Mistake Me Not

by Scarlett Finn

  ‘Shep,’ Sorcha drawled swaying her hips around the blonde’s desk.

  Shep took the hand Sorcha extended but his focus remained on Lacie, which served to confuse her because Sorcha was the noticeable one.

  ‘Ladies come in,’ Shep said dropping Sorcha’s hand.

  Shep moved out of the way to let Sorcha enter his office and still he watched Lacie’s every move.

  Something lingered behind the smile Shep bestowed on her when she passed him to enter behind Sorcha. And though the office appeared the same as it had on her first visit here the air was different. Maybe it was because she subconsciously relived her first encounter with Ryder, which had taken place in this space. Carrying on inside in spite of her unease they all found their seats and Shep still watched her, which had Sorcha looking at her with a healthy dollop of her own curiosity.

  ‘What am I missing?’ Sorcha asked, but Shep completely ignored her.

  ‘I got an email from Stone,’ Shep said with a smile dancing on his lips.

  ‘I know,’ Lacie said glancing to her friend in hope that she would take over – she didn’t.

  ‘I tell you,’ Shep said. ‘I’ve known Stone a long time, too long. He’s never given up business to me. But that’s not the shocking thing.’

  ‘What’s the shocking thing?’ Sorcha asked.

  ‘The way he warned me off, it was almost... insecure, tough as he was trying to make himself out to be. Tell me little lady, is playing away your deal?’ His eyes dragged down to her chest. ‘’Cause I tell you even if he does kill me I have a feeling it would be worth it.’

  ‘Did he tell you about Bruce?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘He gave me the bare bones,’ Shep said to her. ‘The first thing to do would be to check out the address.’

  ‘We did,’ Lacie said. ‘You don’t want a piece of that.’

  ‘We’ll see. Stone and I have different methods.’

  From what Ryder had told her that was true. ‘Just don’t go alone,’ Lacie said.

  ‘I don’t plan to,’ he said switching his attention to Sorcha. ‘You want to see this guy?’

  ‘No,’ Lacie said. ‘You’re not taking her there.’

  ‘I don’t want a showdown,’ Sorcha said.

  ‘Do you see my face?’ Lacie asked. ‘They did this.’

  ‘You’ll be safe with me sweetheart, like I said Stone and I have different methods.’

  ‘What?’ Lacie said.

  ‘You told me not to go alone. You want to help your friend, don’t you?’ Shep asked.

  ‘You want me to go back there?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘Sure,’ Shep said. ‘I’ll look after you.’

  ‘No, I can’t. Ryder said they won’t be there anymore anyway,’ Lacie said.

  ‘Then there’s nothing to worry about, is there? We can check out the place see what they left behind. Think of it as an adventure.’

  ‘I’ve had all the adventures I want this week,’ Lacie said.

  ‘You can ID this Bruce guy,’ Shep said.

  ‘Sorcha has a picture.’ Lacie wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

  ‘I work well with a partner,’ Shep said. ‘I’ll give you a break on the final bill if you help me out.’

  ‘Why do you want me involved?’ Lacie asked. ‘You’re trying to wind up Ryder, aren’t you?’

  He didn’t answer but the mischief in his eyes told her that she was right.

  ‘You’re not taking Lacie, she’s been through enough,’ Sorcha belatedly asserted.

  ‘Couldn’t agree more.’

  The women turned in their chairs as Shep looked to the door. Ryder stood in it leaning against the frame with one thumb tucked into his jeans pocket. He looked cool and tough, he needed a shave and he’d clearly only combed his hair with his fingers today but her lips parted in preparation for his though there was a room between them, and he hadn’t even looked at her yet. No one moved for a minute then Ryder began to swagger across the room one long, slow stride at a time.

  ‘Lacie’s going nowhere, and neither is Sorcha. They’re paying you to do a job, and if you can’t do it I’ll get one of my boys on it.’

  ‘Don’t think it’s you that the ladies want,’ Shep said.

  ‘You had a personal relationship with the principal which is the only reason you’re getting a crack at this at all,’ Ryder answered.

  ‘You took the girl with you,’ Shep said.

  ‘She’s not the girl,’ Ryder said stopping between their seats and widening his stance. ‘She’s my girl and you know it.’

