Chapter ten
Chase, Chase and Waite Law Offices, Canary Wharf
July 2022
Harrison
“How the fuck could she have disappeared without a trace?” I snap, as I pace around my office. Damon holds his hands up, shaking his head.
“There’s no sign of her since she left your building back in June. Four weeks have passed. She’s either in the Thames or using an alias somewhere far away from here.”
He shrugs his shoulders, again. We’ve had this same conversation every week since Violet vanished.
Russell isn’t speaking to me. Even Connor is beginning to lose patience.
The blame for her leaving is being firmly placed at my door. “Have you spoken to Marley?”
“No,” I tell him. The same answer I’ve given him every other time he asked me. “It’s not that simple. Reaching out to him for information will bring complications I don’t need.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” he says sharply. “Stop hiding whatever the hell it is and tell me what we’re dealing with.”
“She’s pregnant.” His mouth twists in displeasure. “She was pregnant in June anyway.”
“It’s Marley’s?”
“Yes, and he knew about it. When he appeared at my apartment and had her pinned against the wall by her throat, I told him the baby was mine.” His eyes pop wide.
“Did he believe that bullshit?”
“I’m not sure. She was left alone a lot in Chicago, so it’s perfectly plausible someone else is the father. However, I believe her when she says the baby is his. She loved him. Thought he was her future.”
The familiar green-eyed monster raises its head when I think of her with him.
Violet’s time in America is something I try not to reflect on.
Her life with another man. When she had her hopes pinned on someone else.
Not that it would be wise to have them set on me—her being with me wouldn’t be much better.
“Why the fuck would you tell him you’re the father?”
“Impulse,” I say with a shrug. “My protective instincts went into overdrive. I wanted that madman as far from her as possible. Honestly, Damon.”
I sit back in my chair and run my hand through my hair in frustration.
“The woman turns me crazy. She always has. I only need to be in the same room as her, and I lose my head. I’d take a bullet for her. She’s all I fucking think about lately. Not knowing where she is, or if she’s safe, is driving me insane.”
“I’m surprised Marley didn’t kill you on the spot,” he says, but nods in understanding. He adored his lost wife, though they had their issues. Not being able to get pregnant being one of them.
“When she turned up in June, part of me hoped it was our chance to try.”
I laugh at myself even thinking about it.
“Russ would never allow that to happen.”
I glance beyond the glass wall that separates my office from the main floor.
Russell is storming around throwing random files on people’s desks as he shouts at them.
“He’ll never forgive me for driving her away, again.”
“Once we find her, wherever she is,” Damon says calmly. I notice he manages my expectations with the word, wherever. “It will give you all some closure.”
“She can’t be dead,” I reply quietly. “Her family has missed her for thirteen years; she was back a matter of days and left again because of me. She’s out there somewhere, and we need to find her.”
“You don’t know she left because of you.” His eyes bore into mine. “You can’t take the blame for everything. It’s not always your fault. Her brothers didn’t exactly welcome her with open arms.”
“I took her to bed when she was vulnerable and pregnant with another man’s child. The safe space I provided for her disintegrated the minute I did. It was stupid and selfish. I was an idiot with her.”
He rolls his eyes. “You and I both know that’s the truth. She was never mine to have but I couldn’t help myself. First her virginity and now, this.”
I’d told Damon about our previous encounter one rainy afternoon while we were brainstorming.
Russell and Connor still don’t know, and I’d rather they didn’t.
“You didn’t force her onto her back,” he reminds me. “She was a willing participant. It sounds like both of you need to keep your hands to yourselves or fucking make a go of things. Her family’s opinion is irrelevant if you want each other.” He sighs then rubs at his forehead.
“The time has come to speak to Marley,” he continues firmly.
“He may know something we don’t. Bring him to The Level; it will give us more leverage. He still owes Mr. Moneybags, doesn’t he?”
I nod. “Perfect, bring him too. You’re his favorite human on earth after getting that bloody murder charge dropped. You’re like a hound with fucking technicalities, finding a morsel of doubt and then exposing it. I dare not mention your name at headquarters.
Every officer who works a case you take on withers when they hear the name Waite.”
“Eleven out of eleven,” I tell him with a wink.
“Cocky bastard,” he mumbles. “Wednesday at The Level. No excuses. Get everyone gathered, and let’s find this bloody woman once and for all. She has some explaining to do. And you both need to decide what the fuck is going on between you.
