Evergreen: An Alpha Billionaire Romance

by Michelle Love

  “I didn’t realize a man could cause so much trouble with just one look,” the detective muttered. “That’s Lucas Montgomery.”

  “What?” I gasped. “I don’t understand. Is he someone important?”

  The detective snorted. “He owns Montgomery Industries. He’s one of the richest men in the city.”

  “I don’t pay much attention to business,” I said softly. “What did he say to you? Does he know who attacked me?”

  “He wanted to know what happened and if you were okay. Says he doesn’t know you and doesn’t know why someone would think that he’d pay ransom for you.”

  Rubbing my arms, I nodded. An angry shout drew my attention past him to the crowd where Randi was screaming at an officer.

  “She’s my roommate,” I said as I rushed over. “It’s okay.”

  “Sloan!” Randi wailed. “What the hell happened? These assholes wouldn’t let me talk to you. Are you okay? Do I need to kill someone?”

  “It’s her birthday. She’s a little drunk,” I apologized to the officer as I grabbed her arm. “Randi, maybe don’t offer to kill a police officer. I’m okay. I’ll explain everything later.”

  “Ms. Whitlow, do you want an officer to escort you home?”

  A shiver of fear slid down my spine. Was there any chance that the men knew where I lived? “It might be nice if someone followed us.” I swallowed hard and squeezed Randi’s arm.

  “Officer Jackson will follow you,” the detective said with a nod. “Go home and try to get some sleep. I’ll let you know if I have any further questions.”

  Nodding, I pulled Randi through the small taped off area. Before I could get in the car, she threw her arms around me.

  “I was so scared when I saw all the police lights and couldn’t find you in the club,” she whispered in my ear.

  Holding her tightly, my eyes scanned the parking lot for any sign of the would-be kidnappers or for Lucas Montgomery. “Come on,” I murmured. “Let’s go home.”

  I desperately needed a shot of tequila and a long hot shower. Anything to help keep the nightmares that would surely haunt me tonight at bay.

  By Monday, I had pushed Friday night’s horrific events to the back of my mind. Determined to focus on school, I’d spent most of the weekend in the library, and now the only thing that split my focus was the image of Lucas Montgomery.

  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn´t stop thinking of him. He’d looked at me like I was a main course.

  I kind of wanted to be his main course.

  “Hi, Sloan.”

  Locking the front door to my apartment behind me, I turned to the sound of the soft spoken voice. Matthew was our next-door neighbor, but we didn’t know much about him. He looked to be somewhere in his thirties, and he was attractive in a dark and brooding way, but he rarely said more than just hello and goodbye. I had no idea what he did for a living, and I never saw anyone go in or out of the apartment with him. He kept strange hours, and we never heard a peep from his apartment. No television or music blaring. Trish felt sure that he was a serial killer.

  “Hi, Matthew. How was your weekend?”

  “Fine.” Without offering any more information, he opened his door and left me standing in the open courtyard.

  I don’t even know why he bothered to say hi at all. Grumbling, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and started walking towards my car. Our apartment building stood three stories high and surrounded the courtyard. The company did a good job of maintaining a small garden in the middle, so it was always pretty to look at. The top two levels had railed walk-ways that overlooked everything, but those of us on the first floor had a small patio where we could put out chairs. Because we were so close to the university, most of my neighbors were students, so we were all friendly with each other.

  Matthew was an exception.

  When I reached my car, I saw a dark car in the overflow parking spot near my apartment. It wouldn’t have caught my attention except that it had been there all weekend. Every time I saw it, it looked like there was a person inside.

  Like surveillance. Detective Allen had offered me security detail if I felt like I was in danger, but it seemed unlikely that the kidnappers would know where I lived, so I had turned it down. Maybe he was having me followed anyway.

  They stayed parked as I pulled out of the complex, so I pushed that out of my mind as well. I had three classes today, and I hoped to squeeze in some time to work on my thesis.

  Campus was in full swing by the time I pulled in to one of the student parking lots. Since it was early, most of the students rushed to class with cups of coffee in their hands. I had already had two cups this morning, and while I loved to stop at the campus coffee shop, I probably needed to cool it with the caffeine.

  It wasn’t until my last class that I realized that I was being followed. When I passed the Business Center building, I could see their reflections in the tinted glass. When I stood in line at the dining hall, I saw them lounging by the entrance. And when I headed back to the library, I just had a feeling that if I turned around, they’d be no more than a few feet behind me.

  Turning the corner, I bumped into a hard body. Books and papers spilled on the floor. “Watch where you’re going,” a younger woman snapped.

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered. Bending down, I tried to help pick up her things, but I kept looking over my shoulder. “Did you see two guys in suits following me?”

  “Paranoid much? Lay off the rooms.” She grabbed the book out of my hand and stalked off in a huff.

  “Rude,” I muttered, but she was right. I did sound paranoid. Maybe I hadn’t shaken off the attack like I’d thought. Feeling like a crazy person, I gripped the strap of my bag and quickly climbed the steps to the library. Only people with student or faculty passes were allowed inside, so if anyone was following me, I’d lose them inside.

  But the hairs on the back of my neck never went down.

