Chapter 29 Elijah
ELIJAH
“Holy shit, Elijah, I was about to call the National Guard or something!” Buster yells in my ear as I settle into the back of the taxi taking me back to my hotel.
“Why?”
“Why? You know it’s usually me who goes off on a binge, right? I’m the one who goes no contact, not you.”
“What can I say? I’m making this an equal relationship.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Buster.”
“No, I’m going to do it. This time, I mean it. I’m too young and too pretty to spend nights worrying about you. Do you know what this does to my skin? I’m getting wrinkles, Elijah. Honest to God wrinkles.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that’s not news.”
“Okay, I’m really going to kill you. I know how to make it look like an accident. I watch a lot of true crime.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Okay, I don’t, but it’s usually on in the background, and I learn.”
“How, exactly?”
“Osmosis.”
“Fucking hell.” Tired laughter rushes past my lips and I tilt my head back into the headrest, closing my eyes. “Buster, I’m fine, okay? I was just busy.”
“Busy? I linked the GPS on your car and you didn’t move for hours.”
“I know. I was with someone, but don’t worry. I called someone to pick up my car.”
“Hold on, back up.” Buster somehow sounds like he’s even closer to the phone than before. “With someone?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Who?”
“What is this, twenty questions?”
“Wrinkles, Elijah! Wrinkles!”
“Damn, fine.” It’s impossible to keep the smile on my face as thoughts of last night flood my mind. “I was with Calliope.”
“All night?” Buster barely conceals his shock.
“Mmhmm.”
“You dog.”
“Fuck you, it wasn’t like that.”
“Sure it wasn’t.” And then in the next second, the playful mockery vanishes from his tone, and Buster sounds much more serious. “You good?”
I open my eyes and gaze out the window. “I’m fine.”
“You sure? This isn’t a cry for help like your whole packing up your life and running away from New York?”
“No. This is… this is me making choices that I like. Choices I enjoy. Choices that are for me and not anyone else. This is me… living.”
“Alright.” Buster almost sounds happy for me. “God, you sound like a therapy ad.” And just like that, the snark is back.
“I take that as a compliment.”
“Whatever.”
“So, you wanna tell me why you were blowing up my phone all weekend?”
“Oh, so now you wanna talk shop?”
“Buster.”
“Right. Right.” He sighs deeply, and I sit up a little straighter.
“Buster, what is it?”
“Imogen.”
Of course it is. My stomach flips suddenly and I close my eyes. “What’s happened?”
“She found out about the acquisition with Angelic Jewels?”
My eyes snap open. “And? It’s got absolutely nothing to do with her.”
“That’s what I said,” Buster agrees quickly.
“But it turns out one of the company lawyers we use is pals with her father and he started suggesting that she’s owed a piece of the money you’re making for this since technically, this deal was brought to you before the court proceedings were finalized. ”
“That’s bullshit!” I snap so loudly that the taxi driver shoots me an alarmed look in the mirror. “Sorry.” I raise my hand at them and lower my voice. “Buster, that’s bull and you know it.”
“I know.”
“We were literally just waiting on one signature for court. One. And this acquisition wasn’t anything back then!”
“I know, Elijah. I do. But they’re spinning some line that because you knew of Angelic before that signature was on paper, it should be included.”
“But I never worked with Imogen.”
“True, but she was part of the company. And she’s claiming that since she’s purchased from them before, she’s the one who put you onto them.”
“What? How was I supposed to know she’d bought from there? She buys from everywhere.”
“I know, Elijah. It’s all smoke and mirrors but her father, you know what he’s like. He’s a vindictive lawyer and he’s coming after us. It was just rumors until we signed on the dotted line.”
“Shit. So what does this mean?”
“Honestly?”
“Always.”
“Either you agree to her demands and give her royalties, work out a one-off payment that will satisfy her, or… take it back to court.”
Fuck. Things are going so well with Calliope that the last thing I want to do is become embroiled in another disaster with my ex. But paying her sets the precedent that moving forward, she could come at me for anything if she even had a hint of involvement while we were together.
“What should I do?” I ask as the taxi pulls up outside the hotel.
“I don’t have an answer yet,” Buster sighs. “Our people are working on it because, as I said, it’s a weak as hell claim. But getting this thrown out while her father puts every single motion and wall in front of us is going to take time.”
I fall silent, turning it over in my mind. “I thought this chapter was over,” I say after a moment of silence. “I thought I was free.”
“I’m sorry, Elijah. But we’re fixing it.”
“Thanks.”
“You got it.”
Ending the call, I pay the driver and tip them extra for dealing with my outburst, then I climb out of the cab with a deep sigh.
