6. Harvey
Chapter 6
Harvey
“ H is name is Connor Blake.” Jimmy tosses a dossier across the desk toward me. “It’s not complete yet. I’m still compiling it, but this is what we know so far.”
I flip through the folder, no pictures or images of the guy yet, just a small personal workup about his current situation regarding his divorce and threats he feels might be made against him.
“So has he had threats made him against him? What are his fears based on?”
“Not sure yet.” Jimmy leans back in his chair. “Figured you and I could set up a meeting with him first before we take on the case, feel out what’s going on.”
“CEO of Outside Media, no kids.” I whistle in amazement. “Net worth estimated over eight hundred million dollars? For a CEO, am I reading that right or does he own the company?”
“No, he doesn’t own it but that eight hundred million dollars,” Jimmy says with a nod, “that’s exactly why my contact told me about this guy. I guess he’s made some really smart investments. This divorce isn’t some small fish fry and neither will the payday be with this contract if it happens.”
“When are we meeting with him?” I set the documents back down on the desk.
“This afternoon.” He glances at his watch. “I’ve got to run home to check on Blaire, make sure she isn’t going out of her mind with boredom. She’s still working, you believe that?” He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “She’s doing it from bed but still, I know how… passionate ”—he thinks carefully before selecting a word—“she gets about work and the doctor said she needs to keep her blood pressure stable.”
I laugh. “You knew damn well who she was when you started dating her. You think she’s ever going to let you try to tell her how to handle her own body? Trust the woman, she’s got those mama instincts already. She’ll be fine.”
“Excuse me?” He stares at me in disbelief. “When did you become Mr. Sensitive, I know women’s needs now?”
“Really?” I lift a brow. “I think we both know I know women’s needs better than any of you.”
“Oh, fuck off.” He laughs. “You know your way around a pussy and a G-spot is all. Call me the next time a woman confides in you.”
I laugh along with him but it hits me in the gut. I think about last night, sitting across from Aspen at the bar. I know it was just the liquor, but she looked happy, engaged with our conversation. It felt good. But then I push it aside. I need to stay more focused on whatever the fuck I know is going on with her that she’s not telling me. There’s a lot more to this thing with her boss; I can feel it, and I won’t stop till I get to the bottom of it.
“On that note, I’m gonna head home. I’ll be back within the hour and we’ll head up to Outside Media for our meeting.”
When we walk into the building and take the elevator to the top floor, I already know what kind of guy he’s going to be. They’re not all the same but in my experience… most are, with the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city for the executives while all of the lesser employees have to work in cubicles like an ant farm.
“Right this way, gentlemen.” His admin isn’t a surprise either and if I had to make an educated guess, she probably plays into his divorce. He’s not scared of his ex-wife for no reason.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen. Connor Blake.” The man who steps out from behind the desk looks familiar, his dirty-blond hair framing his face, a huge smile plastered on his face that showcases a very expensive set of veneers.
I know him.
“Jameson Maxwell, call me Jimmy.”
“Harvey Ransom.” I extend my hand toward him, something in the back of my mind telling me I know exactly who he is.
“Whoa.” He looks up at me when he shakes my hand. “I definitely want this guy protecting me.” He laughs, tugging my hand toward him so he can grab my upper arm.
“Thanks for meeting with us. As I mentioned, we like to meet with our clients when we’re dealing with someone as powerful and influential as yourself.” Jimmy’s words probably give the man a hard-on because his face lights up like a fucking Christmas tree.
This is why I call Jimmy boss. He’s not, we’re all equal and have equal say in things, but Jimmy has a way with people. He can schmooze them, play the politics, and wade through the bureaucratic red tape that I don’t have the patience for. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on.”
“Like you said, Jimmy, I’m a pretty powerful and influential man and as I mentioned to you before, I’m going through a divorce.” He looks at both of us, his smile slipping. “From a gold-digging cunt who isn’t happy with our settlement so she’s taking me to court to sue for more.” Neither Jimmy nor I give him the validation he’s looking for. “So anyway, she’s not exactly from a good family. I pretty much saved her, rescued her from a really fucked-up situation in life when I met her and now that’s coming back to bite me in the ass.”
