"Of course nothing was found," Dylan says. "There was nothing to be found!" His cheeks flush.
"Piss off, Wilson," Alec snaps. "We'll get to you in a minute."
Dylan frowns but doesn't say anything.
Alec looks back at Oliver. "You found no documents of any kind?"
Oliver shakes his head. "If there's any written information or documents, they're not in her apartment."
I stifle a gasp. Oliver was the one who broke into my apartment?
"Interesting, very interesting," Alec muses, folding his hands in his lap.
There's a short silence. Dylan chews on his lip so much I think he may chew right through it. I feel so nosy and out of place, but my desire to understand what's going on overpowers my conscience.
"Anyone else have any information before we discuss Wilson?" Alec asks.
No one says anything.
"All right," Alec says. He pulls a pack of cigarettes from his blazer and lights one, placing it between his lips. "Wilson," he says in a way that sends chills down my spine. "Anything you'd like to share?"
Dylan sits up, leaning on the table. "Yeah, damn right I do," he sneers. "What the hell was that back there? Ransacking the goddamn apartment?"
My heart pounds.
"You don't understand the threat the girl poses to this corporation," Alec says, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"She poses no threat," Dylan says. "The only reason why she knows shit about this corporation is because you sent Idiot One and Idiot Two after her when she was walking home!" Dylan shouts, gesturing to William and Ethan.
"This is a very confidential...enterprise," Alec says, choosing his words carefully. "And we don't need little miss love interest learning vital information."
Everyone laughs and hoots, and Dylan's cheeks turn red with anger.
"She's anything but a love interest," he spits.
"Oh?" Alec says. "Describe your relationship, then. Why do you take her home from work? Why do you always seem to be around her?"
Dylan's jaw clenches again. My heart beats loudly as everyone awaits his reply.
"She's not a love interest," he sneers at last.
Alec smirks. "Then why should we leave her alone?"
"Because she has nothing to do with any of this," Dylan says.
Alec laughs dryly. "Amusing, quite amusing," he says. He leans forward. "You don't know where she is, do you, Wilson?"
Chapter Thirty Three
My heart climbs to my throat, beating rapidly.
Dylan clenches his jaw. "Of course I know where she is," he snaps. "She's in her apartment."
Alec laughs venomously. "Her apartment, you say?"
Dylan parts his lips, his brow furrowed. "Where else would she be?"
An evil smile crosses Alec's face. He leans back in his chair, swiveling in it so he's facing my hiding spot directly.
Fear spreads through me like wildfire. How could he know?
"Katie, dear," Alec calls. "You do know we have security cameras, don't you?"
All eyes turn to where Alec is looking. My body seems to be paralyzed as my breath hitches in my throat.
"Come now, don't be shy," Alec says, bringing his cigarette to his lips to take a leisurely drag.
I shakily rise to my full height, terror ripping through me. Alec smiles deviously and Dylan's eyes widen.
"How are you doing, Katie?" Alec asks.
I move my gaze from Dylan's to Alec's. I can't seem to form words on my tongue.
"Do you see now why she is a threat to us, Wilson?" Alec says, turning in his chair to look at Dylan. "Do you now see that she is part of this, that she has been watching and listening behind your back?"
I flinch at his words and Dylan's cheeks flush.
"Do you now see," Alec goes on, his voice rising. "That you have endangered the success of this enterprise!"
I swallow hard.
Dylan remains silent, his eyes cast down at that table.
I want him to say something, anything at all, but he doesn't.
He rises from his seat slowly. "I'll take care of this," he says blandly to Alec.
"Is that a promise?" Alec challenges.
Dylan nods faintly. "It's a promise," he says, his voice low.
"Good," Alec says. He looks at me again, then back at Dylan. "Now get out of my sight, both of you."
Dylan turns on his heel and stalks out of the room.
I remain stationary for a few moments before realizing everyone's eyes are on me. I quickly exit the room and retrace my steps down the hall and out the iron door.
The cool afternoon air hits me as I emerge from the alley, sweeping the street for Dylan.
