Chapter 22 #2
“Let me get you a coffee,” I say, surprised that the offer trips so easily out of my mouth. A month ago, I’d have felt I couldn’t afford it. But since I’ve been seeing Kingston and Sebastian, I’m getting the occasional free meal, and spending less on public transportation.
Should I feel weird about that?
“No time for coffee, I’m afraid,” Lin says. “I have to get back to Ironwood. Another time, though?”
“Sure,” I say.
Lin smiles and holds out a manila folder. “So, I found her.”
“Wow, this feels so…I don’t know. Super detective,” I say, taking the folder. Tucked inside is a paper printed with Alyssa’s headshot, occupation (virtual assistant), address, and phone number. I really only needed the contact info.
Alyssa has as rather pretty face, narrow with high cheekbones, and blue eyes. Her blond hair is shoulder length and curly.
“Sorry, hazards of the trade to be extra thorough.” Lin shrugs and offers me a smile. “Do you want to tell me why I was looking for this woman? Is she threatening Bash or something?”
I shake my head. “It’s really not my place to tell you. I’m super grateful for the favor, and I can pay you for your time. But this is about Sebastian, and…he should be the one to talk to you about it, if he wants to.”
Lin’s eyes sparkle. “Okay, now I love you.”
“You…do?”
“You are friends—or more—with a public figure. I wasn’t sure if you’re with Bash because of his fame, you know? But you won’t even gossip about him with me, his cousin. So yeah, I think you’re awesome.”
I can’t help the big smile forming on my face. “Well, thank you. I think you’re awesome, too. I really appreciate the help. How much do I owe you?”
“Not a cent,” she says. “I did the favor kind of for you, but mostly for him. I think you’ve got his back.”
“I hope I do,” I say. “Coffee some other time?”
“Yep. I’ll hold you to it.”
Laughing, I say, “Well, you know where to find me if I forget. I mean, if you don’t know where I live already, you’ll be able to figure it out.”
She laughs and takes off with a wave.
I look back down at the report in the folder. My heart thumps wildly as I pull my phone from my bag and dial. I’m not waiting. I can’t afford to wait. Not when Sebastian is talking about going public. Not when he’s so worried and guilt-ridden about what he might have done.
A woman answers after the second ring. “Hello?”
“Hi, my name is Ella. I’m trying to get in touch with Alyssa White.”
“That’s me,” she says slowly.
“I have a weird request,” I say. “I need to talk to you about something that happened seven years ago.”
She’s quiet for so long, I have to look at my phone screen to make sure the call hasn’t been dropped.
“Hello?” I say.
“Yeah, I’m here. You want to talk about Bastian Crown, don’t you?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Are you a reporter?”
“Oh, hell no,” I say. “I’m a friend.”
“Of Bastian’s?”
Unsure whether the truth will help or hurt, I decide to go for the truth. We’ve had enough lies lately. “Yeah, of Bastian’s.”
“Well, I’m working all day from home tomorrow,” she says. “You can swing by anytime between noon and three and I’ll take a break to chat.”
“Thank you so much, I can do that.”
“You’re really not with the press, right?”
“I swear,” I say. “I’m just trying to get some answers, for personal reasons.”
“Gotcha. I’ll send you the address.”
I don’t tell her that I already have her address, because what better way to freak out a total stranger? So I only say, “Thank you.”
Just as we say goodbye, muffled sounds come over the phone in the background. A child says, “Mama?”
I end the call, my hands shaking so much that it takes me three tries to hit the button in the right way.
Alyssa is a mom.
What if Sebastian has a kid ?
Kingston
Eight p.m. I’m still at the office. I fucking hate it.
I only have myself, and my fool of a son, to blame.
Ella should be getting off work now, though, so I text Garth, asking him to pick her up, and then I call Ella to let her know in case she’s gotten off of work early.
“Hey, I’m walking out of the pub right now,” she says.
“Hang tight—I just sent Garth your way.”
“You really don’t have to do that.”
I lower my voice. “I really do.”
I know she thinks I’m being overprotective, but after learning what happened to her on Monday? No way in hell am I letting her walk around that neighborhood. And as soon as Bash and I can convince her to quit, even better.
Messages start pinging on my computer. It’s fuckin’ eight p.m. I just want to go home. But if I don’t do this, no one else will.
“Tell me about your day,” I say to Ella. I can at least take some time to talk to my little girl.
“Well, I have some news, but I don’t know if I should share.”
Immediately intrigued, I sit back in my desk chair. “I want to hear any news you have. You know that. I love you, and your news is important.”
“Well, Sebastian loves me too, and he doesn’t want to hear about it,” she says.
“Tell me, then. We can worry about Bash later.”
“I found the woman that Trina says he abused. I’m going to talk to her.”
“Ella.” I take a deep breath. “Are you sure you want to do that? What if she tells you that Sebastian hurt her?”
“I need the truth, and I think Sebastian does, too.”
I don’t think anything good is going to come of this.
“Oh, there’s Garth,” she says.
“Stay on the phone with me.”
“Okay.”
There are muffled sounds as she gets into the car.
“Raise the privacy glass,” I say.
“What?”
“You heard me, little girl.”
“Shit,” she says. “Okay…”
“And watch your naughty mouth.”
My cock hardens more, the more I boss her around. I want to tell Garth to bring her here, to my office, instead of back to her house. But I wouldn’t be able to give her more than a quickie, and then she’d have to go all the way back to Bellefleur.
“Is the privacy glass up?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says.
“Yes, Daddy .”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I groan. She sounds too fucking sweet.
“Put your hand down the front of your pants and touch yourself,” I say. I wait a moment and then say, “Did you do it?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Are you wet?”
“So fucking wet.”
“Are you trying to be naughty on purpose, using those very adult words?”
“Maybe,” she says, a smile in her voice.
“Little brat,” I say.
Her voice is teasing. “Are you going to do something about it, old man?”
I can’t handle it. “Tell Garth to bring you to my place. I’m calling a ride and I’ll meet you there.”
Fuck work. I can come in at four in the morning if I have to. Right now, though, I’ve got a filthy little girl to punish.