Facade

by Lexy Timms

  Which was bullshit. She wanted to know all about me without me knowing about her.

  “Are you going to come in or let the heat out?” I asked.

  John walked inside as Sam tossed me a look.

  “Sam’s told me I’ll be on electrical detail at your company in the coming days,” John said.

  “Yeah. Try not to get yourself killed. It’s going around.”

  “Mr. Steele,” Sam said.

  “Sorry. Don’t get yourself killed, please.”

  “Excuse his rudeness. He’s been drinking most of the night,” Sam said.

  “And she’s kissing her clients too,” I said.

  “Ah. Had to calm him down a bit?” John asked.

  “You have no idea,” Sam said with a giggle.

  A giggle.

  A fucking soft little giggle.

  The ease of their interaction churned my gut. Who the hell was this guy, and why was she bringing him around? She obviously didn’t know who was still in charge, but she was going to know by the end of the night who she worked for.

  I looked up as I made my way into the kitchen. The two of them were still standing by the door, shooting the shit. Sam was close to him, closer than she ever stood to me. With the way she looked at him, one could postulate that they were together in a relationship. Fucking one another.

  Maybe that was why she was so resistant to the idea of being my girlfriend.

  She already belonged to someone else.

  But why the hell did I care? Why did that make me angry inside? Was I really that taken with a simple kiss? I’d been kissed multiple times, numerous times by plenty of women. It was just a kiss. Not even tongue.

  Why was I dwelling on this so much?

  I leaned against the kitchen table and watched the two of them talk. She was strong and alluring, with her arm muscles flexing against the black of her dress. John was smiling down at her, his hands tucked away in his pockets. His skin was tan, and his eyes were dark like hers but held a light hers didn’t.

  At least, not until she looked up at him.

  They looked good together, and that made me angrier. There was something alluring about her, and now I didn’t have the room to figure out what the fuck it was. I could feel the alcohol rushing through my system, clouding my judgment in the first place.

  Maybe that was what all this was, all the whiskey and the champagne working its way through my body.

  “Mr. Steele?”

  “Yes?” I asked.

  Sam was staring at me from the hallway, a confused look on her face.

  “John will be staying with you tonight. I have to go back to my hotel room and pack. I need a list of all the employees who work at your company including the full name of Miss Emma.”

  I grinned at the way she said her name. I knew that tone of voice. It was clear to me that Emma was jealous of Sam’s presence and of not knowing why Sam was suddenly here in the first place.

  But the twinge of annoyance in Sam’s voice told me she was jealous too.

  “I’ll compile that and get it to John tomorrow,” I said.

  “No. You will get it to me,” Sam said.

  “Figured it would be easier to give it to the behemoth standing here.”

  “If you make any more quips, I’ll order him to hover over your bed all night.”

  “Then I’ll give him a show to watch,” I said with a grin.

  “You go, Sam. I’ve got this here. And I’ll make sure he gets that list straight to you first thing in the morning,” John said

  I rolled my eyes at his soothing voice as Sam grinned up at him.

  “Thanks. I’ll be back tomorrow with coffee,” Sam said.

  “A double nonfat Americano with room for cream, please,” I said.

  “Two black coffees will be fine,” John said.

  I watched Sam as she left my home, leaving me with the tall, dark behemoth. I leaned against the table as I listened to her walk away, her feet smoothing across the driveway as I sighed.

  “You won’t win,” John said.

  “Come again?”

  “If you try to defy her or take control back, you won’t win. She’s dealt with bigger bastards than you. It’s easier if you just do it her way,” he said.

  “So, she’s a domme. Anything else I should know?”

  John shook his head as he turned his gaze out the window toward the perimeter of my yard. Reminding me of the fact that someone wanted me dead.

  Great.

  Chapter 8

  Sam

  I WENT TO THE HOTEL to pack my bag for Los Angeles before I buzzed on home. I did have a home base in San Francisco, but it wasn’t something I advertised. Just like Derek, I kept my personal life and my professional life separate.

  And like him as well, my professional life dominated my personal one.

  I didn’t like how close people were getting. Someone got into his fucking room, and that screamed “inside job.” Someone who knew him intimately. Personally. More than he could’ve ever imagined or wanted from someone.

  I had to place some phone calls after I was done packing.

  I set my bag at my feet and went into my room. I shoved my clothes to the side and pressed the wall behind it. The hidden door gave way. I slid it off to the side and then clicked on the light that illuminated my private stash.

  Guns and knives and pocket pen cameras. Bracelets that doubled as close-range weapons and rings that delivered multiple thousand volts of shock. A walking cane with a protruding knife at the end that flew out with the touch of a button as well as a cane with a sword stashed inside.

  My eyes lingered on all of it as I began plucking a few things from my hidden treasure trove.

  I needed to call Lance. I needed to know if he could gather intel on what happened at that damn event tonight. I needed to know details. Numbers. Body count. Anything he could give me on what the police had found thus far. I stuck a few things in my bag to go with the outfits I had packed and then armed my hips and pockets with everything else.

