by Tia Siren
“Then I’ll leave a note,” I said.
“You do that,” the general manager said.
She walked up behind Jeremy and tapped him on the shoulder. She whispered something to him before she gave him a nasty look. Then he went on his way. I pulled the other file I was looking for and went to sit at the desk. I scribbled a note for the new event planner to see before I started looking through the second file.
“Try not to interact with him,” she said.
“Wasn’t my fault,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter. If you’re gonna nail him, don’t provoke him.”
I whipped my gaze up to her, and she shut her office door. She sat down in the chair across from the desk, her hard eyes on me as I stuck the note about the nuts to the computer screen.
“If that note disappears, I’ll make sure to let the other event planner know,” she said.
“Thanks.”
“The reason HR suggested you take some time off from here is because the police came around looking for Jeremy,” she said.
“Should you be talking about this?” I asked.
“After that little insubordinate altercation? Yes. I had a feeling you’d come in here to check on your events, and I told Jeremy on several occasions to keep away from you,” she said.
“Ah.”
“Look, if he’s doing all this and you really want to nail him, that’s on you. This is a place of business, so if he engages you, don’t fire back. The police are looking into things, but so far Jeremy’s done nothing but play nice with them. I just wanted to let you know that they were around here looking for him, so he’s not out of the loop.”
“You sound like you believe me,” I said.
“There isn’t a soul in this place who doesn’t. Everyone has their faults, and Jeremy’s been known to broadcast his. We’re behind you, all of us. But, we have to do this right. So I’ll have another talk with Jeremy, and this is my talk with you. Officially, I’ve told you to not engage him if he engages you. Unofficially, nail his ass,” she said.
“I will. I’m gonna look over this file, and then I’m out of here for the remainder of my vacation,” I said.
“Lexi, you’re a workaholic who enjoys what she does. I’ll see you in a few days.”
The general manager winked at me before getting up. Then she left the office. Jeremy didn’t attempt to come back in, but every time I looked up, it seemed as if he was staring at me. I’d catch his gaze for a second before he’d avert it. Then he’d go on about his business as if nothing had happened. I was getting an uneasy feeling about being at work, so I wrapped up my notes in the file before I put them back. I wanted to get out of here to relieve myself of the shivers this place was giving me.
But when I stood up, I had to pee.
“Fucking coffee,” I said, groaning.
I shut the office down and scurried to the bathroom. I stuck to the walls and the dark corners, making sure Jeremy didn’t see me. The last thing I wanted to do was be cornered by him again, especially since I couldn’t engage him. This was getting so messy, and part of me just wanted to pack up and move somewhere else, start over in another state, get another job and never date a fucking colleague.
I got to the bathroom and relieved myself. I splashed some water on my face and took some deep breaths, but a shadowed movement from underneath the bathroom door caught my eye. I held my breath, watching the figure stand there, and for a second I thought they were going to come in. I felt my hands trembling as my eyes watered. Soap dripped from my fingertips as I stood feverishly still. My breathing kicked up as the person simply stood there, almost as if they were waiting for me to move.
“Jeremy! You around here!? I wanna talk about this uptight wedding event coming up!”
The shadow moved. I heard footsteps fade away as I let go of the breath I’d been holding. Then I took the opportunity to dash out. I didn’t look back and I didn’t even try to dry off my hands. I threw myself out the back exit and into the alleyway. I ran for the parking lot, tears streaming down my face as my wet hands began to freeze in the cold.
He had been standing at the bathroom door.
I bent over at the waist and vomited beside my car. The bagel I’d had for breakfast on the way in ended up on my shoes as my entire body shook with fear. I felt trapped. Trapped, alone, and vulnerable. I wanted this over with. I wanted him arrested. I wanted him out of my life, no matter what it took. I’d find another job. Or maybe move to another city. No matter what, I’d take the guys up on any offer that presented itself.
I wanted nothing more than to feel safe in my own life once more.
After spitting again before I got into my car, I slid into the seat and cranked it on, speeding out of there as I left the resort to quickly fade in my rearview mirror. I took deep breaths all the way home, reminding myself that I needed to text the guys once I got there. The last thing I needed was two chiseled firemen busting into my place of work to rescue me.
Or maybe that was exactly what I needed.
Chapter 11
“Son of a fucking bitch!”
I’d gone out to my car to go get Courtney and I some good coffee drinks and found that my car was totaled. The back end was completely smashed, the tires were flat, the windshield was completely busted, and it looked like the axle was broken. Courtney came running out of the apartment, her eyes wide as the sky as she surveyed the damage. I was already on the phone with my insurance company while I took pictures, sending them everything I could so they could assess the damage. They informed me an insurance adjuster would be out there this afternoon to take a look and tow it away if necessary, but I knew it would be totaled. They’d cut me a check for the measly amount of money my car was still worth, and I’d be out of a way to get myself to and from work.
Good thing I had fucking taken vacation.
“You know damn good and well who did this,” Courtney said.
