When I head to the airport to leave the next day, my thoughts are torn between the events of the previous day, and Barrett’s visit last night. One thing I am sure about though is finding out what Barrett is being paid to do, what Gavin has to gain from it, and why the hell I’m involved at all.
I call my mother from the airport departure lounge, apologizing that we didn’t get to spend more time together.
“Mom, are you sure about this?”
“About what dear?” she asks.
“Are you ready to get married again?”
She laughs. “Well, I wouldn’t have said yes to Gavin’s proposal if I wasn’t ready, Alyssa.”
I sigh inwardly, torn between supporting Mom and blurting out what I know. As always, my mother’s happiness wins out. “But do you really know him?”
“We’ve been together for over a year now. At my age, you know when you’ve met the right man.” With what I know and the fear of what I might still find out about my future stepfather, I’m worried Mom and I might not know the real Gavin at all. But that is something I’m determined to change.
“Okay. You know I’m just doing my duty as your daughter. I’m always going to worry about you, Mom.”
“I know, baby girl. You wouldn’t be the woman I raised otherwise.”
A few minutes later we end the call with me promising to email her during the week. Putting my phone down, I slump back in my chair and stare out the window as my thoughts fixate on all the possibilities. Mom sounds happy, and she definitely seemed happy and in love at lunch yesterday. There was no hesitation when she accepted Gavin’s proposal and nothing that she has told me during the past year has raised alarm bells about the man. And since I don’t want to ruin her newly-engaged buzz by casting shade on her new fiancé without solid proof, until I know more about Barrett and Gavin, I have no reason to burst her bubble.
I have nothing but heated overheard words to go on, and Barrett telling me he can’t tell me anything. All I know is that he paid Barrett to get something out of me—whatever that may be—for reasons I still don’t know yet. That is something that I hope to change though.
The first decision I’ve made is to investigate both Barrett and Gavin by hiring a private investigator. I still have hopes that Aiden’s background check on both men might give me a starting point to launch from, but even then, I’m still on the back foot because I don’t even know what I’m looking for.
The only connection I have been able to make is that Gavin owns the Sovereign Hotel, and Barrett seemed to have 'contacts' to help make things go his way—like rooftop dream dates and penthouse floor access. That still doesn't give me anything to go on in terms of why me, and why Gavin would hire a 'fixer' to cross paths with me either.
Finding a needle in a haystack would be an easier challenge than the one I have ahead of me, but to protect myself and my mother, I’ll leave no stone unturned.
Back at work Monday morning, I shut myself away in my office and busy myself with the new magazine launch details while checking my messages for word from Aiden. I’d hoped that keeping myself busy would distract me from Barrett. No such luck.
Even five years after being unexpectedly thrust into the top job, it still kicks my ass on a daily basis. After finishing high school, I'd gone to Berkeley to study English and Media Studies, moving straight on to my MBA after that. It was in my blood; my father shared his passion with me as a child, and that love of the press and writing carried through to my adult life. Taking over the family business was a foregone conclusion; unfortunately, my future was thrust upon me far sooner than any of us ever thought it would.
Because five years ago, fresh out of college and expecting to work my way up to the top, I received a phone call I would not wish on anyone. My father had gone out for his morning run and never returned. A few hours later, the police were on my mother's doorstep telling her that her soul mate was gone. All Mom and I had left of my Dad was his pride and joy, and to this day, everything I do is to make him proud.
Jacobs Publishing was started by a Jacobs, and as my father stated in his will, needed to be run by a Jacobs. It was always going to be me, I’d be preparing for this my whole life after all. The company was my father’s pride and joy—his biggest achievement in life, other than marrying my mom and creating me, and I was never going to let his legacy—and mine—fall by the wayside. So I work hard and sacrifice everything I have for the company.
Dad started the business with one of his friends straight out of college. His friend gave up early, telling my father it was never going to work. Dad, being the stubborn and determined man he was, then set out to make sure that the company would be the success he always knew it could be, dedicating every waking moment to ensure it would happen.
And succeed it did, going from a small eight-page double-spread newspaper hand-delivered to two thousand letterboxes every month, to a multimillion-dollar publishing empire poised for West Coast domination. We now have a collection of community newspapers and a monthly magazine with a circulation beyond 7 figures. It’s on the back of this success that I took the plunge and expanded into new interest areas.
