Never Let Go (Brothers From Money Book 9)

by Shanade White

  "That's usually because I've ended up with a client who kept leering at me and expects me to sleep with him." It was amazing Carla hadn't brought several lawsuits of sexual harassment on the man and the clients he forced her to work for. "This one isn't on him. I'm not babysitting an unstable client."

  "I'm unstable?" Joanie shrieked.

  "You must be if you don't heed my warnings. Either that or incredibly stupid." Carla glanced at Joanie, who was staring at her in amazement. Clearly she hadn't expected Carla to argue back. Carla was not the hired help and she always made sure her clients knew that. "I'm dealing with it, Joanie, so keep yourself out of it. I don't want anyone involved to figure out who hired me or you could be in trouble. You might end up seriously injured or dead. Do you understand?"

  Nothing like a little scare to bring the reality home to someone. Joanie lapsed into silence. Carla glanced over and saw that she was slumped in her seat, arms folded like a stroppy teenager with a scowl as she looked out the window. For a grown woman she seemed to have the mentality of a spoiled child. Her parents had probably given her more free rein than she was supposed to have and she took advantage of it.

  Carla didn't lie down and roll over for those sorts of people. Not her style.

  It wasn't long before they pulled up outside Joanie's condo. Carla put the handbrake on, leaned across Joanie, and opened her door.

  "Now get in and stay in there." She ordered. "If something happens you call me. Don't deal with it yourself."

  Joanie didn't answer. She simply climbed out, slamming the door hard. Carla didn't bother with her tantrums. She drove away without waiting to see that Joanie went inside.

  Against her professional attitude but tonight she really didn't care.

  Chapter 6

  The microwave had just pinged when Jason heard a key in the lock and the door to his apartment swung open.

  "Hello? Anyone home?"

  Jason smiled. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Saving his work and closing his laptop, he slid off the stool and went into the lounge. A handsome American woman in her fifties with short gray hair was standing in the middle of the room, dropping her bag onto the couch.

  "Mom."

  Brooke Liu looked up, her face free of make-up and very few wrinkles. She smiled and came towards him.

  "Hey, handsome."

  "That's what you say to all the boys."

  Brooke laughed and Jason accepted the hug, returning it warmly. He adored his mother. She was his rock, his confidant. Probably the only woman he could completely trust. After everything, even when he was a complete bastard, his mother was by his side to scold him, hold him and make him carry on again.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "I came to see you." Brooke drew back and slapped his chest. A tall woman, she was at Jason's eye-level. "Isn't a mother allowed to see her son?"

  "You're more than welcome to visit but normally you call to say you're coming over."

  Brooke's smile faded. She bit her lip and looked at Jason's head. Jason knew she was looking at the cut on his head. The bandage was off and the wound was knitting itself together but the purple bruise was still there.

  "I heard you'd been attacked a few days ago and I wanted to check if you were okay." She gave him an admonished look. "And why you didn't bother to tell me."

  "I'm fine." Jason moved her to the couch and sat her down, plonking down onto the cushions beside her. "It's virtually healed. And I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you. I was looked after so don't worry about it."

  That had an image of Carla coming up again in his mind. She was a regular fixture in his head now, popping up whenever she wanted. Jason knew he was in trouble if he was starting to think about Carla all the time.

  "I'm glad." Brooke closed her eyes and sniffed. "What are you cooking? That smells good."

  Jason laughed.

  "It's just a microwave meal, Mom."

  "You must be the only person I know who's worth billions and you don't want a personal chef. Why don't you use the skills I taught you when you were a kid?"

  Jason sighed. He was exhausted and he wouldn't be able to go to bed at all since he had work to do. That was probably going to keep him up all night.

  "I've had a long day, Mom. I just want to put my feet up."

  "Another date?"

  She knew him so well.

  "You could say that."

  Brooke was silent for a moment. She knew about Jason's frequent change of dates and Jason knew she disapproved. But Brooke knew better than to curb Jason's behavior; she had decided a long time ago that the best thing to do was let Jason carry on and figure things out for himself.

