Tens of thousands?
I gulped. “Dayton—”
“Money doesn’t come into this,” he said, cutting me off. “What matters is Christa and Max.” He clutched my fingers and squeezed. “In terms of a private investigator, I’m happy to interview whoever you recommend, but I will also be reaching out to my own contacts.”
Francesca frowned. “That’s not how this usually works, Mr. Somers. I have tried and tested private investigators who I work with on cases such as these.”
“I don’t care. I’m not saying I don’t trust you. I’m saying I don’t trust anyone.” He picked a piece of lint off his dark trousers. “This is going to get dirty. An element of plausible deniability for you wouldn’t be a bad thing. Better that you stay squeaky clean and let me bury my hands in the filth. Regardless of how you reconcile this, Ms. Hale, I will be selecting my own team.” He fell silent, his gaze locked on Francesca’s.
My heart drummed against my ribcage as Dayton and Francesca stared each other down. Francesca, despite being as hard-boiled as they come, was the first to blink. She turned her gaze to the window and rubbed her middle finger over her lips, considering. Eventually, her focus returned to Dayton. “It’s highly irregular, but okay, Mr. Somers, we’ll try this your way. However, I will need to be kept fully informed.”
Dayton nodded. “Of course.”
Francesca tapped the pen on her pad. “Have they released the actual perpetrator of the crime, too?” she asked, refocusing on me. “The man who carried out the assault?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure, to be honest. The DA’s office in Seattle haven’t exactly been forthcoming with information. They didn’t even call me to let me know Sutton had been released.”
“I’ll find out. I doubt they have, but I prefer facts to conjecture. I’ll put him down as a person of interest. I might want to talk to him, depending on how things progress. That is, of course, if Mr. Atwood carries through with his threat.”
“He will,” I said firmly, because it was true. Sutton didn’t make idle threats. I knew that better than most.
Francesca gave me a reassuring smile. “Try not to worry. I know that sounds trite, and likely impossible for you, but until he actually files a motion, there isn’t much more we can do other than what we’ve discussed.” Her lips pressed into a thin line, giving me the impression that she still wasn’t happy with Dayton and how he wanted to run things.
I stood, nodded, and shook her hand once more. Dayton followed suit.
“We’ll be in touch.” Dayton pressed his hand into the small of my back and guided me outside. “She’s good,” he said as we exited the elevator into the lobby.
“And expensive,” I said with a grimace. “I mean her fees, and the private investigator…” I blew out a slow breath. “Tens of thousands she said.”
Dayton wrapped his arm around my waist. “Christa, stop worrying.” His voice held a tinge of weariness. I wasn’t sure whether that was because of me, or our situation, or both. “It’s nothing.”
“To you,” I said. “To me, it’s a fortune. I don’t like spending your money, Dayton. It isn’t right.”
His cheeks puffed up as he blew out a breath. Drawing to a halt, he forced me to stop alongside him. He caught my hips and tugged me closer, then tipped up my chin until I met his gaze. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re my girlfriend, my lover, my life. Hell, we live together. What’s mine is yours.”
I opened my mouth to speak until he stopped me with a look. The kind of expression I’d learned not to argue with.
“This is the last time we’re having this conversation. Money for the sake of it is meaningless. Spending it to secure your happiness and Max’s rightful place in the center of our family is precisely what I worked for all these years, even if I wasn’t aware of it at the time. I don’t care if this case costs tens of millions. It’s loose change. I’d give my last cent to wipe Sutton Atwood from your life once and for all. Hiring a top lawyer to help us fight our corner is just good business. Now please drop it.”
He grabbed my hand and strode outside without giving me a chance to respond. I trotted beside him, my tail firmly between my legs, but with a lightness in my heart. For the first time, I dared to believe we might just have a chance of winning.
3
Dayton
I walked into the bar and scanned around. No sign of Cole yet. I’d first met Detective Brook two years ago after an attempted break-in at my penthouse. My sister, Nina, had been visiting and was home alone. She’d been shaken but not hurt, and the thieves had escaped with nothing. The detective had given me some great advice on security upgrades, and our paths had crossed a few times since then. I liked the guy. He had a sharp eye for detail, and I trusted him about as much as I trusted anyone. I was hoping Cole could introduce me to a couple of private detectives. I’d already spoken to the guy Francesca had recommended.
Let’s just say that we didn’t hit it off.
“Dayton, sorry I’m late.” Cole clapped me on the shoulder then slipped into the seat opposite. “Long time no see.”
“I only just got here myself. Thanks for meeting with me.” I invited over the server. “Drink?”
“A beer would be good.”
“Two beers,” I said.
“Coming right up.” The server ventured behind the bar to fetch our drinks, returning a minute later.
We shared pleasantries until she moved on to the next customer.
“What can I do for you?” Cole asked. “You sounded a little cryptic on the phone.”
“I need a private investigator,” I said. “A top-notch one. Someone discreet. Money is no object. I’m interested in the kind of individual who’ll dig deep and go hard. I want every secret found, every stone overturned, every corner explored.”
