different kind of panic grips my throat and honestly, I’m not even sure why because Flynn has never done anything to hurt me, but my mind is screaming at me.
And coming in at number one on the list of stupid shit to do is… getting in a car with a serial killer.
Flynn tugs on my hand, pulling me in close. He moves fast, folding my arms behind my back and crowding me against the car. My breath picks up.
“Flynn.” His name falls from my lips.
“Why not?”
“What?”
“Why don’t you want to get in the car with me?”
I stare at him like he’s an idiot. “Oh, I don’t know maybe it’s the whole ‘you’re a convicted felon’ thing.”
Flynn shakes his head ever so slightly, his powder blue gaze seeing far too much.
“No. I don’t think you’re scared because I’ve killed people.
” Flynn shifts, his chest brushing mine as he dips his chin and captures my eyes.
“I think you’re scared because that brain of yours knows just how much trouble you’re in for coming down here. ”
His breath tickles my face, and a shiver runs through me. “What sort of trouble, exactly?” I ask.
Flynn curls his hand around the back of my neck, his thumb gliding across my jaw. “I haven’t decided yet, but if you’re a good girl and get in the car maybe I’ll be nice.”
Heat pools between my thighs and I lean into Flynn’s hand. “This is a bad idea,” I murmur.
“Terrible.”
I trace the pale contours of his face, the sharp angle of his jaw, the way his gaze drops to my lips. “You’re not giving me a choice, are you?”
The corner of Flynn’s lip ticks up. “You have a choice. You can either get in the car yourself, or I’ll put you in the car.”
I shoot him a look. “That’s not a choice, Flynn.”
He smirks. “Option two it is then.”
“Wait, no.” Flynn lets go and I hold my hands up, but he’s already picking me up at the waist and lifting me into the passenger seat. “Can we just talk about this?”
“Sure.” Flynn grabs the seatbelt and leans over me to slot it into place. “Plenty of time to talk on the drive home.”
“Flynn!” I reach for the seatbelt, but Flynn snags my hand, blue eyes piercing into mine.
“Undo that and I definitely won’t be nice.”
I fold my hands on my lap, too much of a scaredy cat to push him when he looks at me like that.
The door closes with a thud and Flynn rounds the hood of the car to the driver’s seat. He’s quiet when he gets in, the jokey Flynn I’m used to looking far too serious as he hooks his arm around my headrest and reverses out of the parking space.
I fiddle with my fingers, pushing down the quicks of my nails. It’s not till we’re on the road, the engine humming beneath us that Flynn speaks again.
“How did you find out about the senator?” he asks, keeping his eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel, driving like it’s as easy as breathing.
“I saw a message on your phone.” I peek up from my nails, watching Flynn for his reaction. His jaw ticks. “How mad at me are you, exactly?”
Flynn sighs. “I’m not mad at you. I just don’t want you anywhere near the senator.”
“Why not?”
He glances over at me then focuses back on the road. “You’ll see.”
“Is he dangerous?”
“Yes.”
“More dangerous than you?”
We stop at some traffic lights and Flynn takes one hand off the wheel. He reaches out and tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His knuckles graze my cheek as he says, “I’ve killed eight men with nothing but my hands. Very few people are more dangerous than me, Lilac.”