Blinking, I looked up from the desk in the small office that we kept in the sports complex. This was my sanctuary. Even more so than my charity office and more so than my apartment. After we’d opened the doors, I’d sat behind this desk, and had tried my hardest to do something good for the kids.
The previous owner of the building had used and taken advantage of the kids. When he couldn’t do that anymore, he’d burnt the youth center to the ground and refused to rebuild it. I’d rebuilt it myself, making it bigger and better.
These precious kids deserved better, and I’d made sure they had better. Behind me were pictures of the kids smiling and playing and feeling at ease in this safe space. I promised to protect them while they were here. Feed them. Encourage them. Help them find their path to a better future.
And then the police showed up. It had been a dark moment for me. I could only hope that none of the kids thought the police were there for them. I’d berated the detectives up and down for the stunt they’d pulled. They could have waited until the complex was closed, but no. They had wanted to catch me off-guard, and in doing so, they risked the kid’s peaceful atmosphere.
To their credit, they did apologize for their mistake.
Thankfully, they didn’t mingle or stay long, and they’d kept their badges concealed. When they left, I tried to throw myself into the hasty dinner that I’d put together for the children. I was all smiles and laughter even though I was worried sick. Some of their parents had shown up in support, and that was nice, but I was distracted.
Jack didn’t kill Sherry. Jack couldn’t have hired anyone to kill her either. I repeated that over and over in my head. I believed it. I believed him.
So, why was I so nervous?
“I’m going home.” I smiled, trying to assure Rachel. “I’m just going to get a little more work done here first.”
My friend’s eyes filled with sympathy. “Don’t let her stay too late,” she said to Carl before she smiled and walked away.
Closing the office door, Carl pulled up a chair by the desk and faced me. “You’re not doubting him.”
It wasn’t a question, but I couldn’t decide if he was telling me not to doubt Jack or if he was telling me that he already knew how I felt. “What can I do for him?” I asked him quietly. “How can I help him? I was going to see him tonight, and he’s brushing me aside.”
“I don’t know what he’s thinking, but I know that he’s got a lot on his plate. He’ll want to know the truth, so he’ll be looking for the real killer. His career is at stake, and he’ll want to protect you. He just needs some time to get his thoughts organized. That might take a couple of days. You can’t take it personally.”
“It feels personal. Sherry was using me to get to him.” Suddenly, my eyes widened, and I jerked up. “Someone was following me. The day before Jack returned, this big guy—”
“Works for me,” Carl said with a wry smile. “After Sherry showed up in Jacksonville, Jack wanted someone to keep an eye on you. I had him follow you.”
“Oh.” Feeling a little deflated, I sat back. “Someone could have told me. It freaked me out a little. Is there a height or a weight limit when it comes to working for you? I swear, I think that guy was bigger.”
“You’re a stubborn woman about some things. If Jack had told you, you would have balked.”
He wasn’t wrong. I would not have been happy about having a bodyguard. It was hard enough to get the kids to trust me. I didn’t even like having Carl here now. “I guess that you’re on duty until I go home?” He nodded, and I sighed. “Then I guess I can do the rest of this at home. I don’t want to keep you from…what do you do when you’re not following someone around?”
“I enjoy needlepoint.”
He said it so casually that I nearly got whiplash as I turned my head and stared at him. “Seriously?”
His face was difficult to read, but I had to guess that he was kidding.
Maybe.
After gathering his things, he walked me out of the sports complex. In the otherwise empty parking lot, there was a lone car parked next to mine, and a figure waiting for me.
“Identify yourself,” Carl barked as he reached for his gun.
Silence greeted us. I tried to peer around Carl’s back to see who it was, but he pushed me back. “Blythe?” a familiar voice greeted. “It’s Hirsh.”
“Oh. It’s okay. Well, it might be okay. Don’t shoot him just yet,” I said as I patted Carl’s arm. Not that Hirsh didn’t deserve a bullet for his actions. Maybe one in the leg to remind him that he was still flesh and blood. Slowly, we approached him.
