Infidelity: Insider (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Jillian Jacobs

  Ready to leave, he dropped his phone in his bag then smiled at an older couple passing by, hands locked together. Some good still existed in this world.

  Sidetracked by thoughts of asking them to stop and pose, he almost didn’t catch his phone ringing. “Dang it. I just put this back in here.” He dug around in his bag until he felt his rubber case. After casting a final glance at the couple, he checked the caller ID. Private. Since that could be any of his clients, he pressed the green talk button. “Maxfield.”

  “Good afternoon.” Karen Flores spoke on the other end. “I have a problem. Do you think you can help?”

  “Is it Imina?” Aiden shot off the park bench. “Is she okay?” Irrational fear raced down his spine, but his world wasn’t quite rational right now.

  “Imina. Okay? Well,” Karen laughed. “That’s debatable. Anyway, I’d like you to come in. We had a rather…interesting day, and I need you to serve as a distraction for a time.”

  “Distraction for whom?”

  “Do you really believe that an elevator in my building would suddenly stop, Mr. Maxfield? You know what I do for a living, right?”

  Aiden lifted his phone away from his ear and stared at it. “It was you?” Realizing he was talking at his cell instead of in it, he brought the device back to his ear. “I’m sorry, but why would you do that?” He glanced around the park as if the people around him could give answers. What the hell was happening in his life? Nobody was acting as they should be.

  “Get here in an hour.” After delivering that directive, she hung up.

  Aiden shoved his phone in his shorts pocket.

  Karen had halted the elevator.

  Aiden smiled then chuckled. Karen! He dropped his head back on his shoulders and laughed. Laughed until people stopped to stare, but he didn’t care…he had the ultimate matchmaker on his side.

  # # #

  After taking their newest “employee” down to the lobby and seeing her out the door, Imina went back upstairs and barged into Karen’s office. “That girl, Alexandria, was scared to death. How could you do that to her? You promised me. You said you’d always make sure Infidelity employees were safe, and yet, she was shaking.”

  “She signed the agreement.” Sitting behind her desk, Karen swirled the amber liquid in her whiskey glass.

  “You can take those agreements and shove them up your ass. She didn’t want to go. How can you be so cold?”

  “I gave her the card with the emergency number.”

  “Yeah, right.” Imina flipped a hand in the air. “Like a scared woman is going to call. Not when they’re desperate and alone and being hurt. When you’re beat down, you don’t reach out. You shiver in the corner, waiting for the next slap.”

  “That won’t happen again.”

  Imina waved a hand at the door. “That just walked out.”

  “He won’t hurt her.” Karen tapped her finger against the rim of her glass, creating a ting-ting sound with her nail. “Demetri has never interfered here. His sudden interest in this woman has to be personal.”

  “Demetri? As in Lennox Demetri?” Imina glared at Karen as she recalled the rumors surrounding that name. “Isn’t he affiliated with the mob?”

  “No…at least…no.” Karen sniffed then stared out her window.

  “Great.” Imina braced both hands on her hips and studied her mentor. A woman who had seen her at her worst and turned her into the creature she was today. Was that a good thing? Who really knew? “Someone should watch out for Ms. Collins.”

  “Demetri has a woman who works for him. Deloris. I’ve met her once.” Karen huffed out a laugh. “Was like looking in the mirror, only scarier. That woman will keep an eye on the whole situation. She won’t let anything tarnish the Demetri reputation.”

  “Alexandria isn’t a situation, Karen. She’s a living, breathing person.” Imina paced in front of the desk, restless and angry. Sure nothing good would come of that poor redhead’s situation, especially with Demetri involved.

  Karen frowned. “Don’t question my judgment.”

  “You’re not infallible.” Though harsh, Imina had to speak this truth. Together, they hadn’t always made the right choices for the employees but rather the right choices for Infidelity.

  “You’re speaking out of turn.”

  “Someone around here has to.” Imina lifted both brows and met Karen’s gaze.