  Chapter Four

  Lucas

  “Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Hamburg is here to see you.” Cecilia poked her head in my door and gave me a friendly smile in an effort to soften the blow.

  I grunted my displeasure and wrinkled my nose. “Did he say what he wanted?”

  Hamburg was a member of the board, and he was always a thorn in my side. Still, it was unusual for him to stop by for an unscheduled meeting. Cecilia gave me a pained look. “I’m afraid not.” She was a pretty woman a few years older than myself. Single, but I’d never been tempted. Not only did she had three kids, but I didn’t mix business with pleasure. She’d come to me as a temp, and we’d worked well together, so I had hired her full time.

  “I have a conference call in Tokyo in ten minutes, but it shouldn’t keep me too long. See if he wants a cup of coffee. If he wants to see a specific department, get Walsh to take him.”

  Gordon Walsh was my personal assistant. He’d started as an eager intern, and a year later he still hadn’t lost his irritating cheerfulness. But he was organized and energetic, so I kept him on as well.

  “Yes, sir. Would you like me to bring you a coffee as well?”

  “No. That’s Walsh’s job,” I grumbled.

  I knew she was about to argue, so I look pointedly at the clock to usher her out. She closed the door quietly behind her, and I pulled my notebook from my briefcase. My production line in Tokyo was still in its early stages, and they had to check in every week with updates. Normally someone else would take the calls, but the last time I had tried to expand to Tokyo, the deal went disastrously South. I didn’t need any more black marks against me in Japan.

  Despite the stress that my company put on my shoulders, my office was my place of peace. Large and sparsely decorated, it had a wall of glass that overlooked the city below. I despised clutter, so my desk was neat and organized. I had a couch for when I wanted to relax, Bluetooth speakers for when I needed music, and a television for when I needed to watch the news. It connected to my own private bathroom and shower, so when I needed to t
ake a break and go for a run or do some push-ups, I would wash up afterward. The door locked automatically behind me. My retina scan got me in, and several members of the company had key cards that could override the system. Here, I felt in control.

  My phone vibrated, distracting me. The text message was quick and simple. I think she’s made us.

  Damn it. I had four men tailing Sloan Whitlow. They rotated throughout the day, and they were supposed to keep her safe, but they were also supposed to keep their distance. She was never supposed to know that they were there.

  Annoyed, I texted them back. Not okay. Keep me updated.

  Logically, it was not my fault that someone had tried to kidnap her, but I couldn’t help but feel guilty. It would have been obvious to anyone at the club that I was interested in her.

  More than interested. She’d been on the forefront of my mind all weekend, and even now, the image of her haunted me. My inner voice taunted me. Maybe I wanted her to realize that I was having men follow her. Maybe I wanted a reason to talk to her again.

  “Konnichiwa, Mr. Montgomery.” The video feed popped up on the computer, and the representative bowed to me. “How are you this evening?”

  “It’s still morning here,” I grunted and held up my coffee. “I appreciate you staying up late.”

  “We are used to it. Progress is good. We have filled almost all the employment slots. We have a mountain of applications.”

  I paid my employees well, so I expected nothing less. I demanded a lot from the people who worked for me, but I compensated them accordingly. “Good. How is the construction going?”

  The man cringed. “I’m afraid it still looks a week behind schedule.”

  “My contract for the builder only gives a four-week margin of error. If they push it behind anymore, they’ll be breeching the contract, and I’ll find someone else who can finish the job. And I won’t hesitate to do that. I’d rather waste time finding a new builder than work with someone who can’t meet my demands,” I said harshly.

  “Of course. I’ll make sure they know that.”

  “See that you do. Email me their response.” The small red light on my phone indicating that my secretary wanted to speak to me started to blink, and I ended the conversation with Japan and pushed it. “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry to bother you again, Mr. Montgomery. Mr. Hamburg is insistent that he needs to see you right away.”

  The damn man was pushy. I sighed and shook my head. “That’s fine, Cecilia. I’ve wrapped up my conference call. Send him in.” I pushed the button under my desk that unlocked my door.

  The door clicked, and Cecilia swung it open and led Hamburg in. He was a tall, portly man with thinning gray hair and shrewd dark eyes. Of all the board members, he was the least irritating, but he was also the most involved. Most of the members only showed up during meetings, but Hamburg liked to call frequently with new ideas. He’d recently retired from his own company, and I think he missed the action. I usually welcomed his ideas. He had a mind for business.

  “Hamburg,” I said as I rose from my desk. Grabbing his hand, I shook it firmly and gestured to the empty seat. “What brings you in today?”

  He sank into the seat and took a few deep breaths. Years of drinking, smoking, and poor eating were taking a toll on him. “Montgomery. I’m sorry for barging into your office, but there is something that I thought you should see.” He reached into his inner jacket pocket and slid a newspaper across the table. The Boston Times. Narrowing my eyes, I unfolded the paper and scanned over the headline.

  “Montgomery Industries to buy up prime Boston real estate.” I read. “What the fuck is this shit? We just voted on the expansion last month. I haven’t even set up an appointment with real estate, and we sure as hell haven’t bought any property yet.”