“How so?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on him.
“Her connections. She’s got family and friends who are in gangs and associated with violent activities. I don’t trust them!”
“Any actual threats been made yet?” Jimmy asks.
“Yes.” He reaches into his desk and pulls out a threatening letter along with a tablet that shows a shadowy figure snooping around his house.
“We can work with this,” Jimmy says, taking the tablet from the man.
We talk through several more questions, going over how we typically handle situations like his.
“We can offer surveillance, around-the-clock bodyguard services at your office, home, or wherever you go.” He points toward me. “This one’s expertise is why we call him the shadow. Obviously, we will be armed and anyone who works with us will be as well. Are you okay with that?”
“Okay with it?” he says, pulling back his suit coat to reveal a 357 magnum pistol. He pulls it out, cocking the hammer back and pointing it toward the ceiling. “Armed is the only way I roll.”
I have to bite my cheek to keep from laughing. This dumbass has some cowboyed-up version of himself in his head that I know is going to cause us headaches.
“Great,” Jimmy says, glancing over at me. “We’ll be in touch with steps moving forward and a contract.”
“You seem distracted,” Jimmy says to me after we’ve left his office and stepped into the elevator.
“No, just something doesn’t seem right with that guy.”
“Meaning?”
I shake my head, frustrated that I can’t pinpoint it. “You know, when it’s in your gut.”
“It’s gonna be easy money; you’re overthinking it. The guy is in his head about this shit. I guarantee you his wife, if she is threatening him, is doing it to scare him and nothing more. And while you and I know there’s probably zero credible threat here, we should still take the case… just in case.” He chuckles as we step out of the elevator and into the lobby and glances around. “Shit, you know what? I forgot I’m supposed to stop by Aspen’s office and remind her to call Blaire tonight.” He steps over to the directory, “Let me just double-check which floor she’s on.”
“Aspen works here?”
“Yeah.” He punches the button again for the elevator. “I thought you knew that.”
It hits me like a fucking freight train. The side profile of her boss, leaning forward to open her door.
It was him.
Connor Fucking Blake, my new assignment.
“You coming up or not?” Jimmy stares at me, holding the door open as a few others climb inside.
“No, I’ll be outside.” I turn and walk through the lobby, the fresh air hitting me. I’m seconds away from storming back upstairs and into his office, grabbing him by his ten-thousand-dollar suit and shoving the barrel of that 357 mag in his smug face, reminding him that she is not his, that she is off-limits.
This— This emotional and erratic feeling I’m having isn’t normal. It feels visceral, like I won’t be able to control myself if I get near him again. This feeling isn’t new. I’ve had it before, when a man just like Connor Blake destroyed my mother’s life, taking it in the process.
“Hey, sorry about that. You can’t come home with an I forgot when your wife is pregnant. Trust me.”
“So we’re taking the job?” I stare out the window as we drive back to the office.
“Unless you say otherwise.” I can feel Jimmy’s eyes on me.
Maybe this is the perfect opportunity. I’ll have an excuse to follow this piece of shit around, make sure he doesn’t step another foot in Aspen’s apartment or lay another finger on her.
“Nope, got no reason not to. Like you said, easy money.”
“Good. I’ll send him over the contract today if you want to work on logistics, reach out to our camera guy, and get an install scheduled.”
“Done.” I pull out my phone and dial our camera guy.
The elevator dings, the doors opening with a soft whoosh. I hold my breath, and then I see her. Her hair is in a braid, pulled away from her face. Her keys are already in her hand, ready. And then she sees me, a smile stretching from ear to ear as she closes the distance between us.
“Are you my bodyguard now?” She giggles, a stark contrast to the frustration I’m feeling right now.
“No,” I say matter-of-factly, her smile disappearing instantly. “I’m actually your boss’ new bodyguard. Connor Blake.”