Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
MAYA
As we pull up to Securities International, I'm quite impressed with the building.
The location is a newer, secure building near city hall in the London Bridge area.
We head up to their office and I like the decor; Ana could decorate it better though.
There's a receptionist at the desk, both Duncan and Joshua nod at her.
Her very red hair and striking green eyes are the first I see, but then she stands and towers over me, and smiles.
"Hello, Rebekah, tell Meghan Merry Christmas. Did my gifts get delivered?" Duncan says to her.
"Yes, Duncan, we got them. You didn't have to do that." She smiles at him and my gut clenches. This is the woman he could have if not for me.
"Take care, give Meghan hugs from me," Duncan says as we round the corner into Joshua's office.
"You make your staff work on Christmas Eve?" I say snarkily. I know it was not nice, but I'm jealous now.
"Rebekah is only here for a couple of hours today. She needed the hours and I needed her to answer the phones for a little bit." Joshua heads to his large desk to take a seat and indicates for me to take a seat across from him. "Okay, Maya, what can I do for you?"
I calm my nerves by taking a quick look over his shoulder at the view of London. I can see the river, the bridge, and many other sights from here. It’s breathtaking.
Straightening my shoulders, I turn to Joshua and look him square in the eye.
"As I was working out this morning, I came up with some ideas.
I want you to do a background check on Jonathon Davidson and all his friends.
I want you to fine-tooth comb his life. He's into something, and I know my gut is right that he's abusing Ana.
I also know that Lawrence is following Duncan and me.
I saw him again last night when we were leaving the flat to come get you.
I'm not sure yet if I want a tail on any of them.
As I said earlier, my stalker left no prints, so I'd like to know what your man is able to find.
Also, if you tail Ana, they've got to be real good, because if Jonathon finds out, it could be bad.
I also find it interesting that right after Jonathon and Lawrence found out about Duncan, my condo was broken into.
Somehow my stalkers and these idiots are connected. " Both men look at me carefully.
"You think that bloody git is beating my sister and this is your solution? You also noticed a tail and didn't tell me." This is why I waited to tell Duncan my plans.
"I don't think, I know. However, she needs to want out, we can't pull her out yet.
If we pull her out now, she'll run right back to him. I think he threatened us to keep her with him. She won’t confirm it, but I can tell she doesn't love him as she should.
I've made sure he can't do permanent damage.
As for the tail, I was watching him and you'd have noticed if not for me distracting you. "
"Bloody hell, Maya." Duncan is angry, but Joshua is silent.
He looks like I do when I'm waiting for a mark in my scope.
He's the reaper and death is waiting for someone.
Yet, I also see a flash of something else in his eyes.
He knows something. Joshua pulls a key from the center drawer, opens another drawer, and opens a box with the key.
"Here. I already ran him. I'll put a detail on him and Stephan. As for Lawrence, I'll have him run now. Anyone else?"
"You ran Jonathon already?" I look at Joshua with a mix of surprise and concern.
"I ran all of your backgrounds."
"What?!" Now I'm angry. He ran my background?
Oh crap! He could have found out what I've been hiding from Duncan. The past I wasn't planning on telling him. I start to rise and feel the panic prickling my skin. I need to get out of here. Running has always been my way of escaping.
"Yes, Maya, I know." He looks at me carefully.
Oh God, he knows. My breath comes out in a gasp and my chest constricts in pain. Greg helped me bury that so deep the MPD couldn’t find it, how did he? The only knowledge my job has is that I have a counselor on retainer in Boston. I continue to rise out of my seat.
"Know what?" Duncan asks, looking between the two of us angrily. He pushes me back down into my seat. I push back against him, trying to pull away. I don't want to go through this here. I can’t. I rub my watch against my wrist, trying to center myself.
"This is for Maya to tell you, Big Guy. It's not bad." He tips his head to the side and raises an eyebrow.
Is he telling me he understands? He's also challenging me to tell Duncan. Okay, fine, I can share a little. I don’t have to reveal everything. Duncan would run for the hills if he knew.
"I have an inheritance, Duncan, that's what he's talking about." Joshua raises his eyebrow again.