“May I ask who for?” He held up his hands. “Not that it’s any of my business. Color me curious.”
I threaded my fingers together and rested my hands on the table. “My girlfriend’s ex.”
Cole’s eyebrows shot up. “Sounds interesting.”
Until that moment, I hadn’t made up my mind exactly how much to share, but sitting there with Cole, I had an urge to offload the whole sorry mess. After all, what Christa had gone through was a matter of public record. It wasn’t as though I’d be breaking her confidence by telling Cole, and if I shared everything, hopefully he’d take me seriously and recommend the big guns. I didn’t want some two-bit private eye who made their living spying on cheating husbands.
“We might need a few more beers. It’s a long story.”
Cole removed his phone from his inside pocket. “I’ll text Millie and let her know I’ll be late.” He tapped on the screen then put his phone away. “She’s due in seven weeks, so I don’t like her to worry.”
“Looking forward to baby number two?”
Cole grinned. “Can’t wait. You should try it sometime.”
“My girlfriend has a son. He’ll be three in September.”
“They’re great at that age, aren’t they? Aimee’s almost four now, and there isn’t a day that goes by she doesn’t bring us joy.”
I smiled. I never thought I’d like being around kids. Turned out I was wrong. Maybe one day, when our current challenge was dealt with, we might even have one of our own. Wrong time for thoughts along those lines, though. Until this shit with Atwood was behind us, we had no chance of moving forward with our lives.
“Sorry,” Cole said. “I went off on a tangent. Fill me in.”
By the time I’d finished, Cole’s expression had changed from warm and open to cold and hardened, his jaw clenched tight, his eyes glistening with barely contained fury.
“What a bastard.”
I nodded. “Christa is worried sick he’ll get custody, and although I try to say all the right things to her, between us, I’m concerned. Atwood will definitely use the beating I gave Arek Kawalski against me—he already told Christa that—and because Atwood’
s conviction has been rescinded, we can’t use that information as part of our reasoning why he shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Max.”
“Hence the PI to hopefully dig up enough dirt to bury the fucker.”
“Precisely.”
Cole rubbed his chin. “I don’t know anyone in Seattle, or even the west coast. All my contacts are here. However, my ex-partner recently moved into the private investigation and personal security field. High-end type clients. He may have better luck recommending someone, or at least be able to give you more advice. If you’re willing for me to share, I can give him a call.”
“Is he trustworthy?”
Cole laughed. “I’d trust him with my life.”
I gestured to him. “Then let’s give him a call.”
After he phoned his former partner, and I listened to their banter, the closeness between them evident. A couple of minutes later, he hung up.
“He’s not very far away. If you can hang around, he’s heading over to meet us.”
We ordered another round of beers, as well as one for Cole’s friend. When he arrived, my mouth dropped open. I hadn’t expected that. The guy who clapped Cole hard enough to dislocate his shoulder was nothing short of a giant. I was over six feet—same as Cole—but this guy must have been at least six inches taller than us, broad in the chest, with long hair, a straggly beard, and tattoos that covered his arms and hands.
“Shift over, dickhead,” he growled, sliding into the seat next to Cole.
He held out a hand, which I shook. I tried not to wince. The guy had a hell of a grip.
“I’m Draven,” he said. “You must be Dayton.” He boomed out a laugh that caused several people at nearby tables to crane their necks before quickly averting their gazes. “That could get confusing.”
“We could always use your first name,” Cole said, grinning. “No confusion then.”
Draven glowered. “We could. Of course, I’d rip out your tongue before you uttered a single syllable.”
Cole laughed, clearly not the least concerned by the threat. He pressed his palm to his chest. “I’ll take it to my grave.”
“Which you’ll be inhabiting earlier than you anticipated if you mention that shit again.”
More laughter from Cole. I guessed Draven wasn’t all that fond of his first name. As they bantered back and forth, I sat there, slightly envious of their bond. I had a lot of acquaintances but no real close male friends. I’d lost touch with everyone from school after my father threw me out on my sixteenth birthday, and ever since then all my energies had gone into creating, and then growing, my business. I had no time to form the kind of friendship these two shared.
I had Christa, though. And Max. A real family, something I’d assumed was for other people rather than myself. My life had taken a different turn from Cole and Draven, that was all.
“Anyway, down to business,” Draven said. “Unlike this cock”—he jerked his head in Cole’s direction—“I have a real job. Cole mentioned you needed a PI.”
I nodded. “The best. And I need them quick.”
“The best and readily available don’t usually go together. Good people are in high demand.”
“I’m aware of that,” I said, bristling. “I run a multi-billion-dollar company.”
Draven quirked an eyebrow. “Easy, brother. Just stating facts.”
“The facts are that my girlfriend could very well lose her son to a complete psychopath unless I do something to stop him. All I’m asking for is a name, a recommendation. I’ll do the negotiating from there.”