  “I doubt anyone would have even noticed had I not had some connections in Boston,” Hamburg said. “Someone thought they could leak information without it reaching you.”

  I quickly read through the article. “My public relations department doesn’t even take phone calls from the press unless we’re unveiling a project or dealing with a public issue. Any reporter calling for more details would have been ignored,” I murmured. “Hamburg, that was a closed door meeting, and all the information in this article is correct.”

  “I know.”

  His words hung heavily between us. He didn’t dare come right out and accuse the members of leaking the information, but we both knew that there were few other explanations. “I’ll have security sweep the room for bugs,” I said stiffly. “None of this is damaging information, but I don’t want to risk any critical information reaching the public before we’re ready.”

  “Bugs. Right,” he said with a wry smile. “And if you don’t find any?”

  “Then we follow normal protocol. You all signed a transparency agreement with the company. If the majority of the board agrees, I’ll be able to pull financial records. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  The older man nodded. He pursed his lips, and I could see the wheels in his head turning. “If I were you, I wouldn’t announce the leak to the board just yet. It could cause unneeded duress. There is nothing more dangerous than powerful men who don’t trust each other in the same room. If you can’t find a reasonable explanation for the leak, you could set up private meetings with each board member and feed them each a different false lead. When the story is leaked, you’ll have your man.”

  I nodded. “Excellent idea. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I’ll have my team do a search each day to make sure that no other information is out there. Is there anything else I can do for you while you’re here?”

  “You could give me the number for your secretary,” he said with a devious smile.

  “And have your wife beating down my door? I don’t think so.” I rose again and shook his hand. “If you’re so inclined, my assistant will walk you around. Feel free to talk with anyone that you like.”

  “Can Cecilia give me the tour?” he pushed.

  “Absolutely not,” I said with a grin. “Thank you again, Hamburg. And I appreciate your discretion on the matter.”

  As he nodded his head, I walked around the desk and opened the door. When Hamburg exited, I noticed Torrence leaning over Cecilia’s desk. She was deeply enthralled in their conversation, and neither noticed me standing there. I cleared my throat, and he jumped away guiltily.

  “Montgomery,” he said as he cleared his voice. “I was just coming to see you.”

  “Really?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “Or are you here to see my secretary?”

  “I just told him that you were in a meeting,” Cecilia said hastily. I cocked my head and stared at her. In all the time that I had known her, she had never been nervous around anyone before.

  “Where the hell is Walsh?” I growled. “I want him to show Hamburg around.”

  “I’ll page him immediately,” she said as she reached for the phone.

  “Hamburg, behave yourself while you wait,” I said in a low voice. “Torrence, come in.”

  My security gave Hamburg a suspicious look before walking through the door. “Why would he not behave himself?” Torrence demanded.

  “I trust you’re not here to question the actions of a board member,” I said mildly as I closed the door.

  “No. I’m here because the police called. Why didn’t you tell me about the incident at the club? You have four of my men tailing some strange girl? They’re hired to protect you, and that’s hard to do when you leave out pertinent information and keep them from the building,” he said sharply.

  Torrence was pushing forty. He worked as part of my father’s security detail, and he was the only man I’d ever consider to run my own security. We’d been friends for a long time. He was married to the job, and he took personal offense when I did anything to make that job even harder.

  “I didn’t say anything because the attack wasn’t targeted at me,” I said calmly. “And I’m protecting
the woman because I’m the reason she was harmed in the first place.”

  “Not targeted at you? Someone wants to hurt you through other people. How is that not targeted at you?” Torrence snapped.

  “They don’t want me. They want my money. And if you really want to help, you’ll look into it so I don’t have to worry about it.” I sat down and stared at him.

  “Lucas, we’ve been lucky so far. The most I have to deal with is angry activists. In order for me to keep it that way, you need to let me know when something like this happens. I’ve looked at the police report. There isn’t much to go on. The plates on the van were stolen, and the men wore masks, so we can’t run them through the facial recognition database.”

  I blinked. “The police just gave you the report?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Sure. We’ll go with that. I want to speak to Mrs. Whitlow.”

  “Ms. Whitlow,” I said automatically. He narrowed his eyes and watched me as I hesitated. I could see where Torrence was coming from, but as much as I wanted to see my wallflower again, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “I wanted her followed at a distance, but I think she’s already suspicious. I’ll have her brought in tomorrow.”

  “Good. Next time you withhold information from me, I’ll kill you myself.”

  “I don’t see why you’re so upset. If I had told you, you wouldn’t have had a reason to come up and flirt with my secretary,” I said coolly. He narrowed his eyes, and I smirked. “Before you go, I need you to quiet sweep the board conference room for bugs.”

  He raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t ask any questions. I felt almost guilty as I watched the door close. Normally I would brush this kind of situation aside. As cold as it seemed, I was far too busy to deal with every little infraction, but my body burned to see her again.

  Was I making things worse for her just so I could insinuate myself into her life?

  Chapter Five

  Sloan

  It wasn’t my imagination. Someone was following me. When I walked out of the courtyard from my apartment, the same dark car was parked in the overflow parking lot. Only this time, two men were standing outside the car.