Chapter 2
THE AGENT
CHLOE
Three days later
The city served an encore of grey skies and drizzling rain this morning—with a side of freezing winds.
Clinging to my umbrella, I strolled down Sixth Avenue and shivered. I couldn’t help looking over my shoulder every five minutes, wondering if anyone was following me.
I’d watched enough Law & Order: SVU to spot plainclothes detectives, and so far I was in the clear.
They could be anywhere, though…
A brunette sipped coffee at the corner, staring at me for a little too long. I squinted in her direction, anticipating her calling for backup, but she slipped into a cab.
“You’re going to get away with it, Chloe.” I let out a breath. “You’re going to get away with it.”
I continued walking, focusing on what mattered most today: landing new clients and selling a property.
Please let one of them be super rich. I opened the office door with a prayer.
“Where the heck have you been, Chloe?” My best friend Marie rushed over the moment I stepped inside. “I haven’t seen you at our apartment in forever.”
“Sorry.” I set down my umbrella. “It’s been a long couple of days.”
I looked around the room, noticing that almost every realtor in our area was here.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“An emergency agent meeting was called an hour ago.” She shrugged. “Mr. Hudson decided that every agent needs to report to their respective offices for a mass satellite meeting. It’s nonnegotiable.”
“I wish he would realize that we’re technically not employees,” I said. “We just work under his banner.”
“Until the two of us branch off and make our own banner, right?”
A girl can dream. “Right.”
“Well, we’ll have to hold off on our usual Pinterest sessions and mimosas for the rest of the month.” She lowered her voice. “There’s a rumor going around that he’s stopping by every office and checking on things.”
“You don’t actually believe that, do you?” I scoffed. “He’s far too busy yachting and taking his private jet around the world to care about the little people.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” She tapped her lip. “It’s just that his secretary was the one who called me about this, so—”
“Mr. Hudson is here!” someone yelled from the break room. “Mr. Fucking Hudson is here!”
WHAT?
Our office suddenly transformed from civil and bright to apocalyptic and grey within seconds.
The interns draped a curtain over our massive “Fuck Mr. Hudson and All His Properties” board, the secretaries disconnected the fairy lights strung across the ceiling, and someone pulled down the shades on all the windows, leaving us in darkness.
Literal pitch-black darkness.
I can’t be here. I CANNOT be here…
I reached out for Marie, but I didn’t feel her, so I used my phone’s flashlight to find my desk. Then I crawled under it.
The lights flickered on seconds later, and the collective gasp told me all I needed to know.
“Good morning, realtors.” Mr. Hudson’s deep voice echoed off the walls. “Today is a nice day to sell properties, isn’t it?”
Silence.
His footsteps echoed through the office as he moved forward.
“As you know,” he said, “I don’t typically visit my branch offices, but that’s officially changed as of this week. I need to make sure we’re all on the same page regarding certain policies on my listings.”
“Well, sir—” Marie cleared her throat. “We’re so happy to have you here. We love being a part of your brand and showing off your properties.”
“Some of you love the latter a little too much, I’m afraid…”
My heart pounded against my chest.
“But that’s only one of a few things I need to address in the coming weeks,” he said. “There’s a major issue I need to handle first.”
“Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee, sir?” Marie’s voice shook. “We just brewed a fresh pot.”
“No.” His voice was terse. “I’d like you to tell me where Chloe Sterling is.”
Silence.
The only sounds that followed were the raindrops tapping against the windows, the soft swish of tires rolling by outside the office.
“No one knows where Miss Sterling is?” he asked. “She works out of this location, correct?”
I bit my tongue, grateful that they weren’t throwing me under the bus.
“If I threatened to have your licenses revoked, would that make you answer my question?” he asked.
“Chloe Sterling is over there!” a pitchy voice shrieked. “That’s her desk!”
Ugh. Fuck you, Hannah.
Mr. Hudson’s footsteps crossed the floor, nearing my desk.
He cleared his throat. “Miss Sterling?”
I said nothing.
If I pretended like I wasn’t here, he might just walk away.
Or maybe the universe will gift me an invisibility cloak…
“Miss Sterling,” he said. “I can see your black stilettos peeking under this desk.”
Game over, Chloe.
I let out a breath and slowly stood to my feet. My heart instantly raced at the sight of him, at this much better view that featured another dark custom suit.
“Sorry about that.” I feigned a smile. “I was looking for my favorite pen.”
“There’s nothing in your hands, Miss Sterling…”
“Here it is!” I pulled one from my pocket. “See?”
He stared at me, and I tried to look away from him, but it was useless. His blue eyes were already locked on mine, pinning me to my spot without a word, and suddenly I was painfully aware of how close he was standing.
His aura was far too intense for this small office. Seeing him this soon after my crime was overwhelming.
“You and I have some unfinished business from last week, Miss Sterling,” he said. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“No, I’ve never seen you a day in my life, sir,” I said. “You must have me confused with someone else.”
“I doubt it.” He snapped his fingers, and someone handed him a folder. “You need to come with me.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “I have somewhere to be in an hour.”
“Impossible,” he said. “I saw your calendar, and there’s nothing on it today. Unless I missed another luxury shower you intend to steal.”
My co-agents shot confused looks in my direction, and my cheeks heated.
I was tempted to make a second run for it, but he had four security guards by the door.
As if the one on the left could read my mind, he moved directly in front of the exit bar and crossed his arms.
“Miss Sterling?” Mr. Hudson snapped me out of my thoughts. “Grab your things and walk toward the doors. Now.”
“What if I have to go to the bathroom?” I asked, remembering a separate exit there.
“You don’t,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “But there’s a female guard outside those doors, if you’re thinking about running out on me again.”
Welp, there goes that.
Resigning myself to my fate, I picked up my purse and binder and headed for the door.
Marie and my coworkers eyed me with every step, but I didn’t dare make eye contact.
If this was how I was going to be let go, then I needed to accept the full walk of shame. Alone.
The guards opened the door and ushered me toward a black town car.
I slid onto the leather seat, clutching my things in my lap.
Mr. Hudson slid in from the other side and sat directly across from me. His eyes traveled from my heels up to my lips, and suddenly the backseat felt far too small for both of us.
The car pulled onto the street, and with every inch forward, the tension thickened, and I almost forgot how to breathe.
“If you’re going to press charges,” I said finally, “can you just let me know now?”
“Why would I press charges?” He arched a brow. “According to you, we’ve never met.”
“That’s exactly what I plan to tell my lawyer…”
His lips curved into a soft smile, but he didn’t let it stay.
Instead, he pulled out his phone and tapped the screen.
“Where are we on the next proposal, Anthony?” he asked. “Run down all the specifics.”
I was rendered invisible seconds later, so I turned my head toward the window as Manhattan passed by in a blur. The skyscrapers eventually disappeared into the rearview, and I realized this man was taking me out of New York.
Against my will.