Glancing over to the clock on his nightstand table I see it’s past ten in the morning. Crap. I need to get back to the apartment. Anyone could be watching me. Quickly, yet quietly I pick up Declan’s arm and wiggle my way out from under his grasp until I’m out of bed. Standing, I look across the floor to see where the rest of my clothes have gone but quickly realize they’re downstairs.
“You trying to sneak out on me?” His rough voice asks.
Turning, I face him and see the sweetest smile sprawled across his face. “No, but I do have to go.”
“Before you do we need to go over a few things,” He states, positioning himself to where he’s sitting up in bed.
“Fine, but we need to make it quick and I have to get dressed. I think we left my dress downstairs in the foyer,” I start to walk toward the door of his master bedroom.
“Open the right side of the closet,” I think I’m hearing things, so I stop right in my tracks. There’s no way he could be telling me to look there. No, it’s impossible. “Lola, go look in your side of the closet.” He states, sounding much more commanding in his tone.
I head over to the right side of the closet, pull the barn door back and am shocked to see it’s practically the same way it was when I left. “Why didn’t you throw any of this out, or donate it?” I ask, making sure my eyes are on his as I turn back to face him.
“I don’t know. Many people tried to . . . tell me that’s what I should’ve done. Just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Subconsciously I wasn’t ready to let you go.”
Shaking my head, I’m having a hard time grasping what he’s saying. “You never had anyone else here?” There’s no way he didn’t have another girlfriend in all this time.
“I had women in my bed, but no one in my heart, or in my home. Is that what you’re trying to ask?” He questions, seeming so nonchalant about it all.
“Wow. I . . . I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. You and I do need to talk about how this is going to work. After what we talked about last night I believe you, Lola. Maybe I’m dumb to be putting my trust in you again. But, I do believe you’re telling me the truth about it all. That being said, we’ll need to meet up every few days if I’m going to help you get out of this.”
“Fine, but I need another phone. The one I have is paid for by the man I work for. He’ll be able to pull messages from anyone I’ve ever texted.”
“Alright. Meet me in two days, at nine in the morning. I’ll come in through the back door so no one is suspicious.”
“Where?”
“Cats and Coffee. It’s a café I own on the East side of the city. All the proceeds go to helping animals at the local shelters.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you there.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll try to have Heidi and Jojo with me. We’ll need them to be in the loop about everything. Hell, I might ask Heidi to bring whoever she can on her team into this. I remember her assistant Vikki will help her with stuff from time to time. Lisa is one of her other investigators if I’m correct . . . I’ll call her after you leave and see what I can arrange.”
Not going to lie. The more people we bring into this, the more nervous I get. “Okay.”
“Lola, I know you’ll have to keep appearances up in the meantime while we’re doing this. I know you’re here because you’re on a job, but please don’t sleep with your . . . target.”
“I— fuck. If I don’t do certain things I’ll be made by my boss, Declan. I’ll try to refrain from sleeping with my mark, but I have to make sure everything looks like it normally does.”
“Let me be clear, I just got you back into my life— the real you, and I’m not looking to share any part of you with anyone.”
I nod, understanding his viewpoint. “I’ll . . . I’ll think of something.”
“Good. I’ll see you in two days. Be safe in the meantime and when we meet I’ll give you a new phone so we can keep in contact. Remember, nine in the morning.”
“Got it,” I mutter, going back toward the door.
“Why aren’t you going to put one of your sets of old clothes on?”
“Because, if I do it’ll look suspicious. If I go back in the dress I wore last night they’d think I’m sleeping with Alec. That dress will cover my tracks. Now I need to get going. I’ll see you in a couple days.” I exit the bedroom and head downstairs to put my dress back on. Holy shit, things are about to get complicated.
Chapter Thirteen
The reason I keep my feelings to myself is because I can’t explain them
~ Unknown
Declan
Watching her walk out my front door and get into her Uber was hard. The only reason I didn’t run after her and demand she stay within the confines of my home is because I know we’d see each other again very soon. Plus, doing that would be drastic and send a signal to her boss that something was wrong.
Like every other day I went down into my basement, hopped on the treadmill for twenty minutes before I picked up my boxing and did a bit of lifting weights. A shower comes naturally afterward and then I always prep myself to go to the office. However, today I didn’t. I called my assistant Jackie and told her to push my meetings back until later this evening. She of course wanted to know what was so important that I reschedule my entire day. I didn’t give her an answer, because she’ll give me her opinion regardless. Until I have things situated with Lola and she’s safe I won’t be filling any of my close friends in on what’s going on.
Before my workout I sent Heidi an email this morning and told her I’d be at her office around one in the afternoon. It’s now five minutes prior to one and I’m in the elevator going up to her floor. Heidi owns one of the biggest private investigator firms in the United States. While her office is rather small, it’s because she has a team in most cities. She contracts four to five people in each city to work with one another, more as a unit and they report directly to her. I think her team in this office is close to her other locations. At a maximum she must have five or six people.
