Stepping through the doorway Brenley marveled at the array of computer screens filling the far wall. There was one large main one and eight others surrounding it. Powering it all in the corner was a massive computer and what appeared to be a cooling system.
“I might have built a supercomputer.” Zane said with a tone of sarcasm and playfulness.
Okay you’re full of shit! Wait. He’s serious isn’t he? A shiver ran down Brenley’s spine. There was no way Zane had built all this. He was an actor and model and had never even hinted that he had any knowledge of technology like this. The real question was why anyone would need a computer like this.
“What do you mean you built a supercomputer?” The question sounded dumb to her but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Well, I told you there’s more to me than you know. I’m actually very good with technology and math. As a point of interest I am an investor as well, although I trade based on an algorithm I developed that rides market trends. I built this computer to run tests off data and let me study the market so I could trade better. I don’t actually need it that much anymore. I have my system developed and in place but I have huge amounts of data stored here that I don’t want to lose. Now I use it for recreational purposes only. I was hoping that we could use it to get a little insider information on your dilemma.”
“Hold on, what do you mean you invest too? Didn’t you just come to me a few weeks ago thinking about investing money with me?”
“Ugh yeah. About that…it was only because I only wanted to get to know you and ask you out.”
“Oh.” Her heart sped up slightly. There it was again. He was being up front about his feelings for her. She couldn’t help but wonder briefly what it might be like to be with him. Pushing the thought aside she drove on.
“How did you learn to do all this?”
“Can I just go with trade secret?” He smiled sarcastically but didn’t offer any more information.
“Right…” Damn him. Now I’m curious!
Brenley felt her face flush. The entire time she had thought Zane was just another pretty face on TV. In only a short while he had completely altered her opinion of him. He must be extremely smart to work on a machine with such a high capacity.
“How do you think we’re going to get insider information?”
“Like I said, I have a plan. We can look inside Frederickson’s computer to see if any information is coming through pertaining to you. If we can discover who he is contacting, we can trace it back to show what is going on. At this point if we could prove that he was trying to harm you or keep you quiet that might be enough to get a case going. The problem we face is there are likely to be other city officials involved with him and we don’t know who they are or what they’re capable of.”
“So you can actually hack into someone’s computer?”
“Of course,” Zane said nonchalantly.
Brenley stood in silence for a few moments. In her mind she was connecting various pieces of information.
“You hacked into my computer, didn’t you? That’s how you knew to watch at my apartment today, isn’t it?”
A sheepish look instantly covered Zane’s face. “Yes. I knew something was going on and I thought you were in over your head so I decided to get involved.”
Feeling her anger rise, Brenley didn’t even attempt to mask it on her face. Her entire body flushed, thinking about what he could have seen about her on there. He had no right to violate her privacy like that without her consent. Not only did she have sensitive information on there but also pictures he had no right to see.
“You asshole! What gave you the right to look through all my personal information?” she asked in a livid tone.
“Nothing. I knew it was wrong when I did it but my desire to protect you won out. I’m glad I did. If I hadn’t, who knows where you’d be now. Probably in the back of that black SUV, going to disappear.” He responded in a calm voice.
“Really? How am I supposed to believe that? You went through my computer the same way the people in the SUV went through my apartment. It’s the same as breaking and entering. As a matter of fact, I don’t even know if anyone did break into my apartment. You’re my only source of information here!”
“Brenley, I didn’t mean to violate your privacy. I was only trying to help you out of a dangerous situation. Wait here. I’ll go get my camera and show you.”
As Zane disappeared, Brenley took a seat in one of the chairs, not knowing what to do next. This was all too confusing and didn’t make sense. Why was Zane even into her? Only a few days ago she would’ve sworn he was an egotistical asshole who was nothing more than a playboy actor. Now she was getting the full picture of just how wrong she had been. If he really did have all these skills then he must be much smarter than she initially thought. Still, he hacked into my computer! How can I trust someone who did that?
