Chapter 3
Chapter Three
KEELEY
Iinhale deeply as I move through Sal’s office, letting his spicy cologne relax me as I make myself comfortable.
I swear I work better here than in my own office, as though his scent triggers my productive mind.
It’s probably why I end up here whenever I’m working late or when we’re both here on a Storm day off. Which is almost a weekly occurrence.
“Are you in the mood for milk or dark chocolate?” Sal asks when he reappears in the doorway, his hands behind his back.
I smile up at him before lowering my gaze and tilting my head, attempting to see around him. “Are you trying to make the vending machine candy sound more decadent than it is?”
“Not at all.” He chuckles lightly. “I came prepared. I had these in my car.” He holds out two blocks of my favorite handmade chocolate, only available from a cute little store an hour away, and I gasp.
“You went to Hamilton’s Chocolates? When?”
“I took Isaac last Tuesday. It’s actually a coincidence that I brought it today.”
“I bet he loved that.”
“He did. He knew exactly what he wanted when we arrived. I’m going to go out on a limb and say his aunt has given him some before? He seems to follow in your footsteps when it comes to being a chocolate connoisseur.”
“Someone had to introduce him to it. Don’t worry, I made it clear it was a sometimes food, otherwise Easton’s likely to ban me from seeing him again.”
“I said the same. But I lied.”
Sal fakes a wince and I laugh softly. “Me too. What’s the point of having aunts and grandparents if they’re not going to spoil you?”
“Exactly. So which one?”
“Dark, please. Like my heart.”
“Keeley, your heart is so far from dark, it’s practically sunshine.”
“That’s quite the poetic notion.”
“I try.”
Sal hands me the beautifully wrapped bar of dark chocolate and opens his bar as he walks over to his desk, swiveling his chair to face me. “What are you working on tonight?”
“I’ve got—” My loud ringtone blares from somewhere in my bag, and I groan as I search around for it, smiling when it’s Reed.
“One of your players is calling me after hours.” I fake a frown and Sal laughs.
“Reed, it’s late. What did Luke do this time?” I smile at my own joke until silence ensues. “Reed?”
“Sorry. Hayley was showing me something on her phone. I don’t mean to be calling so late.” His flat tone sets off alarm bells ringing through my mind.
“Is everything okay?”
“No. I should have called you sooner, but I haven’t exactly been thinking clearly. The Jacksonville police called me earlier today.” He sucks in a breath and my own catches in my throat. “Landon passed away. This morning. Hayley and I have to report for more questioning.”
“Jesus. Have you spoken to Zane?” At the mention of Zane, I catch Sal stiffen from the corner of my eye, before he gets up and moves closer.
“He won’t answer his phone. Hayley and I have been calling since we found out and nothing, not even…” He trails off and my stomach sinks.
“Has anyone tried going to his apartment?”
Sal lightly grabs my arm, physically turning me to get my attention, his wide eyes making my heart ache.
Reed begins to speak at the same time Sal opens his mouth to question me, and I hold my hand up to stop him.
“I don’t know where he lives, Keeley, and I doubt any of the others do.”
“Shit. I can look it up. I might head there now.”
“Thank you. Let me know if you have any luck.”
“I will. Try not to stress. I’m sure he’s just ignoring the world while he processes the news.”
“I hope that’s all it is. Talk soon.”
“Bye, Reed.”
I hang up and Sal’s panicked voice rings through the air. “What happened?”
“Landon died.”
“Fuuuck.”
“I know. I promise I’ll make a few calls regarding the team in the morning, but tonight?—”
“The team will be fine,” Sal cuts me off, waving away my concern. “Controversy’s our thing. I’m worried about Zane. Sounds like he’s MIA?”
“Yep. I’m going to see if he’s home. We have his address on file.”
“I’m coming with you.” Sal doesn’t wait for my response before rounding his desk and grabbing his keys. “We can?—”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Sal. He’ll see it as an ambush if he’s self-loathing.”
“I’m coming. I’ll stay in the car if you think that’s best. I can’t stand around and do nothing, Keels.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you downstairs in five.”
“Thank you.” He smiles in appreciation before a loud sigh escapes him, the sound full of anguish.
And I feel it too. Zane’s a confident man, and you wouldn’t be off base in thinking nothing ever fazes him.
But it’s all an act. I’ve seen the cracks in his tough exterior, and I can’t begin to imagine how he’s feeling right now.
Especially with everything the media has been throwing his way.
“We have to find him, Sal.”
“We will.”
Sal’s gaze turns sympathetic, and he takes a step toward me, maybe to comfort me, I don’t know. Either way, I wave him off, throwing my things into my bag. I don’t need comfort. It’s time to get moving. Zane needs his friends, whether he thinks he has them or not. “I’ll see you in a few.”
It’s after midnight by the time Sal’s driving me back to my car. Zane’s entitled concierge wouldn’t let me up to his apartment, and when she refused Sal too, I almost slid over the counter to attack her. “We take our residents’ privacy very seriously.”
