Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
M aya gave Elliot the bag and then sat down at her desk. She knew he noticed how badly her hand was shaking. She couldn’t stop the reaction, which was all it was. It wasn’t fear. No one would spread something on the floor in hopes of hurting her. That was ridiculous. But the fragile part of her mind that entertained the thought whispered, “No one would send you a dead rat, either, right?”
She wrapped her arms around herself and watched the man in front of her. He had a strong chin and profile. His dark hair and five o’clock shadow accented his rugged good looks. She’d guess he was six-foot-three or four inches tall. Strong shoulders and a narrow waist with thick thighs. His shoulders were broad and pulled a bit against the fine fabric of his suit. Maya blinked and diverted her attention from his body to his clothes. His suit was ruined. The suit was tailored and obviously expensive. Whatever was on the floor had transferred to the front of his jacket, leaving a huge, dark, oily patch.
“I’ll pay to have your suit replaced,” she blurted out.
He glanced at her as he pulled the decorated box out of the large, zipped tote bag she’d brought to work with her. “That’s not necessary, but thank you.” She watched as he carefully set the box on top of her desk and lifted the bow-encased lid. He didn’t flinch or react to what he saw. He simply replaced the lid and looked at her. “Have you touched anything inside the box?”
“Absolutely not.” A shiver ran down her spine. “No.” Touch the rat? Never. The thought brought gooseflesh up her arms. She rubbed them to warm herself.
He unbuttoned his suit jacket and placed one hand in the pocket of his slacks. “You received this last night?”
Maya nodded. “Yes. Security at my apartment sent it up.”
“Security is in the habit of sending up boxes you aren’t expecting?”
“No. But the courier was on my safe list. I use them for documents when I need physical signatures.”
Elliot cocked his head. “Do people still require that? I thought everything was digital now.”
“I require it, and I also require notary stamps. My business will not be subverted by some computer hacker. It's old school, but I insist on it.”
“I’ll need the name of the courier service.”
“I’ll give it to you, but you’ll be wasting your time. I contacted them. They told me they had no record of a delivery for me yesterday.”
Elliot nodded and looked around the office. “Is there anything you need to do here that can’t be accomplished at your apartment?”
Maya frowned. “Probably not, why?”
The man turned his full attention on her, and the impact of those intense gray eyes smacked into her confusion. “Because I need to ascertain the security of your apartment. My evaluation of your business location is complete. I’ll be implementing new security measures.”
“Why? Nothing’s wrong with security here.” Maya stood up and winced a bit as she put weight on her ankle.
“I disagree. There’s nothing correct with the security here as there is none.”
“People are vetted downstairs.”
“People are given directions, and they aren’t vetted. Someone came into your office and left a letter for you, and no one saw who it was. There’s no surveillance here.” He motioned to the office they were in. “Or on the rest of the floor. Anyone who knows what floor you’re on could ride the elevator up and do whatever mischief they were up to, and nobody would be able to stop them.”
“I respect my people’s privacy. Camera surveillance is intrusive.” Maya lifted her chin. “I don’t want a camera system.”
Elliot shrugged. “There are workarounds without using surveillance.”
“Then do that.” Maya opened her desk drawer and pulled out her purse. “Are you ready?”
Elliot’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you need to call your car service?”
Maya stopped. “I don’t have a car service. I use ride share.” Elliot reached up and pinched his nose between his eyes. Did he get hurt when he caught her? She hadn’t even asked. Lord, she was insensitive at times. “Do you have a headache?”
The man dropped his hand and rolled his shoulders. “I’m getting one, yes.” He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Would you please connect me with logistics?”
Maya sat back down because her ankle was swelling, and she wanted to see what the sexy hunk of protection was doing without being in pain. Sexy hunk … dear God, no. That was not an option. She straightened her back. Acknowledge the fact that the man is attractive and then dismiss him from your mind. You don’t have time for any type of distraction. The man in front of her was definitely a distraction. She’d file him under “pretty to look at but absolutely do not touch” in her brain. She had several men in that file. All were off-limits. She wouldn’t fall down that hole again. She fell for a good-looking man once. Boy, oh boy, did she learn her lesson. Giving her heart and falling in love with the wrong man, only to have him stomp on that love and kick it back at her. Yeah, that was a lesson she’d not soon forget. Relationships were now strictly formed to advance her career. Relationships were not on her agenda, and they never would be.
“Yes, this is Elliot Sawyer. I need a vetted car service starting tomorrow for dedicated use by my current assignment. Yes, that’s correct. No, starting tomorrow morning. That’s right. No, please text me the number, and I’ll contact the driver directly. No one else will authorize the transportation. That’s correct. Thank you.”
Maya leaned back in her chair. “And how will I get home tonight?”
“I’ll be taking you. I assume you have a parking space at your apartment.”
