My exercise cure for my insomnia and lack of appetite had left me a bit drowsy. So I’d taken to drinking energy drinks to perk me up in the afternoon. That wasn’t good enough office cooler gossip. The only other thing that might hit the rumor radar was that Gregor had started babying me.
Well, not exactly babying. More like sending me out to deliver packages to clients all over Manhattan, something our mail department could easily do. Since I told him Declan was in rehab, and that I hadn’t heard from him, he’d had me doing “special deliveries.” I suspected the deliveries had to do with Arch’s preparation for Jonas’s presentation for our bid on the rights to publish his book, though I was being officially taken off the project. Gregor also might have been sparing my reputation. I wore my feelings on my face so he could easily read me. The moment he’d seen me after it happened, he’d known Jonas and I had made love.
Sex. Not love. That was my problem. My heart was lost when it came to Jonas.
Gregor’s errands seemed a bit excessive. I had access to his calendar and knew that the Crane presentation had been pushed back a few weeks. But I did as I was told. I actually enjoyed the rides through Manhattan during the day. Although, David, the Crane family’s private driver, had been tasked as my escort per my agreement with Dani.
Agreements. Companionships. The Cranes were all business. And that was what I needed to return to. Business.
Between sips of my bottle with lightning bolts on the label, I tucked my shirt into my loose fitting wool pencil skirt, and for the fifth time today, put on my coat. Balancing my handbag and phone, I collected the packages from my desk tray and was ready for my side job as proposal delivery assistant for Arch Limited.
“Thanks for doing this, Lily,” Gregor said.
He walked up to me and handed off even more packages. I slid my eyes to the corner and caught a glimpse of Mark’s blonde mop. Yep. He had the Gregor crush.
Gregor wasn’t much of a looker by conventional standards. His green eyes were a bit buggy, and his facial features sharp. He didn’t even dress the part. Take today for instance. He had on a brown checkered shirt and green corduroys. Still, he had that certain special something that made him swoon-worthy around the office. And elsewhere.
I grinned at him. Our Gregor.
“We must be doing great if you can afford to have me spend the afternoon relaxing in the back of a car delivering packages all over Manhattan instead of helping you with the pile of new submissions that came in.”
“Not great, but better,” Gregor said. “Plus, these are important clients and the personal delivery of our proposals makes them think Arch will go the extra mile for them. That’s why I put them in the hands of my most trusted employee, not a guy that’s weighed down with a billion deliveries.” His brows narrowed as his gaze went over me. “And perhaps the fresh air will do you some good. You alright, Lily?”
I lifted my shoulders and sipped the rest of my energy drink. “Will be in ten minutes.”
I laughed, but he didn’t join me.
“You look pale, tired,” he fussed. “All that sugar can’t be good for you.”
I exhaled. “Which is why I will be going to the gym at lunch.” His gaze softened, and I turned away. “I should be off. David is waiting for me downstairs.”
“Yeah. I know,” Gregor said, his tone cool. It was a subject we had agreed not to discuss anymore. “How is the Salomé funding coming along?” Gregor asked, changing the subject.
I turned back to him and lifted my shoulders. “Not the best this year. But the bonus helps cover my pledge. So thank you again for that.” I plastered on a smile. No pity. “Some students have volunteered, but we have a quarter of the participants we had this time last year.”
He patted my shoulder. “How about I send an email around the office? That could help some.”
I smiled genuinely. “You can’t do that. It would go against our policy of soliciting….”
“So, I’ll make a new rule. That’s what being boss means,” Gregor said and winked at me. “Maybe the first week of every month we could allow everyone to send out emails on their charity organizations and information on donating to their causes.”
I could see the wheels turning in his head. I stared in admiration. Gregor was a lifesaver.
Although Ms. Parker had mentioned she was able to raise funds through the phone-a-thon, we were still far behind the funding we had received last year. I would have to do something to bring in more money, and soon, or it would be a struggle to continue the program next year. His offer of promotion could be beneficial.
“Thanks, Gregor.”
I walked past him and headed to the elevator. My eyes glazed over, not focusing on anything or anyone until I reached the lobby, where Olivia stopped me at the reception desk.
“You had this delivered today,” she said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Eyes that were studying me. She had been scrutinizing me like this ever since she’d seen my bruised face after the attack. Our once easy acquaintanceship had suffered.
I shifted my gaze away from her and onto the small bouquet of tiger lilies. I quirked my brow. Jonas?
“Thank you,” I said.
I grasped the little envelope sticking out of the front and walked a few steps away, where I placed the packages on one of the magazine tables in the lobby. My hands trembled as I pulled out the message and read it.
I love you, Tiger Lily. Forgive me. Declan.
My heart constricted at the mention of my nickname, Tiger Lily, given to me by my parents. The name came from a brave and loyal princess that played a brief part in J.M. Barrie’s book, Peter Pan, which had come to have special meaning for my family. They’d told me I was brave and loyal, and I’d believed them. Until their deaths. Until Declan.
I grimaced. When would he ever leave me be?