The elevator doors open and I walk up to an adorable woman. I say adorable because she must be five foot one or so, with black hair that stops at her shoulders and the cutest almond shaped eyes. “Mr. O’Hare, Heidi told me she’d be expecting you. Please allow me to take you into her office.”
“Thank you . . .” I give the girl time to respond with her name as we walk past the receptionist desk and go in the direction of the offices.
“I’m Jai, and you’re welcome. Would you like a coffee, snack, anything like that?” She asks just before we arrive outside of Heidi’s office door.
“A black coffee would be great, please.”
“Sure,” Jai knocks lightly on the bamboo colored door and Heidi calls from behind it, telling me it’s okay to enter. Jai opens the door for me and says she’ll be back in a few minutes with my coffee.
I go into Heidi’s office and sit across from her in a modern white leather chair. Metal bars go across the outside of the chair, making it feel like a box. However, it’s oversized with plenty of room. She has four of these chairs in a diagonal pattern across from the other, and in the middle is a glass coffee table which isn’t straight in the slightest bit. It’s also off center.
In the back corner of the room she has her desk, computer and all of that bit. It seems to be organized to every bit over there, but here it’s dysfunctional chaos. “I wasn’t expecting an email from you this morning,” Heidi starts off, focusing in on me. Here she goes, trying to figure out what I’ve called a meeting for.
“Neither was I, but recent events transpired, and I’ll need your services in a more intense manner. I’d love to get into it if that’s alright with you.”
“If you’re okay with waiting, give us a few minutes. Jojo was just finishing up a call and I’ve asked Vikki to sit in on this with us. I hope you’re alright with it. She’s under a non-disclosure agreement like all of our employees.”
“Yo
u have another investigator in this office, right?” I ask, causing Heidi to cock a brow.
She nods, “Yes, why?”
“I think you’re going to need to bring her in on this.”
Heidi leans in and presses a button on the phone sitting on her coffee table. It buzzes and a woman’s voice comes through. “Vikki, please bring Lisa in with you.”
“Sure thing, boss. Be there in five.”
Five minutes pass by rather quickly. Especially after Jai brings me my coffee. Many people say coffee makes them anxious but I’m quite the opposite. It settles my nerves more than anything.
Jojo comes back in all smiles like every other time I’ve seen her and takes the seat beside me, while two other women walk in alongside the other. One has medium length sandy-blonde hair and takes the last remaining seat. The other woman walks behind Heidi and has curly black hair.
“Alright, what’ve you dragged me in here for? I have a case I’m just about to break, so how about we speed this up a bit?” Another thick English accent shoots out, and man I wasn’t expecting another one to be from over the pond. Her words fly out all at once, almost sounding jumbled together. All my money’s on the fact Lisa and Jojo are from two separate parts of the United Kingdom. Typically differences in accents signal to it.
I look straight to the woman in charge, Heidi, and expect the reality she won’t like what I’m about to tell her. “I need you to shift all of your efforts onto the man Lola works for. I want to know everything about him. Where he was born, who he loves, his banking information. Everything. I want to know about the people he’s close to, anything that can help me.”
Vikki writes things down on a notepad behind her boss and stops after a moment. “Wait. Wasn’t the focus Lola Wynn?”
I nod, confirming her assumption. “It was, yes. Now it’s her boss.”
“Why are we shifting our focus all of a sudden?” Heidi asks in a monotone voice.
Lisa and Jojo have their eyes pinned on me. “I’ve spoken with Lola and I’m going to help her get out of this mess. She’s accepted my help, and the only way I can help her is if we look into her boss. You showed me a photograph of him which means you have gotten close enough to get something.”
Heidi laughs, but not in a good way. More of the bitchy way. “She’s getting you back on her fishing line, ready to steal everything else you’ve built for yourself. Why are you letting her, Declan? Was once not enough?”
Heidi’s been working for me for . . . God, it’s been so long. But in working for me we have become friends. Which is why I think she’s being so outspoken right now. I clear my throat and speak sternly, so everyone in the room knows this isn’t up for negotiation. I’ve made my decision and it’s going to stick. “I don’t expect any of you to understand my choice, but it’s final. I’m going to help Lola get out of the mess she’s in. I know I might be acting like a fool right now. She very well might be trying to take the rest of what I’ve created. But, I don’t believe she is. I spent years of my life with this woman. A woman who was carrying my child and suffered a miscarriage. The same woman I intended to spend the rest of my life with and marry. I was never able to move on with anyone else after her. I’m not asking for permission, Heidi. If you’re going to be so adamant about airing your feelings than I’ll have Vikki take lead on this. But, if you can keep your personal feelings to yourself we can move forward as planned. Is there going to be a problem?” Every person in the room is looking to their boss, who’s breathing in and out rapidly with her fists balled up on her lap. Obviously, what I’ve said is pissing her off, but I don’t give a damn.
“I don’t want you to get hurt again, Declan.” Heidi’s voice comes out softer, more caring. I know how much she doesn’t want me to experience what I did before. Fuck, I barely survived the betrayal.
