“Right,” Harper said. “My cousin, Wendy. I just wanted to get all that stuff out of there.”
“Your cousin Wendy? I thought…”
“What?”
“I’ve never heard of her before.”
“Well, she was at the wedding. You would have seen her. Don’t know why it makes a difference anyway.”
“Josh claims she broke in.”
“She would have had my keys. Look … just … don’t hang around him anymore, okay?”
“I’m not hanging out with him. He’s just –”
“I mean, don’t talk to him. I want that asshole out of my life.”
“Okay. I mean. Okay…”
“Bane wants to talk to Chill. Can you hand the phone over?”
“Sure. Okay. Glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah.”
Cordelia passed the phone back to Chill.
“Bane wants to talk to you.”
He accepted the phone and then turned his back to them. He exited the room leaving the door wide open.
“So how is she?” Josh asked. “What’s she doing?”
“She says she’s fine,” Cordelia said. “A little abrupt.”
“What was that stuff about her cousin Wendy?” Josh asked.
“She said that’s who paid you a visit.”
“No,” Josh shook his head. “No, she doesn’t have a cousin named Wendy.”
“I didn’t think so either,” Cordelia said.
“I have nine cousins in my family,” Marshall said. “How many of them can you name, Cordelia? Go on. Count in your head.”
Cordelia was silent a moment. She could only name four, and she wasn’t even sure if she had two of the names right.
“Still felt a bit funny,” Cordelia muttered.
“Whatevs,” Marshall said. He put his empty glass down. “Are we going then? I assume they’ll take us back.”
“I guess so,” Cordelia said.
“Don’t sound so down,” Marshall replied. “You just spoke with Harper. She’s alive. Safe. A load off everyone’s mind.”
They all nodded.
Cordelia and Marshall made their way out of the room. Josh was the last to leave.
“Should I get the lights?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Marshall said.
They walked a few more paces out into the entrance, before realizing Josh hadn’t followed them.
“What’s he doing?” Marshall said, annoyed. He looked down the corridor. “Josh?”
A man in a leather jacket with bulging arms stared at them from the stairs. “Hello, beautiful.”
Marshall grabbed Cordelia’s arm. “Come on.”
They went back to the common room and found Josh staring at the right hand wall.
He glanced at them as they entered.
“What are you doing?” Marshall asked.
“Come see this,” Josh said.
They walked over.
“It’s a photo of Harper and Bane, so what?” Marshall snapped. “You gotta let it go.”
“Look in the background buddy. Right hand corner.”
“Two people kissing,” Marshall said stepping forward. “So what –”
Cordelia heard it in his voice. The break away. The moment of realization.
She didn’t know whether to run or cry or what. Her feet held her there.
“Chill and Cordelia kissing,” Josh declared. “This fucking place, man. This fucking place.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Bane and Harper’s wedding ceremony wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. A lot of hard work and planning had already been put into her canceled wedding to Josh. It was supposed to be held in a function centre around the corner from where they lived. Harper wanted to get as far away from it as possible, but she didn’t want to blow her family’s minds by doing anything too extravagant.
Bane owned an acreage in the country about an hour’s drive away. They were married on the edge of it overlooking a cliff, with a horizon of mountains, forests and the ocean behind them.
Around fifty or sixty people attended, including all of Harper’s close friends and family. Bane’s side of the attendance was scarce, with only Chill and Declan standing in for him. Harper seemed worried about them at one point after the ceremony had concluded. While Bane was smiling and shaking hands with every one of Harper’s family, Chill and Declan were standing by themselves sipping champagne, an air of contempt hanging over them.
Harper encouraged Cordelia to go and talk to them.
“Please, do it for me?” she’d urged. “It would be so nice if everyone could just get along today.”
“I don’t know,” Cordelia replied. “There’s tension between me and Chill. I don’t want to give him the wrong idea.”
“Don’t be silly,” Harper snapped. “He knows you have a boyfriend. This is just about everyone having a good time together.”
“Okay, but why are you asking me?”
“Because you know him. You’re not seriously going to say no to me on my wedding day, are you?”
“Alright,” Cordelia sighed.
She took a few steps towards the men who were talking quietly together, their eyes away from the crowd, then looked back for support. Harper was already in the middle of another photo-shoot smiling for the camera.
She turned back to the boys.
“Hey, why are you looking so glum?” a voice piped up in her left ear.
She turned and saw her friend Maisey Newfield approaching.
Cordelia immediately grabbed her arm. “Good timing. Let’s go talk to these guys over here.”
“Okay…”
They approached Chill and Declan, who instinctively lowered their drinks and walked forward to meet them.
“I was wondering when you were going to come and talk to us,” Chill said.
“Me?” Cordelia bit back. “You’re the ones who are being antisocial.”
“Are you friends with Bane?” Maisey asked.
Chill smiled and nodded. “Chilton Burrows. And you are?”
