Chapter 35
Chapter thirty-five
Carter
I can’t stop thinking about Kelsey’s question as we load up the vehicles and head to Regency Circle Garden for one final concert. Or, more accurately, I can’t stop thinking about the only answer that makes any sense—Trent needs this contract.
I still believe sabotage isn’t his style, but he has been talking more and more about the other two contracts we’re certain to get once we land Jaxon.
These last few weeks, it’s almost all he talks about when he checks in with me, but then again, he’s always been focused on the business development and shmoozing. He likes that kind of thing.
Trent couldn’t do the hacking portion by himself…but who’s to say he didn’t outsource the work to someone not on our team?
When we arrive at the arena, I tell everyone else to head inside, pointing to my phone when Nash starts to hang back from the crowd.
Questioning if I want to have someone dig into my half brother’s life, I hover my finger over the contact information for Julian, an old college buddy of mine—one who dropped out midway through our junior year.
I’m 99 percent sure he’s a hacker, but I’ve never wanted the moral burden of knowing for certain and not doing anything about it.
I watch Kelsey walk into the arena, and the sight of her makes my decision for me. I tap the call button.
“Hey, Carter,” Julian says when he answers.
“Hey, Julian. You got a minute?” I ask.
“For the guy who got me through American Literature 101? I’ve got at least five.”
I snort, remembering how much Julian had hated that class.
The final essay had to be handwritten in class and was based on a topic the teacher randomly decided at the beginning of the finals period.
Julian almost cried when he realized there was no way he could use his considerable computer skills to help himself.
“But first,” Julian continues, “tell me how you came to be providing security on Jaxon Steele’s tour.”
“How do you even know about that?” I ask with a laugh.
“Dude. Did you really think I wouldn’t keep tabs on you?
I get notified any time your name pops up online.
I was impressed by your statement about the security breach on the tour.
Very buddy-buddy with KH Security, though.
I did a little poking around on their website. Their owner looks like the real deal.”
“She is,” I say, unable to keep the admiration I feel for her out of my voice.
“Oh, shit.” Julian laughs. “You fell in love with the competition? Rookie mistake, my guy!”
“Yeah. It’s working out okay for me, though.”
“I’m glad you’re happy, then…and getting to do cool shit like go on tour with the hottest musician in the world.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Of course. Now, why don’t you tell me why you called,” Julian says, turning our focus back to the purpose of my call.
“Let’s say, hypothetically, a guy needed to find out the financial situation of someone they work for,” I say tentatively, feeling him out. “Is that something you’d be able to help with?”
“You know,” he says, the pitter-patter of his keyboard filling the background. “People always seem to call me about hypothetical situations…or ‘their friends’ who need help.”
“And I’m sure most of them offer to pay you a consulting fee for your time…”
“They sure do. However, most of them didn’t play video games with me every day for an entire semester or buy pizzas to split with me when my parents cut me off. I’d say, with interest, one consulting job would likely make us even.”
“You sure, man? I know people pay well for this kind of thing.”
“Unless you happened to hit the lottery and didn’t tell me about it, I’m not sure you can afford me without a steep discount,” Julian replies, and I’m not sure if he’s joking or not.
“No lottery, I’m afraid,” I reply.
“Ah, well, in that case, consider this one on the house.”
“Thanks,” I say, meaning it. I’m not sure I was ever in a financial situation where I could afford Julian’s help, but I know I’m not in one now.
“Tell me about this hypothetical boss of yours.”
So I do. I tell him what’s going on, giving him all Trent’s information I know and talking for over the allotted five minutes as I tell him everything I can about Trent’s personal life, business accounts, and where he may be keeping his money.
I even know his social security number, since we were born at the same hospital just months apart—they’re the same but his ends with a two and mine ends with a nine.
“I’m finishing up a job for another client now,” Julian says when he has everything he needs. “But I’ll look into this as soon as I can.”