  ‘Would you excuse us for a moment?’ Lacie asked bouncing to her feet and taking Ryder’s arm to drag him to the corner. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked. ‘How did you know we were here?’

  ‘I called Tiffany.’

  ‘Tiffany?’

  ‘The girl out front. Plus, Sorcha’s car is outside.’

  ‘How do you know her car? Forget it, I don’t want to know,’ she said swiping an eyelash from his cheek and realising for the first time how intimately close they stood. ‘I told you not to come.’

  ‘I’m glad I did, he was trying to strong arm you. I told you I know what he’s like.’

  ‘I was saying no, I was handling it.’

  His hand went to the wall far above her head and he leaned in. ‘I know. But I’m here to back you up.’

  ‘Why are you here?’ she asked. ‘He was only pressuring me to go in an effort to wind you up, with you here he’ll know it’s working.’

  ‘We’re having a private conference in the corner,’ Ryder said. ‘I’m wound up for very different reasons that are nothing to do with him.’

  Ryder’s eyes travelled down her body and instead of feeling violated as she had when Shep had looked at her that way the crackling of the air between them got almost audible. Touching his sternum with her index finger she pushed up to her tiptoes and kissed the stubble on his jaw. His eyes flared and that corner of his mouth tilted up. Parting her lips she tipped her chin upwards and he took her cue, lowering his mouth to hers for a kiss – chaste in comparison to their last union, but certainly more than friendly.

  ‘Are you ok?’ he asked, any delight was replaced with concern.

  ‘He keeps staring,’ she said in a whisper. ‘I don’t like the way he looks at me. I’m angry at you and confused by this whole thing, but...’

  ‘But?’

  ‘I like the way you look at me. I like how it makes me feel,’ she said stalling her examination of his tee-shirt to look up at him.

  ‘I love your mind,’ he said. ‘And how you speak it.’

  ‘I’m not usually this... verbal.’

  ‘Then I count myself lucky.’

  ‘I’m angry,’ she said sounding anything but.

  ‘I’ll grovel.’

  ‘Isn’t that beneath you?’

  ‘Not if it gets me beneath you,’ he muttered leaning in again but she retreated.

  ‘I’m confused. I don’t understand.’

  ‘I’ll explain everything, anything you want to know.’

  ‘Why?’ she asked. ‘Why me?’

  ‘You feel it too,’ he said. ‘Can you explain it?’

  She couldn’t but she knew what he was talking about – that undeniable, indestructible, invisible bond that drew them to each other, and had since their very first shared moment.

  ‘Excuse me,’ Sorcha chirped. ‘Sorry to interrupt but we have to get going.’

  ‘What?’ Lacie said in unison with Ryder who had hooked her under his arm as they turned to Sorcha who was now closing in on them.

  ‘We’re all going, together.’

  ‘Sorcha,’ Lacie said with warning knowing that tickle in her friend’s voice.

  ‘Come on,’ Sorcha said. ‘Shep assures me it will be an adventure.’

  ‘You’re not going,’ Lacie said. ‘It’s dangerous.’

  ‘You’re not going either,’ Ryder said to her.

  Lacie completely ignored him and slid her
hand into his back pocket. ‘Sorcha, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.’

  ‘Would you rather the boys went alone?’ Sorcha asked. Shep was out from behind the desk and approaching.

  ‘Stone’s chicken, he’s already fucked this up.’

  ‘Watch your language in front of the ladies,’ Ryder said. ‘And you’re not going to goad me into it.’

  ‘Just me and the girls then,’ Shep said taking Sorcha’s arm and eyeing Lacie.

  ‘You keep looking at her like that and I’ll make sure you lose the ability to look at anything,’ Ryder said.

  ‘I’m going,’ Sorcha said. ‘I think I deserve this.’

  It might be her last chance for excitement and adventure – Lacie read between the lines. But Sorcha didn’t know what lay out there. Lacie couldn’t let her go alone especially in her current condition.

  ‘Sorch, let’s talk about this,’ Lacie said.

  ‘My father doesn’t know I’m back, if they see me—‘

  ‘Please, let’s sleep on it,’ Lacie said.

  ‘It’s lunchtime,’ Sorcha said. ‘You know how important this is.’

  ‘Nothing will change between now and then,’ Lacie said.

  ‘Actually it might,’ Ryder said. ‘Toby’s following the money.’

