Chapter 20
With the receptionist staring up at me with a friendly, expectant look on her face, I feel my confidence falter.
What in the hell am I doing?
I was free; free and clear from Jed and having ties to any murderers. I could’ve just gone about my life, found a normal boyfriend, and just moved on. But, well, I’d tried that for three whole days. And every single minute had been absolute hell, when all of me craved Jed.
Now I feel like I’m the psycho. It’s more believable for me to be out of my mind with how much I miss him. I've known him for a week, not a lifetime, after all. Breaks are normal. Being away from someone, even if you love them, is normal.
Maybe this means I’m just not that normal.
Or I have unhealthy, codependent tendencies like my therapist had once hinted at when my mom had died and I was unable to even get dressed in the morning.
If that’s the case, then I definitely owe her an apology for ghosting her and telling my dad she’d started talking about exorcisms mid-session, so he’d never take me back to see her again.
“Miss?” The receptionist is starting to look concerned as she looks at me, though she maintains her kind, professional smile impeccably while her eyes widen. “Are you all right?”
No. I’m having an existential crisis the likes of which this office building has ever seen.
“Yeah,” I say, trying to fix a confident smile on my face.
I’m sure I don’t succeed. But the best I can hope for right now is that I don’t look psychotic, or in need of a straight jacket complete with a padded room.
“Sorry, it’s just been a long day and I lost my train of thought.
” It’s been a long week, to be honest. But she doesn’t need to know my pathetic life story.
Not only that, but in the past twenty-four hours I’ve done enough sleuthing to track down how to get to Wren and his business hours that I could put private investigator on my resumé and only barely be lying.
“Are you here to see someone?” the receptionist prods as I stand there stupidly. “Or…do you have a delivery?”
“I’m here to see someone,” I say quickly, knowing that I’m really failing at my calm, cool, and collected act.
If she throws me out, it’s all over and I’ll have to do something really shady like wait for him in the parking lot and try not to get arrested.
“Is Wren Crystal here today? I’m supposed to discuss some business with him.
” I’d settled on this explanation, figuring it’s better than nothing.
At worst, I could bring up working for them in the past, and how Wren had told me that if I needed a reference or if there was any issue with getting paid, I could talk to him.
Both of which are untrue statements, of course.
“Let me just make sure he’s here today.” Her eyes drop to her computer, and I hear her clicking on the keyboard somewhere on her side of the desk.
I watch, trying to look patient, as she flicks through screens, then finally rewards me with a smile.
“He’s off in thirty minutes, but Wren is in his office.
Do you know how to find him?” I find it strange that she’s not going to call up to him, to make sure that I’m not some crazy girl that’s here to profess her love to him.
But maybe that’s just how he is. Or just how GreenCo is in general.
How lax of them.
“Not really,” I admit, hoping it doesn’t blow my sad excuse for a story.
“I’ve only been here a couple of times.” That part, at least, isn’t a lie.
I’d been here twice last year when GreenCo had hired me to do their party photos.
And neither of those times had I been anywhere other than the event space and a meeting room.
But damn, I do remember they’d had amazing donuts.
“You’ll take this elevator up to the seventh floor.
” The receptionist gestures to the elevator behind her, at the beginning of a hallway leading to another part of the building.
“Turn left, then head straight to the end of the hallway. Wren’s office is at the corner, with the big windows and his name on the plaque.
” She rewards me with another smile. “You can’t miss it, or him. I promise.”
“Thank you so much. I appreciate all your help.” I know at least how to act like I’m not crazy, and I give her one last quick wave before crossing the large lobby. When I reach it, I gently smash the elevator button like all of my hopes and dreams depend on it.
Well, okay, not all of them. But I do really need to see Wren.
The elevator dings, doors opening so I can step into the freshly cleaned cab.
I press the button labeled 7 and the doors close smoothly, no sign of creaking or unoiled gears anywhere in sight.
But I suppose when it’s a GreenCo—one of the richest and most profitable companies in Akron—elevator, it’s no wonder the elevators are immaculately cared for and clean.
Though, they also have the worst elevator music. It makes my ears burn as I watch the floors go by, leaning on the back wall with my gaze fixed on the counter that beeps lightly with the changing of floors. Is it just me, or is this the slowest elevator known to man?
Finally, when I’m sure I’ve aged about forty years, the elevator dings with more conviction and the doors slide open. I take the provided escape, glad that the music plaguing my ears is left far behind while I take a left and breeze down the hallway like I know exactly what I’m doing.
It’s too bad that I don’t.
My plan started at the door, and ends in about twenty feet, where I estimate Wren’s office to be. I figure I need to tell Wren about Tyson Miller’s brother, and the fact that the cops showed up at my apartment. But other than that? I have no idea what I’m doing here.
My steps slow as I reach the office, my eyes fixed on the door where I see the shiny, silver plaque engraved with black letters.
WREN CRYSTAL glares at me from the sign, taunting me with how close I am to getting what I’m pretty sure I want. Or at least finding the access to it.
But…
I bite my lip, a thought occurring to me that hadn’t before this unfortunate moment.
What if Jed doesn’t want anything to do with me?
What if his words had been just that? It wouldn’t be the first time, or the second.
There’s a big chance he was only being that nice to me to make sure I wouldn’t tell the police on him and his friends.