Draven’s eyebrow rose farther. “You could always kill him. That’d stop him.”
Cole clamped his hands over his ears. “For fuck’s sake, Draven. You might not work at the NYPD any longer, but I fucking do.”
A smile inched across my face. These two were fantastic. “Not really my style,” I said, smoothing a hand over my shirt. “I’m not averse to walking the line, though. Those kinds of shenanigans go on in board rooms all over the country every day.”
Draven shrugged. “Fair enough.” He stroked his beard. “I might know the right individual for the job. I’ll need a couple of days to set it up.”
“How about I give you until tomorrow. I’m on a clock.”
Draven’s lips twitched, and he held out his hand, palm up. “Gimme your contact details.”
I gave him my business card. He gave it a cursory glance then slid it into the front pocket of his leather jacket. He lifted his beer bottle, clinked it against Cole’s, then took a long swig. When his eyes met mine again, they flickered with interest.
“So, tell me more about this fucking lunatic.”
4
Christa
“Christa.”
Dayton’s soothing voice came at me through a sleepy haze. I groaned, then turned over, burrowing underneath the covers. I had no idea what time it was, but as I’d lain awake half the night worrying, finally drifting off as dawn broke, I desperately needed more sleep. My eyelids refused to open.
“Christa.” He tugged at the comforter. “I have to go into the office.”
That got my attention. We still had a day of our interrupted vacation left, plus the upcoming weekend when Dayton had promised we’d take Max to the zoo. I rolled onto my back and squinted at him through one eye. The other one stubbornly remained closed. He was already dressed in a dark-gray suit with a matching striped tie and a crisp white shirt. My breath caught at the sight of him in his business attire. Suits were made for men like Dayton.
“Why?” I asked, my voice drowsy with sleep. “You look damned sexy by the way.”
He chuckled and tugged at a stray hair that had caught the corner of my mouth, then brushed his lips over mine. “Nothing for you to worry about. I should be home early this afternoon.”
I stretched my arms overhead and yawned. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Neither do I, especially with you thrusting your chest out like that.”
I grasped his tie, letting the silk feed through my fingers, and pulled him closer. “You smell good, too.” I buried my nose in his neck and breathed deeply. “Do you have to go right now?”
His breath hitched, and he bent down to kiss me again, this time deeper. He slid his tongue over my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to welcome him in. We kissed, passionately, the kind that sent tingles to my fingers and toes. I wanted it to go on forever, but too soon, he drew back.
“You’re irresistible, you know that? You’re definitely not making things easy for me, but look at it this way: the sooner I go, the sooner I’ll be back, and then...” He left the sentence lingering, his words full of promise.
“I’m holding you to that,” I said, stretching again, the movement drawing a low groan from Dayton.
“Christa, you’re killing me.”
I grinned. “What time is it?”
“Six-thirty.”
I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t think I fell asleep until four.”
His teasing expression fell. “Christa…”
“I know. I know. There’s nothing to be done until Sutton makes a move. I think that’s half the problem. The waiting.”
“In the knowledge that my pleas will fall on deaf ears, please try not to worry.” He glanced at his watch. “I really do need to go, but I hate leaving you like this.”
“Go, go.” I shooed him away. “I’ll be fine. Max and I will get some fresh air or something.”
His mouth turned down at the edges, and I inwardly kicked myself for burdening him unnecessarily. He grazed his knuckles down my cheek. “Love you.”
My heart squeezed. I curved a hand around the back of his neck and raised myself for a final goodbye kiss. “I love you.”
After Dayton left, I fetched Max and settled him in front of the TV with his morning milk. I fixed us some breakfast, yet as I cleared away, dark thoughts crowded in. I was terrified of losing Dayton, but if it came down to a choice between him and Max… well, there was no choice. If the courts
showed any concern about Max being around Dayton, I’d have to move out, end our relationship. I knew Max was completely safe, that Dayton would never hurt either of us, but the courts only went on facts, and those facts were that Dayton had a temper, even if his anger only surfaced when he felt the need to protect those he loved. Dayton might be loving and adoring to us, but he rarely let the outside world see that side of him. The legal system didn’t understand how kind, generous, and caring he was. They’d simply look at the evidence, and my concern was that, on paper, Dayton wouldn’t come off well.
Max giggled at something on the TV, dragging my attention back to the present. The penthouse was so eerie without Dayton. Despite the large open-plan space, the walls seemed to close in. I needed to get out, to grab some fresh air, take a walk, get some exercise. As I put my cup in the sink, my gaze fell on a flyer I’d been handed before we’d gone on vacation. It was for a local parenting group. At the time I hadn’t paid it much attention, especially as I worked full time and spent my weekends with Dayton, but now, rattling around this overly big home with nothing to occupy my racing mind, it seemed like the ideal solution. Somewhere to pass the time for a few hours, talking to other moms with kids Max’s age.
Avenging Christa: Irresistibly Mine Duet Book 2 Page 2