  ‘Can’t have that much of a trail,’ Shep said.

  ‘Got us there in the first place,’ Ryder responded.

  ‘Turned out well didn’t it,’ Shep said. ‘Hence why you’re here.’

  ‘The guy is careless.’

  ‘If he was you’ve scared him into hiding now.’

  ‘He’s not running from anything,’ Sorcha said.

  ‘Why did he leave town?’ Shep asked.

  ‘We don’t know what’s going on,’ Ryder said. ‘But he’s mixed up with something, and from experience I can tell you it stinks.’

  Lacie’s phone started to ring but she’d left her bag on the back of her chair so she dashed away from Ryder to get it. As she fished it out she saw that Sorcha had separated herself from the men.

  ‘Is it him?’ Sorcha asked.

  The phone screen held one word and when Lacie looked up at Sorcha she didn’t have to say it, Sorcha read her expression and held up two hands of crossed fingers.

  ‘Darwin,’ Lacie answered turning her back on the group and sticking her finger in her ear. ‘You rang. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so quickly.’

  Lacie listened to Darwin’s pitch but was crucially aware of the prickle on the back of her neck, which signified the three sets of eyes on her. Somehow, dealing with business now seemed surreal even though this was her life. ‘

  ‘Yes, I promise... of course, thank you.’ Lacie hung up slowly and dropped her phone into her bag.

  ‘Well?’ Sorcha asked as she turned.

  ‘Forty-five,’ Lacie said.

  The men remained in the background while Sorcha bounded closer. ‘Have you heard from Briggs?’

  ‘No, and I don’t expect to,’ Lacie said. ‘Not yet.’

  ‘Did you tell him about Spencer’s offer?’

  ‘No,’ Lacie said. ‘I’m not playing them off each other.’

  ‘You’re terrible. Was he trying to get you onto his yacht again? Did you tell him about Elijah?’

  ‘That’s none of his business, and I still don’t believe Elijah’s offer was real.’

  ‘I think it was,’ Sorcha said. ‘I think that’s how much he wants you.’

  ‘What’s your other job?’ Shep asked moseying up beside Sorcha. ‘Are you a hooker?’

  ‘Watch your mouth,’ Ryder said smacking the back of Shep’s head while passing him to reach Lacie.

  ‘He wanted to host a reception?’ Sorcha asked. ‘He’s trying to court you. You have to play the game.’

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘So much for your girl,’ Shep laughed. ‘She’s got them lined up.’

  Ryder propped himself on Shep’s desk behind her, but he didn’t touch her. Lacie didn’t like Shep’s attitude or Ryder’s reticence.

  ‘Shut up,’ Sorcha said taking her turn to chide Shep.

  ‘I have to go to dinner next week with a know-it-all millionaire,’ Lacie said then spun on the spot to fix Ryder in her sights. ‘Will you come with me?’

  The brooding man’s arms had been folded the width of his chest, and he’d been examining his boots. But when she spoke he seemed to snap out of it.

  ‘What?’ Ryder asked.

  ‘Their pursuit of her is relentless,’ Sorcha said putting an arm around Lacie’s waist to squeeze. ‘Everyone wants to commission her. It’s worse since the MoMA exhibition. But she’s so bad at this she’s got the reputation as a recluse because she hates to be the centre of attention.’

  ‘I’m not social. I’m better in small groups,’ Lacie said.

  ‘You’re eccentric,’ Sorcha said. ‘Are you going to look after her, or am I going to have to set her up with another of my trust fund suitors?’

  ‘MoMA,’ Shep said somewhere in the background.

  Lacie couldn’t help but notice that Ryder hadn’t said anything, though he watched her intently.

  ‘I think he only wants into your underwear,’ Sorcha said in judgement but Lacie didn’t think that Ryder heard her.

  His expression didn’t change but there was an intensity in his attention that made Lacie’s ears buzz and drowned all other sounds out.

  Ryder’s stance loosened and he reached for her. Lacie went willingly into the cradle of his arms, nestled in the vee of his thighs; he brushed her nose with his and kissed her again. A long, slow, deep plundering of her mouth as though they had all the time in the world, like they were all alone with the night stretched out in front of them.

  ‘She needs someone alert, assertive, and focused,’ Sorcha said.