  Her boss sighed then sipped from her drink. “Sit down.”

  “Why?” She was in no mood to be lectured over her outburst.

  “I want to hear about you and Aiden in the elevator. Anything…interesting happen?”

  “What do you mean?” The word—interesting always held far too many connotations. Imina narrowed her eyes. Why was Karen concerned about events occurring inside the elevator instead of questioning why it’d stopped in the first place? “I’ll check to see if security emailed a report.” Using that as an excuse, she stepped closer to the door.

  “Uh huh…that’s what I thought.”

  Imina snapped around. “Thought about what?”

  “You.”

  “Me?” Imina tapped her nail against the doorframe, because this conversation was not heading in a safe direction. Much like her elevator excursion yesterday.

  “I just got off the phone with Aiden. He’s taking you out.”

  Gasping, Imina stormed toward Karen’s desk. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I lied about the cameras being off in the elevator, because I’m tired of you flouncing around here like your shit doesn’t stink. Yesterday’s footage proved that all I have to do is get you alone with the man and you drop to your knees.”

  “How dare you!” Imina lifted her hands then closed them into fists. If Karen wasn’t her boss, she would jump over this desk and nail her with two shots straight to her big nose.

  “You two have been dancing around each other for years. Yawn. Boring.” Karen covered her mouth with a hand then gave her lips two soft pats.

  Imina wanted to do a lot more than “pat” her boss’s treacherous lips.

  Karen stood and leaned both hands on her desk, meeting her gaze. “I’m over it. Time for some action, so I took it, and I was right.”

  This was insane. Karen had cut off the power. And watched? “Not only are you manipulative, but apparently, you’re a pervert.”

  “Manipulation is my job description, Imina. You know that. Again, don’t question my motives or my skills.” Karen’s gaze sharpened. “Get out. And I mean out. Go with Aiden. It’s what I want. So, go.”

  “It’s not what I want. You can’t just—”

  “I can and I did. I made a mistake with you before, and I learned from it. You haven’t. So, I’m forcing this lesson upon you. Aiden Maxfield is your perfect match.” Karen jabbed a finger in her direction. “Don’t fuck it up.”

  Imina glared at Karen then lifted both middle fingers before she stomped to the door and flung it open. When the door had the nerve to bounce back, she slammed it shut.

  Chapter 6

  Imina fumed, mumbling choice words about overbearing bosses under her breath. Whipping on her black leather jacket, she trudged toward the elevator, feeling the weight of the day settling on her shoulders. She’d go home. Drink a bottle of wine. But she would not blindly follow Karen’s plan. She’d done so before and gotten burned. Bad. Yet…Aiden was different. And Karen was right. After spending that single hour in the elevator, she wanted nothing more than to get her hands on the man for real. To take her time. To make him beg.

  Imina took the elevator down, frowning at the panel as if it were the cause of her troubles and not her meddlesome boss. “Stupid elevators.” Once in the lobby, she clipped past all the people hustling by, staring at their phones or conversing with the person beside them. Busy, busy. Every time she walked to her apartment, to the gym, or to work, she weaved through a plethora of people. She couldn’t imagine a town where she had to sit in long lines of traffic every day, fighting to get to w
ork and back home again. Sure, on bad weather days, she took a cab, but today she breathed in the scents of New York City. Car exhaust, Indian food from the place across the street, and the general mixture of humanity passing by her office building. She loved this city.

  Releasing a slow breath, she turned on her heel and saw him. Aiden Maxfield in jeans and a button-down shirt was one thing, but seeing him in a nice pair of black slacks and a crisp white shirt with a gold tie was something else. He still had his ever-present messenger bag at his side, likely with a few cameras tucked away.

  When he saw her, he grinned. The expression lit up his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes and revealing bright white teeth.

  Before she could stop herself, she smiled in return. “Look at you, all dressed up.”

  Stopping at her side, he jerked his head toward her building. “I was hoping to take another elevator ride.”