“Maisey. I’m friends with Cordelia mostly. But I know Harper too.”
“Listen, Maisey, I was wondering if you could do me a favor,” Chill continued. “You see, my friend Declan is a little shy. It would mean the world to us if you could show him around to everyone, so he doesn’t have to stand here looking weird with me.”
“I wouldn’t mind that actually,” Declan beamed.
“Oh, I’d be happy to,” Maisey said, taking his hand. “Who would you like to meet first…?”
Cordelia’s eyes followed them as they moved away. “Wow. I can’t believe you just did that.”
“It’s just so lovely to have you alone,” Chill said. “All to myself.” He paused. “I take it your boyfriend isn’t here?”
“He didn’t feel like coming,” Cordelia said.
“Why not?”
“He didn’t really say. Maybe because she’s not marrying Josh, but … I don’t know why he’d care.”
“How does it feel, to not have him here?”
Cordelia swallowed. “He can do what he wants.”
“But it’s your best friend’s wedding. Shouldn’t he be with you here?”
“Well…”
“Are you in love with him?”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Get inside my head.”
“The thing is, the rest of the day is just going to blur for you.”
“What do you mean?”
Chill took a step towards her. “Looking back at it. In the years to come. There’s only one thing that you’ll remember here.”
“What’s that?”
And that was when he leaned in.
And stole the kiss from her…
CHAPTER NINE
Chill could hear the yelling downstairs. The breakdown between Cordelia and Marshall. Or breakup as it were. Unfortunately for him, there was something else on his mind. He
was staring at the phone sitting on his desk. The light was off, the screen empty. Still he stared at it. The last few words he’d had with Bane went over and over through his mind…
“Thanks for that,” Chill had said, exiting the common room with the phone. “I really just want to get her out of here, and get on with the rest of the problems here tonight.”
“What problems?” Bane replied.
“Oh, I forgot to mention it. You know Sebastian Sarsgaard?”
“What about him?”
“He’s turned up here unexpectedly. Wants to be entertained.”
“So?”
“So, don’t you find that a little suspicious? That he just happens to show up when you’re away?”
“Look, I have no idea,” Bane said. “Do you think he’s up to something?”
“Well, of course he is,” Chill said. “The question is what.”
“Well … I wouldn’t worry too much about it for now. You can always let me know if things get out of hand.”
“Oh. Right.”
“I’m only saying –”
“I know, I know.” Chill sighed. “Was there something else you wanted?”
“Yes, I was wondering if you could forward me some bank details,” Bane said. “I’m having trouble with internet access here, and I need some numbers to put in to pay for my stay here.”
“Oh sure. Right… I’ll check out your computer then.”
Chill returned to Bane’s office and logged into his computer. He accessed the password database and handed over the information Bane wanted.
As he was getting off the phone, Bane thanked him, and casually muttered, “Tell Slash I said hello.”
And then the call was done.
Chill was still there in the chair, ten minutes after it happened. Replaying his friend’s words over and over. It was so easy to dismiss it. Move on. Chill knew that was the automatic thing to do. However…
To Chill’s knowledge Sebastian and Bane hadn’t been in contact for years. They hadn’t heard anything about him. They didn’t know what he was doing or who he was interacting with. Sebastian had become a ghost of the past. A faded memory. Someone that was never brought up. It was that long ago…
Chill cursed under his breath and stood up, scooping the phone with him. Out by the stairs, Declan was hurrying along to speak with him.
“Things have gone bad between Cordelia and her boyfriend,” Declan said. “He saw a photo of you and her at the wedding.”
“Where are they?”
“They’ve gone outside I think,” Declan said, looking over his shoulder. “What do you want me to do?”
“Keep them here,” Chill said. “Under control. I’ll be right there with you, but there’s something else I have to deal with first.”
“What if it gets violent?”
“Just…” Chill trailed off. “If that son of bitch so much as pushes her, you break him in two, understand?”
Declan nodded.
Chill then swung round to the stairs leading up to the third level, where he expected Sebastian would be.
He was right.
In one of the dens Sebastian was to be found with a drink in his hand, two blonde babes on his lap, talking to three of his men, being equally entertained.
“Chilton!” he hollered from the other side of the room. “I was wondering when you were going to drop in! Come and sit.”
Chill walked into the centre of their little party. He glanced around the circle, a little off balance.
“What’s the matter, friend?” Sebastian asked.
“Alright,” Chill nodded. “Did Bane send you here?”
“Pardon me?”
“Bane? Did he – are you –”
He stopped himself, the emotions struggling to hold in.
“The last time I saw Bane was the last time I saw you,” Sebastian said.
“And you’re not here to take over? Kick me out? I’m just – I’m having a hard time processing –”
Sebastian nudged the girls who were sitting on him. They got up and moved away.
He rose slowly from the chair.
