Chapter 23
Andi was starting to hate unexpected packages.
Walking into the London office on their second week, Andi felt good, if a bit tired. The nights might be exciting, but she really needed more sleep.
She was reaching for the elevator call button when the building receptionist called out to her.
Andi turned, lifting her eyebrows in silent question.
The receptionist waved for Andi to approach the desk.
“Sorry, luv,” she said with a grin, hefting a box off the floor.
“This was just delivered for ye a few minutes ago. Glad I caught ye before ye headed up for the day.” She dumped the box onto the counter. “Its heavy!”
Andi eyed the plain, brown-paper-wrapped package with misgivings, wondering what she should do. The only writing on the paper was her name and the address of the London headquarters.
“Ms. McCormick?” the woman behind the counter prompted.
Andi jumped slightly, lifting her eyes from the box to the woman.
“Right,” Andi whispered, and accepted the box. However, instead of taking it up to the conference room and handing it over to Laith’s guards, Andi carried the box over to the sitting area. Sitting down on one of the uncomfortable benches, she stared at the box for a long moment.
“I should take you to Laith,” she whispered to it.
“Ms. McCormick?”
Andi turned to find the receptionist rushing over to her. “This letter came with the box. Sorry!” she gushed, handing it over. “It got lost in the rush of deliveries this morning.”
The woman then turned and headed back to the reception desk.
Andi held the letter, her instincts warning her not to open it. Her gut told her that she wasn’t going to like what was inside.
But Andi tore it open anyway. She had to know! The last box had been taken from her and the contents x-rayed. No one had told her what, exactly, was in that box and she hadn’t asked. But the possibilities had lingered in her thoughts.
Sure enough, as soon as she unfolded the letter, Andi’s instincts were confirmed.
If you continue your affair with your boss, I will kill him.
And rest assured, I will kill him in the slowest, most painful way possible.
I will ensure he suffers with every slice of my blade into his flesh!
He thinks he’s so strong and powerful, but I can get to him.
Every day, I am close enough to slide a knife directly through his ribs.
And when I do, I’ll make sure to only nick his stomach, letting the bile seep out into his abdomen.
Andi gasped, covering her mouth with her hand as she re-read the words, hoping she’d made a mistake and had read the words incorrectly. The writer went on to list all of the times they had been close enough to hurt Laith.
She glanced down at the box. It was neatly wrapped in regular brown paper with a computer printed label. The return address was a post office box in the United States. In Philadelphia! Good grief, the post office box that was less than two blocks from her apartment!
Andi’s hands shook as she tore through the brown paper and lifted the lid. But her stomach roiled with horror at the diorama displayed. It wasn’t a sex scene this time. Instead, it showed Laith lying in a pool of his own blood!
Andi slapped the lid on the box, trying to control her sobs. Laith was in danger! And all she could do to protect him was stop seeing him.
She looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching her. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be preoccupied with their own agendas as they rushed through the lobby. No one was paying attention to Andi.
Glancing at the time, she realized that she needed to hurry to the office for a meeting with the production staff.
She was supposed to revise the departmental budgets for the next quarter.
But…what should she do about the box? She couldn’t bring it to the conference room.
Everyone would ask what was in the box and there was no way she could show them.
Everything inside of her screamed to protect Laith. Even if she wasn’t in love with him…!
Andi froze as she replayed that thought in her mind. Was she in love with Laith?
No! Impossible! She didn’t know him well enough to love him!
They hadn’t talked enough about their feelings and beliefs!
Andi rubbed her forehead and sighed, trying to get control of her emotions.
This…whatever “this” was…was just lust. The fact that she enjoyed seeing him, felt more alive whenever she knew he was close by, was irrelevant.
A little voice in her head whispered, “Then why are you so terrified of him dying?”
It wasn’t just the possibility of Laith dying, she thought. It was the possibility of him being hurt in any way.
So, what did she feel? Andi blinked rapidly, trying to hide the tears that suddenly threatened. It was impossible that she loved the man. She didn’t know him well enough to love him. She didn’t…!
None of that mattered right now, she thought. Laith was in danger. Someone was threatening him…because of her association with him.
What was she going to do? What did these overwhelming feelings of protectiveness mean about her feelings for the man?
That was a valid question, but Andi didn’t have time to figure it out. Maybe later, when she was alone, in the privacy of her hotel room, she could examine her feelings for Laith. But right now, she needed…she should…!
Her phone buzzed, but Andi ignored it. She couldn’t translate the sound her phone had made into anything logical. Not when Laith’s life had just been threatened.
Her only thought at this moment was that she had to protect him! She couldn’t do anything that would jeopardize Laith’s life!
“Laith!” she whispered, closing her eyes as she valiantly tried to focus.
When she was back under control again, Andi turned away from the bank of elevators. If she was late for a meeting, then so be it. Laith…he was in danger! Looking down at the box, she bit her lip and tried to think of who could have sent this horrible box!