Returning a moment later, Zane flipped the monitors on and plugged the camera into his computer. It only took a second before the video showed up on the large center screen. She could see her apartment door from across the complex. Two men walked up to it and played with the lock for a second before gaining entrance. Within five minutes they walked back out. Zane started around to the parking lot to get the license plate of the vehicle. Peeking around a corner she saw the men climb into the black SUV he had pointed out before packing up the camera to get in his own car.
Brenley’s body went cold at the thought of what might have happened. She had tried to bait someone into revealing they were watching her but what she got was a lot more. Someone wasn’t interested in watching anymore. Clearly they wanted to keep her quiet or at least know what she knew. Someone had a clear plan to apprehend her and wasn’t even being subtle about it anymore. She had thought she would be safe in a hotel but then had been tricked by a fake phone call to go back to her apartment. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. This was beyond her.
Glancing up, Zane was giving her a worried look. She was still mad at him, but at the same time looking into his eyes she found genuine concern. He had cared enough to hack into her computer knowing she would be mad at him, in order to protect her. She wasn’t happy about it and damn sure wasn’t going to show him she was okay with it but maybe he wasn’t as bad as she thought.
Sitting there with his broad shoulders and massive arms, she wished he would just wrap her up in them and make everything safe. She wasn’t going to let him though. She was still too angry at him for violating his privacy.
“I want to know what they did inside,” she said. “I mounted a wireless camera yesterday to record if someone took the bait. It uploads to a website so I can check it remotely.”
Zane went to the website and she typed in her username and password. Clicking on the video footage, Zane scrolled to the time stamp of when the intruders should have been inside. The screen was blank. Scrolling forward more, there was nothing. Rewinding, video footage of the inside of her bedroom came into view right before the men would have broken inside her apartment.
“Shit! What happened?” Disappointment filled her voice.
“My guess would be they used a signal jamming device. It would prevent you from calling anyone on your cell phone if you had been home. Incidentally it may have blocked the signal of your wireless camera, allowing them to dismantle it before you got any footage of them. It doesn’t make sense because the frequencies are different but anything is possible.” Reluctantly she admitted to herself she didn’t have a better theory.
“Okay, I believe what you said. Obviously someone took my bait in the email and is more serious than I thought. Why don’t we take the video you have to the police?”
“Several reasons, in fact. First I think one of those guys may actually be a police officer. Second, we want to know who specifically is targeting you. Third, if Frederickson has involved you in some sort of dirty scheme we want to clear your name.”
“Okay. You’re the one with a plan and the ability to break into computers here. What makes you think one of those guys is a police officer?”
“I think I may have seen him working security for an event I attended before. Let me do a little research and we’ll know.”
Turning to his computer, Zane started opening different windows and speeding through them. It was weird for Brenley because she was pretty decent with computers but nowhere near this proficient. He couldn’t have been lying about being good with technology, seeing how he handled things here. She watched his fingers fly across the keyboard and found herself thinking he had nice hands and impressive finger dexterity.
Where was her mind at? How could she be thinking about anything sexual at a time like this? And with Zane Anthony at that. She tried to distract her mind from it but the seed had already been planted as she watched him work his magic.
In a moment she saw one of the men who broke into her apartment. His face popped up on the screen, along with a background report of him.
Holy shit, that was fast! There was no question about it, that was the same guy and he was currently a Dallas police officer. Damn, this is serious.
“This is the guy.” Zane said.
“Wow, this is starting to get really scary.” Brenley said, feeling her hopes drain. She didn’t actually think it could be this big of a deal but she was clearly wrong.
“Why don’t you go lie down for a while and I’ll see what else I can dig up. Given this new information I may be able to find a connection here and come up with a lead. Also now that I know what you were looking for from Frederickson I’ll look over his financials and see if I can find anything out there.”
“Okay, that sounds really nice,” she said, realizing how much all the excitement had drained her.