  "What's the woman's name?"

  "Carla. She's a journalist." Jason found himself smiling. "I met her when she interviewed me earlier in the week. It was at our first date that I was hit over the head."

  Brooke's eyes widened.

  "Oh, poor woman. Was she okay?"

  "She was fine. She's the one who patched me up." Jason touched his head and winced when his fingers brushed against his cut. It was still delicate. "We went on another date today to the high wire center in Boca Raton. But she never said she was scared of heights." He rested his head back against the cushions. "She scared me when she had hysterics at the highest point."

  "God. I hope you didn't tease her about it."

  Jason explained what had happened and what he did. Even now he could remember Carla trembling in his arms as she sobbed into his shirt. For someone who came across as strong it was startling to see her that terrified. He had wanted to hold her and not let go.

  "Sounds like a disastrous date." Brooke mused. "I suppose she's going on the pile with all the other dumped women."

  Jason flushed from the remark.

  "I actually want to see her again."

  "Wow, that is impressive coming from you." Brooke's eyes glinted. "And I bet you haven't slept with her yet."

  "Mom!"

  "Come on, if you had slept with her you would've dropped her already. I know you well enough to know what you would do." His mother tilted her head to the side and regarded him thoughtfully. "From what you're saying she's a little bit special, yes?"

  Jason knew he couldn't lie to his mother. His father was easy to lie to; Chang Liu thought the world of his two sons and didn't believe they could do any wrong. Brooke knew otherwise. He sighed.

  "Yes, she is. Rick thinks I'm nuts."

  "It's human nature. Your father was a lothario. How I managed to snag him and keep him faithful after thirty-five years I have no idea but I did it." Brooke played with the solid wedding band on her finger. "He saw something in me that he said was special and he wanted to hold onto me. Womanizer that he was he wasn't stupid to let something good go."

  "So are you saying I should hold on to Carla because she's good for me?"

  "Well, the look on your face when you mention her says you do think she's special." Brooke grinned.

  "But she's a journalist, Mom. I hate journalists. Ow!" Jason cried out when his mother thumped his shoulder with her fist. She was still very strong even with sixty around the corner.

  "What did I teach you when you were growing up? Don't tarnish with the same brush." Brooke paused. "But make sure you get her checked out. You don't want your instincts to be wrong."

  "Already in the works. I'll know in the next few days."

  "Good." Brooke ruffled his hair and then stood. "Come on, I'm taking you out. The buffet at your favorite Chinese should still be going. I could do with something to eat."

  Jason laughed as Brooke patted her flat stomach. At a trim one-twenty-five pounds, Brooke could eat like a horse and barely gain any weight. She was the envy of other women with the way she could eat large meals and still look good.

  "Then you can tell me all about Carla."

  "Mom!"

  *****

  "Thanks for seeing me during your lunch break, Danielle."

  "No problem." Danielle sat
opposite, a takeout cup of coffee in her hand. "Mr Liu told me to accommodate you and you've been very nice to everyone here."

  "I'm glad you think so." Carla grinned. "Do you always do what Mr Liu says?"

  "Ninety percent of the time." Danielle took the lid off her cup and took a sip. "When I do call him up on something, and that doesn't happen often, he does comply and back off. Then we make a compromise. He's very good at that."

  Carla had her iPad on the table between them, the recording app open. She was tired after interviewing people all morning but sitting with Danielle felt like a breath of fresh air. Young, Hispanic with long black hair, Danielle was a lovely looking woman. Her bouncy, lively attitude was infectious and Carla found herself getting upbeat along with her.

  "He doesn't back down because of your father, does he?" Carla didn't want to ask the question but it had to be asked. Danielle was Jesse Taga's daughter, after all.

  Danielle snorted.

  "No way. Daddy stays out of my business, especially when it comes to my job. I've just inherited his outspoken behavior, only I know when to rear it back."

