Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ORION
An indescribable sense of home and comfort stirred in the air as I studied her house. Like visiting an old home where one could feel the history of it.
The table with pots of herbs and dandelions fascinated me. I understood herbs, but dandelions? What was she doing with them? This woman intrigued me more and more.
A quick scan of the house revealed a mix of styles. There was some traditional furniture sprinkled in with modern decor. I couldn’t pinpoint what her style was, eclectic? A little of this and that?
Stacks of newspapers and magazines sat on the coffee table beside an outdated couch. A modern chair with a starry print throw pillow added a homey touch.
Elena Sanchezwas buried underneath so much mystery. It was my mission to find out who she really was.
She had a saying framed on her wall.
Impossible.
I’m possible.
Everything is perspective.
-Nadia Han
That quote made me pause. “I like it.”
“Like what?”
“The quote you have on the wall. It’s profound, yet simple.”
“Isn’t it? It’s from a journal called Finding Your HeART . I have the author’s new book on preorder. That one’s called Finding Your YOUniverse .”
“I’ll check her out.”
She considered me. “I don’t know if you’ll enjoy her work. She’s a romantic suspense author. Most guys are embarrassed to read those books. They prefer books on sports, war, finance, or philosophy, or espionage thrillers.”
“I’m not most guys.” Was that how she thought of me? Normal? “Do I look like a guy who gives a shit about what others think?”
“You are definitely not like most guys.”
I was about to ask her to elaborate when her phone rang.
She brought the plates to the kitchen table. “Can you grab the mugs? Be careful. They’re hot.” Then she answered her phone. “Hi, Mom.” She smiled at me, gestured for me to sit, held up a finger,and walked to the family room, speaking in English and Spanish, which I understood.
“No te preocupes, Mamá. Tengo suficiente dinero,” Elena said with a laugh. “I’m fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Her mom was worried she didn’t have enough food to eat.
“What? You didn’t give them your bank information over the phone, did you?” A pause, then she sighed. “Good. Be wary of scammers.”
She went silent for a moment, listening to her mother.
“If you don’t recognize the number, don’t pick up. Okay, have fun on your trip to Martha’s Vineyard. You deserve it. I’ll see you when you get back. Also, I have enough dandelions. Don’t give me anymore.”
Elena walked back looking annoyed. “I swear, the government needs to do something about fraudulent calls. It freaks people out. Especially those who are prone to trust others.”
“What would you do to those scammers?”
Fire flashed in her eyes. “Scam them. Call them out. Flip the rug and see who’s really hiding under there. I used to work with a girl who worked in the police department. She used to get these calls all the time. People are constantly being scammed. What could they do about a scammer in another country? This was beyond them. Makes me angry and sick.” She blew out a frustrated breath, and I could feel the frustration leave her. “Anyway, ready to eat?”
There it was. That easy switch from anxious to calm. How did she do that?
She flicked off the irritation as if it were a little breadcrumb that had fallen into her clothes.
When she sat down, I asked, “So what were you investigating?”
She bit into her sandwich, chewed, and considered me. “Are you sure you want to know?
I want to know everything about you.
“Yes.” I bit into the turkey sandwich, and my taste buds swooned. Though the turkey sandwich was simple, the flavor it produced satisfied me more than anything I ever had. More than those expensive appetizers or meals made by award-winning chefsmy parents used to hire.
But I knew it was the company that made everything taste better. Being with her simplified my day, allowing me to just relax. It had always been hard for me to let go and just be, but with her, it was easy.
She placed her sandwich down and sipped her tea.
“One of my mom’s friends died a few months ago. It was ruled a suicide. The life insurance wouldn’t pay until a year after his death. So they didn’t have enough money to pay for the funeral costs. The church helped raise money to help the family. But that’s not the suspicious thing.” She sat her teacup down and looked at me. “Apparently, he took out a loan and another life insurance policy from a different company that the family didn’t know about.”
“How did you figure this out?”
“He received several threatening phone calls to pay up. The wife had checked his phone’s voicemail. There were hundreds of horrific messages blackmailing him. I heard some of them.”
“You thinkthe harassment pushed him to suicide?”
Her eyes brightened. “Yes! But the question is why? If he dies, they wouldn’t get their loan payment, right?” She sipped her tea again, thinking. “I’ve been trying to track down the insurance company. But the name listed on his policy is no longer in business.”
I loved watching her in contemplation. The gleam in her eyes. The twitch of her temple, the gentle tapping of her index finger on the side of the cup. But I couldn’t steer my eyes away from the slight pout of her luscious lips. I wanted a taste of them.
I grabbed my teacup and glanced at the bag of dried tea leaves. “Do you want to hear my take?”
“Please.” She watched me intently. “I’m at a dead end.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want to know the truth. The family deserves that.”
“But the truth cost you your job, Elena.”
She angled her head, studying me. “So you have researched me.”
“You’re an interesting woman.”
A hint of blush bloomed on her cheeks. I smiled and made her even more flustered.
She shrugged. “It’s my job to tell the truth.” Her eyes flashed with defiance. “The media is dangerous with its ability to distort. I just want the truth, even if it’s bad.”
At that moment she appeared even more beautiful to me. A person who valued the truth was someone I admired and respected.
“I agree.”
“When I received a tip today, I had to go check it out. What are your thoughts on this?”
“I think you’re onto something.” I leaned into the table, and her floral scent teased me. “The deceased got a loan and bought a life insurance policy. Sounds counterproductive. If you need a loan, you shouldn’t have the extra income to pay for the monthly policy. Do you know if he was experiencing financial issues?”
“Yes. His wife had a medical condition that required surgery and their health insurance wouldn’t cover all the costs.”