“I have three,” she said, although she no longer owned a car. No one wanted to drive in New York—well, no one she knew.
“Then I’ll park my rental there.” Elliot walked over and extended his hand. “Shall we?”
She placed her hand in his. The warmth of his grip radiated up her arm, and she shivered again.
“Are you cold?” he asked as he picked up the bag with the rat in it.
“What? No. I think the lack of sleep and the fall just now are catching up with me.”
He smiled politely. “Of course. Please stay next to me at all times when we’re moving between secure locations.”
She glanced at him, and his suit jacket opened a bit. That was when she noticed the gun under his arm. She gasped. “You have a gun!”
He smiled and then chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. It’s one of the things I require to ensure your safety.”
“A gun? Is that legal?”
“It's licensed and completely legal. I’m very proficient with it, so you can relax.”
Relax? With a gun not more than three feet from her. Not likely. “That might take some time.” She’d never seen a gun except in the movies. Her eyes kept going back to where she’d seen the weapon. She shivered again. Damn, she needed to stop doing that. “Do you have to wear it?”
He nodded. “It’s mandatory. A nonnegotiable.” He helped her tiptoe around the area where she’d slipped and into the elevator.
She turned to him. “What is negotiable?”
He lifted the bag and then looked at her. “Until I find out who’s doing this, very few things.” Those gray eyes were intensely serious. She’d hate to have him as a competitor because she could tell he would be ruthless in his business.
“They did tell you my schedule cannot change, right? I have four months to get this IPO positioned for the best launch possible.”
“I’m aware. The only time I’ll interfere with your schedule is to protect you from danger.” The door opened at the garage level. Maya glanced around. It was dark, and her heels echoed in the cement-enclosed area. The sound of metal hitting metal somewhere to her left made her jump. Elliot’s hand was on her back instantly. “This way.”
“I guess I’m more tired than I thought. I’m never jumpy.”
“Of course, Ms. Callahan.”
She snapped her gaze in his direction. “You can call me Maya. Everyone does.”
“No, I’m sorry. My employers require me to address you as Ms. Callahan.” Elliot walked her over to a town car and opened the rear door after he unlocked it. “Ma’am.”
“I can sit in the front with you.” She pointed to the front door.
“No, ma’am. It’s far safer for you to be in the rear of the vehicle.”
“It is?” she asked as she got into the back seat.
Elliot shut the door and thought, For me, yeah . He’d decided to draw a wide line between himself and the beautiful woman he’d be with day and night for the next four months or until he found out who was behind the things happening to her. The way she shook woke up that caveman mentality. Me man, me protect . He used to joke about it with his men … before. And with that, any thought of stepping over lines promptly ended. He put the rat in the trunk and then got into the vehicle. “Your address?”
Maya gave him the address he’d memorized, and he plugged it into his GPS. It had been a year or so since he’d driven in New York. The last time he’d escorted Faith and her children to the city. Maya stared out the window as he drove to her apartment building. He had to access the parking area using a code Maya gave him. He saw a camera pointed toward the entrance. Score one for security, but he’d prefer the area be manned.
A key card inserted into the console on an elevator control panel allowed Maya to access her apartment. She gave him hers, and he pocketed it after using it. “Who has duplicates of this card?” he asked as they rode to the penthouse.
“Ah, my housekeeper, Louise; she’s been with me for years. Jessica Hall, Olivia Solomon, and the security people downstairs have an emergency bypass key.”
“What’s the reason for Jessica having a card?”
“She’s my personal assistant. If I need something, she comes over and gets it. I’ve had to have her retrieve documents, my tablet, and a change of clothes when an evening meeting comes up unexpectedly. I’ve known Jessica since we were both in college. As I’ve progressed, I’ve kept her with me.”
“How close of friends are you?” Elliot asked as the elevator opened into a spacious living room. The feel was light and modern. But there were no pictures of Maya or her family. The décor didn’t look how he’d expect her apartment to look.
He watched as Maya considered her words before answering. “More like acquaintances. She was on a project with me in one of my business classes. When I was looking for someone to work with me when I first started out, she applied for the job.”
“And Ms. Solomon?”
“Olivia? She has a key so she can escape. She uses my apartment to decompress sometimes. We work in a very stressful environment. Sometimes, a person just needs to be able to slip away where no one can find you.”
“Do you have a location like that?”
“Not yet. Someday.” She glanced at him. “Maybe when I’m as successful as Olivia.”
“Is that the ultimate goal? To be that successful?”
“Of course.” The reply was immediate and unyielding.
He glanced back at the open elevator door. “Does this elevator only service this apartment?”
“Yes. If anyone calls the elevator, they have to have a key to get it to come down.”
“Emergency egress?”
“What?” She looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.
“Escape route if the elevator doesn’t work?”
“Oh, this way.” Maya showed him the stairwell, which could be accessed through the large, modern kitchen.
