Info And Favors
Vex
“What?” I all but shout at Payne as I answer the call. “This better be good. I just told Dahlia I love her.”
“You said it?”
Why is that such a surprise? You told me I was falling for her. “Why did you call?”
“That can wait. We need to know what happened?”
We? Payne just told Imogene. “We don’t need to know anything. What I need to know is why you called me?”
“Did she cry?” Imogene shouts.
These people are going to drive me out of my mind. “I’m hanging up in three seconds.”
“Shock has been trying to contact you. He found something.”
I groan. “Fine, I’ll call him.” Then while I’m at it, I’ll call Ethan. Might as well get all the irritating things done at once. Then I can enjoy my evening with Dahlia.
“Vex, I just want you to know I’m happy for you.”
Payne happy? Those words don’t go together. But it could also be said, I don’t remember the last time in my life that I was ever happy. “Thanks.” I click off the phone.
Switching phones, I dial Shock’s direct line.
It rings a half a dozen times before Shock picks up. “Bad things. Really bad things are happening.”
I roll my eyes at the dramatic tone he takes. “Can you be a little more specific?”
“Not on the phone.”
“We aren’t spies.”
“Not on the phone.”
“Fine, I’ll be in tomorrow morning.” After Dahlia leaves. Everything about that is wrong. She’s going to be out of my sight and my reach for a week.
Alone.
Unprotected.
Which is completely unacceptable and about to change.
“Don’t call Mr. Vincenti.”
My squirrely hacker took too many energy drinks this morning. “I’ll have to fill him in anyway.” Working together and all of that nonsense is a pain.
“Not about this.”
Barb. Shock found something about Barb. “Do I need to adjust our security?”
“No.”
“Tomorrow, noon.” I click off. Payne will need to be there. Without Imogene.
Me: Tomorrow noon. My office. Ditch the girl .
Payne: ?
Me: We’ll talk then.
Payne: Got it.
After those two conversations, maybe Dahlia is right. My life is becoming a spy novel. None of which can ever touch Dahlia.
The phone rings as I sink down into my office chair, waiting for Ethan to pick up. Dahlia’s probably lost all sense of time and space in my library. A smile spreads across my lips. How did I find a woman who loves books as much as I do?
“What?”
Ethan's friendly greeting does nothing to dampen my happiness. “I need to hire one of your guys.”
“Don’t want your money, boy.”
Why couldn’t he make this easy on me? He knows I don’t like asking favors. “What do you want?”
“You and your girl for Sunday dinner.”
Why? I’m already bringing her over to one family dinner.
“Emilia heard you were bringing her over to Matthew’s, and she wanted to have you both over.”
I pound my head on the back of my office chair. Dahlia isn’t a pony to be shown off to the world. “I can afford to pay your normal rate.”
“Don’t need money. Have more than I can ever spend.”
We both do. But you’re a mercenary—fine, a mostly retired mercenary, but you still run your company. Not that matters one bit. Emilia wants something, so Ethan’s going to get it for her. “I’ll check our schedules, and we’ll make plans soon.”
“Good, I’ll tell Emilia to make arrangements with your girl.”
I groan silently. How am I going to explain these people wanting to meet her?
“What do you need?”
“Dahlia’s going to Vegas tomorrow.”
“And you need security.”
“Quiet security. ”
“She doesn’t know.” Ethan laughs. “Stalking is a crime.”
“Dahlia is traveling with a group of women, and she doesn’t want them to know.”
“Ah. So I’ll have the guy introduce himself, then fade away.”
Ethan won’t let it go. He knows very well that I don’t want Dahlia to know. “It’s not stalking when you love the person.”
“Well then… that’s a different story. I don’t have a guy in Vegas. But Taylor does. Let me get him on the line.”
I should have just insisted on going with Dahlia. She can’t stay mad at me for long. It would have been much easier than this. “I’m paying Taylor.”
“Course you are. Double his normal rate because of the short notice. But you’re still coming to dinner.”
“What do you need, Dad?” Taylor answers.
“Vex’s girlfriend is going to Vegas.”
“That pretty little thing you were having lunch with?”
If I were to punch Taylor for that, he’d punch back. And it would hurt. “Her name is Dahlia Fleur.” But it would definitely be worth it.
“He wants her to be quietly protected.”
“Are you dating her or stalking her?”
It wouldn’t be that hard to kill Taylor… I think. “Can you do it or not?”
“I can do it, but what kind of trouble should my guy be expecting?”
“A bunch of women in Vegas for a work convention.”
Taylor groans. “That’s going to cost you triple.”
The money isn’t the issue. “Trouble seems to follow my woman. She’s going to need a careful eye.”
“You should have started with that, boy. Should your woman be meeting my Emilia?”
“Dad, his woman is the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen.”
“Ahh, that kind of trouble. Put three men on her.”
The two of them think they’re funny. They aren’t, but they’re not wrong either. “Make it five. Her friends are probably as bad as she is. ”
“And I’m adding on hazard pay,” Taylor says.
Fair enough. There should be a picture of Dahlia in my office. “That works. Send me a bill, including the currency you wish to be paid in and the country.”
“That’s what I like about you. You’re always open to creative accounting. I’ll have it for you this afternoon. I’ll need flight and hotel information. And Dad, can I come to dinner to watch you torment Vex?”
“Sure thing. Emilia has been talking about finding someone nice for you.”
It’s my turn to laugh. Nosy old people are intent on tormenting us.