Mom profits from my hard work and the company’s success, but I know that just like me, she’d give it all up to have my father back with us. Until she met Gavin, my mom had been living under a shadow of grief.
After my eventful weekend in Vegas, I now suspect her future happiness is under threat. That’s why I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.
Friday night, after not hearing from Aiden all week, I make a mental note to message him once I’m home. But stepping out of the elevator on my floor, I falter when I find the man himself leaning against the wall opposite my apartment.
His smile is just as big and as beautiful as I remember and it widens as I get closer. He's wearing a pair of well-fitting jeans hugging his thighs, an unzipped hooded jacket, and a 49ers T-shirt—all of which are pretty much his standard off-duty attire.
“Aly,” he says when I reach him, opening his arms to me and wrapping me up tight when I step into them.
“This is a nice surprise,” I say, hugging him before shifting back and meeting his eyes. “I thought you weren’t coming back up for a month.”
“Found time to make a special visit,” he replies, his eyes sliding over me from head to toe.
My brows bunch together as I try to read into his words—or more so, what he’s not saying. “Should I be worried that you’re delivering the background checks in person?”
“I wanted to check that you were okay,” he says, making my heart melt a little. Aiden had always been a sweetheart, albeit one with a sexy masculine edge that he often used to his advantage. But no matter how long we go between visits, he’s always checking in on me.
"I'm a big girl, Aiden. I can handle getting played."
“Believe me, that I know,” he growls. I go to open the door but look back over my shoulder at him, catching his eyes pinned on my ass. He shrugs when he realizes he’s caught, his knowing smirk unapologetic in its delivery. Suddenly my newfound resolution to stay away from men takes a direct hit and wavers.
Turning, I step toward him, and as soon as I'm within reach, he links his hands around my waist and pulls me in close, the warmth and comfort of his arms instantly relaxing me as he walks me backward until my back hits the door. Unable to stop myself, I melt into him.
“Missed you, Aly,” he murmurs, burying his face into my neck and pressing a light kiss to my skin. “Forgot how good you smell.”
“And I forgot how good you are for me in all ways," I whisper, my voice breathy and shaking. My nerves are totally shot when it comes to trusting my instincts. Thanks for that boon, Barrett Matthews.
“You’re good for a man’s ego. That’s for sure.” He pulls back with a grin and a gentle squeeze of his arms. “So, are you gonna invite me in or are we gonna shoot the shit in the hallway?”
“Detective Lawrence,” I gasp in feigned shock, holding my hand over my heart. “Shouldn’t you be warning me against inviting strangers into my apartment?”
He dips his head and drops his lips to my mouth, brushing over them before dragging them along my jaw and stopping just below my ear. "I've been inside you more times than I can count, Aly, and still can't get enough. Invite me in."
Every word he rasps and every stroke of his fingers on my hip as he says them sends jolts of electricity through me. My breathing stutters and my heart feels like it's trying to jump out of my chest and into his. Aiden's always had this effect on me and right now, with the tender state my head and my heart are in, maybe it's exactly what I need.
My tongue darts out and I lick the curve of his ear before sucking the lobe between my lips. “Wanna come inside, Detective Lawrence?”
He groans then chuckles, his eyes dancing and I know that whatever payback he has planned will be worth it. with planned payback as he steps back and picks up his overnight bag from the floor. “Thought you’d never ask.”
We stand there staring at each other for another moment or two. “So . . . are you going to do that then?” he asks with a quirked brow.
"What?" I snap out of my Aiden appreciation haze.
He smiles knowingly at me. “Open the door, Aly.”
“Oh, yes. Right,” I say, my hand shaking as I let us in, walking across the open-plan room and dropping my purse on the counter.
“I think I need a drink after the week I’ve had.” I move around to the cabinet where I keep the good stuff and open it, looking back over my shoulder and finding Aiden leaning against the wall with an unreadable expression. “Aiden?”
He glances up and I gulp at the serious look on his face, my bright mood at seeing him disappearing with the next words out of his mouth.
“With what I have to tell you, you better make it two.”