Zane walked her to a guest bedroom and assured her he would be down the hall if she needed anything. After he left she crawled in bed and was asleep in minutes.
* * * * *
Brenley woke to the smell of food. Whatever it was, it smelled like it was burning. Feeling her stomach rumble, Brenley realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast that day. Climbing out of bed, she made her way down the hallway toward the kitchen. Soft music was playing in the background.
Zane was at the counter chopping up onions for a salad bowl. She thought he looked rather adorable at that moment, with his eyes filled with tears from the onion. He looked up and smiled.
“I keep thinking I’ll get used to cutting onions one day but I never do,” he said, chuckling.
She took a seat at the bar, surveying all the food. He might be a computer wizard but cooking was clearly not his strong point. She could tell he was trying hard to make everything look nice but it wasn’t working out for him.
“I hope you like steak, with sautéed vegetables, sweet potatoes, salad and bread.” Zane said after clearing the tears from his eyes.
“I love steak. It’s one of my favorites.”
“I admit I don’t cook very much. I hope it turns out all right.”
Surveying the kitchen, it looked like a tornado had gone through it. Rather than doing things in an organized manner or trying to have everything done at the same time, he seemed to be working on it all equally. The lettuce was cut at weird angles. Half the vegetables were already smoking in the skillet as he added the onions.
After stirring them, he checked the bread in the oven. As the door opened, Brenley already knew the outcome. She couldn’t help laughing however, when Zane cut off the burnt sides to the loaf and turned around saying “Perfect.” Setting it down, he ran outside to check on the steaks.
Brenley tried to stop herself from laughing more. The man was trying so hard but it just wasn’t working for him. After a quarter hour he turned to her with a proud look.
“Dinner’s ready. I hope you’re hungry.” Moving to the marble top table, Brenley nearly cringed at the sight. All the food looked like was either burnt or raw with no in-between. Zane picked up a bottle of red wine from the table.
“Do you like wine? I have a bottle of Pinot Noir that will go well with the food.”
“That sounds perfect to me,” she said smiling. At least I’ll have a good drink to wash this down with.
Brenley put on the best show she could, not wanting to hurt his feelings. The food wasn’t awful but it wasn’t good either. The bread still had a burned taste and the vegetables were either overcooked or completely raw. The steak was a solid well done. It was so dry she had to sip on her wine with each bite to get it down.
They made light conversation over dinner, taking their minds off the food. She thanked him for dinner and what he was doing for her. She was actually enjoying his company. Zane was very engaging to talk to and had a much better grasp on life than she had previously thought.
The way he looked at her made her feel nervous, but also warmed her insides at the same time. He had a deep, penetrating gaze that said he noticed her every little nuance. It was a look that said he deeply appreciated who she was. It felt strange coming from someone she had disliked only a short time ago. She had seen others look at someone that way but it had never been directed towards her.
At the end of the meal, Brenley could easily say it had been one of the worst meals of her life. She knew he had tried to impress her but she was thankful when she could stop eating. At least she had a full stomach and was starting to feel a buzz off the wine. She helped Zane clean the table and kitchen, seeing that he was not used to the process.
After they were done they decided to open a second bottle of wine before going to the living room to sit in front of the fire. It was a big stone fireplace with wood trim that had a mantel filled with pictures. The weather had cooled down since the sun had set so Zane opened the windows and started a fire. A cool breeze flowed through the room while the fire in front of her kept her warm. She found the juxtaposition of temperatures quite pleasant.
For a time they sat in silence on the plush cushioned rug, sipping on the wine while enjoying the crackle of the flames.
How odd is this, Brenley thought, considering where I came from? Several weeks ago she had hated this man. His arrogant attitude had caused her to want nothing to do with him. Looking back at it now, her opinion of him seemed premature.
This was a man who had come into her bank looking to invest with her just to get the opportunity to ask her out. She had completely shunned him, not giving him a chance to show who he might really be.
