Chapter 25
Inquiry
Drew
There’s no elevator in the building and the apartment numbers indicate she’s on the fourth floor. I stay in shape, but not four-flights-of-stairs in shape. I don’t dare wheeze in front of Dante. The guy who isn’t even breaking a sweat by the third flight of stairs.
I’ve seen him naked. He’s a fucking machine. He’s tall and muscular and looks like a real-life Viking. There’s no way I could compete with Dante for a woman. But fortunately, Sara wants both of us.
Even if I enjoy dessert and occasionally skip leg days.
Dante makes it to the door first and knocks. When I catch up, I try not to look like I’m winded.
When the door opens, a young blond with her hair piled in a messy bun, wearing a fluffy robe with slippers, glares at both of us. Her nose is red. Her blue eyes search for something.
“You’re not my soup.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a tissue to blow her nose delicately. She has dainty features that make her cute sick but probably hot when healthy. “Did I accidentally take a file or something, Dante?”
She looks me over another time to decide whether I’m someone to worry about, flirt with, or dismiss. There’s interest in her eyes when she meets mine.
Smirking, I give a little shake of my head. I’m not available.
“We needed to speak to you.” Dante doesn’t even flinch when he says it. Like it’s normal to show up at an employee’s door when they call in sick for two days. I figured the guy would have some reason ready by the time we got here.
At least we can let Sara know Beth is really sick and at home.
She gives him a look like he’s stupid. “I have a phone.”
I lean against the wall next to the door and give her my best flirty smile. “We needed information that is confidential and urgent.”
“I don’t know you.” She raises an eyebrow. “Who are you?”
“Drew Young.” I automatically hold my hand out for hers, but she holds up her tissue with a look that says, You should know better. I slide my hand back into my pocket. “We’re here about Tom.”
“Why didn’t Tom come?” Her eyes narrow again, like she’d be happy to see him, but not us.
“Can we not do this in the hallway?” Dante motions to the doors. “Confidential.”
She rolls her eyes but backs into her apartment and gestures for us to come in.
It’s a small one-bedroom apartment but well furnished, probably six hundred square feet.
Her leather suitcase, open on the floor, is RIMOWA.
There are a couple pairs of heels near the door that I recognize as Manolo Blahniks.
Who is this woman? An associate probably doesn’t get paid enough to afford this apartment, expensive luggage, and shoes on her salary alone.
Maybe she has wealthy parents. She leads us into the living room and curls up on the end of the couch, pulling a blanket over herself. She’s still studying both of us.
Dante sits in one chair and I take the other. I can’t afford to get sick. Those guys wouldn’t let Sara nurse me back to health.
“Tom was working on a new client when you left for vacation.” Dante crosses his ankle over his knee.
“Three new clients. Am I in trouble? Because Tom told me to keep the names out of the time billing system for now, but I billed my time correctly to the appropriate clients.” Beth smooths her hands over the blanket, avoiding our eyes.
Does she not know about Tom’s absence?
“How was your cruise? Was it a long one?” I ask.
Her eyes narrow on me, like she still doesn’t trust me. “Ten days. It was okay, except I got sick on the last day.”
She pulls a tissue out of the box and wipes her nose. That would be before Tom went missing. Which means whatever sent him running happened after she left.
Dante clears his throat and pulls out his phone. “Can you provide me with the clients’ names? Tom is also under the weather, and we need to follow up on some issues that have come up.”
She sneezes.
“Bless you,” I say.
She smiles my way before looking at Dante. “Why don’t you ask Tom?”
She has a point. I lean back in my chair and smile at Dante’s obvious displeasure at having to explain himself.
“I would expect, since you work with him closely, you’d know how Tom is. He’s off somewhere with his phone off until he feels better.” Dante’s voice is soothing and I can see her hackles relax with every word. “Unfortunately, you two are the only ones who know about these new clients of his.”
“He wanted to make sure they were good fits before officially putting them in the system.” Beth gives me a tight smile. “They’re fairly large clients. Galvin Banking Group, Casino Caper, and Edge Enterprises.”