“Would you like someone to bring the flowers up to your desk?” Olivia sung out, calling me from my thoughts.
I lifted my chin. “No, thanks. Would you mind keeping them down here?”
“I can put them in the conference room on the third floor if you’d prefer?”
We looked at each other and in that moment I felt understood. Less alone.
“Yes. That would be great.”
I collected the packages and braced myself for the cold weather as I left the building. Still, I shivered. The icy blast of air hit my face and stole my breath. New York was still in the midst of winter weather and, from the grey clouds overhead, maybe more snow. I shook my head as I walked across the stone courtyard, passing a couple clusters of smokers from the offices who shivered without coats in front of the metal caddies outside the building. They were crazy to stand out in this freezing afternoon. I noticed the Bentley waiting for me at the curb. David must have not yet caught sight of me, or he would have been out to greet me.
We had our own uneasy relationship. From the past, he had been Jonas’s personal spy, watching over me. Now, Dani Crane had placed him in the position as co-conspirator, watching over me once more, only now not telling Jonas what was going on. This made things uneasy for both him and me. In the last week, I had found my bruises gone, but the stain of them still clung to all who had seen them.
Closing in on my goal, I caught movement fast approaching out of the corner of my eye and paused. What filled my vision made my body tense and my mouth go dry.
Declan’s beefy frame was bounding up to me. His wispy strawberry blonde hair was messy around his face, and he had stubble on his round chin. He wore a checked shirt and dark slacks. He never was one to care too much about his appearance, but something was different. Alarming. The steel calm he had on approach had my hair on end. Then realization hit me. For the first time in all the times I’d encountered him, and even the times he’d physically attacked me, I was actually scared of him.
“Where the hell have you been?” he asked, his voice elevated. “I called your phone a bunch of times, but it just goes dead. Did you bloc
k me? I can’t reach you at work. I came all the way up here and delivered the flowers myself, but I wasn’t allowed inside the building.”
I backed up from him, my arms crushing the packages. “You’re supposed to be in rehab.”
“Rehab?” He looked puzzled, as if I had spoken a language he didn’t understand. But then realization came back and he rolled his eyes. “I have a business to run, remember? I can’t be taking off work for nonsense. I don’t have Daddy and Mommy’s life insurance to fill in the gaps.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
My voice came out louder than I meant for it. This being New York, the people on the sidewalk glanced at us, but kept walking.
I turned back to Declan and glared. “You promised you were going to get help this time.”
“For what?” Declan asked, smirking.
“For hurting me for starters.” My lip trembled. “You beat my face—”
“Stop being dramatic,” Declan said, cutting me off and taking a few steps closer.
I quickly backed up against the side of the car, just as the driver side opened and David rushed out. He wasn’t beefy like Declan, but one could tell he had an impressively solid frame in his dark suit.
I turned back to Declan. “Just go away,” I hissed. “I never want to see you again.”
“You alright, Ms. Salomé?”
David started collecting my things and placing them in the trunk, though his eyes were fixed on Declan.
“Yes. He was just leaving,” I said.
“You don’t mean that.” Declan eyed David coolly and dropped his hands at his sides. “I said I was sorry, Lily. I was only upset at you for being all snotty when I saw you over lunch. I sent you flowers, photos, and everything so I already more than made up for it.”
I shook my head. “Not nearly enough. Why don’t you just move on and leave me alone?”
“Oh, so you can get that rich guy?” Declan asked, gesturing towards the car and laughed. “He could easily get a supermodel. Do you think you could ever compete? Trust me. You can’t.”
I could see the pleasure in his face as he watched mine crumble. My heart ached. I wanted to hurt him back.
“People know. The receptionist saw my face after what you did. My boss saw, too. They don’t want you near the office.”
“You better be lying.” The smile on his face evaporated as he met my steady glare. “What did you tell them?”
I stood tall, but my legs jittered. “They know enough to not want you here.” His look was lethal, and I ebbed away from him. “I blocked your phone number, too. So stop trying to reach me. Stay away from me.” My voice wavered. “I don’t want to see you again.”
“No way would you tell anyone. I know you,” he said, and I didn’t correct him. He stepped closer to me. “You know I love you and I never meant to hurt you.”
David came around to the sidewalk and stood next to me.
He glared at Declan. “I heard her ask you to leave. Now leave.”
A trace of fear appeared, but instantly melted away from Declan’s face. “Get your ass back inside your fancy car. This has nothing to do with you.” His face contorted into a sneer as he looked back at me. “I came all the way over here for you and you treat me like this? You’re going to regret this, Lily.”
“Are you threatening her?” David asked. “I’ll call the police.”
His eyes flicked to me.
“I promise, you’ll regret this, Lily,” Declan said, backing away. “This stooge won’t be around all the time.”
He muttered as David moved to the door to hold it open for me. Declan took out a cigarette and strolled away.
I knew he wouldn’t stop. I looked up at David, and could feel his disapproval. Though he didn’t say anything to me as I sat down inside the car, we both knew he was going to report back to Dani.