  Carla knew that all too well. Her father had been in the military and while he hadn't completely left it behind when it came to discipline and running the house he always knew when to draw the line. He was a strict but loving man. Carla had been devastated when he had died of cancer three years before.

  She forced thoughts of her father away and focused on the interview, sipping at her third cola of the morning.

  "How long have you worked for Mr Liu?"

  "Eighteen months now. I came here straight out of college."

  "It must've been amazing that you got this job straightaway."

  "I did think at the start that Daddy had a hand in it - it was very well paid and for someone with more experience than me - but Mr Liu said he has never spoken to Daddy and I believe him. I got it on my own merits." Danielle looked down at her coffee cup. "I nearly had a disaster when a few months later I found out I was pregnant by my ex."

  "Ah. Not good."

  Carla knew the job world. Maternity pay was barely there for women and it made it harder to get back into work unless you were very lucky. She was glad she didn't have any kids.

  "You'd think that but Mr Liu was brilliant when I told him. He made sure I was able to get to all my pre-natal checks and I went to my scans. He also made sure my maternity pay was secure and that I would have a job to come back to. I worked right up until I went into labor and he even drove me to the hospital while he made sure my family was there when we arrived."

  Carla stared. She knew Jason was attentive and caring when it came to women in distress but this was something most men wouldn't do, especially to women who was having someone else's baby. And he was her boss.

  "Sounds like more than an attentive boss." She commented and felt the jealous stab in her stomach. She rubbed her tummy to try and make it go away.

  "Oh, nothing's happened between us. He's a sweet guy but not my type. And I've got a baby to look after." Danielle made a face. "Not exactly something to put you in the mood."

  Carla laughed.

  "I can imagine." She had her iPad but Carla was used to making notes by hand. She doodled on her pad. "Is he a slave driver?"

  "He works you hard but you get better results if you work hard." Danielle shrugged. "That's fair enough, isn't it?"

  "More than." Carla agreed. She grinned at the younger woman. "You know, you've got a very strong work ethic for someone so young. You remind me of a college student who works in my office. She's so efficient you forget how young she is."

  Danielle grinned.

  "Thanks." Then she looked over Carla's shoulder and waved. "Hello, Mr Stevens."

  Stevens. That would be Richard Stevens, Jason's best friend. Carla turned and saw a huge muscular man wearing a light gray suit coming towards them. Dear God, the guy was handsome. But Carla felt nothing. She just saw a good-looking man and nothing happened. No butterflies. No heart pounding.

  Nothing.

  She was in trouble.

  "What's going on here, Dani?" Stevens joined them, ruffling Danielle's hair. "Gossiping again?"

  "Very funny." Danielle jerked her head away and smoothed her hair down as she made the introductions. "This is Richard Stevens, our financial boss and co-CEO. This is Carla Romaine."

  Stevens turned to look at Carla, his eyebrows raised.

  "Ah, the journalist. You're the one who has Jason all in a quiver."

  "I wouldn't call it a quiver." Carla grunted.

  More like the other way round.

  "I would." Stevens winked. "I can see why now." He glanced at Danielle, his smile still in place. "Would you mind if I have a word with Carla alone, Danielle?"

  "We're in the middle of an interview, Mr Stevens."

  Carla looked closer at Stevens and saw the expression in his eyes. He was concerned about something. Stopping the recording app on her iPad, she stowed it away in her bag with her notepad. She gave Danielle a smile.

  "That's okay. I'll come and find you later. And I'll bring some donuts to say thank you for being patient."

  Danielle chuckled.

  "Make that brownies and you've got a deal." Danielle stood. "I'd better get some lunch. I'm due back shortly."

  Stevens waited until Danielle had walked away before turning back to Carla, his smile now gone.

  "Let's take a walk outside."

  Carla nodded and stood.

  *****

  It was warm outside but Carla shrugged into her jacket, zipping it up to her neck before pretending to check her phone. While Stevens wasn't looking she found the recording app on her cell and turned it on. This may be a confidential conversation but Carla wasn't taking any chances.

