Carlyle
Asoft knock on the door drew my attention from my laptop, and I stood up from the sofa to set the device on the coffee table. Numbers flashed behind my eyes when I blinked, and I rubbed them with loose fists before shaking my head viciously.
“What is it?” The barrier swung open to reveal a worry-faced Jerry, and I leaned on the frame with a frown deep enough to drag down my brows. “What happened downstairs?”
“It’s not that. I took care of that.” My eyes narrowed on him, and he rocked back on his heels as he took a shuddering breath. “I need a couple weeks off. My—”
“Go ahead.” Jerry deflated like a popped balloon, and I clenched and released my jawfor a few moments as his breathing returned to normal. “Whatever it is, I don’t care. Update me on when you’ll be back when you can, Jerry. Did you call in your partner?”
“I’m about to do that right now, yeah. Thanks, Carlyle.” Watching him turn and hurry towards the elevator, I crossed my arms over my chest as he fumbled with his phone. His hands shook bad, and I wondered what could’ve happened that got him so out of sorts. Of course, his mom could be hurt or something, but beyond that vague thought, I didn’t care.
What Jerry did or didn’t do when he wasn’t here wasn’t my business. As long as it didn’t affect me, he could have whatever life he wanted.
“Boring.” Maybe, nothing held my interestbecauseI didn’t care. Shutting the door, I rubbed my palms up my face and into my hair with a groan of frustration. All I did was work. All I’d ever done was work. Everything I did, I did because it was an extension of my job.
And, as much as I enjoyed hanging out with Illya, in the end, that was just work, too.
“I should take Carl’s advice and go for a walk. I don’t have the luxury of being distracted when we go to that party next week.” I cracked open the door again, unhooking my keys from the hook on the wall before leaving my apartment. Oran and my father were around somewhere, but the very last thing I wanted was their big-ass noses in my business. Of course, my dad had the right, but Oran just pissed me off. “I spend too much time alone because of that bastard.”
He may be my brother, but I’d kill him if I could. All he managed was to be a thorn in my side, and he was digging a little too deep. It didn’t help that he didn’t seem as eager to leave as I was to have him gone.But, that’s what he gets for being stuck so far up Dad’s asshole that he can’t do anything for himself.
“Fuck.” Grumbling the slur under my breath as I emerged into the courtyard, I unbuttoned my shirt before realizing it was dark out. Glancing up at the half-moon hanging high, I scowled darkly. The days seemed to blur together, move all too fast, and I headed for the gates to stuff my hands in my pockets.
So much was going to happen in the next few months. I could feel Oran was going to make a move. Illya still had to go through all the transcripts, but I had a feeling Oran’s numbers wouldn’t stack up. Of course, I hadn’t told him or my father what, exactly, was going on, but if Oran already knew . . .
Well, I guess that didn’t matter. It wasn’t like he could change the files without my knowing. If he did, he was as good as dead, and he knew it.
Whether or not my little brother was involved remained to be proven, but uncovering this scheme had set the wheels in motion. I didn’t know enough to be sure, but I had a feeling he was working with the Italians. After all, why the fuck would they invite me to a gala unless it was for some shady dealings? I’d told that crusty, old man in no uncertain terms that he can shove his proposal up his ass and clench. Why, after that, did he think providing me an opportunity like this would be good for him?
Unless he knew I was going to kidnap and kill his daughter?Nah. . . Those hypocritical bastards wouldn’t do something so brazen.
Not to mention I was doing them a favor, God damnit! That whiny, bratty cunt got in everyone’s way, and the internal troubles the Italians were having were being exacerbated by her. She needed to fuckinggo.
“Agh!” Ruffling my hair, I shook my head hard but couldn’t dislodge the thoughts whizzing through my brain. It never fucking stopped, and I flopped my head back to take a huge breath of cool, nighttime air.
Cars sped past me, erratic and flashing blinders, and I secretly wished one would hit me. At least, then, things would be interesting. My chest tightened from the breeze flowing under my shirt, and my shoes hugged the asphalt as I paused to stare at the white line I followed.
“Hey, mister, are you okay?” Tearing my eyes off the paint, I frowned as a shapely figure emerged from a sea of red. Heels clicked softly, and a vaguely familiar face cast in cautious worry at me. “Are you alright?”
“I guess it depends on your definition of ‘alright.’” Shimmery sequins reflected the brake lights shining out from behind her, and I scanned her from bottom to top. Long, lean legs, nice dress and heels, her bust barely held back. She was obviously on her way to a party. “You didn’t have to stop for me. I’m just on a walk.”
“You’re the guy from the pizza place the other day!” Frowning, I only jerked my chin at that, and her face cast in the shadows of a huge smirk. “Wanna go party with us? My sister thought you were hot.”
“You’re inviting a stranger into your car?” She waved me off, stepping out of the light to really let me get a look at her. Her long, dirty blonde hair teased her breasts, and I frowned when she unabashedly grabbed my arm with a little giggle.Someone pre-partied . . .
“It’s fine. It’s fine!” Gingerly taking my arm from her grip, I forced myself not to roll my eyes as I helped her back to her car. I didn’t even know her name, and she was inviting me out like we were pals. Popping open the back door, I sat her down and glanced over the driver’s seat at the meter running on a phone propped on the dash.
“At least you’re not stupid and drove yourself.” Buckling her in, even as she tried to tug at my shirt, I grabbed her hands and put them firmly in her lap. “Stay.”
“Valerie, you should get his number.” Making the mistake of glancing over the back seat, I paused as those big, beautiful brown eyes widened in mortification.So, Valerie’s her name. She’d been sexy in her feminine, white button-down at the pizza place, and now was no different. A short pencil skirt hugged her thighs, her thin, black shirt— the same style of professional but a little more revealing— tucked into her thin waist. Clenching my jaw, I straightened to shut the door and fish my wallet out of my pocket.
“Bring them back home.” The dude driving opened his mouth to protest, and I flicked two hundred-dollar bills through the window with a sneer. “She just tried to get a stranger into the car— what’s gonna happen when they’re really trashed? Take them home.”
“Yeah, yeah, fine . . . fuck.” Stepping back as he pulled the gear, I glared at the driver’s side while he pulled a U-turn. Waiting until they were out of sight beyond a rolling slope, I heaved a massive sigh and shook my head viciously.
Exchanging my wallet for my phone, I searched for Carl’s number before holding the speaker to my ear.
“On my way, boss.” The call lasted less than three seconds, and I checked the time with a frown from under furrowed brows. I’d been gone almost an hour, and I’d been stuck in my own head for most of that.
“I really need to find something to do before I go crazy from boredom.” Slipping my phone into my pocket, I gazed down the road with a knot of regret grappling my gut. “Or someone.”
