TWENTY-TWO
brOGAN WAS A LOT OF THINGS, Prince Charming he was not. Yes, he was a gentleman. He was generous and attentive. He was not patient, not always gracious, and quite often infuriated her.
If there was one thing they’d both become pros at over the last few weeks, it was pasting on their public face and duping the crowds. They were, by all accounts, in every social circle, a fully committed, and believable, established couple.
After their co-party the previous night, Gia’s first major event as hostess in Brogan’s apartment, a cleaning crew swept through and put everything back in order.
Dinnertime came. Food. Food… Hmm… takeout was in order. Gia had called to order dinner from this particular place so many times over the last few weeks that the restaurant knew her voice. After placing the order, she texted Julius asking him to pick it up on his way over.
Two minutes later, the kitchen phone rang.
“You want me to stop for food?” Julius asked. “At Blaze?”
“Yes, please, they have the order and know how we like it,” she said into the phone. “Don’t forget the wine.”
“Did you order wine?” Julius asked down the phone.
By chance, she was pouring the last remnants of a bottle into the two glasses she’d set on the kitchen island. “I said the word ‘wine,’ but I never know what goes with what,” she said. “Mister picks the wine when his guy picks up the food. He knows what complements the meal and what I like.”
“But I’m picking up the food today,” Julius said.
Although it was Sunday, Brogan had been working in the office all day.
Usually she whined if he tried to work on a Sunday.
That weekend, she’d already used her chips to coerce him out of the office early on the Friday night for a double date with Roxie and Zairn.
Yesterday, he’d worked upstairs, in between her frequent interruptions regarding party arrangements and setup.
Next weekend Roxie’s presence was required at the Crimson Queen Dinner, an annual event. This year it was in Tokyo. Nice. Extravagant. Her friend invited her, of course. Shame it coincided with the Gault summit or she’d have jumped at the chance.
“You pick something,” she said to Julius. “Or ask them to provide. Get a few choices… It’s going on Brogan’s account, you won’t have to pay for anything.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in half an hour. Did Brogan give you his ETA?”
“He said he was on his way,” she said, putting the empty wine bottle in the recycle bin. “Be as quick as you can, please? I’m starved and about to start drinking wine.”
“Are we going to come back to find you passed out drunk?”
On an empty stomach, alcohol flooded her veins fast. Something the guys knew by now.
“Not if you hurry up with the food, you won’t,” she said. “I’ll see you soon.”
Hanging up the phone, she took the two glasses to the dining table and handed one to the waiting Shanna.
“Should I go?” Shanna asked. “If you’re about to have dinner…”
“No, no,” she said, sitting at her friend’s side. “I told you I ordered plenty. You can stay for dinner.”
“I don’t know,” Shanna said, squirming in her seat. “Brogan makes me nervous.”
As he did to many, many others.
“Don’t worry. Get to know him. He’s not scary, I promise.” Gia patted the folder in front of her. “Sorry, back to the—the PI called you in to his office to talk. What did he say? Tell me.”
Shanna took a deep breath and opened the file to retrieve a stack of photographs. “We need more money.”
Huh, short meeting.
Her friend spread the pictures out and—
She gasped and pointed to a man’s profile. “That’s Jarrod.”
The pictures all seemed to have been taken in the same place at the same time. Same background, same clothes and hair. One shot was of a car, the man who looked like Jarrod inside.
In another, there were a few cars with their trunks open and various men standing around apparently engaged in some sort of conversation or negotiation. Each of the men seemed to be armed, and it didn’t look like a happy meeting of friends.
Oh, that was scary.
The only familiar person was Jarrod. From appearances, he wasn’t chained or restrained in any physical way. Wearing jeans and a ball cap over a bandana, he had a scarf wrapped around his mouth and neck. No, that didn’t look shady at all. Hmm.
The pictures weren’t up close. With them taken from far away, not all of them were clear. In a quick assessment, he looked healthy… maybe even healthier than he had when she’d last seen him.
“This is great!” Gia exclaimed. “He found him! It doesn’t look like Jarrod is on drugs either. He’s a healthy weight and isn’t bruised as far as I can see. When can he come home?”
“Our PI didn’t take these pictures. He has contacts all over and has been using them to put word out for Jarrod. One of his contacts sent him these… they were taken in Mexico somewhere.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“Why is he in Mexico? Does he have family there?”
Brogan may be able to answer that question, from the maternal side at least. Except… given his tenuous relationship with his mom, the idea of asking didn’t appeal.
“The PI says he needs to investigate, to confirm this is Jarrod and what he’s into. He thinks he might have been trafficked into drug running or something, that he might be acting under duress. It’s super dangerous, Gia.”
The distress in her friend’s voice prompted a reassuring hand to her forearm. “It’s okay, sweetie. I know it’s scary to think of him being forced into anything, but this is encouraging. He’s alive and you know where he is, you’re so much closer to having him home.”
Shanna sniffed and tried to smile. “He wants to go down there. The PI, he wants to go down there. He says it’s the only way to continue a credible investigation.”
“That makes sense,” she said, knowing little about Mexican authorities. “How much do you need?”
Shanna winced. “Ten thousand dollars as an initial payment. He says sometimes people will take bribes, or there could be a ransom, and he might need more.”
“Ten thousand dollars is okay,” she said, leaving the table to go to her purse on the couch.
Retrieving her checkbook and pen, she returned to her friend to write it out.
“What is that?” Shanna asked. “Your dad took away your direct access to funds, right? Where did you get the checkbook?”
“These aren’t Daddy’s funds, they’re Brogan’s.
He said it saves time for me to have my own checks,” Gia explained.
“The first event we went to, he gave me a blank check, and he said he’d lose track of my causes.
Anyway, he came home about a month ago with this.
It saves time.” Tearing off the check, Gia held it out.
“It’s a book of authorized checks, I just fill in the amounts. ”
“A book of blank checks?” Shanna asked, accepting the paper. “That’s twice you just referred to this apartment as home. Did Brogan ask you to move in with him permanently?”
All she could do while Shanna folded the check and put it away in her purse was sit there stunned. “I… not exactly… It’s just… convenient to be here, I guess.”
“When was the last time you slept at your parents’? Without Brogan?”
Hmm, when? It had been weeks, two… maybe even three. Had she slept there alone at all since the deal was done?
Shanna had said it out loud, now Gia had to face it.
Brogan had given her full access to his home and his funds.
The lower floor contained a gym with a full fitness suite, a shower room, and a cinema too.
She often used the facilities, feeding herself, or just having coffee, working, even when no one else was present. This had become home.
“A while ago,” she admitted.
“You’re going away with him this week, aren’t you?”
“We leave on Thursday,” she said. “He, Julius, and me.”
To travel to Gault’s estate where the man would hear pitches from interested parties. Her father and brother would travel there too. Here’s hoping there wouldn’t be any conflicts.
“You’re getting serious with Brogan,” Shanna said. “I didn’t expect—it’s surprising.”
The instant jab of offense was usually reserved for Bram and his little remarks. “It is?”
“Yeah, he’s not like… It’s great! I think it’s great.” Though her friend faltered. “If he makes you happy… Does he make you happy?”
The sound of the elevator opening interrupted and completely flipped her mood. Smiling, Gia rose to go to the bar to pour Scotch, the crackle of anticipation overtaking her.
“He does, Shan, crazy as it sounds. Brogan Spurn does make me happy.”