Chapter 20
Bonnie
Across the table at the Deadwater hotel apartment, Genie stared at me. “I can’t believe this is where you’re living. He has, like, billions. I looked him up. Boy is loaded.”
Jessie tossed a wadded-up serviette at her. “That doesn’t mean he owns a house in every city.”
“No, but he could have stumped up for a decent rental. This hardly says he’s in it for the long run.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d invited my friends over for a catch-up, Elijah needing to head out for an afternoon of meetings.
Now in our third week, we could spend four hours apart, and I was to meet him for dinner later.
I’d already poured myself into a red bodycon dress and done my hair and makeup, wanting to wow him.
I missed him. So much. Even though I’d promised myself to stop being needy.
Plus I didn’t mind Genie’s line of questioning. She was only looking out for me, like I would her. “Why would he rent a whole house when this apartment is fine for us?”
Genie gestured around with her hand. “So what happens at the end of your month? Are you going to stay here, or is he taking you out of Deadwater altogether?” She tilted her head in concern. “Are you coming home? If not, I need to get another flatmate. Even with the new cheap rent.”
“We haven’t actually talked about that,” I confessed.
Except I did know why her rent was so cheap. Elijah had confessed what he’d done with buying out the building and subsidising our bills. That, possessive and controlling as it was, helped me. It helped Genie, too, and I hadn’t demanded he end it.
If I ever had big money of my own, that’s exactly how I’d want to use it. To make the lives of others that little bit easier. Not hoard it away.
Genie grimaced and rubbed her belly. “Sorry, wicked period cramps tonight. I would offer you more work, but that’s in doubt now, too.”
I paused over the cramps, my internal body clock ticking over the fact that I didn’t have any. Genie and I had been in sync for a few months, my period coming a day or two before hers. But I felt fine. No pain, no lower back ache. I dismissed the thought to get back to a more important point.
“Your topless waitress business? Why?”
My bold, brassy friend sighed, the fire gone out of her. “Tucker,” she intoned.
The name landed in the room like a bad smell.
Bile rose in my throat. “What about that penis wart?”
Jessie shifted in her chair, eyes flicking nervously between us.
Genie rubbed her temples. Despite her perfect red lips and smooth blonde ponytail, she looked tired. I should’ve noticed.
“I took another booking from him.”
I blinked. “You what?”
“I know.” She held up her hands. “Before you start. It was a corporate thing. Huge money. Enough to cover rent for months.”
“And?”
Genie laughed without humour. “And it was worse than the first time.”
Jessie nodded grimly. “Way worse.”
I switched my gaze to her, and a cold knot formed in my stomach. “You went back?”
Jessie ducked her head. “I wanted to be brave and try again. I realised that for all he’d said about me, I could’ve told him no, and that he would’ve had to listen, right?”
He absolutely wouldn’t. “What happened?”
Genie leaned back in her chair and exhaled slowly. “The usual, at the start. Drinks, rich men thinking they’re charming. Then they got… animated.”
“Define animated,” I said.
“Define disgusting.”
Jessie spoke up quietly. “They started grabbing people.”
My jaw clenched.
Genie added, “Not just the usual sleazy hand on the ass stuff. Full-on grabbing. One guy tried to grab me onto his lap.”
Her sister shuddered.
“And Tucker?” I asked.
Genie’s eyes darkened. “He watched and laughed.”
Rage flared hot under my skin. “Of course he did.”
“I shut it down,” Genie continued. “Told them the girls were staff, for looking at but not touching. Tucker told me to relax. Said we should take it as a compliment.”
I dug my nails into my palms. “That slimy bastard.”
“He tried to grab me next,” Jessie cut in. “I said no, but he wouldn’t let go.”
She held up her arm. Bruises shone on her wrist.
The room went very still.
Fury descended over Genie’s features. “I pulled her away and announced that the event was over. He got in my face and told me if I walked out, he’d make sure I never worked another event in Deadwater again.”
Steam was probably coming out of my ears. “You left anyway.”
Jessie nodded fiercely. “She marched us all out.”
“Good,” I said. She should’ve called the police on him, but I knew without asking she wouldn’t have. No cop would arrest someone like Tucker on the word of a topless waitress. He was probably friends with the top brass. Perhaps they’d even been there.
Genie sagged. “I’ve had three cancellations since.”
“You think he’s carrying out his threat?”
“To ruin my business? Yeah. I do,” she finished with a humourless smile.
For a moment, none of us spoke.
The anger bubbling in my chest turned molten. Douglas Tucker. That smug, disgusting man.
A soft chime broke the silence.
The screen lit up of Elijah’s iPad, across the room on the coffee table.
Jessie leaned to peer at it. “Ooh. Cute guy calling. Who’s he?”
I collected the tablet. “It’s Ethan, Elijah’s brother.”
Genie shook her head. “Won’t he get pissy at you touching his tech?”
“Actually, no. He gave me all his passwords and codes and begged me to snoop.” Such a green flag guy.
I tapped the screen.
The video call connected, Ethan Westwood’s grin spreading. He leaned back in his chair in a messy office.
“Well, well. That’s a much nicer face than the one I was expecting. Where’s my idiot brother?”
“Hello to you, too. Elijah’s working.”
“Oh right.” Ethan slapped his forehead. “His sneaky thing. I forgot.”
My eyebrows shot up. “His what?”
But before Ethan could answer, Jessie popped into frame beside me.
Ethan’s expression changed instantly. “Oh hello, beautiful. This just became the best call I’ve had all week. Who’s your friend, Bonnie?”
Genie groaned. “Oh God.”
Jessie giggled and gave him her name.
“Jessie, such a pretty name.”
She beamed. “Do you flirt with all your brother’s girlfriend’s friends?”
“Only the attractive ones.”
Jessie turned pink.
I flicked the tablet screen, right over his forehead. “Focus, Romeo. What’s the sneaky thing?”
He shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”
I huffed. “You’re extremely annoying.”
“Runs in the family.”
Jessie giggled again. Genie looked ready to throw something.
Ethan leaned back. “So what are you all up to tonight?”
Jessie answered him, but my mind was racing away, stumbling and falling where I was already worked up over Tucker. Elijah had given me access to his work diary. With Jessie introducing her sister, I took up my phone and clicked into Elijah’s schedule.
A meeting entry caught my eye.
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Deadwater Office.
Client: Douglas Tucker.
I stared at the screen.
No.
That couldn’t be right.
Elijah had promised. I’d told him what Tucker did. I’d told him all about that night, and he’d sworn he would never work with the man. Yet right there, in black and white, Douglas. Fucking. Tucker.
Genie noticed my silence. “Bonnie?”
I slowly lowered the phone. Something settled in my chest. Dangerous, molten and boiling.
Jessie frowned. “What’s wrong?” At whatever was in my expression, she grimaced. “Uh, Ethan? I think we have to go.” She hung up the call.
I stood and smoothed out my red dress. Reached for my heels. Mentally decided Alton would love to order us a car. “Girls.”
Genie straightened. “That tone means trouble.”
Hell yes, it did. “Do either of you feel like ruining someone’s night?”
Jessie blinked.
Genie’s smile spread slow and wicked. “Oh, I’m so down.” She pushed back her chair. “Lead the way.”