I spot him at a crosswalk, eyes cast down, cheeks still flushed.
I speed walk to catch up to him, falling into step beside him.
"Dylan," I say. "Let me--"
"Don't fucking talk to me, Katie," Dylan snaps as we cross the street.
"Dylan--"
"No!" Dylan stops as we reach the other side of the street, whirling to face me. "You went behind my back and followed me when I have specifically told you not to. You are so nosy that you have to know everything about everyone. Well, guess what, Katherine," he snaps. "Your game's over. Now they know, now they're mad. And it's your fucking fault." He turns and continues to walk.
I swallow the lump that has begun to rise in my throat. I jog to catch up to his fast pace. "Dylan, please--"
"There is nothing you can say or do to make me less angry with you right now, Katherine," Dylan says through gritted teeth.
I fall silent, casting my gaze down.
I try to talk to him multiple times as we walk home, but he brushes me off. I'm confused and on edge and I know the only person to make me feel any comfort about this entire situation is Dylan. He doesn't know it, but I do.
I follow him up to his door where he fumbles for his keys.
"Dylan, please listen," I say, tears beginning to roll down my cheeks. The adrenaline that pumped through me earlier has since evaporated, leaving me worn and tired.
Dylan notices my tears and turns toward me, his dark emerald eyes flashing. "No, Katie," he says. "You don't get to cry. You don't get to be pitied here, because you brought this on yourself. You knew what you were getting into by following me--"
"No!" I shout over him. "I didn't know! I didn't know what I was getting into because you don't tell me shit!"
Dylan opens his mouth to retort but I beat him to it.
"My apartment was ransacked by these people, Dylan, and you still refuse to tell me anything. I've been attacked by two of them and apparently I've been constantly monitored! I deserve to know what the hell is going on!" I take a breath, stepping back as I await Dylan's reply.
Dylan runs his tongue over his lips as he stares at me. "Fine," he snaps. "You want to know what's going on?"
I nod.
He pushes open the door to his apartment and gestures for me to follow him inside.
Chapter Thirty Four
I tentatively follow Dylan into his apartment. Is he really going to tell me what's going on with Alec and the rest?
Dylan walks into the kitchen and I take a seat on the couch.
Dylan returns to the living area with a Snickers bar in his hand. He unwraps it and breaks off half for me. I thank him silently as he sits on the coffee table across from me, our knees almost touching.
"First off," he says. "I don't ever want you following me ever again, because now we're both in deep shit for your little stunt."
I swallow. "Okay," I say. "I won't."
"Yeah, you said that last time."
I look down at my lap. What was I thinking? Did I honestly think I would get away with this?
Dylan finishes eating his Snickers, chewing thoughtfully. He puts his hands on his knees, looking to the floor.
I swallow the last of my Snickers and look at Dylan. He sighs and looks up at me.
"I moved to the United States when I was twenty one
," he says. "A lot of shit happened just before that, so I wanted to get the hell out of England."
I nod slowly.
"Long story short," he says. "I met Alec and the rest." He rubs his hands over his knees, letting out a breath.
"They run a black market operation," he says. "Companies that are failing or having trouble with finances reach out to them to help them get more income, thus helping their companies become more successful."
"How...how do they get the money?"
A crooked smile spreads across Dylan's face. "That's the key." He runs his tongue over his lips briefly before going on. He leans forward, lowering his voice. "Alec Lyone is a very important person," he says slowly, his voice raspy. "He knows a lot of important people, and he knows how to talk to them." Dylan meets my gaze. "If a company reaches out to him, he gets money for that company by compensating it from another."
I furrow my brow. "So...he gets money for the new company from a company he already manages?"
Dylan nods. "Exactly. Nobody wins but him."
Out of all the things I'd expected, I can honestly say that was not one of them. It's genius, really.
"How do none of these companies find out?" I ask.
"That's where Alec's charisma comes in. He convinces the chairmen of the company who detect foul play that it's only the economy taking their money, not him. He'll do anything to ensure they don't find out. He throws them banquets and parties." Dylan runs a hand through his hair. "See, he doesn't entirely compensate the other companies with the money he takes. He takes sixty percent of the money for our organization and only uses forty percent to indemnify other companies."
