Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
DAMON
Everything about Blake’s body language tells me she doesn’t want to be near that prick. It takes everything in me to keep from ripping his arms from his body for touching her.
They drive a few miles from campus to a sushi place in town. Lucky for me, the hostess sits them in front of the window overlooking the street. My body aches and I need a smoke, so I hop out and lean against my car, being careful to stay out of her eyeline.
She noticed my car earlier. Stared at it with longing in her eyes. It’s only a matter of time before she realizes my car is everywhere she goes. I know I’m fucked up, but I hope she does soon.
My heart races wondering how she’ll react. Will she be afraid or intrigued? Will she confront me or avoid me?
People walk along the street, engrossed in conversation. Couples holding hands. Mothers tugging children along. Busy suits on their lunch breaks. I take a moment to admire the trees lining the street with their yellow and gold leaves while breathing in the crisp fall air.
It’s been too long since Jas and I went hiking. It’s always been our thing—get up before dawn and hike the toughest trails in town. We never talk much, just walk in companionable silence, taking in the sights and clearing our heads. Hiking is the only time Jasper doesn’t talk nonstop. Leon and I joke that he’s like a golden retriever on speed… We have to tire him out to get him to shut up.
We haven’t hiked since Bailey was taken. Every minute has been filled with finding her. Well, almost.
I stub out my butt and walk it to the nearest trash can, getting a glimpse of Blake’s profile. She’s chewing her lower lip, focusing on the menu in front of her instead of the asshole who won’t stop shooting his mouth off. The sunlight hits her dark hair, bringing out its indigo luster. My chest hurts from how perfect she is. So fucking beautiful. Even when she’s clearly uncomfortable.
Fuck it. I guess I’m getting sushi for lunch.
I walk inside, never taking my eyes off Blake. Now that I’m within earshot of her, my pulse calms. The hostess directs me to a table across the room but still close enough to watch them.
I order an iced tea and take out my phone, pretending to idly scroll as I listen.
A different server stops at their table holding a large platter of sushi and a bowl of rice. She places it down and Blake looks it over, rolling her lip between her teeth.
“Dig in, baby,” the douche she referred to as Ethan says. He grabs some chopsticks and rubs them together obnoxiously.
Blake reaches for the bowl. “I’ll just have some rice.”
I shield my face with my hand to get a better look.
“But I ordered all these rolls. Is this about that comment I made a while back? I was drunk, I didn’t mean it. You’re not fat.”
My jaw clenches and I grip my phone hard enough to crack the screen. I’ll kill him. Right here and now.
“Seriously?” Blake drops her fork and shifts in her seat. “I can’t believe you’d bring that up. Especially now when I didn’t even want to be here.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry, baby. I know it’s not an excuse, but my parents cut me off my addies and since you left I haven’t been sleeping and classes are kicking my ass. Let’s just eat and forget what I said.”
Blake’s expression softens and she picks up her fork again. “Fine, but I’m serious, Ethan. We’re not getting back together. I don’t care what you have to say.”
He reaches across the table to take her hand. She visibly flinches from his touch.
“Ready to order?” The server steps directly in front of my view. Perfect fucking timing.
“I’ll take a spicy tuna roll and a salad.” I’m not particularly hungry, but I need something to keep my hands busy so I don’t wrap them around Ethan’s neck.
After thanking my server, she moves to Blake’s table. “How is everything?” She glances at the rice in front of Blake. “Can I get you something else, Miss?”
“Oh, no, it’s okay. I have food allergies. The rice is fine.” Blake smiles politely as the server takes Ethan’s glass to refill his drink.
This asshat takes her to a restaurant she can’t even eat at. I’d never do that to you, Angel . He devours his rolls while Blake picks at her plain white rice. He never apologizes. Never mentions her allergies at all.
My jaw aches from how tightly I’ve been clenching it.
“Did I mention that my parents invited us to the gala at St. Luke’s? They’re going to introduce you to the president of the board and put in a good word for us. Last I heard they were only taking on a handful of interns next year, so we gotta make a good impression.”