Worse, what if he’d decided I wasn’t worth it when I left his cabin and didn’t look back? Then it would be all my fault, and my stomach plummets at that painful possibility. It would be literally all my fucking fault, if that’s the case. And all I would’ve had to do was not run away like an idiot.
Once I work through my racing thoughts and blink a few times, I realize I’m staring into Wren’s office window with someone looking back at me.
Only, it isn’t Wren.
Nor is it Jed.
A brunet with the same lithely muscled build as Wren stands on the other side of the glass, meeting my gaze with furrowed brows and a bemused look on his face.
His arms are folded, his hair cut shorter than both Wren and Jed’s, though nothing close to a buzz cut.
His eyes are a darker hazel than I had first thought, and as I watch, he tilts his head to the side.
I mirror him without meaning to, and his smile widens just a touch.
“There’s a girl staring into your office like you killed her cat,” he interrupts, and I realize belatedly that Wren has been talking to him this whole time. Unluckily for me, the windows are thin enough that I can hear him when he’s this close. “Did you kill someone’s cat today?”
“Yeah, clearly,” Wren sneers, amusement lacing his tone. “I make it a habit to throw cats into trees and kick puppies on my way to work. Didn’t you know?” With a snort, he adds, “Move your ass, Cassian. Let me see who it is.”
“Not your assistant,” Cassian mutters, but side steps enough for Wren’s expectant eyes to find mine.
His brows fly up to his bangs, and he blinks once, then again, like he’s more than a little surprised to see me.
But that’s okay, because I’m just as surprised I’d made it here.
“Oh.” I can barely hear the word, and I only know from the shape of his mouth that it’s what he said.
“That’s…huh. Open the door for her, would you? ”
“Last I checked I was not your assistant,” his friend repeats, but he opens the door and gestures for me to come in. “Did you get a new assistant?” he asks, glancing over his shoulder before closing the door. “Because she looks terrified of you. Like you yelled at her.”
“No, she’s not my assistant.” Wren’s gaze stays locked on mine, and he leans back in a large, comfortable looking chair behind his mahogany desk. “And I certainly didn’t yell at you, did I, Saylor?”
I shake my head as Cassian mouths my name, clearly familiar with it. “Saylor,” he mutters. “I know that name, don’t I?”
“You should,” Wren replies. “Since Jed’s sure he’s in love with her.”
My stomach bottoms out at his words, and for a moment I feel like I’m going to fall over. In love with me? Sure, he acts way more than just enamored of me when we’re together, but I think saying he loves me is too much of a stretch…isn’t it?
“You’re the girl he kidnapped,” Cassian says, the pieces finally clicking together. “From the preserve. I remember now.” He gives me a quick, easy smile and reaches a hand out to me. “I’m Cass. And you seem to be no longer held hostage.”
“I left.” I flick my gaze between them, my words quick and unsure. “He said…well, we…” God, I can feel myself blushing, and I have to look away from them before I say something stupid. “I…I kind of ran away. I think.”
“I see,” Wren’s voice is carefully neutral, and he watches me shrewdly from thoughtful eyes.
“But I didn’t mean to,” I add, just as fast and unsure.
His eyes widen, just a bit, and he trades a look with Cassian. “I see.” Is that a hint of a smile playing at his lips, or am I just imagining it?
“But I miss him. And the cops came. I didn’t tell them anything.
” I’m rambling now, though I can’t stop, and I spill random parts of Rayez’s visit to him as they come back to me.
“So…they asked about us. And I lied. I said we were together, and that made me feel worse. I know it’s been five days, but I miss him.
And I don’t have his number, so I can’t call him.
Then I kind of stalked you.” Yeah, I probably could’ve left that part out.
“Though now I wonder if maybe this was a mistake. Maybe he doesn’t want to see me again, or he’s trying to move past it?
I know you just say things when you want someone to trust you, so if that was the case, I get it—”
“Saylor.” Wren’s voice is firm, but understanding.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to assume, because—”
“Saylor,” he interrupts again, this time leaning his forearms on his desk. “Stop for five seconds, please.”
Finally, I look up at him, and I’m shocked to see the wide smile on his lips, and the way his eyes flicker with amusement. A quick look at Cass shows me he’s trying and failing to cover a grin, and his shoulders shake with silent laughter.
“Is he mad at me?” I whisper, unable to stop myself. “Does he want me to just never show up again? I didn’t mean to—”
“He’s driven past your apartment four times a day, every day, since you’ve been gone,” Cass interrupts this time, his voice edged with amusement.
“I can assure you, he isn’t mad at you. And he’d love for you to show up anywhere he’s at.
He doesn’t want to pressure you.” He turns to look at Wren, still unable to help himself.
“Tell me you acted like this with Hazel when you first met her.”
Wren makes a face and shakes his head. “I showed up too much at her apartment for her to ever think I wasn’t obsessed with her.
Clearly, space was the wrong answer, judging by the way the two of you are pining for each other.
” He snorts, and when my shoulders drop, gestures for me to take the chair in front of his desk. “Sit, before you fall.”
I sit. Hard. And only belatedly think that it might have been rude.
“The first thing you need to understand about Jed,” Wren begins, resting his folded hands on the table in front of him. “Is that he’s the sweetest, most oblivious creature to ever roam the earth. So…” He glances at Cass, his smile turning wicked.
“So?” I prompt, heart thumping in my chest.
“What are you doing for dinner tonight?”