  Imina rolled her eyes. “Boo, just boo.”

  He chuckled. “I’m here on orders from your boss. I’m to take you to dinner.”

  Should she go? Imina tugged on the zipper of her jacket. They’d had a hellish day. Karen had breached normal protocol with the Collins woman. The whole thing gave her an uneasy feeling. She’d hoped to drink her wine bottle alone—her whole bottle, but maybe venting to Aiden would be nice. The decision shouldn’t be this easy. She shouldn’t want to spend time with this annoying man. They’d end up in bed again. No question. But…honestly, stress relief delivered by Aiden Maxfield didn’t seem like such a bad thing right now.

  “You know I like to be disagreeable. Karen told me she’d called you. I should tell you both to kiss my ass and go home alone.” Turning on her heel, Imina started toward the crosswalk. “But, all right, tonight, I’ll go. However, I need wine after today. Lots of wine. And red wine.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I want something thick and rich.”

  He smirked and opened his mouth.

  “Don’t!” She stuck a finger in his face. “Don’t say it.”

  He tucked in his lips. “Sorry, I can’t let that one pass.”

  “Fine, get it over with, Mr. Innuendo-King.”

  “I have something thick and rich at my place.” He ran a finger across her lips. “Something exquisite and bold. A taste you’ll come to crave, baby.”

  She narrowed her eyes.

  He chuckled then dropped his hand to his side. “But seriously, how about I cook for you?”

  She sniffed then glanced toward the traffic light. The green walking man lit up so she hustled to cross the street. “You cook?”

  “Yes, but we need to stop off at the market.” Aiden followed.

  His long legs easily caught up to her side. Muscled legs that had held her in place as he’d rocked into her body. Legs she’d love to have around her, above her, and beneath her. She sniffed and pulled at her collar. Stop thinking naughty thoughts!

  Seeking distraction, Imina stopped on the sidewalk and tossed a few coins into a homeless man’s coffee cup.

  “Don’t move.” Aiden pressed a hand against her shoulder.

  Heart thrumming, Imina’s eyes widened. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  He pulled a camera from his bag. “Girl in New York.”

  “What?” She glanced around. “Me?”

  “Yeah. I can see it.” He lifted the camera to his eye. “A girl making her way through the city. What does the world look like through her eyes?”

  “Right now, it looks a little sad.” Imina glanced down at the homeless man, covered in dirt and wearing a stained red bandana around his neck. “I bought him that coat last winter. It used to be light blue.” Now it was thick with dirt, and his shoes had separated from the sole so much that his sock peeked out. His big toe winked hello from a hole. “Isn’t that right, Teddy?”

  The man grinned up at her with blackened teeth. The front two were chipped.

  Aiden snapped picture after picture. “That face. Perfect. Sympathy, tinged with a bit of that Imina fire. I love it.”

  “The fire is from that hole in his sock. I’ll have to stop off somewhere and pick him up a new pair. What size do you think he is?” Imina braced one hand on her hip and glared at Aiden when he just kept taking more shots. “You know what? Give me that thing.” She reached for his camera.

  “What? No.” He shuffled out of reach.

  “Yes, you hide behind that lens. Let me see through it.”

  “Is that what you want?” He arched a brow, expression serious, for once.

  She bit her lip, because she understood the weight of his question. Knew he meant more, but she didn’t have any answers. Not yet. “Yeah, maybe it’s time I see life a bit differently. Show me how it works.”

  Aiden tilted his head and studied her a moment before handing her the camera. “This’ll be fun. I promise.”

  Imina shook her head. “We’ll see.” She shrugged, but the idea actually did appeal. Maybe, if she held the viewfinder up to her eye, she’d see life within a new frame of reference. One that revealed a picture of hope, and maybe, just maybe…love.

  # # #

  Imina leaned back on Aiden’s couch, sleepy after all the rich Indian food. She needed more wine but was too comfortable to get up. His brownstone was in an actual neighborhood. Pricey, but nice, and a bit homey. The decor was done in warm golds and deep browns. Likely professionally decorated. Yet, just like her place, his apartment was neat and tidy, barely lived in. With so much to do in this city, who stayed home? Not her, and obviously not Aiden.