I walked around the car and noticed there were some paint scrapings on it. They didn’t match the color of my vehicle, but they sure as hell matched Jeremy’s. I told Courtney to get the police officers on the phone, so she called them up.
“I’ve got them,” she said.
“Officer Rowland, how may I help ya?”
“Officer Rowland, it’s Lexi. We spoke last week about—”
“Yes, yes. I’ve been in contact with your friend. Everythin’ all right?”
“My car’s been totaled. Someone smashed into it last night. The car left some paint scrapings on the back of my car as well as some tire tracks. That anything you could use?” I asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Don’t touch anythin’. We’ll be right over.”
I handed the phone back to Courtney before I pulled out mine. I called Logan and Liam to tell them what had happened. I needed someone to calm me down, someone to talk me through what was going on. At this point, even my rock-solid best friend was beginning to feel unsafe in the apartment. So unsafe that she was talking about going and staying with someone else until this was all said and done.
I honestly couldn’t blame her. If I had the option, I’d do the same. But, besides the twins, Courtney and Jeremy were the only people I really knew in LA I had recently realized that Jeremy had always discouraged me from making relationships with my coworkers. Now I could see it as yet another way to keep me isolated.
“He what?” Liam asked.
“I couldn’t get Logan on the phone, so I wanted to at least let one of you know. The police are coming out here to take pictures and stuff. I just didn’t know who to call, I guess.”
“Put her on speakerphone,” I heard Logan say.
“Hello?”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I was finishing up a rousing arm wrestling game with one of the guys and didn’t feel my phone vibrate. Liam said something about your car getting totaled? Were you in an accident?” Logan asked.
“No. It was smashed into last night, and the paint left behind from the other car matches his car,
” I said.
“Are you all right?” Logan asked.
“I really don’t know anymore,” I said honestly.
“Beautiful, we’ve got a few more days at the department before we can pull away. That’s how it works around here. Four days on, three off. But if one of us can pull away, we’re coming to see you, all right? Did you call your insurance company?” Liam asked.
“I did. They’re sending out an adjuster this afternoon, but it’s totaled, guys. And I don’t have anywhere near the money to replace it.”
“Just take a deep breath. We’ll help you figure everything out, all right?” Logan asked. “In the meantime, keep yourself safe. We’re gonna be checking in on you frequently, understand?”
“Okay. All right. I see the police pulling up, so let me go.”
“Never,” they both said.
I giggled as I hung up the phone. The police officers from last week pulled up and immediately went over to the car. They started taking pictures of the car and the paint, some of which they scraped off and put into a little bag. Officer Rowland came and stood beside me, trying to comfort me as I watched them work.
“Got some good news. Wanna hear it?” he drawled.
“Holy fuck, yes,” I said breathlessly.
“There are cameras across the street. I’m gonna be headin’ out once we’re done here and talkin’ to the state about accessin’ ’em. If we can get some sort of a shot of the car that ran into yours, maybe a make and model, we’ll be one step closer to figurin’ all this out.”
I couldn’t help but throw my arms around him. Finally, we had a fucking lead to nail Jeremy. I hugged him tightly as he patted my back, and the first thing I wanted to do was text the twins. I left the officers be to do their thing while I went up to the apartment. Then I sent a message out to all of them. Liam and Logan said they were relieved, but the Jameson brothers piped up more than I thought they would. Kyle started going on about how he was taking the day off from his practice to come see how I was, and Kevin jumped right on the bandwagon.
I took the time to settle them down, telling them I was all right for now, but they weren’t having it.
One of us can be your escort around the city, Kevin said.
It won’t kill our patients to be left in the hands of our nurses for a few days, Kyle said.
It’s all right, really. I can use Courtney’s car if necessary, but I don’t have to work until after the holidays. I was a bit shaken up, but I’m doing better, I said.
Then at least let us do something. Treat you to dinner. Take you out to get your mind off things. Something, Kevin said.
A date with the Jameson brothers didn’t sound so bad. They were tall, thin, muscular—but unassumingly so. I remembered how beautifully their auburn hair shone, even in the fluorescent lighting of the hotel event room that night. Their blue eyes were set behind glasses I wouldn’t mind sliding off their faces. They could take me out to dinner, maybe play a little doctor with my body. I could fake a little cough, maybe tell them my legs hurt a bit.
Oh, I could definitely use the distraction of two tall, handsome doctors.
We’re taking you out, and that’s that. Tomorrow night, eight o’clock. How does that sound? Kyle asked via text message.
Wow. So demanding, Dr. Jameson. Are you always like this? I replied.
He can get a bit impatient, yes. This from Kevin.
I would love to go out with the two of you tomorrow evening. I could borrow Courtney’s car and meet you guys somewhere? I asked.
No way. We’ll be picking you up. Shoot us your address sometime tomorrow, and we’ll see that beautiful smile that I haven’t been able to get out of my head around eight. Kyle was definitely the more assertive twin.
I bet she gets that about her smile all the time. I couldn’t take my eyes off those legs, Kevin chimed in.
I giggled at their comments as excitement rose in my chest. I was going on a date with the Jameson brothers. I squealed, and Courtney came darting into the room. But before she could even shoot me a question, my phone vibrated again.