A few weeks later, he stunned her even more. She recalled how she had seen him at Hotel Ra. She had been so annoyed running into him but right before he’d gotten out of the elevator he had given her the most passionate kiss she’d ever received. She could have protested and stopped him, of course, but was even more surprised to find she didn’t want the kiss to end.
Now that she was sitting in his living room with him, she couldn’t stop from thinking about having his body pressed up against hers again. A warm ball of desire had formed in her belly. Today was the second time he had saved her from someone trying to harm her. She realized that she felt incredibly safe around Zane. She knew it wasn’t the most rational feeling ever, considering the way he kissed her in the elevator but there all the same. He had also hacked into her computer but something told her that he would never hurt her.
She looked over at him. Fire danced in the reflection of his eyes. He leaned back lazily, sprawling across the floor. He was resting on his elbows with his hair hanging back freely. He was wearing his classic black fitted tee with jeans and biker boots. His face was beautiful. His whole body was beautiful, for that matter. He was proportioned perfectly. Brenley flushed with heat as she looked at his full lips, remembering them pressed up against hers.
She didn’t understand why he even liked her but was secretly hoping to get another chance to feel his lips against hers. He could have any woman he wanted. He had dated any number of supermodels. Why was he interested in her? She didn’t think she was especially pretty, not like a supermodel at least. She was fit but it wasn’t her job to have pictures taken of her.
Even if she entertained the idea of her and Zane it would never happen. He would only end up breaking her heart so it was best to not let him close at all. She needed someone more down-to-earth, someone who would value and cherish her. She couldn’t take the heartache she had experienced from Warren again.
Looking over at Zane, her eyes met his piercing gaze. At that moment she felt like she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. Her heart rate sped up. Holding his gaze for a moment, she finally looked away. She was definitely starting to feel the wine at this point. Her vision had a slight blur to it and her inhibitions seemed to be growing smaller by the minute.
“I love sitting by the fire like this on cool nights,” Zane said.
“Me too. Sometimes it’s the small things in life that seem to be the best.”
“Definitely. This place is like a refuge to me when I need to disconnect from my life and everything is moving too fast. It lets me come back to myself and reconnect with what’s important.”
“You’re very different from who I thought you were.”
“Oh really? How so?” he said in a playful tone with his lips curling up into a slight smile.
“Well, I guess I just imagined you as a city boy who was rather shallow. You have this playboy type of image, always dating supermodels and hanging out at upscale places. You just didn’t seem grounded, I guess. Like you were larger-than-life. I’m not saying that you’re not all that. Only that I would never have guessed you had this side to you.”
“I am larger-than-life,” he said looking into her eyes. Brenley wrinkled her nose in consternation. Okay, Mr. Humble. “Joking. I’m joking. Geez, don’t take things so seriously.” He laughed. “Seriously though, I appreciate that. I maintain an image because I like the attention and it helps me sell myself for roles. If I’m larger-than-life it only makes directors want me all the more. Most people have a very poor idea of who I really am, though.”
“That makes sense. So who are you really then, Zane Anthony? This is your chance to impress me.”
“I don’t think so…I don’t think I have to impress you at all actually. I don’t want someone who I have to impress. My take on you is that you don’t really care about my status or money or any of that. You care about who someone is and how they treat you. You want what plenty of people want. To be loved for who you are, taken care of, valued and most importantly to be safe with that person. You want someone who is on your level as a partner. That’s why I’m attracted to you, I think. You don’t care about all the extra stuff in my life. If you wanted me it would be for the right reasons.”
Brenley’s insides twisted into a knot. How could he know her so well while hardly ever talking to her? Either way, he impressed her with how he saw and connected things. She could tell he noticed the effect he had on her and that he knew he was right.
“Brenley, I could sit here and laud upon myself but those would be just words. I let my actions speak for me. I can tell you who I see myself as, which is important in and of itself but what truly matters here is how you see me. I think if you give me the chance and spend more time around me, you’ll see the type of person I am.”