“I don’t mean to accuse you of anything,” Chill said. “I know we’ve had our differences, but we still go back. Just tell me now, you’re on my side.”
“I’m on your side,” Sebastian said. “Tell me what has you so riled.”
Chill shook his head. “He knew your name.”
“Excuse me?”
“I just got off the phone with Bane. He said to say, ‘Tell ‘Slash’ I said hello.’”
“So?”
“Well, we haven’t known anything about you in so long? How does he know what you’re calling yourself now?”
“Are you sure you didn’t mention it?”
Chill squinted. “I’m sure.”
“So phone him back and ask him. See what he says. I’m sure he’ll give you an answer that satisfies.”
“Alright,” Chill said. “Let’s listen together.”
He put the phone on speaker and set it on the table.
The whole room was silent as the call rang through.
Bane answered it. “Hello?”
“Hi Bane, it’s Chill. I’m sorry but there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“Yeah, I thought I’d be hearing from you,” Bane said. “The thing is I’ve had to transfer the club’s central funds into a private account for security reasons.”
“Security reasons?”
“Yeah … I was thinking about what you said about Sebastian showing up and thought it was best to make sure none of our money is touched here. As he could easily access the accounts on my computer if it came to it.”
“I thought … I thought you said not to worry about him…” Chill said. “Have you heard of anything else he might be up to?”
“Not really. Just the vibe I was getting.”
“Did I … did I mention to you what his name was? I mean, what he’s calling himself now.”
“He’s calling himself something else?”
“Yeah. He calls himself Slash. I think.”
“I don’t think you mentioned that.”
“You haven’t heard the name Slash before?”
“Not to do with Sebastian,” Bane laughed. “No. Haven’t heard anything about him in years.”
“Hey Bane,” Sebastian said. “This is Slash here.”
Silence.
“I have one question for you,” Sebastian continued. “Why are you lying just now?”
Silence. Dead.
Chill looked to Sebastian with alarm. “Bane? Are you there, Bane?”
CHAPTER TEN
What could Cordelia say? What words would make Marshall believe her?
The thing was it wasn’t about the words. They’d sound alright. Correct. True.
Chill had forced himself on her. No, she didn’t push him away, but maybe she had been caught off guard. In a state of shock. That didn’t make it any more consensual.
There was something else though. Something that made her not want to fight the argument.
The truth of it was, if Marshall cut deep enough he’d find out all about how Chill had come onto her and it wasn’t her fault.
But he’d also find that she had feelings for him.
What had happened to them? It wasn’t two hours ago that they were leaving the cinema together, hand in hand, pressed into one another, as if nothing stood between them at all. As he stood in front of her here, outside the Trillionaire Shifter Club, shouting at her, calling her names … she realized something else. In their relationship, she had just been going with the flow. Happy for it to go on and continue. It was what was easiest. And now that they were breaking up, she was okay with going with that flow too. She hadn’t been putting effort into their relationship, and neither had he.
“Are you even listening to me?” Marshall cursed. “That’s it. I’m done. I’m outta here.”
He turned back to Declan by the steps to the front.
&nb
sp; “That is okay, isn’t it?”
“I think Chill would prefer you to remain here until he comes down.”
“Well, fuck him. I don’t have time for it. Can you just make sure the gates are opened? I don’t need your fucking gaybo limousine.”
Declan shrugged. “Alright.”
“You coming Josh?”
Josh stood up from the side of the road. “Yeah, we’ll split a cab.”
Marshall took one last look at Cordelia and the club before setting off down the driveway. “You’ll regret this.”
Cordelia returned his gaze blankly.
A few minutes after he and Josh were out of sight, she turned to Declan. “So is someone going to take me home?”
“Chill’s on his way. We just have to wait for him.”
“I’m not staying here tonight,” Cordelia said. “Just so you know. He’s not going to talk me into it.”
“How’s that friend of yours? Maisey?”
“Mmm,” Cordelia murmured. “I don’t know. Fine.”
“I gave her our number here. She hasn’t called.”
“Well, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
“I should’ve gotten her number,” Declan said. “You don’t have it do you?”
In the nick of time, Chill emerged from the clubhouse, his face red and confused.
“Where’s the others?” he asked.
“I let them go,” Declan said. “They didn’t want to be here.”
“Well. Okay. You know, Cordelia, I didn’t want to get in the middle of what you have going there. I mean, I didn’t want to start trouble –”
“Too late for that.” She looked at him sideways. “Why’d you take us to that room? Did you know those photos –?”
“I was in the common room when you arrived,” Chill said. “And I hadn’t realized you’d be arriving with company either.”
“Well, okay, whatever,” Cordelia mumbled. “So are you going to take me home?”
“I can’t.”
“Just get your servants to do it for you then?”
“I have to go and see Bane.”
“Bane? What – why?”
Chill glanced towards Declan. “I’m afraid something terrible may have happened.”
Chill: Trillionaire Shifter Club Book Two Page 3