  While shopping for groceries and on their way back to his apartment, she’d laughed as he’d struck all kinds of poses. Happy. Sad. Annoyed. She’d snapped the angle of his chin, the sparkle of gold in his brown eyes, the slight lines appearing beside them as he smiled. She’d caught the real Aiden. Saw him in a different way. He made her laugh, something she rarely did, which was kind of sad, actually.

  Sighing, she straightened then placed her empty wineglass on the faded wood coffee table before she picked up one of his photo books, set beside a couple others by Ansel Adams. She’d already looked through Aiden’s books. As a matter of fact, she had them all at her place. The way he pictured the world fascinated her. She’d lived in New York her whole life but didn’t know the history like he did. He’d dug up very interesting facts, and she’d truly enjoyed reading them.

  “Do you need more wine?” Aiden called from the kitchen.

  “Yes, please. Although, I don’t know how I can fit another drop in my stomach.”

  He came in, carrying a bottle of wine and his glass in one hand and his camera in the other then he set everything on the table before topping off her wineglass. “I’m all set now.” He waved a hand down his body. “No tie. Much better.”

  He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt with a black-and-white photo on the front.

  “Imina, I didn’t want to ruin our dinner, but I’d like to ask you a few questions.” He stood in front of the table but, after a moment, began to pace. “As you may know, Kellogg Brown referred me to Infidelity.”

  Imina straightened. Where was this going? Had Kellogg talked? No way he’d revealed anything. She loathed the man with every fiber of her being, but couldn’t tell her story to Aiden, which added an ache to her already thrumming heart.

  “I had a disturbing run-in with him.” Aiden ran a hand through his thick hair. “I understand you can’t talk about Infidelity’s clients, but I believe Kellogg is abusive to women. I’m disappointed in myself because I’ve never seen who he really is before. I can’t simply forget what I discovered.”

  “Wh-what did he do?” Imina gripped the couch cushion. They should have taken Kellogg down. Had him arrested. This was her fault. Hers and Karen’s That man was out there hurting more women because they hadn’t spoken up.

  “He had a story. A cover up, which I’m not so sure was true, but I want to say, if he’s a client at Infidelity, I’d get rid of him. Whatever you have to do, remove him from your system.”

 
; Imina swallowed hard. “He’s not a client.”

  “Was he ever?”

  She didn’t answer. She couldn’t.

  “I see.” Aiden nodded. “Do you know him, then?”

  Imina’s gaze shot to his. He didn’t see anything. And she couldn’t talk about this, even if she wanted to. “Yes, I know Kellogg Brown. Demetri Enterprises is the major investor in Infidelity. Kellogg initiated that.” She averted her gaze to the photos on the wall, trying to calm her wildly-beating heart by studying the play of sunlight across the glass frames. Losing herself in the deep reds and burnished golds of fall in upper New York. “Those photos are nice. Did you take them?”

  “Don’t do that, Imina.”

  “Do what?” She shifted her gaze back to him and swallowed hard.

  “Change the subject.” Frowning, he braced both hands on his hips. “I called a friend. He’s investigating Kellogg. Following him.”

  “That’s the right thing to do.” Imina nodded. “If he’s hurting women then someone should stop him. I should…I’ll mention this to Karen. Perhaps she can alert his employer. The threat of losing his job might stop someone like him.”

  “I don’t think so.” Aiden shook his head then rubbed his hands over his eyes. “I don’t know that anyone can stop him. I believe, for some people, the rush of power over someone weaker becomes an addiction or something. I don’t know. Maybe I’m letting my imagination run wild.” He leaned his forehead against the window, staring out into the neighborhood. “Yet, based on the looks of the guy who attacked him, I’d say Kellogg’s ventured pretty deep underground to find his prey.”