  Then, I picked up my cell phone and dialed Lance’s number.

  “I knew you’d be calling, sweet cheeks. So, I got what you’re looking for.”

  “Then hit me with it,” I said. “What happened at that fucking dinner?”

  “While you did your job wonderfully, beautiful, it wasn’t an assassin rushing the stage. It was a reporter who got a hot tip that Derek was going to announce some sort of departure from his company?”

  “Did this reporter say where they got the tip?” I asked.

  “Apparently, she’s a ‘serious reporter’ and won’t give up her source.”

  “I’m sure. Okay. What about the gunmen? How the hell do we explain that?”

  “Even though there was gunfire, no guns were found. No shell casings. No bullet holes anywhere. No one hurt. Nothing.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” I said. “There were gunshots. I heard them. And men running down the stairs. I grabbed a walkie-talkie. The security guards were talking about three gunmen. One had escaped in a white van.”

  “I’m just telling you what the police detectives have found. What they did find, however, were firecrackers.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You heard me, sweet cheeks. Firecrackers. Loads of used ones that were scattered in the hallway.”

  “Are the police really about to blame this on some fucking fireworks?” I asked.

  “Looks like it, beautiful.”

  “Something isn’t right. None of this is right.”

  “And I’m a big fan of your gut. The way it’s toned and shiny and ... mmm. Girl. If I was straight, you’d have a problem.”

  “Thanks, Lance. Anyway. I need a favor from you tomorrow,” I said.

  “You want me running background checks.”

  “I see why they pay you the big bucks.”

  “I wish,” Lance said with a chuckle. “But there’s a routine and flow to everyone. Including you. Get me the list, and
I’ll get you what you need.”

  “Thanks. I owe you one.”

  “You always do, and you always come through.”

  I hung up the phone and grabbed my bag. Whoever was responsible for this, they were close. And I had my sights set on Emma, his little PA. She seemed innocent enough, but her anger was the type of anger that turned crazy in a heartbeat. Plus, she was one of the few people with direct access to Derek’s mail. As his assistant, she was responsible for his schedule, delivering stuff to his office, and making sure his life transitioned smoothly in his day-to-day work life.

  Which meant her hands were personally on his mail every single day.

  And with the number of death threats that had made it to his work desk, that was serious.

  Emma, literally, had her hands all over those things.

  Then, a thought occurred to me. I pulled my cell phone out, called Lance back, and then cut off his cheerful greeting with my idea.

  “I need you to look up someone for me now.”

  “What’s the name, pretty thang?” Lance asked.

  “All I know is Emma. She’s Derek’s personal assistant at his work. She’s a bit possessive of him, and I’m aware of some paperwork that had to be filed between the two of them.”

  “You want me to dig up all the shit on her? Because I love digging into people’s lives.”

  “Yes. I also want to know what kind of access she has to Derek’s personal life. Does she ever come over to his house? Have they ever had any sort of a fling, despite the paperwork signed between them?”

  “I take it the paperwork was HR-related?”

  “You’ll know what I’m talking about once you see it. I want to know of any connections this Emma girl has to his personal life, not only his professional one. He’s not being forthcoming about her, and that worries me.”

  “I’ll see what I can dig up. I love your adventures. Call you when I got something!”

  Chapter 9

  Derek

  “YOU’RE WHAT?” GRIGGS asked.

  “I’m letting you and the team go,” I said.

  “Mr. Steele, we’ve worked with you for years. You’ve had protective detail on this house ever since you built it. My men and I have done good work.”

  “I’m sorry Griggs. But it’s no longer good enough. We’ve had breaches on this property multiple times over the past couple of weeks.”

  “And we’re working to figure out why. That isn’t a reflection of how well my team works, Mr. Steele. That’s a reflection of how good your adversary is,” he said.

  “And now I’ve hired a team that is worthy of such an adversary. Look, Griggs. I understand the work you and your men have put in. What I’m offering you guys is more than fair, more than was outlined in your contract.”

  “Does this company really have enough manpower to guard this house twenty-four seven? Like my men and I have ever since all of this started? Just think about this.”

  “Mr. Griggs, I’m not speaking with you as a friend. I’m speaking with you as an employer. You have until the end of the day to notify your men of my decision,” I said.

  The silence on the other end of the line was gut-wrenching. I didn’t make it a habit to befriend people I hired for professional purposes, but it was hard not to befriend Griggs. We thought a lot alike. He was rough around the edges and always went the extra mile when it was necessary. I had gotten to know him well over the years, and it hurt a part of me to do this to him and his team. But if I was going to fire them, even temporarily, I needed to make it look real.

  Which meant bonuses, severance packages, and referrals. And if they were hired on by someone else before I could get them back, then that was a chance I had to take. While I knew Griggs’ skills, they were no longer cutting it for the threat that loomed over my head. A better team needed to come in and take care of this.

  And that was the team Sam was assembling.

  “You’ll regret this, Mr. Steele. I guarantee it,” Griggs said.

  “I’m going to assume that wasn’t a threat and simply your concern over my decision. You and your men will have your bonuses, severance packages, and gleaming referrals from me by the end of the day today,” I said.