Hirsh looked like he’d slept in his suit. It was all rumpled, and his eyes were red. He smelled liked he’d bathed in bourbon. His eyes moved from Carl and back to me. “Jack dump you already?” he grumbled. “Moving on to bigger and better things? In this case, literally?”
“I called you, Hirsh,” I said quietly as I eyed him. I’d never seen the man when he wasn’t perfectly put together. It was disconcerting. The man was sometimes just as controlled as Jack was. What would happen when Hirsh let go of that control? How many people would be hurt?
“Yeah, I’ve been out.” He glanced at the gun. “Jesus, you’ve got a bodyguard now? Does that mean you finally realize the kind of shit storm you’re in?”
“Carl is just a friend.” I didn’t want to admit to him that Jack thought I needed guarding. I had to know what was going on, and I wanted Hirsh in a chatty mood. “I think the worst from the story has died down. I was going to do an interview about the truth, but now I’m not sure that’s a good idea given what’s happened.”
“At least you haven’t lost all your common sense,” he muttered as he weaved and stumbled toward me. Carl tensed, and I shook my head. If he shot Hirsh, things would just go from bad to worse.
“In any case, I want you to issue an apology. You don’t have to out your disgusting friend, but I want you to admit that you pulled your support because of misinformation and convinced others to do the same. I don’t want to be under this shadow anymore.”
His eyes bulged, and he howled with laughter until tears ran down his face. “Fuck, Blythe, so you are as sweet and innocent as you appear. I always wondered about that. I thought maybe Kadir was right. It was all just a front, but here you are. You’re concerned about your reputation? Are you serious? I’m not your biggest problem anymore, Blythe. Neither is Kadir. You’ve got a dead body, and your boyfriend is the number one suspect. Don’t you understand what’s going on?”
“No.” I reached out and put a hand on Carl’s arm. I didn’t know if I was steadying him or steadying myself. “Do you understand what’s going on? Is that why you’ve been drinking?”
The manic laughter stopped, and he glared at me. “I always knew you’d be my downfall. I just didn’t think that it would happen like this. I told him to keep his cock zipped and his hands to himself, but Kadir just had to have you. He wanted you on your knees under his desk. The things he wanted to do to you was enough to make even me blanch.”
“Careful,” Carl hissed as he took a step forward. A cold chill swept over my skin.
Hirsh waved his hands dismissively. “Now even he’s feeling the pressure. Do us all a fucking favor, Blythe. Sever your ties with Jack. Walk away. Even his cock can’t be good enough for you to risk your life.”
With that, he stumbled to his car. “He shouldn’t be driving,” I whispered as I tugged urgently on the big man’s arm. “Carl, he could hurt someone.”
“Stay here.” With an oath, he hurried to Hirsh’s side and plucked his keys out of his hands. Leaning down, he said something directly into the man’s ear. Hirsh looked like he wanted to take a swing at Carl, but the bodyguard just held the door open for him, and he folded himself inside.
Separating some of the keys, Carl tossed half his way and pocketed the others. “Come on. I’m getting you home.”
Since he’d insisted on driving me around everywhere, I didn’t bother arguing
when he held open the passenger door. Once he slipped behind the wheel, I glanced over and out his window. “Is he going to sleep in his car in my parking lot? Not that I have any love for the man, but I don’t want him to get robbed blind.” This wasn’t the safest of neighborhoods.
“He’s calling a car service,” Carl said as he turned the engine. “I’ll drop off his car keys in the morning.”
“His car might not be here in the morning.”
“He understands that. He also understands what will happen if he tries to drive it out of here. I’m sure he has a spare at home. He can hire someone to pick it up for him. I’m surprised he doesn’t have a bodyguard of his own. Sounds like he needs one.”
I swallowed hard and stared out the windshield. “What he said…”
“Were the ravings of a drunk man who sees his future getting narrower and narrower because of how he treated you,” Carl snapped. “And you shouldn’t give it another thought.”