“I’ll take care of this, David.”
I could see the doubt on his face. Even I doubted myself, but I had to do something. Declan didn’t look good. Something was more off than usual. Why was he coming around now?
In the six months since we’d broken up, he had never called or anything. The second he witnessed me out and talking with Jonas, he started appearing, calling, and sending gifts. He’d given me the impression he was pursuing me again. Yet, this time, his actions were absent of the love and kindness that had won me over to him before.
“He won’t stop,” David said as if he plucked the thought from me. “His behavior was hostile. I’m very concerned. I’m calling Ms. Crane.”
I dropped my head. “I understand…Please tell Dani I’m contacting Ian and to please hold off until she hears from him.”
David nodded slowly and closed the door. Shaking, I typed out a message to Ian Unger.
I’m ready to press charges. What do I need to do first?
CHAPTER 5
My appointment calendar buzzed, alerting me that the workday had ended, though I didn’t need a reminder. My mind was still on Declan and our encounter in front of the building. That, and my subsequent conversation with Ian Unger in which I had agreed to go to the police station to report Declan. The fear bubbling up inside me was overcome with sorrow as my mind played over all the good times we had shared in our relationship, almost to the point of making me want to call Ian and cancel.
Pushing that thought away, I turned off my computer, packed my things and headed out of the building. I found Ian waiting for me by a Mercedes SUV. He was dressed down—wearing a black sweater, and from what I could see, tight denim jeans that hugged his long, lean legs just right. He pushed his blonde hair back from his face, showing off a handsome profile.
I walked up and awkwardly accepted the surprise brush of his lips against my cheek. A crease appeared, showing off a set of dimples that made him look even more appealing. Not that I was interested.
“Good to see you, Lily,” Ian said.
His hand reached for my waist as he helped me climb into the backseat. Not that I couldn’t have handled that on my own. At almost five foot seven, I was tall enough to navigate climbing into an SUV.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
I moved close to the window seat and buckled up. Ian let out a laugh as he settled down next to me. My legs started to jitter, and his mood took on a more serious tone¸ which I found comforting.
“We’ll go to the police department downtown and get the restraining order,” Ian said. “While we’re there, we’ll get some of the paperwork I brought with me for you to complete.”
I nodded rapidly, as a shudder went through me. “What will happen after that?”
“Not much, I’m afraid,” Ian said bluntly. “At least, not for a while. But it’s a step in the right direction. Best case scenario, he will be arrested.”
I trembled. Declan had worked hard over the past five years to build up his import/export business. It was an effort my parents had admired in him, and one I supported by helping him when I could during our relationship. His whole life was invested in that business. If he lost it, he’d be financially ruined, or worse. I couldn’t do that to him.
“I don’t know about that. I just want Declan to leave me alone. I don’t want him to lose his business or to destroy his career.”
“He should have thought about that before he hit you. He had to have known that was against the law, but he did it anyway, and risked suffering the consequences. Leaving him alone is as good as leaving him open to do it to someone else,” Ian said. “Besides, what about your career and safety? Do you honestly think he cares about that?”
I stared out the window at the passing traffic and thought about Ian’s words before answering. No. Declan didn’t care. And his chaotic behavior this afternoon left me without doubt he would continue to hassle me.
“No. You’re right. But it’s hard to think he doesn’t…care about me.”
“You’re doing the right thing, I assure you,” Ian said, clasping my hand. “You’re not alone, either. You have Dani and
me on your side.”
I turned my lips up. “Thank you both,” I said, easing my hand away.
A smile spread across his face. “You seem to take delight in punishing those you deemed guilty. Why didn’t you go into criminal law?”
“Money,” Ian said, giving me a dimpled smile that had me smiling back at him.
“Duh,” I said, and we both laughed.
“If you feel unsafe, I can have my driver take you around and get more security for you,” Ian offered.
“Well, Jonas…I mean, Dani, has David transporting me for now. But I can’t have him forever.”
“You would if Jonas had his way,” Ian said under his breath. “If you don’t want David to take you around, my offer stands.”
The mere mention of Jonas had my heart aching. I swallowed hard and turned my head, though I felt Ian’s gaze on me as I stared at my hand on the window panel. The cold soaked in, cooling off my heated skin.
“Did you see Jonas in San Francisco?” I asked, just above a whisper.
“Yes, I did see him…and Melissa Finch. Do you know Melissa?”
My pulse sped up as my stomach turned over. The way he said “Melissa” had my Spidey senses firing off “danger ahead.” Do not ask, my head begged my heart. But I ignored it and asked anyway.
“No. I don’t. Should I know her?”
“Melissa Finch is an heiress to Arthur Finch Construction, which builds all over the world. She’s also a psychiatrist, but I suppose you haven’t run into her here. She lives in Dallas.”
We both knew Jonas was based in Texas, and from Ian’s facial expression, I gathered he wanted to say more. I didn’t want to think of Jonas with Melissa or anyone else, so I tried to steer our conversation sideways.
Tiger Lily: Part Two Page 3