Chapter Nineteen
Jace
? “Save the World” - We Are Not Friends & Nextime ?
That was not how I wanted it to go. I didn’t mean to confess to Lily but seeing her there, wearing the shoes I bought her... I shake my head as I continue racing down to Rowan’s house.
In a feckin’ closet, Jace?
Rowan told me he was going to be awhile and stay at the art exhibit with Celeste, but asked me to meet him at his house.
We both didn’t expect Mateo to be there.
I especially didn’t anticipate seeing him there with Lily.
Something just took over me. I needed her.
I needed her to be alone. Seeing her in the shoes sent fire through my blood.
I would have allowed her to step on my neck with those shoes if she wished.
She will keep receiving gifts just so that I can feel like I am a part of her.
I drive through Rowan’s gate, park my car, and walk up the stairs to his white two-story home that looks like it should be in the country—not a couple of miles from the city.
I knock on his door, waiting for Rowan’s new bodyguard, Noah to answer.
Noah was a part of the deal we made with Axel.
The deal was, in order for us to investigate Mateo, we had to hire Noah.
Noah is new to the business and is obligated to go through a performance check before Axel puts him up for hire.
The only issue is, Rowan had to put his pride aside and allow Noah to stay at his house.
Rowan doesn’t allow anyone to know where he lives.
With him being New York City’s number one bachelor multi-billionaire drama queen— he’d rather not have anyone sneaking around his property trying to catch his next scandal.
Except Celeste. Only a few months ago, we saw her trying to sneak into Club Opal.
She waited hours for us to leave the club and followed Rowan all the way home.
Rowan claims he allowed her to follow, but I say otherwise.
I’m a fan of Noah. He talks to us and loves to his opinion on things whether he is asked or not. It pisses Rowan off, which makes me like him even more. He is younger than us, but just as tall and built. He will be able to handle his shit if he stays on this career path.
“Hey, man.” Noah swings his body to the side, letting me in.
I walk past him and head straight for the kitchen’s highest shelf, finding exactly what I need.
Whiskey.
I pour a double shot, taking it within seconds, then pour another.
“Party was that good, huh?” Noah comments, sitting at the kitchen island.
“Was a blast. You should have been there.” I close my eyes, shaking my head, and feel the burn on my tongue down my throat.
The front door opens as Rowan comes striding in, removing his coat and opening his computer.
“What happened?” I ask, sitting on the chair next to him in the living room.
“We have to plan this very carefully,” he states, banging his fingers on the keyboard.
I can feel my body temperature rising, either from the alcohol or from the fact that Rowan isn’t stating what the fuck happened. We sit in silence while Rowan continues to work on his computer.
“So much communication here. I love it,” Noah says, releasing his sarcasm for the day.
Rowan finally snaps out of his trance and looks up at us. He runs his hands through his hair and lets out a deep breath.
“We need to find Ana. Dead or alive. But I have this deep feeling that she is not alive.” Rowan sits back on the couch, staring at his computer.
“You think Mateo killed her?” I ask. I can feel my fist clenching and unclenching at the thought of a man who murdered his wife being near Lily.
“Possibly, yeah.”
“If he killed her, then why hire us to find her?” I question.
Rowan turns toward me and Noah. “That is what I am worried about."
It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is.
We will always find Axel at the club. All three of us follow Roxxie up the stairs to his office.
She knocks on the door before opening it and letting us in.
Axel, being the weird mysterious man he is, turns around in his oversized throne to face us. “Well, if it isn’t the three stooges.”
“Hey man, don’t include me in yet. I just started,” Noah drawls as he goes to lean back against a wall. Rowan and I take the seats in front of Axel’s desk.
“What can I do for you guys?”
I turn my head toward Rowan since I am not sure what we are even doing here. We already made the deal to investigate Mateo, so how much more would Axel be willing to give us?
“Why did Mateo hire protection?” Rowan casually asks as he gets more comfortable in the chair.
Axel leans back, staring at both of us. Yes, Rowan and I might be taller than average, but Axel... This man towers over us by at least three inches. With his miscolored eyes and youthful look, he could be Aengus óg.
“Now, you know that is client confidentiality,” Axel states.
“We agreed that if we take him on”—Rowan points back toward Noah— “that you will allow us to investigate Mateo. This is us investigating.”
“Well, go investigate somewhere else,” Axel snaps.
There is a quiet breeze from the AC, the tension in the room thick as mud. When I open my mouth to clear the air, Noah beats me to it.
“Well, this is awkward. Looks like we are done here."
Only Noah has the balls to speak whatever is in his head no matter who he is around.
I stand from my chair, ready to leave. When I look at Rowan, his eyes are shooting daggers at Axel.
Axel stares back, tapping his finger on his chair.
They might as well pull their dicks out and have a sword fighting contest.
Finally, Rowan stands, nodding his head at Axel before we all walk out of his office.
“What was the point of that?” I ask.
“To see Mateo’s protection level.” Rowan pulls his keys out to unlock his car when we enter the parking garage.
“I don’t get it,” Noah states.
For me, a lightbulb clicks on. The “client confidentiality” is bullshit.
Axel has told us about the men he protects without hesitation, but it is usually the lower-level men—the men who are just scared they will be attacked for owing some sharks money.
Men worried about the media finding their gambling and sex addictions.
If Axel can’t tell us why Mateo needs protection, then this is something bigger than we expected, with the added possibility that Axel wants Mateo taken out, since he is allowing us to investigate in the first place.
I nod my head at Rowan in understating before getting in my car.
Noah is standing in the middle of the street looking between us. “Hold on, I still don’t get it. What am I missing?”