  “I’ve worked very hard for you. I left the company I worked for so you could hire me on full-time. I brought the best staff I knew, and I told them to risk it all because the job you were hiring for was worth it. What am I supposed to tell them now?”

  “To get better training and be more prepared next time,” I said.

  “This will backfire. It always does.”

  Griggs’ voice was gruffer than I enjoyed. I felt the predator looming inside of me stand to attention. I felt the hair on the back of my neck energize. I didn’t want to make enemies of them. I wanted to hire them back when this was all said and done. But Griggs was getting hostile, and it wasn’t making for a pleasant conversation.

  “I will not say anything bad about your team. You’ve done good work. No one is arguing that. But this threat is greater than your team, and that greater threat requires greater skills. Take the time you have and train your team better. With my referrals and the more-than-generous money I’m throwing your way, you will find more work in no time,” I said.

  “You’re making a very big mistake,” Griggs said. “And it’s a mistake that will cost you greatly.”

  “If you and your people want the full package I’m offering, then you all will have to sign nondisclosure agreements. Anything less will result in immediate termination with nothing more than your current paycheck due to you at the end of the week,” I said.

  “Fine,” he said. “If that’s what it takes.”

  “I’ll send the paperwork over immediately. Sign and date, have your men do the same, and once they are returned to me, I will release all of your funds into your individual accounts. Have a good day, Mr. Griggs.”

  “I’d say the same to you, but I wouldn’t mean it.”

  The things he was saying was disturbing. I’d known Griggs to be a rough man but never an angry one. Anger was boiling over in his voice as Sam’s lilt crept to the forefront of my mind. Maybe there was something in Griggs I hadn’t seen that she already saw. Maybe my security team did have something to do with this. I thought Griggs would take this better. I thought things would be okay between us and that he would be able to respect the fact that his team could no longer keep me safe.

  Apparently, I was wrong.

  I hung up the phone without so much as a goodbye and prepared the paperwork to be sent. I double-checked the numbers and ran the figures through my head, making sure all the account numbers were right. I handed the paperwork off to John and told him to take it down to them, and he smiled while taking the papers from me.

  I really hated that guy.

  “Mr. Steele! So glad I found you. I wanted to go over your itinerary for your trip to Las Vegas.”

  “Hello, Miss Emma,” I said as I turned around.

  “I hope you don’t mind. You haven’t been to your office all day, and you always enjoy the itinerary being confirmed twenty-four hours in advance,” she said.

  “Yes, yes. You’re fine, Miss Emma. Read it out to me.”

  “Okay. So, first question. Is ... Samantha ... coming along still?”

  “Yes, Sam will be with us,” I said.

  “Okay,” Emma said with a sigh. “The plane will be in the air tomorrow by nine fifteen. Boarding on your jet begins at eight forty-five with breakfast being served on the plane.”

  “Perfect. What happens when we land?” I asked.

  “You check into your hotel with Samantha.”

  “She prefers Sam,” I said.

  I felt Emma’s eyes on me before she made the note on her clipboard.

  “Sam,” Emma said. “You will check into The Palazzo. Two rooms next to one another with a door that joins them both.”

  “But it’s two separate rooms, correct?”

  “Yes, sir. As you requested. It also has a
shared walk-in space. There’s a keycard to access the doors into the hotel rooms, then physical keys to get into the rooms themselves.”

  “Perfect. What’s after that?”

  “There’s nothing after that, and I haven’t scheduled anything. I figured you would want to rest after a plane ride. But, the meeting is set for nine in the morning the next day.”

  “I want a list of names of the people who are supposed to be in that meeting,” I said.

  “I can get you that. Once the meeting is over, you have another free evening. I thought you might like that,” she said with a giggle. “Then you sleep, and your jet is set to take off at five in the morning the next day so you can get back in time to start your workday.”

  “Perfect. I don’t want to miss any more work than I have to for this pointless meeting,” I said. “The itinerary is confirmed. Make sure Sam gets a copy of it as well.”

  “Sure. I can do that.”

  It was the way Emma’s voice sounded that caused me to look at her. It had a flat tone to it like she was upset Sam was coming with me. I scanned her with my eyes, trying to read her as best as I could as she stood in my home. There was something in her eyes I couldn’t read, but her stance was familiar.

  It was closed off yet fearful.

  She thought her job was at risk. The rumors of my hiring another personal assistant were making Emma worried for her job. And even though we had our minor altercations in the past, a nice girl like her didn’t need that kind of worry on her shoulders. She had been good to me over the years, even with the little crush she struggled with there for a while.

  I knew Sam would kill me for saying something, but it needed to be mentioned.

  “Miss Emma, your job is not at risk,” I said. “Sam is not really doing PA work, but it’s easier if everyone believes she is.”

  “If she’s not doing PA work, then what’s she doing?” Emma asked.

  “That is above your pay grade. Either way, she’ll need my itinerary, so I still want you getting it to her. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Derek. I-I-I mean, Mr. Steele,” she said.