“You keep surprising me with your answers. You’re not thinking of going into politics, are you?” she said with a smile.
“No, I consider myself to have too high of a moral standing for that,” he returned playfully with a smile. “I have my computer running and sifting through data. It’s searching for keywords I think might be related to you. I’m searching through Frederickson’s office and personal computer along with the police officer’s from today. We can start tomorrow and look through the financial records you have on Frederickson to see if we can find a connection between him and the dirty funds. Why don’t we relax and watch a movie tonight?”
“That sounds nice. What about work tomorrow?”
“I would just call in sick for a few days and see what we find.”
“Okay. I’m going to need some different clothes though. Do you think it’s safe to go back to my apartment now?”
“I doubt it. Who knows if someone is watching or not. I wouldn’t take the chance. I’ll go and buy you some more clothes tomorrow.”
Moving off the floor, Zane grabbed the remote and flipped the TV on while Brenley took a seat on the couch.
“What kind of movie would you like to watch?” Zane asked stepping over to the library of movies filling shelves to each side of the fireplace.
“Hmmm. Let’s go with a comedy. I need something to cheer me up after today.”
As Zane sifted through his collection of DVDs, something on the news caught her ear. Grabbing the remote off the sofa, Brenley turned up the volume.
At that same moment her apartment flashed up on the screen with a reporter speaking in the back ground.
“Today the police were called after someone reported a break in to the home of Brenley Meyers. Upon arrival the door was open and the police quickly searched the place and found several kilograms of cocaine along with eighty thousand dollars. The police believe Meyers was kidnapped in relation with being a drug dealer. Meyers works at a local bank and has no record of ever being involved with drugs. Her family and associates have been unavailable for comment. Even more surprising, a police officer arriving on the scene early reported Brenley Meyers getting into a car with who he claims is local celebrity Zane Anthony.”
The screen switched to a task force currently outside Zane’s townhome attempting to reach him. Brenley saw Zane’s face darken as he watched it with her. He started visibly shaking with rage at the accusations.
“Police have received a court-issued warrant to search Anthony’s property. They believe he and Meyers may somehow be connected, possibly selling drugs together. After searching his property the police found another few kilos of cocaine, along with an unregistered firearm with the serial number filed off. Both are felonies with potential heavy sentences. The police have issued a warrant for the arrest of both these people. If you see them please call…”
Brenley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was absurd. How could this be happening to her? She had never done drugs in her life, let alone sold them to others. Hot tears started pouring from her eyes when she realized how serious this was. Zane came over and wrapped his arms around her. Burying her head on his shoulder, she took a few minutes to let her anger out.
Someone was out to make sure she had no credibility and ruin her life. They wanted to make sure whatever she had stumbled upon never came to light. She didn’t know how many people were involved, but it was clear they had vast resources and were hell-bent on keeping her quiet.
Why hadn’t she just let it go from the start? Ever since she had received that damn note, she couldn’t get doing the right thing out of her mind. Now she had been branded a criminal and even Zane was implicated in it. She had no way out now. There was no ignoring it. She had to find the evidence she needed and clear her and Zane’s name if they were going to have any sort of lives from here on out.
It gave her a small modicum of comfort having Zane’s body pressed against hers. His was hot and hard. She could feel his muscles rippling over his body. She could tell his rage equaled hers. When she looked up, she was glad they were in this together. She had never seen someone with such a dangerous look in their eyes. He looked like he was ready to take on the entire world if need be.
“Someone just made a very big mistake,” he said. “If they think they’re going to discredit us and keep this quiet they just gave me all the determination I need to handle every single one of them.”
Brenley knew the feeling. There was now a fire in her stomach to see whoever was attacking her completely ruined. She wasn’t going to settle for anything less. She wouldn’t wish this situation on anyone but she was glad to have Zane on her side. She felt bonded to him now, as if they were a team on a mission.
We are going to be a very dangerous team at that.