  Stevens led her to a bench across the forecourt from the building and urged her to sit, sitting beside her and leaning forward on his knees with his elbows.

  "I'm sorry we had to leave the office but walls have ears. I don't know who would be listening in."

  Carla snorted, shifting her body so her bottom was perched on the edge of the bench. She wasn't sure if she needed a quick exit.

  "I doubt anyone would be interested in what I had to say." She said.

  "Don't be so sure."

  Stevens rubbed his hands over his face and sighed heavily. He sounded exhausted.

  "What's wrong, Mr Stevens?"

  "Rick, please." Stevens lowered his hands and gave her a pained look. "I'm worried. Jason's been acting strange lately and I don't know what to make of it."

  "How do you mean strange?"

  "You've been on a dates with him. What do you think?"

  Carla felt herself blushing. She didn't think Jason talked about his dates.

  "I didn't sense anything untoward." She admitted.

  "Date him much longer and you'll notice it." Stevens shook his head. "He's been off his game, distracted somewhat. I don't know what to make of it and he won't talk to me. He's very secretive now when it comes to things in the office. And I know he's not sharing everything with me."

  This was sounding strange. Carla wasn't able to connect the man Stevens was talking about to the man she had known. Maybe Jason wasn't showing all his sides to her.

  "How do you know he's been keeping things from you?"

  Stevens reached into his pocket and retrieved a scrap of paper.

  "I sneaked into his office yesterday and swiped this from a locked drawer in his desk."

  Carla took the paper. She wasn't about to tell him what he had done was stupid; that would make her a hypocrite. She squinted at the address scribbled in black marker.

  "That's a place down by the beach. For tonight."

  "Exactly. No one meets on the beach at night unless there's something going on they don't want anyone to see."

  Carla glanced up. Stevens looked absolutely convicted in his thoughts. She thought about the rumors that were meant to be going around.

  "You really think these rumors about mo
ney laundering are true."

  It wasn't a question.

  "I don't know." Stevens sighed, looking miserable. "I don't want them to be. But I have a feeling that something's seriously wrong. Jason's in deep and I don't know how to get him out of it."

  Carla could feel the alarm bells ringing. But not with Jason's actions. With Stevens. Everyone else had a glowing report about Jason. Nothing bad was said about him. Jason was the consummate boss. Stevens was the only one with any concern at all, giving Carla what she had been looking for.

  Almost like it was what she wanted to hear.

  "Why are you telling me this, Rick? I write for a living. I'm not exactly helpful."

  "But you can be. The pen is mightier than the sword and all that." Stevens gripped her arm. "If you did an investigative report into money laundering and do some surveillance then you'd catch him in the act. Then I can show him the proof and tell him he needs to get out of it now." The grip on her arm tightened. "A wake up call is what he needs and I don't want him to go to prison. He won't survive it."

  It sounded ludicrous. But it also sounded desperate.

  "You really think confronting him with what he's doing is going to make him see what he's doing is wrong?" Carla queried slowly.

  "I don't know but he's my best friend. I don't want to lose him to this greed." Stevens looked desperate. "Please, Carla. Can you help me? You care about Jason, I can tell. Please."

  Carla didn't know what to believe. She was still sure that Jason was innocent and Stevens' bizarre explanation and plea for help was making her lean towards her opinion even more. But, then again, if she didn't explore every other angle and Jason was involved she was going to get into trouble for not covering all the bases. She nodded.

  "Okay."

  *****

  The day was going very well for Jason. After a late-night meal with his mother, Jason had gone to bed deciding that Brooke was right and that he should hang on to Carla. His feelings for her were stronger than any other woman he had been with and he wasn't about to let her walk away.

  He was in meetings all morning and didn't see her at all. But he didn't stop his mood; Danielle had informed him that Carla was in the building still interviewing the rest of the staff. She would still be around when he was finished.