“Surveillance system?”
“No, but I do have an alarm I can set when I leave.”
Elliot stopped and turned around to look at his client. “‘Can set’?”
“I haven’t ever used it because of security in the lobby and the need for a keycard to access the elevator.”
“Keycards can be duplicated. Plus, anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of wiring can bypass the need for a card.” Elliot ran his hand through his hair. “Changes will need to be implemented immediately.”
Maya sat down and took off her high heels. Then she dropped her head back and sighed in relief. The photos of the woman failed to do her any justice. She radiated sensuality, and her body was perfect. When she was relaxed, like now, she was exquisite. Not that he noticed the way her lips parted or her long lashes rested on her cheeks. The rise and fall of her chest held his attention for a heartbeat. He jerked his eyes back to hers when she asked, “Why?” Thank God they were closed.
Elliot pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and positioned himself in front of Maya. No, Ms. Callahan . He cleared his throat, and she opened her eyes.
“Ma’am, the rat in the box was sent by someone with mental issues. There’s no doubt in my mind that whoever sent it isn’t finished. Your car tires were slashed.”
“That could have happened any time. I had a Porsche I never drove. Jessica was going to take it for routine maintenance and found it with four flat tires. She called a tow truck, and the mechanic said all the tires were slashed. I asked the dealership to sell the car. They did. It wasn’t like I ever drove it.”
“And the news media release Jessica mentioned?”
With a sigh, Maya nodded. “That was extremely concerning. A whistleblower on a very insignificant detail about my company's process to manufacture our products. But we showed the government representatives the tip was completely false. It did, however, cost us about six months in slowdown toward the launch of our IPO.”
Elliot lifted his eyebrows. “And who would benefit from that slowdown?”
She shook her head. “I’ve wracked my mind, and besides competitors who are years behind in our technology, I can’t think of anyone.”
“Have any of those competitors reached out to you before or after the incident?”
Maya blinked and cocked her head. “Yes. Chandler Kates has repeatedly asked me to meet with him. I don’t believe his interest is only in the business.” Maya rolled her eyes. “He’s a known womanizer, and because he has nothing I want or need, I’ve declined every invitation.”
Elliot narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, nothing you want or need?”
Maya stood and picked up her shoes. “In my world, relationships are built to align business interests. Everyone always wants something. If someone does something for me, it’s because they work for me or want something from me. Chandler Kates wants my access, my connections, or my money.”
“Could it be he’s interested in you for you?”
Maya laughed sadly and shook her head. “No. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to take a shower.”
“Of course. If you show me to my room, I’ll bring up my luggage.”
“What? You’re staying here?”
“Yes, ma’am. You’re my responsibility twenty-four-seven.”
The woman stared at him blankly for a moment. “Follow me.” She was about four inches shorter without her heels, and he’d peg her as five-foot-five inches tall. She stopped at the first door of a long corridor. “You can sleep here.”
“Where do you sleep?”
She pointed to the end of the hallway. “There.” He went down the hall and opened every door. The room directly adjacent to hers shared a doorway between the two rooms. “I’ll sleep here.”
Maya, who had followed him down the hall, put her hand on her hip. “I’m not sure I like that idea.”
Elliot looked down at the woman. “Ms. Callahan, let me be frank. I don’t care. I’m here to protect you. Your schedule is sacrosanct; I understand that. I’ll be unobtrusive; your people won’t notice I’m around after the first couple of days. I’ll blend in. It’s what I do, but I will mandate changes to your deficient security measures that should be in place already simply because you are who you are. That is also nonnegotiable.”
Maya crossed her arms, and her hip jutted out to one side. She smiled, and Elliot knew it wasn’t a happy one. “Really? What if I fire you?”
“Before you do, you should ask yourself, what would be worse, me sleeping in the bedroom next to yours or having something else dead delivered to your door, or God forbid, a maniac jumping you in front of your office building as you wait for a rideshare?”
The woman’s arms dropped, and she diverted her attention and stared past his right shoulder. He could see the wheels in her mind turning as she processed what he’d said.
She lifted her chin. “There is no reason to believe I’m in danger.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Ms. Callahan. Whoever sent that dead rat is deranged. Escalation in these cases happens all the time, but if you’d prefer to take your chances, I’ll leave.” Reaching into his suit jacket, Elliot pulled out the letter that was found on her desk. “Would you like this and the rat back?”
The shiver that ran through her couldn’t be concealed. “Fine. You can sleep here,” she said as she opened the door to her room and slammed it shut behind her.
Elliot rolled his shoulders and called, “Good night, Ms. Callahan.”
The groan he heard from inside the room made him smile. His assignment would not be easy. His client was used to having her own way. He’d work with her as much as he could as he worked for her, but above all else, her security was paramount. In that, he wouldn’t compromise.