There was now no question of going to the police or even asking anyone other than close friends for help. They were going to have to do whatever it took to clear their names and bring whoever was setting them up to justice.
“What if they come to search your ranch here?” Brenley asked, suddenly worried about what to do next.
“I wouldn’t worry about it. I told you I am a very private person and that I would use this place to escape if I ever needed to. That being said, it’s owned through a series of companies I have through an offshore account. It will take them a very, very long time and some serious sorting of my financial records before they ever get wind of this place. I’m very good at covering my tracks.”
“Oh, thank god,” Brenley said feeling slightly relieved.
“I know this is scary. I didn’t see this coming at all but trust me, we’ll figure it out and make things right. This doesn’t really change things all that much, other than we can’t go out in public without worrying about someone seeing us. I also need to take the battery out of your phone so they can’t trace it.”
Getting both of their phones, she watched as he took them apart and removed the batteries. He then got up and went to retrieve another phone that he gave her.
“This is a prepaid phone, with no association to either of us. Don’t call anyone you know for now, just in case. If you need to, let me know and I’ll get one that isn’t traceable. This is just in case something were to happen and we were to get separated and you need to reach me. The number to my own prepaid is already in the phone. If you try to contact anyone that is close to you, it will only put them in more danger. It’s best if they are left in the dark. They may worry but at least they will be out of harm’s way.”
Laughing at this situation, the ridiculousness of it hit her. “Why do you have all this stuff? Have you been expecting to get in a situation like this?” she asked, finding it rather amusing.
“I’ve watched way too many movies. But I actually find it better to be prepared than anything. It’s just the way my mind works. I also have quite a bit of money and if anyone figured that out I’d be a target for sure.”
“Well obviously you do. You’re a celebrity actor,” she retorted.
“The least of my money comes from acting. I told you I invest as well.”
“So? Plenty of people invest. You really think you’d be that big of a target?”
“If you saw my portfolio, I might have to worry about being a target from you,” he said with levity, raising the mood. “Anyhow, it’s a good thing I like to be prepared because now we have the resources we need to keep going.”
“True enough. So I’m going to try again. How did you learn to be so good with technology?”
“Well, I have a dual degree in math and software engineering so that helped.”
“Shut the front door!”
“What?”
“You’ve got to be joking. You have a double major in math and software engineering?” she asked with an astounded look.
“I just said that. Do you want to see my certificates?”
“I think I would, actually.”
Walking to the other room, Zane returned in a moment with a single frame. Inside, true to his word, Brenley saw two degrees. She almost couldn’t believe it. Still, if she hadn’t seen the computer Zane had built and how he worked it she might not have. Here she had thought he was some vapid guy with no brains and he was actually incredibly intelligent. She felt a little dumb herself for reaching such a wrong conclusion about someone. She was normally exceptional at reading people.
Zane took the framed certificates back to the other room and came back with a rather mischievous look on his face. She could tell he was glad at seeing her realize he was actually much different then she had previously thought.
“That’s very impressive. So why aren’t you working in your industry rather than acting?” she queried.
“Well acting is more fun, plus I do get to work in my industry. I create applications and build things all the time as a hobby. I’ve got several bestsellers in the app store right now, actually. I don’t have to be exclusive in any one field nor do I need to broadcast everything I do to people. What I like to do in my private life is for me alone. People want to see the celebrity, so that’s what I give them. Then I get to come home and do things I think are really fun as well.”
“I hadn’t ever thought of it that way.”
“It’s like the table your feet are on right now. I spent a weekend out here relaxing and built it when I realized I wanted to prop my feet up.”
It was a cedar coffee table that fit in perfectly with the rustic feel but also had an ornate look to it. It had iron wrapping around the legs, which crisscrossed up to the center with a glass overlay.
Although Brenley had spent her day around Zane, she was seeing him very differently. He did have the one side to him that she had seen before but he also had so much more to him. His personality was full spectrum, seeming to allow him to be anything he wished.
Except a cook, that is, she thought.