  No doubt her words were in continuation of something she’d been saying for a while but Lacie’s body was Jell-O against Ryder’s. His body held hers up and she had no desire to move, and knew without asking that he’d fight to keep her in place, he wanted her right there in his arms.

  ‘You will pay attention, won’t you?’ Sorcha insisted. ‘You know the exact opposite of what you’re doing now. She’s awful, she can’t say no, and often fazes out... like now.’

  ‘I’ll look after her,’ Ryder said to Sorcha as he stroked Lacie’s face.

  ‘Forty-five,’ Shep said snapping back into the group. ‘Are you talking tens? Hundreds?’

  ‘Thousand,’ Sorcha said.

  ‘Now I know what the besotted look is for,’ Shep said.

  ‘What?’ Sorcha asked.

  ‘This guy doesn’t go gooey eyed over a woman; never seen it. She’s an artist, she’s raking it in.’

  ‘Lacie is a beautiful, smart, funny, sensitive—‘ Sorcha was cut off.

  ‘He’s not short of a few doubloons himself... course you can never have too much.’

  ‘Are you listening to his babbling?’ Ryder asked her.

  ‘Is someone talking?’ Lacie asked. His smile tasted hers. ‘I want to see your office.’

  ‘I want to see your bedroom,’ Ryder teased.

  ‘You’ve seen my bedroom,’ she said.

  ‘Not for long enough.’

  ‘This is all wonderful, and I couldn’t be happier for you Lace. It’s about time you got a break after the whole Matt Rhys debacle. You like this one then keep him I know how nuts you are for loyalty and this will tick a box but—‘

  Lacie kissed Ryder then turned in his arms never letting their bodies part for a moment.

  ‘You’re right,’ Lacie said resting her hands on Ryder’s arms that held her flush against him. ‘We have to get you sorted. We’ll all pack a bag and meet somewhere in an hour. We’ll do it together and get it done.’

  ‘Really?’ Sorcha gushed.

  ‘We know what we’re talking into or at least we’re better prepared now.’

  ‘Pack a bag,’ Shep said. ‘Why do I need—‘

  ‘Alw
ays be prepared,’ Lacie said quoting Ryder.

  ‘This is so exciting,’ Sorcha said.

  ‘There are more of us this time,’ Lacie said to Ryder’s unspoken reservations. ‘And we have to work as a team.’

  ‘Come on then, quickly,’ Sorcha said. ‘I have to drive you home first.’

  ‘I’ll take her,’ Ryder said.

  ‘But you’ll have to—‘

  ‘He’s already packed,’ Lacie said linking their fingers. ‘Everyone meet at mine in an hour.’

  ‘At yours?’ Shep objected. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because they’re the couple who will need some alone time, duh!’ Sorcha exclaimed.

  ‘I could take you home,’ Shep said to Sorcha.

  ‘Been there, done that,’ Sorcha said sashaying those hips out of the office. ‘No thanks.’

  ‘And we all know why,’ Ryder said to Lacie’s crown but she elbowed him.

  ‘Privacy, loyalty,’ she murmured. ‘What we discuss goes no further.’

  ‘You got it Baby,’ Ryder said and pushed away from the desk. ‘Better get moving to make the most of our alone time.’

  ‘Heard that part didn’t you?’ Lacie teased.

  ‘I heard the word “couple”,’ he said. ‘It made me want to drag you back to my cave.’

  The man didn’t even look at the spritely Tiffany, despite her desperate attempt to get his attention. But they were on the street and once again heading to his now familiar truck – Sorcha honked and waved as she passed. Ryder boosted Lacie into the truck and got to his own seat. He cranked the engine and handed her his aviators.

  ‘You left these,’ Ryder said to her.

  Happy to oblige him she slid them on. ‘This is weird.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘How normal this is,’ she said. ‘It is, isn’t it? I’m mad and confused and we’re practically strangers but—‘

  ‘It’s normal,’ he said. ‘I know.’

  During the journey back to hers his hand remained on her thigh but it didn’t stay still. He drummed his fingers upward playing it coy while they chatted about Shep’s history both with Ryder, and with Sorcha.

  Not far from her place his palm inched up further toward her crotch. Playing him at his own game she slid down in the seat bringing his hand into direct contact with her heat. He swerved the truck like he had when she’d smiled on the first night of their road trip. The way he scrambled to get both hands on the wheel to get them back in lane made her laugh.