Chapter 24
Sean
After a fruitless trip to Talon Bar, we return to the Brooklyn warehouse, parking underground. In the conference room, my stomach rumbles at the catered lunch on the table.
Taking chairs to Dante’s right, the two of us grab a sandwich. Mason, across from us, nods as he stuffs a forkful of potato salad into his mouth. Daedalus waves from the wall monitor.
Between bites, Lil and I download everything we learned at the psychiatric facility.
Daed breaks the stunned silence first, his voice rumbling from the speaker. “I analyzed the signature. You were right, Lillian. It belongs to Pearson.”
“What about Hart’s bank account? Any unusual deposits or withdrawals?” As I speak, the wall-mounted camera swivels toward me.
“No. Same with credit cards.” Our on-screen analyst scratches his unshaven chin.
“Wasn’t Simone’s family worried?” While Lil grabs a cookie, he shakes his head.
“It wasn’t the first time she wandered off.”
My fists clench as more of my anger shifts toward Pearson. “He used her. But how? Why?”
“Give me a sec.” Daedalus glances down, his keyboard clattering. “He used the name Stephen Hart to sign out Simone. However, the real Stephen Hart works for Rehabo. They make AI-powered robots for people with disabilities. Parkhaven has poured hundreds of millions into the company.”
Mace pipes up for the first time. “So Jeff Pearson is actually Stephen Hart?”
Daed tilts his head. “Nope. Neither person exists. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s ex-intelligence. Mossad. CIA. FSB.”
Jesus. If I were a cartoon, right about now, my head would be exploding.
“So, Jeff Pearson, aka Stephen Hart, aka God-knows-who, convinced a schizophrenic patient to kill us weeks before we ever started investigating Parkhaven. He also has ties to a cutting-edge robotics company. None of this makes a damn bit of sense. We might as well have my grandmother pull out her Ouija board to help figure it out.”
Dante scratches his beard and grimaces. “You’re right about one thing. We need more data. Lillian, dig deeper into Rehabo. Sean, check your father’s connection to Pearson or Parkhaven. We’ll regroup here tomorrow unless something urgent turns up.”
Shortly afterward, I walk Lillian up the stairs to our temporary living quarters. It’s been too long since we’ve had a moment alone, and I’m jonesing for a fix.
“Hey, stop for a second.” I catch her at the waist, pin her gently against the wall, then press my body into hers. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?”
“Yeah, but hearing it again couldn’t hurt.” She loops her arms around my neck, pulling me into a slow, heated kiss.
As we come up for air, I glance up at the cameras.
Safehouse, dumbass.
Grabbing her hand, I laugh, race her to the apartment, and lock the door behind us. We leave a trail of discarded clothes on the way to the bedroom, where she backs me toward the mattress.
“You first.” Naked, gorgeous, she kneels between my legs. Her fingers wrap around my length as she takes me into her mouth.
Synapses fire. Blood rushes below my belt. Nothing can compare to the way her eyes flick to mine while she sucks me off.
Wish I were a poet. “I love you” is the best I can do.
She cups my balls.
When my tip hits the back of her throat, it’s exquisite torture. “I’m there, sweetheart. Don’t have to—”
All at once, she lets go with a pop, her grin pure mischief. “I think we should get a priest… or a rabbi to bless these.”
“What’re you talking about?” I moan as she squeezes my testicles.
“It’s not right. Being nondenominational and all. We ought to christen them. What do you prefer? Universalist? Baptist? Church of Latter-day Saints?”
“Babe, you’re killing me here.” My cock is about to blow.
“We could make them Catholics.” Like a dripping ice cream cone, she licks around my tip.
My groan doesn’t sound like me at all. “Lent.” I gasp. “Won’t work. Can’t eat meat on Friday.”
She snickers. “Ha! What religion are you?”
I hiss. “Jesus, Lilly. Stop teasing.”
As I start to rise, she takes me in fully. One pull and I come hard. Bucking, my cum spurts down her throat. There’s so much liquid, she can’t swallow it all.
Holy hell, what she does to me.
It takes a second for my brain cells to reboot. Once they’re back online, I tug her up my body until our mouths meet.
Heady stuff. I grin at my double entendre.
Poet. Yep, that’s me.
Favoring my uninjured side, I flip her onto her back and spread her legs. Breathing in her pheromones, not touching her, I wait for her slick clit to swell, a silent plea for my tongue.
Smart. Beautiful. Deadly. Mine.
“Mouth, please.” She pants and arches up. “Anytime now.”
“Whoever said paybacks are a bitch was an idiot.”
Done teasing, my tongue flicks out. Her tiny moans reignite my desire. A curled finger inside her has her screaming out my name. As she comes, I climb up her body, plunge inside her, and ride the high.
After the sex haze fades, I nibble her neck. “Time to break out the computers. Dante is counting on us.”
“Yup. Coming.” She snickers. “I mean…be right there.”
Soon, we sit at the kitchen table, multiple tabs filled with credit card statements and LLC ownership records. I have cash deposits from questionable sources, just under the reporting threshold.
While she works on her side of the case, I dig into my father’s firm for any links to Parkhaven, Simone Hart, or the robots. An hour or two into our investigation, Lil bounces in her seat.
“Hey! I found something. Rehabo has sold five hundred million dollars’ worth of units to the North Koreans, Russians, and Iranians.” She turns her screen. “Not suspicious at all.”
Soon after, Dante opens a Signal meeting. Face pale, he asks, “You sure it isn’t a mistake?”
“The only mistake was theirs. Those numbers never should’ve been accessible.”
He taps his fingers on the desk for several seconds before looking up. “Parkhaven is holding an investors meeting in Ireland in a couple of days. I want both of you there, representing Roger Clark.” He pauses. “Will your father have a problem with this?”
I shake my head. “He might, but he won’t dare say anything.”
“What about Jeff Pearson?” Lillian catches my gaze before returning her attention to her laptop. “After our last encounter, he won’t be happy to see us.”
Dante has a helluva devious smile. If he turns it on, you can be sure the proverbial shit’s about to spew everywhere. “Tell him you have a video of him sticking a needle into Lillian’s leg. For a price, you won’t press charges.”
“And Grams? My sister?”
“I suggest they stay here until we eliminate the threat.” The casual tone makes me laugh. Clearly, my boss hasn’t spent enough time with those two.