He wants me to confess the other parts, but I can't. Only four people know about that, well, now five, damn him. Not even Ana knows all of it. She knows most, but not all.
"So, why hide that? I know about your grandmother's inheritance." Duncan is starting to really get upset, he steps back closer to Joshua and away from me.
I can see the veins beginning to pop on his neck, his breathing has increased, and he's standing taller. He thinks I'm hiding more stuff. Okay, I am, but really now, I can't do this here. I look at Joshua in panic. Why did he do this?
"Damn you, Joshua, seriously? How dare you invade my privacy this way? Only a few people know about that. I was able to keep it off my police application."
I hate being put on the spot. I feel cut open and exposed, fitting for this situation. The hot seat isn't where I was planning on ending up.
Joshua leans back, waiting for me to explain.
Duncan looks like he's going to kill someone.
I look over Joshua's shoulder again and see the view.
London was always my calming place, until my stalker started threatening my family here.
I pull my phone from my pocket and look at it, wanting to call Derek or Greg to help me. I'm such a coward.
"Honesty is the best policy in a relationship, Maya." Joshua taunts me. My eyes snap up to him.
"Really, Joshua, maybe you should take your own advice." He bristles and looks at Duncan, who's watching us like a tennis match. Head bob one, head bob two.
"Fine." I make my mind up to tell him what I can. This will get him to run and protect him from me. I pause. Am I protecting him or myself? "Duncan, come sit down. Joshua, you're a royal pain in the ass."
"I'd rather stand," he growls.
"Duncan, remember how I didn't listen to you about that French model? Calm down and think before you judge. You asked me that, now I'm asking for the same consideration, please."
I wait. I'll walk out if he doesn't give me this chance.
I can't handle the pain again. We've not even made it a week together and we're crumbling.
Maybe this is a bad idea. I stand and walk to the door.
I don't need this shit. Running is so much better.
Why face what I did and who I became before?
I've tried to bury that girl. I've done everything I could to be better than her.
"Maya. Stop. Now!" His words hold an edge. I turn to look back at him.
"No, Duncan, I don't need this. I don't think this can work if we can't trust each other enough to let the other explain. I was wrong. I can't tell you more. I don't want to tell you more. It hurts too much." I hear the catch in my voice and don't believe the words coming from my mouth.
"Always with the running, Maya, stop. I was just taking a moment so I didn't say something bloody wrong. My pause was bloody wrong, though." He walks to me, lowers his shoulder to my stomach, and lifts me over his shoulder.
He carries me out of the office and into another. He turns to face the door and locks it before putting me down. My hair is loose and falls around my face. I'm trying to push it from my face when he backs me against the door, caging me in with his body.
"Maya, now you'll explain and you won't run from me again." His hands rest against the door by my shoulders, pinning me in.
"Fine!" I know I sound like a child, but I don't need to justify myself to anyone anymore.
I take a deep breath and worry he's going to run. I'll have to tell him most of it or Joshua will rat me out.
"Duncan, I haven’t had to explain myself to anyone in years.
I do have a pretty good size inheritance, from my parents and now Savta.
Your sister is my sole beneficiary as of now.
I had an ex-boyfriend date me in hopes of getting my money.
I didn't want that between us, but I guess I put it there by not telling you.
I'm sorry." Okay, part of it out, only two more facts Joshua could have found.
"Why hide it, Maya, I'm not like that wanker, Carl. What else is there? I can see you preparing. Let me in, baby," he begs.
"Duncan, please, the rest doesn't matter. It doesn't change us."
"Yes, it does, Maya. You keep yourself from me by not letting me in. I want to know all of you—physically and emotionally."
"I'm not sure what Joshua has found. I can guess some because, no matter what you do or how much money you throw out, your past will never go away."
"Just let me in. Tell me something. Anything."
"Derek isn't just housesitting for me, he's my roommate."
"He's your what? I told you... You. Are. Mine. I don't share very well when it comes to you."
"I'm very much yours. Derek couldn't keep staying where he was, so I offered him a room.
Plus, after my stalker showed up at the wedding, he bugged me until I let him move in again.
He swore he'd not lose me too. I told you, he and Greg are like family.
We used to live together, only as roommates while I was in college.
I care about him, but not like I do you. "