He said it with such conviction that I wanted to believe it, but behind the alcohol-infused gaze, there had been real fear lurking in Hirsh’s eyes.
When we pulled up to my apartment, we both groaned. The press was camped out in the parking lot. I couldn’t deal with this. Not right now. Not tonight. Quickly, I called Rachel.
“You on your way home?” she asked as way of greeting.
“Actually, I’m here, and I seem to be having a press problem. How would you feel if I crashed with you tonight? I’m just not in the mood to deal with them.”
“Come on over. We’ll do makeovers and discuss your tragic sense of fashion.”
“Really?” I muttered. It wasn’t quite what I had in mind, but if makeovers included wine, I could handle that. Still, I didn’t want to get her in trouble either. “I don’t want you in the spotlight.”
She snorted. “I was born to be in the spotlight. I’ve always wanted to be friends with a celeb!”
Wonderful.
Five
Jack
Figuring that there would still be press crawling all around my penthouse building, I camped out at my father’s estate that night. I couldn’t stay in my old room. I hadn’t stepped foot in that wing of the house since I’d left for college. Instead, my father had a number of guest rooms, and I’d always found that preferable when I was forced to stay over. They weren’t cloaked in as many memories.
I already had enough weighing down on me. The silence after sending my text to Blythe haunted me. More than anything, I wanted to call her and assure her that it would be okay, but first I needed to know that it would be okay.
I didn’t want my father to be right, but I loved Blythe. If letting her go meant protecting her, then I would do it in a heartbeat.
As I sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the clock, it was nearing midnight. She would be home by now and probably already sleeping. I couldn’t call Blythe, no matter how desperately I wanted to hear her voice. Instead, I called Carl.
“Report,” I muttered as I got up and started to pace. I was exhausted, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I knew that Blythe was okay.
“There were press all over her apartment,” Carl said stiffly. “I drove her to her friend’s for the night.”
I waited, but he didn’t say anything else. “You’ve been with her all day,” I reminded him. “You didn’t just drive her home. I want a full report.”
“I’m sorry, boss,” he said finally. “You asked me to make sure she wasn’t bothered. I tried to do that. I won’t invade her privacy.”
“You work for me,” I growled.
“And I did as you asked.”
This was nuts. Carl’s loyalty to me never wavered, and now he was choosing to go against me? Then it hit me. “You’re pissed at me.” He didn’t say anything, and I sighed. “You can speak freely, Carl. I won’t fire you just because you’re angry.”
“You’re letting her worry about you.” The accusation came with so much heat that I felt the blast even through the phone.
I winced, holding the phone tighter. “I’m still sorting through all the facts. I don’t want this to touch her any more than it has to.”
“It’s already touched her. It’s run her over, backed up, and run her over again!”
He was yelling. My stoic bodyguard who didn’t even like Blythe was yelling at me. “What do you mean? What happened today?”
“She’s scared. She’s scared for you, and you sent her a goddamn text. That’s a low blow, boss.”
Sighing, I rubbed my temples. “I’ll call her tomorrow. I don’t mean to hurt her. I’m trying to protect her.”
“You didn’t kill Sherry, boss,” he said quietly. “And whoever did is making sure that Miss Blythe is involved. You need to consider that. Your silence is going to protect her.”
He hung up, and I immediately pulled up her contact information and stared at it. I ached to call her and listen to her voice. She had a way of soothing me.
I’m yours. Forever.
I wondered if she knew just how short forever could be.
When I woke up early the next morning, I was feeling the effects of tossing and turning all night. All I could think of was Blythe. I even dreamed of her wrapped around me and moaning my name, but when I woke up, she wasn’t there.
Immediately, I checked my phone, but it was barely dawn. Blythe wasn’t much of a morning person. Even if she was up, I doubt she would even consider calling me. Especially not after I’d been so cold to her.
I didn’t have a change of clothes here at the estate, but I had someone bring me a few things yesterday. After a quick shower, I changed and headed downstairs. My father, unsurprisingly, was already up and brewing coffee. The tension crackled between us.