I wanted to show her how serious this was, and I would have, if I wasn’t almost certain Zane wasn’t there.
I’d like to believe she would have been more accommodating if he was.
We pull up next to my dark gray Volkswagen, and Sal switches off the engine in his Aston Martin, turning to face me with a weary expression.
After my almost catfight with Kate, we’d driven to a few places that Zane had once mentioned in passing, but had no luck finding him.
I was ready to call the police when Reed texted to say Zane had messaged in their group chat, letting them know he was fine and that he’d miss practice tomorrow.
I’m sure he sent it assuming we’d give up our efforts trying to get in touch with him.
Too bad he’s wrong.
It only worked to relieve the extreme tightness in my chest before I called him again, begging him to answer.
“He’s okay, Keeley.” Sal reaches over and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze. “We’ll keep calling him tomorrow until he picks up. We can’t do anything more tonight.”
“I know. I’m just?—”
“Worried?”
“Extremely.”
“Then, how can I help? What can we do?”
“You’ve already helped. Thank you for keeping me company tonight.”
Sal smiles as he circles his thumb over the skin on my hand, and I return his smile while the warmth of his touch heats me from within.
“I’m here for you, Keeley. Whenever you need me.”
“I know. And I appreciate it. I should try and get a few hours of good sleep before facing the media tomorrow. I’ll see you bright and early.”
“You sure will. Good night, Keeley.”
“Night, Sal.”
Neither of us moves for a beat until Sal clears his throat and removes his hand, his knuckles white when he curls his fingers around the steering wheel again.
Sal and I could talk for hours without stopping, our conversations always flowing and comfortable. Until it comes to these little moments. The blips in our otherwise professional relationship.
This isn’t the first instance we’ve lost time due to lingering touches or staring into each other’s eyes for longer than we should. And I know with absolute certainty that it won’t be the last.
While it’s not something either of us has ever acknowledged out loud, I’ve thought about it often. I’ve even concluded that it stems from my complete lack of a love life and the fact that Sal’s an incredibly handsome man.
He’ll be fifty-two this year, but other than the salt and pepper in his hair and laugh lines decorating his skin, you wouldn’t know it.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’ve thought about what it would be like to take things further between us. It’s impossible not to. You’d be hard-pressed to find a woman that isn’t attracted to him or his charm.
Only, it’s not meant to be. There’s too much standing in the way, and I’d never let a quick, or not so quick fuck ruin the relationship we have. It means too much to me. He means too much to me. Things are perfect exactly as they are.
“Night,” I repeat, reaching for the door handle until Sal stops me, his hand shooting out to curl around my arm.
“Wait.”
I smile at his touch, and I don’t have to ask to know what’s coming. “You don’t have to do this every time I get out of the car.” I giggle, the tension in the air dissipating slightly.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to. What am I if not a gentleman?” He smirks and my laughter grows.
“Fine. I’ll wait.”
“Thank you.”
He jumps out and jogs around the car, standing behind the door as he opens it.
There was a time when he used to offer me his hand too, until Paige convinced him he was taking his chivalry a little too far.
He opens the door for her too. And his ex.
And any other females he might have in his car.
Although, most of the time he has a driver, so it’s his driver’s responsibility.
Either way, it’s sweet and I’m happy to indulge him.
“Now we can say good night.” He nods in thanks. “I’m sorry I forgot myself for a moment.”
“Look at you oozing old-school charm.”
“Good night, Keeley.”
“Night, boss.” I wink and he shakes his head, waiting for me to get settled in my car before walking around to his driver’s side door and climbing inside. He lifts a finger in a wave as I drive past, and I can’t stop my eyes from drifting to the rearview mirror.
Sal is like no man I have ever met. And it’s not only the fact that he’s almost twenty years older than most of the guys I know…
He’s real. Honest. And way more decent than he gives himself credit for.
He’s convinced himself that he no longer deserves love after fucking it up the first time, and he won’t be told otherwise.
I’ve tried. I doubt he even allows himself many of life’s little pleasures anymore.
It’s all work and no play when it comes to Salvatore D’Angelo.
The only people that ever get his time outside of the workplace are Paige and Isaac.
Although, for all I know, he could be in a casual relationship that he’s keeping on the down-low.
It’s not like the topic of his love life comes up regularly.
After our initial discussion where he proclaimed to forever be a bachelor, we haven’t spoken about it.
Things may have changed since then. Though I doubt it.
I’m a workaholic and whenever I’m here, so is Sal.
If he did have a woman in his life, I can’t imagine she’d be too happy about their situation.
My phone chimes with a text as I’m pulling up to my building, and when I stop, I glance down to see a message from Hayley.
“Shit.” Here I am thinking about Sal’s goddamn love life when we have far more important things to worry about.
Zane’s missing. Sure, he claims he’s okay, but I have no doubt he’s hurting. First thing tomorrow I plan to track him down. Whether he wants to be found or not.