Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
LOLA
Enzo still isn't back from whatever he went to do.
I try to find comfort in it.
But I can't.
I want someone to talk to, someone neutral. Someone who isn't in Enzo's camp because they are friends or related to him.
I shiver, feeling...I don't know. Not violated exactly, as my traitorous body yearns for the magic his touch sets off in me, but I'm also not pleased.
I'm not happy.
He knows me and, apparently, knows what buttons to push.
I can't shake the feeling that he manipulated me.
Oh, he most definitely did with the job, apparently leading me to it, but...
I mean, with the whole sex thing.
He led me on, those intense looks, shit, moving me up to an isolated place outside his office. It is all so clear now.
And shame burns in my cheeks as my eyes blur, making the computer screen unreadable.
I close the lid with a snap and go into the living room, where whatever round of cards Cade and Lyndall were playing has ended.
Lyndall is curled up, reading her Kindle.
She looks at me. "You look horrible."
"Thanks."
"I meant that in the nicest way. Like, you look like you're about to cry."
Looking around, I frown. "Where is our watcher?"
"Cade is on his computer. He said something about a job for a client. IT." She rolls her eyes. "They think I'm so dumb."
My skin itches. "No one thinks you're dumb, Lyndall. If anything, you're too smart."
She glances at her phone.
"Your brother?"
"No." A dark look passes over her pretty features. "I thought I might hear from Luke, but he hasn't gotten back to me."
"I hear you," I mutter, Alex coming to my mind.
"You're waiting to hear from Luke?"
It makes me laugh. "No. I thought...I thought I would get another text. From a friend."
"A boy?"
"A friend. And...I'm hoping I will hear back on something I asked his PI friend to look into."
She chews on her lip. "You know, I love Enzo, and he's worth it. But if you like someone else, go for it." She looks down. "I hope you give my brother a chance because I like having you around."
"I like being around you," I say, meaning it.
There is a lot I want to say, but she is his sister, his fifteen-year-old sister. I'm not about to burden her with any of my Enzo-shaped problems.
Then Lyndall, the girl in jeans and a T-shirt, eyes me critically. "You should dress up. It makes me feel better."
"I only have my work clothes."
"This Simon has a closet of girly stuff."
"Cross-dresser?"
She wrinkles her nose. "Girlfriends. I bet he's brought them here. By closet, I mean some dresses. I put one on your bed."
"Maybe I will go shower and put it on."
Anything to avoid being in the clothes I wore before we had sex, and anything to get his clothes off me. I'm betting the panties I hand-washed are dry, too.
With that, I head upstairs and take that shower, and then I put on the floral dress.
It is one of those maxi numbers, but it is better than the jeans and T-shirt because it isn't something that has been on Enzo's frankly hot body, and the further away from him I get, even if it comes to clothes, the better.
I try to call Silas, but it goes to voicemail.
I don't leave a message.
Instead, I text.
Me
Hi Silas, it's Lola. I know I just spoke to you this a.m., but did you find anything out?
He doesn't answer. Of course, he doesn't, because he didn't pick up his phone, but I'm restless.
Me
Please, as soon as you find anything, let me know. I'm scared.
Writing that out makes me sit down hard on the bed, and the breath rushes from me.
Would Enzo harm me?
Would Enzo, one of the two men I started catching big feelings for, hurt me?
He could have before this.
Hell, if that was his plan, why did he snuggle with me on his sofa?
Enzo had no idea his little sister would turn up, and he flipped into protection mode the moment someone started slamming into the door with what sounded like some kind of sledgehammer.
I chew one of my fingernails, a habit I haven't had since I was little.
"Yeah, but why did he have all those pictures of me? There must have been thousands."
And heat suddenly consumes me.
In my haste to give Silas all the info, I gave him the naked photos.
Thank goodness there were none of me having sex. And I try to find comfort in the fact the naked ones were me in the shower or me in a darkened room. Not really that much to look at.
And if Enzo had those, where are the racier ones? There must be some?
Ugh, I don't even want to think about it.
The knots start to tighten in my stomach.
