Chapter 9 – Evelyn
EVELYN
“Excuse me.” Sebastian brushed past me where I stood in front of the copier. There was plenty of room, but that didn’t stop him from pressing against me as he moved past.
I blushed but didn’t move over to let him pass on the way back.
A glutton for punishment? Maybe. But ever since this weekend, it was like my body was finely tuned to Sebastian.
I mean, he did explore every inch of it.
I couldn’t hold in the shiver down my spine at the memories, and I caught his smirk out of the corner of my eye as he rifled through the cabinets.
“Anything I can help you find, Mr. Stone?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady but unable to keep the breathiness out of it.
He grinned and opened his mouth to speak when someone cleared their throat.
Marcus leaned against the doorway, watching me with his careful gaze, his face set in a way that made the hair on the back of my neck rise.
“What is it?” I straightened, the hum of the copier the only noise in the now quiet room.
“Luke Jones, the strange guy from the gala?” At my nod, Marcus continued. “Apparently, he made bail last week, and he’s in the wind.”
“What?” He made bail? And we hadn’t heard about it?
“Yep.” Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, his expression dark as his lips twisted into a frown. “As soon as he walked out of the station, it was like he disappeared. Adrian’s guys can’t find him, so you might want to call Liam and see if he has any luck.”
“What about the charges he was brought up on?” Sebastian said, coming to stand next to me. He placed a comforting hand on my back, rubbing small circles as I pulled out my phone to text Liam.
“There’s no record of him being charged with anything in the system now,” Marcus said. “It’s like he was never even arrested.”
My eyebrows flew upwards. No charges? Someone must have wiped his record clean. But who? Hacking the police department was no easy task. And there had been witnesses to him being there. So how had he just managed to walk out of the police station and disappear?
My phone buzzed.
Liam: Maya just called me. I’m digging into it. Will keep you updated, Boss Lady.
I rubbed my temples. Fuck. Luke Jones was the only lead we had for the Kingfisher organization. With him in the wind, I didn’t know where to look next.
“Are the Citadel guys still locked up?” Sebastian asked.
Marcus nodded. “They are. But remember how they were making a big stink? My guy at the police station said that they’ve gone quiet. Become model prisoners.”
My eyebrows were going to be permanently attached to my hairline at this rate.
The three guys at Citadel leadership had been throwing a fit since they had been arrested almost two weeks ago.
Maya told us that they had been insulting the officers and demanding to be released.
Someone had shut them up, and that gave us another clue into the Kingfisher.
Whoever it was or whatever organization it was, they had the power to shut Citadel up and turn them into model prisoners. That wasn’t good.
“Okay,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I can’t think about this right now. I texted Liam. He’s looking into it. I’ve got to get to the Keplan meeting.”
Marcus frowned but nodded, stepping aside for me to pass. I gathered up the copies I had been making and stepped by him. He stopped me with a hand on my arm. “We’re going to figure it out,” he promised softly, his green eyes warm.
I bit my lip and nodded. “Thank you.” I knew we would. “Together, right?”
He smiled, transforming his handsome face into something warm and welcoming. “Together.”
I slipped by him, headed to the conference room. Alexander looked up when I entered. The other men from Keplan were already sitting at the table. I apologized and placed the copies of our contract agreement in front of them before sliding into my seat.
After the meeting, when the last Keplan representative walked out, Alexander stood, buttoning his suit jacket. “Miss Harper, may I see you in my office?”
I frowned but followed him into his office. He guided me behind his desk and then pulled me down onto his lap.
“Alexander!” I yelped. “Someone’s going to see us.”
He laughed, and the sound warmed my insides. He buried his face in my hair. “No one else is coming up for at least a few hours. That was our last meeting until 4 p.m. Let me hold you, baby girl.”
It was phrased like a question but felt like a command. My body relaxed back into him, unbidden. The fear of someone seeing us receded the longer I stayed in his arms. It felt good to be held. And as my body relaxed and my eyes grew heavier, I realized this was probably his plan all along.
“You planned this, didn’t you?” I said, my voice slightly muffled from where I pressed my face into his chest.
He chuckled, his chest vibrating under my cheek. “I don’t know what you mean. I just wanted to hold my girlfriend for a little bit. Can you blame me?”
“Mmm, I guess not,” I said.
His arms were warm around me, and I relished the feeling of safety that sank into my bones. It was like all of my worries melted away. Okay, maybe not melted away completely, but they felt much less pressing.
“Marcus told me about Luke Jones,” Alexander said softly, like he was unwilling to break the peace we had found. “We’ll find him.”
I sighed. “I know. It’s just frustrating. That was our best lead on the Kingfisher organization. I don’t know where to go from here.”
“We can start by tracking his movements prior to the gala. Then see if we can find him after he left the police station.”
I nodded. That was a good plan. “Okay.”
A gold-embossed envelope caught my eye. I frowned. I didn’t remember sorting that envelope in the mail.
“What is that?” I pointed at it.
Alexander reached out and flipped it over for me to see.
“It’s an invitation to a groundbreaking event hosted by Nathaniel Drake, that new real estate developer who won the bid to revitalize the railroad tracks and the south district.”
Nathaniel Drake was new to the city but was already becoming well known for his philanthropic efforts.
His revitalization plan had won the bid because he had also included a large park in his plans to preserve some of the natural landscape.
I didn’t realize they were already starting to break ground, but it made sense.
It was a large project, so it would take a while to complete.
“Want to go with me to it?” Alexander asked.
“Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Stone?”
He laughed and nuzzled my neck. I tilted my head to give him better access, shuddering when he placed a soft kiss against the sensitive skin there. “And if I am?” he teased.
“Is there going to be food involved?”
He laughed. “I’m sure we can negotiate something.”
I glanced down at the invitation. The groundbreaking was set for 3 p.m. on Saturday. “Dinner after?”
“Deal,” Alexander promised. He dipped his head until our lips were only a breath apart. “Seal it with a kiss?”
“Sounds like a binding contract to me,” I murmured, then pressed my lips to his.
He took control of the kiss quickly, deepening it until my head spun. After what felt like an eternity, his phone rang, and he pulled back, leaving me breathless.
“Well, Miss Harper, it seems like work is calling.”
I groaned but stood, righting my clothes as I did. His phone kept ringing as he watched me. I leaned down and kissed him softly.
“Can’t wait till Saturday,” I murmured, then walked away. I could get used to taking breaks like this.