“The table is beautiful. You’re just getting more and more impressive by the minute.”
“I try,” he said with a smile.
Zane got up and poured them both another glass of wine, then sat back down on the sofa with Brenley.
“I hate to say this, but you look supercute when you’re upset.”
“Oh god, whatever. This is disastrous. I can’t believe we are in this mess. I don’t even know how we got here.”
“Well however we got here, I’m glad to be here with you.”
“You barely even know me. Why do you like me?”
“Because I like what I know so far. You’re intelligent, have a good personality when you’re not insulting me, and I find myself wanting to know more about you. And to be honest, there is something about you that drives me wild. I can’t explain it but yeah, there it is.”
I drive Zane Anthony wild? How is that even possible? Trying not to overreact at hearing that, Brenley’s heart still jumped. She wasn’t sure why but it made her feel good hearing that she drove him wild. That he wanted her. She thought about it and was surprised to find that she wanted him too. She wanted to be in his arms and feel safe. She wanted to let him make everything better for her. She believed he could. But what about when all this was over? Would he leave her and move on? Probably. No one like Zane Anthony settled down with someone like her.
“Thank you. I guess we’ll get the chance over the next few days or however long to get to know each other better and see what we really think.”
“I can’t ask for anything more.” Their eyes locked for a moment before he continued, “It’s getting late. Let’s get some sleep and we’ll try tackling everything tomorrow, how does that sound?”
“Sounds good to me. I can’t believe it but I’m tired again already.”
She walked to the guest bedroom and Zane followed. Outside her door she turned to say good night. He was closer than she expected. His right hand came up to her neck and around her ear in a sensual motion.
Oh god, is he going to kiss me again? Do I resist or show him I really enjoy it? Before she could make up her mind his lips came down to give a departing kiss on her cheek.
“Goodnight, Brenley,” he whispered in her ear. He lingered, his face close to hers, looking into her eyes. She could feel desire starting to rise within her. Having him so close, holding her in such a manner. His warm breath rolled across her neck, causing a tingling sensation to run through her. Then he was walking down the hallway toward his own bedroom.
Letting out the breath she had been holding, she walked into the room. No wonder she was tired. This was perhaps the most ludicrous day ever. Here she was, stuck in a total stranger’s house. A stranger who had feelings for her and who she was clearly developing feelings for. Not to mention, both of them were now outlaws.
She had gone to work this morning thinking she would be fine at a hotel for a few days. She would just check her video camera to see if anyone had broken into her apartment and then take it to the police. Despite how ridiculous her situation was she didn’t feel all that worried. She had a calmness she couldn’t explain. It felt like Zane would live up to his word about absolving them both.
What was more surprising was that she was actually looking forward to spending the next several days with Zane. He was a gentleman in disguise with a depth she hadn’t anticipated. A connection was forming between them. She could feel it. It had been years since she had a relationship that actually meant anything but she was slowing starting to hope against all hope that there might be something there.
Drifting off to sleep, her last thoughts were of his body pushing her up against a wall and kissing her again.
* * * * *
Zane walked to his bedroom, resisting the urge to go back down the hall and kiss Brenley properly. Today’s events had been totally unexpected. From running into Brenley at her apartment to now being a fugitive from the law, today seemed like a collage of events happening all at once.
He found himself mildly amused by the circumstances though. It had finally given him the chance to show that he wasn’t exactly what Brenley thought he was. He had played it all very cool, throwing out only enough to not seem cocky but also show that he was much more. Zane thought he’d be lucky if he ever landed a girl like her.
He didn’t know everything about her but there was just something. Sometimes you just know when you’ve met someone who you don’t want to spend your life without. He had that nagging feeling about her. She was special. It wasn’t only that he found her intoxicatingly beautiful, it was her personality. She valued a person for who they really were at heart. Plus having her in her business suit all day nearly drove him mad with desire. He had to get her different clothes. Soon. Or he would end up ripping those off her.