I try to remember the list of names I saw.
I don't know what they were for, but they all had numbers after them, like a code, but a code for what? More information?
It didn't make sense, though.
His father was on that list.
And someone named Dominic Rebecci.
Which, now I think of it, rings a distant bell.
But if I think about most names that have some kind of link to either my father, Enzo's, or even Enzo himself, then they might ring a bell of some kind.
If they are in the world of organized crime.
So...what if he really is trying to protect me?
What if—
There are too many what-ifs.
And I'm trapped here. No transport, with Cade to watch over me until Enzo returns. Because I'm more than aware he is here to keep an eye on me and keep Lyndall safe.
No, even if Enzo's heart is in the right place, spying and manipulating me is wrong. And I just...I need to get away for a while. To think.
My phone lights up, and I snatch it up.
But it is not Silas flashing on the screen.
My heart starts to slam against my ribs as excitement runs through me like rivers.
It's Alex.
He is calling me.
He has never called me. And the only time I have heard him is in whispers when we had sex.
I gulp down air, everything humming.
I desperately want to speak to someone who is on my side. Someone who has only been honest with me.
And though Enzo told me not to call anyone, I press answer.
"Hello?"
Everything is jumping and leaping inside.
"Lola, God, I'm so glad I got you."
"Alex. Oh, Alex..."
"Hey, I told you I'm here if you need me." His voice rumbles through me as I press my phone to my ear.
"I think..." I gulp. "I think I need you."
"Is he there?"
For a moment, I'm startled, but of course, he knows who I'm with. "No. Enzo went out."
"Look, I think you need to get away from him. He's bad news, and you're in danger."
"From Enzo?" My voice strangles tight.
"Yes."
"You have looked into him for me, haven't you?"
"Anything for you, Lola. And he's way more dangerous than you realize. You need to get away now."
The urgency in his words beats hard and fast through me. "But I'm trapped. I don't know how to get away."
"Can you steal a car?"
Cade's car is in the driveway.
I get up and peek out the window. I think it is a hire car, so it is nothing fancy. If I can get into it, I can...
I can what?
I almost laugh.
Hotwire it?
I wouldn't know how, and I'm not sure that modern cars can be hotwired. Sure, it is not fancy, but it is made within the last five to ten years.
I will run if I have to.
"No...maybe... I..."
"Where are you?" he asks. "I will come and meet you, and I will take you somewhere safe, where Enzo can't find you."
My blood is pumping hard and fast. There is something that sits uneasy in me, but I brush it off. I'm not sure how he knows so much or why he is suddenly ready to spring into action.
But we have been texting, and he is the type of guy who would be a prince charming. Right?
And while I don't trust Enzo, I trust Alex.
He has never given me any reason to believe he might hurt me or have a nefarious motive.
We have met without me seeing him. Had sex without me seeing him, and he has been nothing but caring.
Besides, this might be my only chance to get away from Enzo.
I try to remember the ride out here. "I'm in the Rockaways. We passed a diner, Harry's, about a mile from here, near the town...I didn't see the town's name. But I will walk there if I have to."
"That's my girl. I will meet you soon."
Suddenly, Lyndall pokes her head in through the door. "Who was that and why are you meeting? Can I come?"
Shit.
I hesitate.
Guilt rocks me.
Bringing Lyndall is a complication, but I can't leave her. Not if her brother is that dangerous. She doesn't have a clue, and it makes me think that this Cade isn't as nice as he appears.
"Where's Cade?"
"He's on his computer in the study. He has three of them set up. Nerd." She rolls her eyes, then takes in my expression. "What is it?"
"I need to urgently meet someone. It is super important. I was going to sneak out, walk—"
"You can't. Enzo said—"
"This has nothing to do with Enzo. But come with me. Please. I will explain after we meet Alex."
Her eyes get round. "Alex?" But then she chews her lip. "If you're in trouble, we should tell Enzo. Or even Cade—"
I shake my head. "No. Nobody can know about this. But we should go now."
She suddenly nods. "Okay, but only because you kept my secret. Girls need to stick together, right?"