“I get it. I don’t want to go through it again either. Which is why you have my permission to look up records on Lola. She had facial reconstruction surgery and veneers put in. I’m sure there’s some sort of explanation on why they needed to be done. Find copies of whatever was uploaded and it’ll either confirm you’re right, and she could be lying to me. Or it’ll affirm Lola’s being honest with me.”
“I’ll get our new hacker, Tania, on that as soon as possible. Vikki, can you make a note of that?”
“Sure thing, boss.” Vikki instantly replies.
“You want to know everything about this man, correct?” Heidi asks.
I nod, “Everything about his life.”
“Alright, what about these women that have been living in the same apartment as Lola?” Heidi asks, turning her phone toward me. One is an Indian woman, while the other is a curvier white woman.
“Any idea who they are?” I question.
“I believe they’re here to make sure Lola doesn’t fuck up on her assignment. In most cases bosses in this field will send others in their profession here to ensure things go smoothly. They could just be here to offer backup to Lola on her current conquest.”
“Or, they might be spies reporting back to their boss,” Lisa speaks up, “In the U.K. they do that shit all the time. When they turn up dead it’s typically because their boss sent someone to keep tabs on them.” Hm. I didn’t think of that. Lola could become the mark if she doesn’t do what she’s supposed to.
I rise from my chair, looking back to Heidi. “I told her in two days we’d meet for coffee at my café that benefits the local animal shelters. I want you and Jojo to attend. Meet me here and we’ll go in through the back door.”
Heidi blinks a few times, “I can’t just clear my schedule for you. I have other clients.”
“Well, finish up the jobs because I’m willing to pay whatever I need to for the next month to ensure we put a stop to all this. I want her safe, Heidi, and she won’t ever be as long as that man is out there.”
“Shit, what did she do to you?” Heidi’s attitude pisses me off within one second.
“Listen, I won’t repeat myself again so keep your attitude in check or Vikki can take the lead. Let’s remember Lola isn’t the only person he has working for him. He may have thousands of other women with a bullet aimed at the back of their skulls too. Let’s put an end to all of this for them too.” Without so much as waiting for a response I open the door to Heidi’s office and head for the elevator. I might’ve been a tad rude with her, but she’ll either understand or she won’t. I can’t force people to think the same way I do.
Regardless, sitting back and doing nothing isn’t an option.
Chapter Fourteen
We try to hide our feelings, but we forget our eyes speak
~ Unknown
Lola
The entire ride back to the apartment and I still didn’t know what I was going to do. I would either walk right back in and act like I had a long night with Alec, making it appear that everything was according to plan. The only other alternative was probably confessing everything and running as fast as I could.
Luckily when I got back, Fleur and Nadia were nowhere to be found. Maybe they’re both out doing their own digging into Alec. I can only hope they’re working and not onto me. God, I can’t believe this. Ruffling through my clothes I’m packing a small duffel bag and putting it under my bed in case I decide to run. It has a few things of mine, including a photo of me with my mother and father. I think it was a month or so before he died, the last time I really felt normal. After he passed away everything in my life came crashing down.
Mom became less of a mom. She stopped going to work, stopped cooking, cleaning and every other domestic task she’d do. I remember making grilled cheese and tomato soup almost every night. How I’d resort to feeding her soup and giving her as much water as I could. She was like a shell of a person. Looking back now, I’m not sure how she survived.
She worked in the city and Dad was an international estate lawyer. He was barely ever home. Come to think of it, I might’ve seen him a couple days out of the month. Mom and I always dealt with it thoug
h. We were used to him being gone but when he was around we were so happy. Until I hit thirteen or so, then I remember the way they’d fight. They’d scream so loudly I’d hear them both from across the house. Instead of interfering I’d bury myself under the covers and close my eyes, wishing for it to stop.
Now that all of these memories have resurfaced, I wonder why I’ve held on to this photograph all of these years. I loved them both, but I resented my father for hardly being around. But most of all, for being stubborn and driving in London when he never had before. He always hired people to drive for him. I suppose after a time I resented my mother too, for making me be the parent and then for the way she resorted to drugs.
Now she’s at a cozy long-term care facility up in Utah. It’s one of the best, having a beautiful view of the mountains from her room.
Shaking my head, I slide the photograph back into the duffel and tuck it under my bed. Thankfully I hopped into the shower as soon as I got here and I’ve already changed into a new outfit.
A light rap comes to my bedroom door and I go over to it, opening the door. “Hey,” I say, seeing Fleur.
“Hey. You two weren’t here when I got back.”
“Yeah, we both wanted to get out for a bit. Nadia had a meeting with Father apparently . . . so, I made myself useful and kept looking into things. Figured you’d want to know everything I could find.”
I put my hand up, silencing Fleur, and take her by the arm, pulling her into my bedroom and shut the door. There’s a notepad on my dresser and I’m not dumb enough to think our apartment might not be bugged with recording devices from Father. Fuck, why am I thinking of this now? He might know everything.
Call My Bluff Page 6