Imogen was always amazing at making mountains out of the slightest thing, but it was easier back when all she cared about were her status and her reputation.
But since we last spoke and she made it clear she was having regrets, I can’t see this as anything other than a way to force herself back into my life.
With my head low and exhaustion tinging my lids, I walk slowly into the hotel and head straight for the elevator, but before I reach it, a pair of silver heels set into my path.
“Sorry,” I murmur, not looking up as I sidestep.
“You should be,” comes a voice that sends an icicle of cold straight down to my gut.
My head snaps up and I lock onto a pair of deeply lined and shadowed blue eyes. “Imogen? What the hell are you doing here?” A hundred questions swam through my mind as I stare at her, namely, how did she get here and how did she find out where I was staying?
“Long time no see, huh?” She tucks a red curl behind her ear and gives me that trademark smile that just never reaches her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, hyper aware of the various other people milling about the lobby. If Imogen’s good at one thing, it’s making a scene.
“You try to steal from me and have the cheek to ask what I’m doing here?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out about your little deal? No wonder you were trying to rush through the court proceedings. You had this little nugget of a deal in the works and didn’t want me to be a part of it.”
“Imogen, this deal has nothing to do with you.”
“Doesn’t it?” She tilts her head to one side and taps her chin with a long finger. “My dad says otherwise. I mean, you had me as a liaison at Amber Limited quite a few times when it suited. And now you’re trying to buy up a company I’m passionate about?”
I can scarcely hide my disbelief at the shit pouring out of her. “You’re insane.”
Her eyes narrow. “No, I’m a shrewd businesswoman.”
“Is that what they call it?” I scoff. “You have no interest in Angelic Jewels. One purchase from that place doesn’t make you passionate.”
“You’ve no idea how many pieces I’ve purchased from there, and now it looks like you’re trying to buy them so I can no longer have access?”
“Imogen, that’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” Her eyes narrow further. “I called you. I told you that I regretted things and you even agreed that you checked out of the relationship. I laid the fucking path for you to come back and you didn’t!
Did you really think I would let you walk away?
” Her voice climbs higher and higher as she speaks, drawing the attention of several onlookers.
Grabbing her by the arm, I force her to walk with me toward the seated area where it’s quiet. “Is that what this is about? You’re pissed I didn’t come running back to you, so now you’re trying to involve yourself in my business?”
“Would I be that petty?” She smirks coldly. “I gave you a chance to come back, Elijah. Smarter men would have.”
“Why? There was no love between us. There was barely even care. You’re right, I was checked out and trying to make my mom happy. You found love elsewhere. What is there to talk about?”
“People talk, Elijah. Do you know what it did to me when you left? People talking about how ghastly I must be because you fled the state. Did it ever cross your mind how damaging a stain like that is?”
“Imogen… I didn’t leave to hurt you.”
“Sure you did.”
“No! I wasn’t thinking about you.”
“You never do!” She starts to yell. “Tell me, is there someone else?”
“Imogen.”
“Are you cheating on me?”
“We’re not together!” As hard as I try, I can’t keep my voice as low as I need it to be. “We’ve not been together for almost a year! Why can’t you accept that?”
“So you are cheating on me? You loved me and you ditched me?” She suddenly slams both hands into my chest, forcing me backward.
“You’re an asshole, Elijah Baird. You’re a user and an asshole who just takes and takes from people!
” She shoves me again and again, forcing me back further.
“And now you think you can screw me out of the money I’m owed?
Out of the company deals you’re only making because of me? ”
“Imogen, you’re not making any sense!”
She lunges at me, screaming suddenly, and slams both her hands into my chest. “I hate you, Elijah! You’re a monster.
You’re a fucking manipulative asshole, you hear me?
” As she collides with me, something catches on my ankle and I trip back with a yell of alarm.
Reflex has me reaching out for support and the only thing near is Imogen’s arms. But as I make contact, rather than catching myself, Imogen falls with me while screaming.
We crash backward over a small coffee table, and I slam hard into a corner unit before hitting the floor with a yell and a crash of the vase knocked over by the impact of my body.
Imogen lands on top of me, yelling and hitting me with her fists. One punch catches me on the underside of my jaw so I raise my hands to catch her wrists. “Imogen, stop!”
A split second later, she’s gone, hauled off me by others while she screams about my attacking her. A hand lands on my arm and I’m hauled to my feet a second later, only to be shoved face first into the wall.
“Hey!”
“He attacked me!” Imogen screams behind me.
“I didn’t! I didn’t do anything!” I yell back, anger licking my words as my hand is wrenched behind my back.
“Save it for the officers,” barks a voice as something cold and hard snaps around my wrist.
Shit.