Unfortunately, Andi had chosen the wrong place to have a meltdown.
The public open area of the lobby was too busy for her pacing and silent panic.
Too many people were rushing about, intent on whatever had their attention.
So, she pulled back when she accidentally bumped into someone who was simply trying to walk through the exit.
“Sorry!” she gasped, then tucked the horrible box under her arm as she hurried out of the building.
The hotel was only a block away, so she rushed down the sidewalk, determined to hide this disgusting box in her hotel room until she could figure out what to do with it.
Or maybe she should just throw it away? No!
Andi wasn’t sure why, but throwing the offensive scene away seemed like the wrong idea.
Stuff it in a closet. Just for now, she told herself. Bowing her head, she bustled down the sidewalk, barely managing to avoid the other pedestrians that were crowding the path. All she could think was, “Hide this box fast!”
Inside her hotel room, she noticed that the cleaning crew had already come through to make the bed and clean up. Since she and her colleagues were scheduled to leave tomorrow, Andi had already packed her suitcase. It was sitting against the wall, although her toiletries were still out.
Andi flipped her suitcase over and pulled several items out, dumping them onto her bed.
She tried to stuff the box into her suitcase, but it was too big.
With a sob, she leaned back onto her heels.
Glancing at the time, she knew that she’d have to hurry to get back before someone realized she was missing.
So, she shoved the box into the closet behind the extra pillows and blanket.
It was obvious that something was there, but she prayed that the hotel cleaning crew wouldn’t bother to investigate.
Stepping back, she surveyed the closet. It wasn’t the perfect hiding spot, but it would work for the moment.
“Later,” she promised herself. She’d find a way to get rid of that horrible diorama after she finished work today.
Before she stepped into the conference room, she paused to inhale slowly, held her breath, then released it. The effort calmed her breathing, but she was still…not fully composed. But she had to head into the meeting. Andi knew that her team members would probably wonder where she’d been.
Stepping into the conference room, she braced herself, realizing that she was late for a staff meeting.
The whole team was there. Jennifer and Lawrence were discussing an issue with Laith while Tom listened, offering suggestions when needed.
They all glanced at her but she kept her eyes down as she placed her bag on the floor beside her chair.
“Sorry I’m late,” she mumbled as she pulled out her laptop and notes.
An hour later, Andi knew that she’d missed several important pieces of information, but couldn’t help it. In fact, she’d missed the entire meeting. Laith left the conference room, quickly followed by the three others, muttering about where they had to be next.
For several long moments, Andi just…breathed. She knew she’d have to figure out how to handle this problem, but she wasn’t sure what to do. Except to stay away from Laith, she didn’t have any answers.
Closing her eyes, an image of Laith’s handsome, laughing face popped into her mind. She had to protect Laith, no matter what. If anything were to happen to him that Andi could have prevented, she would be devastated.
“Andi, can I speak with you for a moment?”
Andi turned around to stare at Laith. He looked so handsome today! He was dressed more casually for some reason, and the blue, cashmere sweater stretched across his broad shoulders, reminding her of how she’d held onto those shoulders last night while he’d…!
Not good! Andi couldn’t think about last night. Not now. Not when his life was in jeopardy!
Still, her eyes moved lower, taking in the jeans he was wearing, the denim hugging his lean hips. The casual attire must be because he’d toured the factories with Jennifer first thing this morning. He’d done that in Singapore as well.
The man was droolworthy in any clothes. But the blue highlighted his dark eyes and tanned skin. He looked...amazing.
But he wanted to meet with her? In private?
No! She looked around, searching for an excuse or cameras or…? Was someone watching her? Would they see her going into his office? Did anyone on the team know what she and Laith did behind closed doors?
Of course they did! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gotten a threat just hours ago warning her to end her affair with him!
“I can’t!” she gasped, terrified of someone seeing her go into his office and come out again. Even if she didn’t kiss him, the person watching Laith might assume that they’d kissed. If not more!
Even as she shook her head, denying his request, her phone buzzed. Thinking to use the text message as an excuse not to be alone with him, she read the message. The words nearly made her heart stop!
Don’t do it! You know what will happen if you don’t stop your affair with him!
Andi barely controlled the horrified gasp. She was being watched! Looking around, Andi felt violated. But there wasn’t anyone around! How could someone know what was happening in the conference room? How did they know to send her a text warning?
“Andi?” Laith prompted.
Andi pressed her cell phone against her chest and backed up a step. “I have to...um…a meeting,” she finally blurted. “I have a meeting. And I’m late.”
She grabbed her laptop and notes, then rushed out the door, relieved when he stepped back so that they didn’t brush against each other.
In the past, that had happened too often.
So often that Andi had begun to anticipate those soft, secret touches.
They’d gotten her through the days until she could be alone with Laith at night.
But not this time! Andi was very careful not to touch Laith in any way. She shifted carefully, then rushed down the hallway once she was past him.