At the risk of sounding needy, I was wondering when Logan and I might be able to see you again.
It was a private message from Liam, and I felt my skin tingle. I smiled and closed my eyes, basking in the sensation of what it felt like to have men like them falling over their feet to get to me. Yes, they were all proving to be beautiful distractions, and I enjoyed talking with all of them late at night. I hadn’t heard too much from the Oakley brothers, so I assumed they were on the field a great deal practicing with their teams, but the Wolf brothers appeared with messages every single evening. Tony would send me pictures of the views he was taking in, while Terry sent me messages about the things he was learning about other countries. Their travels for business took them to all sorts of places, and I was jealous that I couldn’t explore like that myself.
I’m honestly not sure. I mean, I’m up for it, if that’s what you’re asking! Let’s get you guys through your work days this week, then we can chat about it. How does that sound?
Sounds perfect, Liam said.
Throughout the rest of the night, I was bombarded with text messages from all of them. They all kept telling me how they were going to make sure I was safe and protected, how they wouldn’t let Jeremy take anything else from me. I resisted the urge to tell them about the encounter at work, not wanting to stir up anything else among the men. But oh, how my heart soared. They were all so brazenly protective in all the ways they could be. The Castle brothers were ready to set up camp in my apartment while the Jameson brothers were about to start paying for a security alarm system. The Wolf brothers were two steps away from putting a protective detail on me and the Oakley brothers finally chimed in with the fact that they could do a great deal of damage with a baseball bat and a football helmet.
I talked with all of them while I thought ahead to my date tomorrow night. I was excited to see Kyle and Kevin and was looking forward to getting to know them better. But I was also excited about the prospect of being with them, of running my fingertips through their auburn locks of hair. My body shivered at the thought of another ménage a trois, but before I could really get into the fantasy, my phone rang again.
Only this time, it was the police.
“Hello?”
“Miss Marx? It’s Officer Rowland. Listen, I got all the evidence back we took this afternoon, an’ I got some good news an’ some bad news.”
“All right. Start with the good,” I said.
“Not only was there a videotape of the car that captured the license plate, but the license plate routed back to your ex, Jeremy Newberry. He also left fingerprints on the car, probably when he got out to smash in your windshield. We’ve issued a warrant for his arrest.”
“That’s wonderful! Holy shit! Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. We went to his work and his home, and he isn’t anywhere to be found right now. His phone’s not on an’ we can’t remotely activate it. Probably took the battery out. I’m tellin’ you this so you can keep an’ eye out. He knows he’s messed up. Now we can put a detail on ya if ya want, but ya need to make sure you take precautions.”
“I will, Officer. The detail won’t be necessary. Please keep me updated, and thank you so much for all your hard work,” I said.
“It’s what we do, ma’am. We’re almost there. Just hang tight.”
I knew this was the point where I should take one of the sets of twins up on some of their offers. If there was a point in time where I needed to be forthcoming about my need for help, it was now. Things had gotten very serious. There was a warrant out for Jeremy and he was nowhere to be found. He’d officially proven himself to be violent, and that both infuriated and scared me. I looked at my phone as text messages kept rolling through from the guys, and for the first time I found myself at a loss.
I had no idea who to ask for help.
Chapter 12
I woke up to a voice mail from
my general manager. She told me I had to come into work for a bit today to help with some things. I called her back and joked with her about how she wasn’t supposed to see me for a few more days, but it sounded like something was off. I furrowed my brow, asking if she was all right, and she told me to come straight to her office when I got there. I hung up the phone and flipped over to my text messages, saying good morning to the guys and letting them know I had to head into work for a bit this morning. I didn’t hear from most of them until later, but the Jameson brothers were the first to message back.
You aren’t good at this vacation thing, are you? Kyle asked.
Get off her case. She’s passionate about what she does. I like that in a woman, Kevin said.
My general manager told me to come in and go straight to her office. I have no idea what that means, but I hope to fuck I’m not losing my job. That’s the last thing I need, I said.
Where do you work? Kevin asked.
Seriously? The hotel where we had the party, doofus, Kyle said.
Well, maybe this hardworking woman has two jobs. You don’t know her life, Kevin said.
I’d like to get to know it over dinner tonight. Looking forward to seeing you again, Lexi, Kevin said.
I’m looking forward to it as well. I’ll let you guys know when I’m back at my apartment. Gotta run.
I got up and showered before I rushed myself out the door. I had no idea what my boss could possibly want at this point, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I prepared a speech in my head, defending my job and position. I’d let her know that the only one capable of unprofessionalism was Jeremy and that I deserved to keep my job. I’d fight for it with all my might. By the time I pulled up to work, I knew exactly what I was going to say. I strolled on in through the swivel doors with my head held high and my shoulders rolled back, and I marched right into her office behind the front desk.
But I didn’t walk into the scenario I expected.
“Come in and shut the door,” she said.
I shut it behind me and took a seat in front of her. She had an HR report on her desk, and for a split second I began to panic again.