Thirteen years is a long fucking time to be stuck on a woman you’ve been with once. Romantic asshole.”
***
Marley sits in the chair at the top of the boardroom table.
His hands are on the arms, a wide grin across his face.
He spins the chair around, then brings it to a stop so he can look at us all.
The two men he brought with him stand at his shoulders, poised and ready for battle if required.
They both must be over six foot and a similar width.
Their dark suits stretch uncomfortably over the bulging muscle beneath.
“You’ve certainly upped your security,” I say. “Are you feeling exposed?”
“I do what I must,” he replies mildly. “You and I both know, Waite, the darker the world becomes around you, the more at risk your life is. I would imagine you may be considering doing the same, if the information I have is correct.”
“What information would that be?”
“One word: heroin.” His mouth moves precisely as he pronounces the word. “You and your vigilantes are getting closer to the source. It’s been noted. I’d watch your back if I was you. Keep poking the hive and prepare to be stung.”
His knowledge surprises me. Often in business, people are connected in ways you don’t expect them to be. But Aiden Marley having knowledge of a drug ring we’re looking at wasn’t something I expected. His life is changing as much as mine is. Not always in the direction I want it to.
The atmosphere since we arrived in the boardroom has been frosty, two sides of a war brought together because one needs the help of the other. I’m furious to be asking my enemy for information. I like to be the one holding the power—being the underdog is not something I plan on being again.
“Where’s my money, you useless piece of shit,” my client, Mr. Roydon, growls, losing the thread of control he possessed.
He’s been attempting and failing to hold his temper since Marley arrived.
Once we won his court case by getting the murder charges thrown out, his focus moved immediately to Aiden Marley and the two million pounds he is owed.
This is a fact I plan to use to my advantage.
“I invested it like you asked me to,” Marley replies.
“Where?” he snaps.
“In the best investment available.” He grins wickedly. “The same operation that these boys are trying to shut down.”
“Drugs!” he hollers. “You invested my money into a product that’s killing innocent kids. You’re over the line, you bastard. That money was for your business. To be invested in advertising.”
“This is my business,” he replies, shrugging his shoulder in feigned disinterest. “It was a solid investment.”
Roydon stands, placing his hands on the table and narrowing his eyes at the piece of shit across the room from him.
The two heavies step forward protectively.
I place my hand on Roydon’s arm, willing him to relax—this meeting can’t go south.
What is at risk is much greater than two million pounds. Violet.
“Marley, I want my money back within ten days or there will be consequences. Your men can’t watch you day and night. I could still buy and sell you ten times over. There are plenty of resources at my disposal,” Roydon snarls.
“He recently had you released from one murder charge,” Marley shoots back, gesturing to me.
“Perhaps it’s not the best idea to threaten me so soon. I doubt you would get away with it again. Especially if the lawyer is here when you pull the trigger.”
He chortles. “It would almost be worth dying to see all you bastards behind bars. The vigilantes banged up for trying to stop the criminals they consider worse than them. You’re all a bunch of fucking hypocrites. When you look in the mirror, I’ll be staring back at you.”
“Careful what you wish for,” I tell him. “I’m a good defense lawyer. I’d be happy to prove it again.”
“Your death could be easily arranged,” Hunter adds quietly. He’s standing behind the three men. I’m not sure how he got there. He lifts his blade and places it against one of their throats.
I tense along with every man in the room.
Eyes dart around, surveying the situation, each person trying to guess the next move.
This is the type of action that could send our meeting into a spin.
There is every possibility it could create a bloodbath.
Hunter is unpredictable at the best of times, but when he can smell blood, he’s in his element.
The predator in him appears and won’t leave until satisfied.
“Devane,” Connor warns. Hunter glances in his direction, smirks, then returns his focus to his captive.
“Gentlemen, I believe you were invited here to provide us with some information which, as yet, you’ve not been forthcoming. If you would be so kind as to answer Mr. Waite’s questions,” he prompts.
“I’m telling that bastard nothing,” Marley hisses.
Hunter presses the blade into his security guard’s throat.
Blood trickles down his neck from the cut, coating a deep blue tattoo then staining his white shirt collar.
The man stands stock still, terrified to move.
Marley glances up in the direction of the moan that escapes the hostage’s lips.
He looks impassively at his employee, bored almost.