He had dated a variety of girls but they had only cared for his money, looks, or social position. It had been fun at the time but quickly got old. None of them offered anything exceptional. He felt disconnected from himself. Like he wasn’t getting the full package with them.
Zane wanted more. He wanted someone to value him for who he was, all aspects of him. He thought Brenley might just do that. She had a very tight view of people but he sensed it was because she had been hurt in the past. If he could get through the emotional walls she had erected, he thought there was a much deeper, loving person inside.
He wished he could have impressed her with dinner. It was a complete disaster. He was calling a professional chef next time. That was the biggest crash and burn he had ever suffered. It had taken everything he had to stomach the food. He couldn’t imagine what she thought about it.
Their night had been going decently until he turned the TV on and they heard they were fugitives wanted in connection to illegal substances. Zane bristled thinking about the planted evidence and false accusations against them.
He didn’t have the slightest clue as to how he would extract them from their current predicament. At least they were at his ranch where no one would find them. He was also grateful that he was a computer wizard. If anyone involved was keeping any dirty secrets on their computers, he was going to find out.
Crawling into bed, he wished Brenley was beside him. It was odd because he wasn’t really a cuddler but he had the urge to protect her and have her close. Drifting off to sleep he started dreaming about Brenley sneaking into his bedroom in the middle of the night.
* * * * *
Duane Frederickson sat outside on the balcony, ignoring the spectacular view from his penthouse suite. Scotch in one hand and a cigarette in the other, he contemplated the current situation. Everything had gone wrong but his men took it in stride. He wasn’t sure how Brenley Meyers had gotten the information she had but she had found damning evidence against him and was planning on using it.
That was what “the messenger” had told him at least. He had received a call the night before telling him his situation was compromised. Unless he eliminated Brenley Meyers, he would be spending substantial time in prison.
He made the only decision he could, calling the henchmen his source had put him in contact with to dispose of her. They were supposed to grab the information, plant false evidence to make it seem as though it was a break-in related to drugs and then simply make her disappear.
It had all sounded so simple speaking it out loud, only they hadn’t anticipated a third party being involved. He wasn’t sure how Zane Anthony had become tangled up in all this, but he complicated the situation immensely. It was one thing to make a money manager disappear. It was another thing entirely to make a celebrity disappear.
To Frederickson’s ire the henchmen had lost Zane and Brenley after the apartment complex. Even though steps were taken to discredit Zane as well, making him and Brenley both public enemies, it wasn’t enough. Frederickson wanted them out of the equation altogether. All the henchmen’s attempts at locating them had failed though. If it got out he was behind these attacks, Frederickson knew he was done for. He couldn’t convince anyone he had only done all this because of being blackmailed. There was no evidence of his blackmailer.
The only contact he ever had was over a prepaid phone, unless they decided to send him a package to remind him of the hold they had over him. Whoever they were, he knew they were extremely smart, organized and would do what was necessary to protect themselves.
Sitting outside in the windy night, he regretted the entire situation. Still he was out there because the messenger had told him he would be contacted tonight with further instructions. Right on time his phone rang, vibrating in his pocket.
“This is Frederickson,” he answered.
A muffled voice on the other end of the phone spoke slowly but to the point. “You lost Brenley Meyers and now have involved Zane Anthony.”
“It wasn’t my fault. I used the men you put me in contact with and did everything I could. I improvised and now discredited Zane Anthony as well, so they’re accomplices.”
“I need them eliminated. There is no connection to me but you’re a valuable asset I’m not willing to lose. Find them. Use all your resources. The men I’ve put you in contact with know what to do from there.”
Click. The line on the other end went dead.
That went well, Frederickson thought. At least it could have gone much worse. Taking another drink from his scotch, he thought perhaps this was just one big nightmare he would wake up from but knew that wasn’t the case. Looking down over the edge of the balcony, he thought if he didn’t succeed in finding and eliminating Zane and Brenley, he might as well jump off.