I’ve heard of Casino Caper. I’m confident it’s a gambling app. Edge Enterprises sounds familiar, but I can’t place it right now.
“Do you have access to their files?” Dante asks.
“Don’t you?” Beth coughs. Her doorbell rings. “Excuse me.”
I wait until she buzzes up what I assume is her soup. Which is smart because if she talked to the delivery guy, he might ask her to come down to avoid the four flights of stairs. I know I would have preferred to skip them.
When the door opens, I lean toward Dante. “Don’t you think we should go? You’ve got some information, and the girl hasn’t been kidnapped or left the country.”
Dante sighs. His attention is fixed on Beth, but he gives me a subtle nod.
When Beth walks over with her soup, Dante stands. I rise with him.
“We’ll let you get back to your soup. When do you think you’ll be well enough to be in the office?” Dante is stiff.
She sits down and sets the soup on the end table. “I should be good tomorrow or the next day. My fever finally broke last night.”
He nods. “Feel better.”
We head to the door.
“Dante?”
He pauses with his hand on the door and we both turn to face her.
She lifts her blue eyes to his. “Tom didn’t leave with anyone, right? He went on his own to get better?”
Dante’s brow furrows. “As far as we know.”
Beth gives us a satisfied smile. “Good.”
I return her smile because I recognize it. We step into the hallway and close the door. Heading down the stairs, I glance back to make sure she isn’t listening.
“Your boy is banging his assistant.”
Dante pauses and looks up toward her door, then at me. “No. Tom wouldn’t. He’s a partner. She’s an associate. It could be viewed as sexual harassment. He knows better.”
I scoff. “You mean like you guys and Sara?”
Dante’s eyes narrow. “That’s not the same thing.”
I shrug. “It kind of is. She is your intern.”
His lips press together, then he continues down the stairs.
“I’m not wrong about this. I’m pretty good at recognizing when someone is hooking up with someone else.” Going down is so much easier than going up.
“Makes sense.” Dante pushes open the door to the outside. His icy eyes meet mine. “You fuck everything that moves.”
I chuckle and pass him onto the sidewalk. “Didn’t mean to hit a nerve with Sara. The situation is complicated.”
“Sara isn’t a toy to us.”
“I didn’t say she was.” I wait a few minutes until we get closer to the car. “But maybe you’re worried I think that, or that she is to me?”
“Isn’t she?” Dante stops and looks over the top of his car. “After all, you’re Drew Young. The guy who fucks whoever he wants. What happens when some girl wants to get revenge on Sara by fucking you?”
“Honestly, I’ll tell her to fuck off. Because anyone who has a beef with Sara is a fucking snake in the grass. I’ve already given her my word multiple times, and you guys too, that I’m all in. I don’t need to fuck anyone else. I don’t want to fuck anyone else.”
Dante arches his eyebrow like he doesn’t believe me.
“You want my truth?” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m lucky as hell that Sara asked me out. There are debutants by the dozen throwing themselves at me. Gold diggers begging for a date or a fuck, hoping to make it big by riding my family’s legacy.”
I smirk. “But not one of them can compare to Sara. She’s amazing and perfect the way she is.
She’s honest and I’m not sure she has a deceptive bone in her body.
I’d be lucky to woo her and someday even ask her to be my wife.
Because you don’t just fuck Sara. You choose her.
You keep her because you know there’s no one that can come along and be better than her. ”
Dante’s eyes hold mine for a second. The way he is with Sara, he has to feel it too. He gives me an acknowledging nod before he unlocks the car doors.
Sara
I chew on the end of my pen as the numbers dance on the screen. The time on my computer says it’s four o’clock. Ugh, one more hour. Maybe more if the guys want to work late. I toss my pen on my desk and stand up to stretch.
Someone knocks on my door.
“Come in.” I put my arms down and reach for my wallet. I need a snack.
The door opens and Drew walks into my office. I grin. My insides bubble with happiness.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
He draws me into his arms and kisses me. Fuck, this guy can kiss. I put my arms around his neck and hold on while he takes charge of the kiss, sliding his tongue against mine. Heating my blood until I’m arching into him, seeking more.