“Are you still going to give me the cold shoulder like a woman?” he asked casually.
“I don’t know. Are you still planning on manipulating my life to suit your needs?” I shot back as I opened the fridge and pulled out some orange juice. I was still so angry that I was practically shaking. It made me want to vomit to know that he’d gone to Blythe and pleaded on my behalf just because he thought I’d be happier fucking her.
“I just want you to succeed, son.”
“Well, it looks like you chose to fuck with the wrong woman because now my career is practically in the toilet, my ex is dead, and my current girlfriend thinks I might have orchestrated her death.” Pouring myself a cup, I turned to him. “Maybe if you had talked me into fucking Sherry instead of Blythe, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“That is not what I did,” he spat. “You know it. You wanted Blythe. She wanted you. You two were being stubborn, and I could see what she meant to you. Do I believe in love? No. Does that mean that I didn’t want you to be happy?”
I stared at him, trying to read between his lines. “So, you aren’t pissed that I bought her a ring? You weren’t hoping that I’d get tired of her once I’d fucked her a dozen times or so? Isn’t that how long you keep a woman around?”
He flinched, and I knew I’d hit a mark.
The coffee stopped brewing, and he poured us two cups. I downed my orange juice while searching the refrigerator for something to eat. “I can order us some breakfast,” he said hoarsely.
“Toast is fine. I don’t have much of an appetite.”
“Kid…”
I turned to face him. “She’s not Mom. Blythe’s not in it for the money or the power. All of that makes her uncomfortable. She’s not going to cheat on me or leave me.”
“I would have said the same thing about your mother.” Hale’s voice was even, but his eyes grew a little harder. We rarely spoke about my mother. It had been a taboo subject when I was younger, and I only knew the truth when I’d spent a night drinking with him. My father caught my mother with her legs wrapped around another man. He’d been furious, but he told me that he’d wanted to work on their relationship.
She didn’t. She left. I was fourteen. For years, I hated her. I hated her for leaving me with Hale. I
hated him for driving her away. I blamed everyone. I even blamed myself.
“I’m sorry for what she did to you, but Blythe won’t do that to me.”
My father looked at me with sympathetic eyes. “Maybe you’re right, but you’re going to ruin that woman’s life. I like her. I’ve never lied about that, but she doesn’t have what it takes to stand by your side during this.”
Before I could argue the point, the front door opened. “No need to announce me. I can find my way,” Klaus said in a husky voice from the hall. “God, please tell me there’s coffee.”
“There’s coffee,” Hale assured him as he walked into the kitchen. The lawyer stopped short and looked between the two of us before he sighed. “Stow whatever argument you two were having. I’ve been up all night, and I don’t think you’re going to like what I have to say.”
Hale sat at the table, and I walked over to pour the man his coffee. Bringing the sugar and creamer to the table, I sat down between them and watched warily as he opened his briefcase.
“First of all, the Carin family is here. That’s two generations of senators and Georgia’s district attorney. They’re making damn sure that the investigation takes precedent. That’s good for us because it means that we can clear things up sooner. I spoke to them last night, and some things don’t add up. You’re right. Sherry hadn’t been back to Georgia in years. In fact, neither her parents or her brother had heard from her in over a year.”
Frowning, I sipped at my coffee. “That’s not right. Sherry and her mother were like sisters. They shared everything, and her family adored her. What would make her cut them off?”
“Actually, it sounds like it was the other way around.” Klaus cleared his throat and looked at me, and for the first time, I thought he might be nervous. “They were under the impression that you two were to be married. When you weren’t, it caused a huge rift in the family.”
I gaped at him. “Are you serious? Sherry and I never had that kind of relationship. There was no romance. She was my date in public and my bed warmer at night. We spoke frankly about it. I wanted to make sure that she didn’t think it would go further. She had no desire to be married. It worked for us.”
His Fall From Power Page 3