"So if he takes fifty thousand dollars from one company to reimburse another..."
"Only twenty thousand goes to the company, leaving thirty thousand for himself and the rest of us that help him out."
"Wow," I breathe, leaning back on the couch. "Wait, but what happens if executives suspecting foul play don't buy into his charisma?"
"He gets them shit drunk most of the time, but some are smart enough to almost figure it out. Then, he just writes them a big ass check and that usually satisfies them." Dylan clasps his hands together. "Alec will do anything to ensure this secret is safe. And I mean anything."
"He thinks I know," I say, the puzzle pieces slowly beginning to fall into place. "That's why they raided my apartment and followed me after work...they think I knew all this time."
Dylan nods. "Do you understand why I can't have you following me any longer?" His tone is urgent.
I nod.
"Katie," Dylan says, reaching out and touching my knee. My skin burns with his touch. "Under no circumstances will you let them know I told you this."
"Of course," I say.
"If they find out you know...if you give them proof that you know...there's nothing either of us can do." Dylan's eyes bore into mine.
"What about this afternoon, though?" I ask. "They saw me there, they..." Panic rises up inside of me. I shoot up from the couch, beginning to pace. "Alec knows that I know something, that you're involved..."
"Katie." Dylan stands, walking over to me. "I'll fix it."
"How?"
"I..." Dylan looks down.
"I mean, there's no valid reason other than I'm nosy--"
"Katie, you need to calm down so I can think." Dylan presses his fingers to his temples and sits back on the coffee table.
My pulse accelerates as I watch him from where I stand by the window.
"I think..." Dylan looks up at me. "I think we just need to stay away from each other."
My heart sinks without my consent. I blink a couple times. "That's the only way?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
Dylan licks his lips and shrugs, shaking his head. "I...I can't think of another option."
"How will that fix anything with Alec? What if he sends Ethan and William after me again?" My voice rises an octave as I rattle on.
Dylan puts his head in his hands. "Jesus Christ, this is a mess," he groans.
I run a hand through my hair, sighing.
"Okay," Dylan says finally, looking up at me. "I'm going to talk to Alec."
"What will you tell him?"
"I don't know," he says. "But I'll figure it out."
I nod silently.
Dylan watches me from the coffee table. "Are you afraid?" He asks.
I swallow. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," I say quietly.
He looks at me with hooded eyes. I shift my gaze to the floor.
"Can I interest you in a Snickers?"
I look up at Dylan. A small smile is painted onto his lips.
I laugh lightly. A grin spreads across Dylan's face and he gets up to walk over to the cabinet above the fridge. He hands me a candy bar and gets one for himself, shutting the cabinet.
I lean back against the counter, biting into my chocolate. Dylan leans against the counter across from me, his green eyes boring into me.
"It's going to be all right, Katie," he says.
"How do you know?" I ask. I must sound so pathetic.
He stares at me for a moment. "I don't," he says. "I just know I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you're safe from these guys, all right?"
"Why?" I breathe. "Why do you care?"
Dylan throws the wrapper of his Snickers in the trash. "I don't know," he says quietly. "I just know I care enough to make sure they leave you alone."
Chapter Thirty Five
I sit down at my desk Monday morning and sigh.
I had a bad case of insomnia last night, and I couldn't get to sleep for the life of me. I finally drifted off around two in the morning, and I'm dead tired.
Dylan eyes me from his desk.
I open the manuscript on my desk and click open my pen.
I notice Oliver isn't at his desk. I turn to Lana.
"Psst," I say and she looks up.
"Where's Oliver?" I ask.
Lana shrugs. "Sick day, I think," she replies.
I nod slowly before thanking her.
The events of the weekend are still fresh in my mind. Following Dylan to the meeting; hearing that Oliver, one of my good friends from work, is actually in on this whole thing; and who could forget everything Dylan told me about Alec.
Why would Oliver be against me? Is he against me? Was he the one to break into my apartment, or did I hear that wrong?
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