He lifts his head. “Princess, you look good enough to eat.”
My cheeks heat. I realize my door is wide open. When I look that way, Dante gives me a nod as he heads to his office.
“How’s work going?” Drew brings my attention back to him.
“Good.” I glance at my desk. So many numbers. “But I was just going to head to the vending machines. Want to walk with me?”
He rubs his thumb against my jawline, sending little sparks through my system. It wouldn’t be appropriate to close the door and defile my brother’s desk. Would it?
His grin says he knows what I’m thinking. But he takes my hand and leads me into the hallway.
“Which way?” He wraps his arm around my waist, and for a moment, I almost push it off so no one sees.
But Drew is mine. I don’t have to pretend he’s not. Like with the others. I lean into his side and draw in his spicy cologne.
“This way.”
We walk together to the vending machines in the break room. By the time I pull out my card, he already swiped his.
“What can I get you?” He smiles like he’s all that.
“A Snickers, please.” I can’t resist returning his smile. Because he kind of is. My heart swells.
He pushes the buttons and then retrieves my candy bar. Taking my hand, he leads me to the small, round tables. No one else is in here. Probably too busy getting ready to leave for the day.
When he holds out a chair for me, I laugh but sit. It’s kind of ridiculous but I like it. I like him. Grinning, he pushes my chair in and sets the candy bar in front of me before taking the seat next to mine.
“You didn’t answer my text, princess.”
I unwrap my Snickers and take a bite. Fuck, I needed some chocolate. I hold my hand over my mouth and say around my bite, “Wha’ tex’?”
His eyes sparkle with laughter but he doesn’t outright laugh. “I got invited to go along to the fundraiser with the firm this weekend and I need a hot date.”
“Are you asking me?” I take another bite of Snickers and wait.
“Yes.” Smiling, he rubs his thumb down the side of my mouth and shows me the chocolate before sucking it off. “Come with me to the fundraiser so we can show everyone what a good time looks like.”
I swear I can’t wipe the smile off my face. “It would be our first official outing as a couple. Are you sure you’re ready?”
“With you. Always.” He lifts my hand and kisses my knuckles.
“I’ll have to find something to wear.” I arch an eyebrow. “And do my makeup and my hair.”
“I’ll make it worth your while, princess.” He kisses my next knuckle.
“Then it’s a date.” I take another bite of my candy bar.
He shakes his head but leans in and presses his lips to mine. “Sweet.”
I finish my candy bar while he tells me about his adventure with Dante to Beth’s apartment.
“Beth didn’t know Tom was missing, and you guys didn’t tell her?”
“Dante said he was sick too. No need to alarm anyone outside of our group.” Drew brushes my hair behind my ear.
He said our group. That shouldn’t make butterflies take flight inside me, but it does. But then something finally breaks through my mind. Fundraiser with the firm. Fuck.
“This fundraiser? It’s the firm’s table?” My heart kicks up a notch.
Drew nods. “With the guys and their dates.”
I swallow. Fuck, am I ready to see them with other women? Catering to those women’s needs for the night? And pretend it’s not tearing me apart inside?
Drew tips my chin so I focus on him. “I promise, you and I will have so much fun that the others will be horribly jealous the entire time.”
I blow out a breath. Drew can make anything fun. He’ll keep me distracted.
He leans in close to my ear so only I can hear him. “And after the event, when we get home, I’ll watch each of them fuck your tight little pussy for flaunting yourself in front of them all night like the little whore you are.”
My breath catches. Fuck. My panties were already damp from his kiss. Now I really want to drag him into my office and throw everything on the floor so he can fuck me on the desk.
Drew sits back and his smirk tells me he knows what I’m thinking. When his phone vibrates, he looks down at it. He groans in disappointment.
“No time to play, princess.” Standing, he offers me his hand. When he draws me up, he pulls me close. “I’m staying Friday night.”
He kisses me and releases me too soon. He leads me to my office. When he leans in one more time, instead of kissing me, he whispers, “I can’t wait until the weekend.”
Neither can I.