“Do you have a copy of the policy?” he asked. “I’ll look and let you know.”
“I got a copy from his wife. Why are you helping me?”
“You’re working for me, and this seems important to you. I prefer you to focus on what I need. If I can help you, it benefits me too. Besides, I also want to know the truth. Sounds like an elaborate scam, but I need more details.”
“Thank you.”
I shouldn’t have volunteered to help her because I had a full plate already, but I couldn’t help it. I should have left her house now. There were things waiting for me to do, but I couldn’t get myself to leave.
I should push all inappropriate thoughts about her out of my mind. It was making me unproductive, but being with her relieved my anxiety. It was all the excuse I needed to spend time with her.
The passionate way she spoke about the case made me want to help her. She wasn’t doing this for money. She was doing it because it was the right thing to do. If there was everan injustice done to me, I’d want someone like her to be on my side.
The case intrigued me. I had more thoughts on it, but I didn’t want to share them with her until I was certain my suspicion was correct.
“Why were you in that area today?” she asked.
How much info should I give her? I’d never shared what I did with anyone.
“I was doing some charity work. Was heading home when I spotted you.”
That wasn’t a complete lie. I was helping society remove filth. That was my charity, my contribution. What I took from him was going to be sold, and the money would be donated to local charities. I didn’t want Elena to be involved in this darkness.
Though she appeared like she enjoyed investigating unsolved cases, the world I dwelled in and the monsters I knew were too dangerous for her.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” she said.
“You’re welcome.”
“You carry a slingshot in your car?” She flicked me a curious gaze.
I had a box and several bags of important tools for my escapades. Preparation was key to a successful and quick escape. But she didn’t need to know all the details.
I was her boss. If she knew who I truly was, she’d quit before even starting.
I lifted a shoulder. “It’s a childhood hobby that I still love.”
To my surprise, she smiled. “Can you teach me sometime?”
“You want to learn how to use a slingshot?”
“Why not? Sounds like fun.” Mischief gleamed in her eyes.
“That can be arranged depending on how you perform on your first day of work.”
She rolled her eyes, a gesture that would have annoyed me if it were from anyone else. “Really?”
“I don’t take on slingshot students easily. They need to prove their worth.”
The gleam in her eyes disappeared, replaced by an indifference I didn’t like. Had I said something wrong?
“I’m very capable.” She got up with her teacup and placed it in the sink.
I supposed that was a sign that I should get going. I finished my tea. “What kind of tea is this? I like it.”
“Dandelion tea with honey.”
I stared at the tea bag. “I’ve never had dandelion tea. It’s pretty good.”
“I love it. Do you know there’s symbolism behind a dandelion, Slingshot? You’re drinking in this cosmic wisdom.”
I tucked my hands into my pant pockets,rockedback onmy heels, and considered her. “Wanna tell me about it?”
“Let’s see how you perform on your first day as my employer. An excellent performance deserves a reward.”
I wanted to kiss that smirk on her face.
She got me there, using my method against me. It had been a long time since anyone had fascinated me like that.
But a kiss would be the start of something I wasn’t ready for. Elena Sanchez wasn’t a woman I could kiss and move on from. For my sake, I had to be careful with her. She could reach into me deeper than anyone I’d known.
My chest hurt as guilt gnawed at me. My fingers went to the ring on my necklace, rubbing it as though that gesture were an apology. For the first time, a woman had touched me more deeply than Kate.
It wasn’t Elena’s fault, nor was it Kate’s. Kate had been gone for a long time. She had been my best friend. But Elena...she was becoming something more without even realizing it.
The need to stay longer to chat with her and the need to get out warred inside me. Confusion rose, and I forced myself out of the chair.
“I’ve got to go. See you tomorrow.” My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen to see the confirmation I’d been waiting for. “There’s going to be a car here for you to use tomorrow morning.” I strode toward the door.
“What?” She followed me. “Wait a minute. There’s no need to?—”
I whirled around and she slammed into me, almost falling backward.
My arm immediately wrapped around her waist, holding her close. Fuuuck. This was exactly what I needed, but also what I’d feared. My body desperately wanted her. My cock twitched. I shifted her, creating enough distance so she didn’t know what she’d done to me.
“It’s a company car, Elena. You can use it as you please while you’re working for me. There’s no charge. It’s safer than the car you’re driving. You should sell that old car to the junkyard. It’s not safe.”
“It just needs some updates.” She bit her bottom lip.
“The updates will cost you more than what it’s worth. Get a new one.”
Her face scrunched. “Says Mr. I Drive A Bugatti Voiture. I don’t have money to spend like you do. Some of us have to be frugal.”
Was she having financial problems? I almost forgot about her second job.
“How often do you work for FoodHub?”
Embarrassment flushed her face, and I regretted asking her.
“It’s an easy job.”
Her journalism salary should allow her a comfortable lifestyle. But I’d learned not to assume or judge.
I dropped the subject. “You can use the company car for as long as you like. Use it until you save up for your own.”
“But that could be forever.”
“Then use it forever.”
She tilted her head, eyeing me like I was a crazy alien that just crashed into her home. If I didn’t leave her house right now, I’d probably do something insane that would make her back out of helping me.
“Are you like this to all your employees? Generous? Bossy? Demanding? Confusing?”
The last adjective stood out because it wasn’t every day I was emotionally confused. If I told her she was the first person who got a car from me simply because I didn’t want her driving that clunker or have a stranger pick her up, would she believe me? No, she wouldn’t. She’d probably think I was a psycho. What logical woman would want a psycho near her?
“I care for all my employees, Elena. I want to ensure they get to work safely to do their job. See you soon.”