I run a hand through my hair. If it’s just Trent trying to make Kelsey look bad, he’s already accomplished it, but if it was someone testing our systems, then they may be planning to use this last concert as a chance to escalate things.
Plus, I just need to know. Now that I’m considering Trent, I’m not going to be able to relax until I know one way or the other.
“Any chance you can look into it now?” I ask.
There is silence on the other end, and I’m worried I asked for too much, when Julian finally says, “It’s that important?”
“It is. I wouldn’t be asking if it weren’t.”
“Okay. I’ll get right on it, then. I have a friend who owes me a favor, so I’ll reach out to her and see if she can jump in too.”
I thank him, promising another night of pizza and video games next time I see him before hanging up the call and heading inside.
The crowds haven’t been let in yet, but the rest of the employees are there, everyone pumped about the final night of the Forever Starts Here Tour.
The arena is buzzing with energy in the lead-up to the final concert, but my mind is elsewhere, still swirling with thoughts of my mom and concerns over Trent.
As I make my way through the backstage area, I can’t shake the feeling I’m missing something. Maybe I’m just making problems where there aren’t any, but I can’t ignore the churning in my gut.
I find Kelsey on her way to the security meeting and pull her aside, just for a moment. I know how important it is to Kelsey that we keep our relationship low-key and very professional at work, but I need the comfort of having her around me right now.
“You good?” she asks, pulling her long, blonde hair into a tight bun at the nape of her neck.
“You look like such a Marine when you do that,” I say, forcing my hands to stay by my sides rather than reaching out and tugging a strand loose. Her hair was made to be wild and free, not pulled back tight.
“This is at least better than that bob they made all the women get when we started at the Naval Academy.”
She scrunches up her nose in distaste as she says it.
I smile, imagining Kelsey’s hair cut short and making a mental note to ask her mom for pictures when we get back to Wild Bluffs. “I bet you were cute with a bob.”
She purses her lips. “I was. That was the problem. I hate being cute.”
A chuckle slips out of me, causing a small smile to grace her lips as well. “But you’re just such a petite little thing. How can people not think you’re cute?”
“Have you seen this face?” she asks, pulling the iciest scowl in her arsenal.
I pretend to shiver. “Terrifying. Please, put it away.”
“You’re an ass.”
“But like, a cute ass, right?”
“You’re an idiot,” she says, turning as if she’s going to walk away.
I grab her wrist lightly, pulling her closer to me, though not all the way into my arms like I want. “You all set for tonight?” I ask, trying to force my mind onto the task at hand. We didn’t bust our asses for twenty-three concerts just to lose our concentration and drop the ball on the final one.
She gives me a quick nod, though I can see the worry has crept back into her eyes. “Yeah, just a few last-minute details. You?”
“Same. Just a little…distracted.”
“Your mom?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m also still thinking about our conversation from before. What if it was Trent?” I ask, knowing I’m going to feel guilty if I don’t tell her I’m at least considering it could be him.
“It could be. I’ve accepted that possibility this whole time.”
I drop my head but lift it again when I feel her small hand on my shoulder.
“It doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t do my job,” she says softly. “Yeah, it’s a lot harder to protect someone when there is a mole inside, but my team should be able to ferret him out, even if it’s Trent. Hell, especially if it’s Trent. He’s such an idiot.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and as I take in Kelsey’s face, I can’t stop the ache in my chest, the one I know is my love for her exploding through me.
The fact that she can make me laugh even with so many things weighing down on me blows my mind.
She’s my lighthouse, showing me the way through any storm and rocky patch of water.
“All we can do is our best at this point,” Kelsey says with a shrug.
“When did you get so wise?” I tease.
“I’ve always been wise, Puff. You’ve just never been smart enough to see it.”
“Nah, I always knew how amazing you were. I just never had the opportunity to tell you.”
“We’re going to be late,” Kelsey says.
“Let’s do this, then,” I say before pulling open the door to the room for our last security meeting of the tour.