“Ethan… are we going to talk about what happened?”
He shoves another roll in his mouth and chews slowly. “It was one mistake, Blake. Jake’s party and I was wasted. I didn’t even realize she wasn’t you until you walked in.” He pulls a hand through his light hair.
Blake scoffs but keeps her eyes trained on his face while he spews even more obvious bullshit. He reaches for her hand again.
“I love you, baby, and I miss you. If you can’t forgive me, at least come with me to the gala. My parents would love to see you and we can mingle with the board. You need those connections.”
She offers a thin smile, while her gray eyes stay flat and lifeless.
Don’t fall for his lies, Blake. He doesn’t love you.
“You hurt me. It’s going to take a lot for me to forgive you.” Her gaze bounces between the nearly full bowl of rice and Ethan’s hand before she pins him with her gaze. “But I’ll go to the gala with you.”
He leans across the table, invading her space and contaminating her perfect mouth with his lying lips. I wait with bated breath to see how she’ll react. Surely, she’ll slap him or at least curse him out.
My phone rings, dragging my attention away from Blake. I hit ignore and text Leon back.
Me: Hey, I’m grabbing lunch. What’s up?
Leon: Found out more about our friends at the party. Jas just woke up. We’re waiting on you.
I bring my attention back to Blake who’s now standing and looking toward the restroom sign.
Me: Be there soon.
Ethan has his phone out, typing with a smug grin. He’s probably texting his dude bro friends to tell them how Blake’s taking him back.
Well, think again, Ethan.
I scrub a hand over my chin and pull out more than enough cash to cover my check and tip, along with one of my favorite little tracking devices.
Checking to see if Blake’s still in the restroom, I walk past their table, accidentally knocking into it. Ethan drops his phone on the empty platter and raises his chin.
“My bad, man. I wasn’t looking where I was walking.” I shoot him a bright grin that he doesn’t reciprocate. He examines me from head to toe, clearly adjusting whatever remark he was going to say.
“All good.” Grabbing his phone, he wipes it with a napkin and continues texting someone named Aubrey.
“Have a good one.” I force the words through a fake smile.
On the way to my car, I attach a magnet tracker to his rear bumper. When I take care of Ethan later, I want him to remember my face.
“Do you really need to take our one parking space for your bike?” I frown at Leon while I take off my boots in the entryway of our apartment, stubbing my toe on Jasper’s amp. He keeps leaving it out here along with the tangled up pile of cords.
“Why are you asking stupid questions?” He leans back on the couch we recently picked up from a secondhand furniture store in town.
“What’s a stupid question?” Jasper walks into the kitchen with a towel wrapped around his waist, drying his hair with another.
“Is that my towel?” I yank it out of his hands. “It is. Seriously? This better not have touched your dick.”
“Chill, I just used it on my hair…” He grabs it back and slings it on a barstool. “ Today. ”
“I’ll kill you.” The wet towel becomes my ultimate weapon as I grab it and whip his retreating back.
“Ow, you asshole!”
“Are you two done?” Leon asks, shaking his head. “I’ve been waiting all morning to talk about this shit.”
“I’ll be done when Jasper says he’ll stop flossing his ass crack with my towel.” Jaw clenched, I level him with a defiant look.
“I lost my towels in the move and it’s not like you haven’t been all up in there before.”
Leon pushes to stand and grabs a beer from the fridge, hiding his laughter behind his hand.
“One time in college! One fucking time and you’ll never let me live it down. I was drunk and your ass and Sabrina’s ass started to look the same, okay?” I angle my body toward Leon. “Tell him he’s gotta let it go.”
He swallows a long sip and raises his hands in surrender. “I’m not getting involved. This is why I won’t partake in group activities… Lines and bodies get blurred.”
Following Leon, I grab myself a beer and head over to the couch. “Okay, enough about Jasper’s asshole. Let’s focus on the assholes from the party last night.”
“Nice segue,” Jasper says. He pulls up a chair beside our makeshift dining table and workspace.
Leon sits next to me and immediately tosses a cushion at Jasper. “Christ! Put on some fucking clothes. The way you’re sitting, I can see your balls.”
Jasper snickers and throws the cushion back at his face. “Stop looking then.”
While they argue back and forth until Jasper finally relents, I use the distraction to check my tracker app. The satellite map opens, showing Ethan’s shiny new Mercedes as a blue blinking dot. It looks like he’s parked at a building near the college.
Is Blake still with him? I need to get into her phone and email… find out when this gala will take place. I’m still berating myself for not bringing my cameras into her house yesterday while I broke into the party. There’s so much I could be learning about Blake when I’m not able to be there.
“Alright, while you two arseholes were sleeping…” Leon points at Jasper. “Or out doing who knows what.” He points at me. “I was working.”
“Let me get you a medal,” Jasper grumbles.
“Have you eaten yet?” I ask. “That tone usually means hanger.”
Jasper cocks his head. “Not since last night. I’ll order some pizzas.” He grabs his phone from the coffee table, swiping through apps.
“For fuck’s sake, shut up,” Leon’s irritated voice booms. He’s the most patient out of the three of us but hell, when he gets pissed off, he gets pissed off.
We zip our lips and give him our full attention.
“Finally.” He flips his laptop around to show us a photo of a young blonde woman on the screen. “Look familiar?”
“I’d know those lips anywhere,” Jasper says, smirking. “That’s the woman who brought me upstairs. Wild one… The things she wanted to do to me.”
“Her name is Mischa Orlova,” Leon interrupts. “Daughter of Ivan Orlov… Russian millionaire shipping mogul.”
“No shit?” Jasper says.
I take a good look at the screen, memorizing her features. “Makes sense that all the people at the party were rich suits. Do you know how this Orlov family is connected to Sweeper?”
And how is Blake connected to all of them?
“I’m still working on that. For a millionaire, Orlov has a squeaky clean record. Not even a speeding ticket since he moved here from Russia. I need to dig deeper. Sweeper could be working for Orlov, or it could be the other way around. I can’t find much.”
“From what I heard, the owner of the house travels a lot but a few people last night were talking about seeing him a year ago.” While I think, I twist the stud in my ear.
“Jasper, what did you find out?” Leon asks. “Other than how good Orlova gives head.”
“Like I said last night, nothing much. They were all tight-lipped.” He smirks, and continues. “Talked about boring shit like golf and vacations. It’ll take getting to know them better before anyone gives details. Or there’s other ways…” He trails off, focusing his gaze on the wall.
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, the answer is no,” Leon says. “I know that piece of shit pedophile in Palm Cove wasn’t the most reliable source by the time we finished with him, but his intel didn’t come from nowhere. I think we should stick around, find out more.”
“I volunteer to get more out of my new friend.” Jasper grins. “From personal trainer to personal fuck toy… Who would have thought finding Bailey would take so much acting?”
“Because you’ll really have to act to be blondie’s fuckboy, huh?” I tease him, but I’m more than happy he’s willing to put himself out there. I’d done enough of that in Palm Cove, hanging around the diner to watch the prick across the street, and I’m burnt out. Sticking to the shadows works better for me.
I almost bring up Blake. From the look of her room, she’s living there, at least temporarily, so she must know more about these people. As Leon fills Jasper in on details about Orlova, I decide I’ll keep her to myself a little longer.
“I’ll scope out the house, see what I can pick up,” I say.
“Alright, so while you’re doing that, Jasper, you’ll get to know Orlova. See if she knows anything about someone named Sweeper. I’ll keep searching for him and more about Ivan Orlov. I don’t want any careless mistakes. We have no idea who we’re dealing with.”
I ignore the rest of their conversation and check my app again. Ethan hasn’t moved from that spot. Brimming with restless energy, I get up and grab my shoes.
“I’m gonna go get started. I’ll call you guys if I find anything.”
“You don’t want pizza?” Jasper asks.
“Nah, I already ate. Save me some for later.” Without waiting for his reply, I walk out into the hallway, ready to see Blake again.