My phone rang just as I was heading to Paige’s apartment, and I smiled when I saw Finn’s number.
“I’m getting ready to come down,” he said. “I could wait for you.”
“We already talked about this.”
He sighed. I heard the ding of the elevator. “I’d feel better walking with you.”
“Paige will be with me, we’ll head straight over, and I’ll call if anything seems off.”
“Or if you’re nervous for any reason. Or if—”
“Yes. Any of those things. I promise.”
It was quiet on his end for a moment. I knocked on Paige’s door and waited for her to answer.
“I’m glad you stayed last night,” Finn said.
“Me too.”
And I was glad I decided to stay at Oasis as well. Now I just had to face my first day back at work knowing Mark was still out there and this time, I wasn’t running.
Paige opened the door and smiled when she saw I was on the phone. She waved me inside and I followed her in, noticing she’d rearranged the furniture.
“I’m at Paige’s,” I told Finn. “We’ll be on our way soon.”
“I’ll keep my phone close.”
After I hung up, Paige came out of the kitchen with a piece of toast on a paper towel. “Was that Finn?”
“Yes.”
“Is his apartment like a dream? Huge? With a good view? Does he have a housekeeper?” she asked. “And a chef? Did you eat lobster when you went over there?”
Laughter bubbled out. “Lobster?”
She shrugged, eating her last bite of toast. “It sounds sophisticated and expensive. Dreamy.”
“I don’t know about dreamy but it was good. I mean, despite the circumstances. Finn and I still connect. But he’s so different.”
“In a good way or a bad way?” Paige held up a finger. “Wait, hold that thought. Let’s talk while we walk so you can get to work on time.”
“Good point. It probably wouldn’t look good for me to be gone two days in a row.”
“I’m glad you decided to stay,” Paige said, touching my arm as she passed to pick up her purse.
“Me too,” I murmured.
We took the elevator to the lobby and then exited Housing for the path in the Commons. It smelled like wet soil today, and all the trees and plants were dripping with water. The flowers Finn had instructed to be planted were bright and cheerful.
“If I walked on these paths every day, from one community to the next,” Paige said, “I’d probably get in enough steps to count as exercise, right?”
“Sure. Or you could use the gym in Housing.”
Paige frowned. “Like, real exercise?”
“It’s a nice gym.”
“Yeah…” Paige sighed. “I went down there once. Got distracted by this guy lifting weights.”
I smirked.
“Speaking of the gym, I saw a flyer for one of their classes. Self-defense. I was thinking of taking it. You want to come?”
I considered this. It wouldn’t hurt to know some basics to keep myself safe. And it might make me feel better for when I was walking around alone. “Sure, why not?”
“I can sign us up tomorrow. We’ll learn how to kick ass and get exercise at the same time. Win-win.” She flashed a glance at me. “And maybe we’ll have a cute instructor, and he can get me in one of those holds…you know, those really tight ones?”
I laughed. “Speaking of cute instructors…or guys in general…I have a confession.”
“Uh oh. What is it?”
“I sort of invited a friend from work to dinner on Saturday. After we go shopping.”
“What friend?”
“My assistant. Tucker. But this was before I knew about your fiancé. And then I realized how wrong that was—”
Paige laughed, stopping my apology. “Charlotte. Don’t apologize. You were trying to set us up?”
“Sort of.”
“Is he hot?”
“I…” I wrinkled my nose. “He’s my assistant.”
“Meaning you’re falling in love with Finn again and only have eyes for him.”
My mouth dropped open. We reached the doors to the Business Community, and I paused, my stomach twisting. “Why did you say that?”
“You talk like you still have feelings for him. And the kind of conflict you’re feeling makes it pretty obvious there’s still something there. You probably wouldn’t be so hesitant if you didn’t have all that leftover…what’s the word?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. It’s not just leftover feelings. It’s—I’m scared.”
“That Finn is going to hurt you?”
“That anyone is going to hurt me. Or that I’m going to have to leave again and we won’t be able to be anything more.”
“Is that what you want?” Paige asked, her brown eyes compassionate. “Something more?”
I swallowed, feeling that familiar tightness in my chest. Trapped. “I think so. Like I said, Finn has changed. In a good way. He’s who I thought I always wanted. But now I’m the one who’s not ready.”
“If it’s something you think is right, you have to go for it. Life’s too short to miss that kind of opportunity.”
“You’re right,” I whispered. If anyone knew this, Paige did. “But…what if something happens? What if…?”
“You’re going to be safe. Finn will make sure of it, and I will, too. Don’t let Mark chase you out of here. It’s about time he deals with the consequences.”
She sounded just like Finn. Like it was black and white. If I stood up to Mark, he’d get caught and he’d pay the price for his actions and everything would be fine. I wanted to tell her it wasn’t that simple but I doubted she’d understand.
Even if it was simpler than I was making it, I couldn’t see past my fear.
Checking my watch, I gestured to the door. “I need to get in there.”
“I’ll walk you,” Paige said.
Laughing, I opened the door. “It’s just inside. And up the elevator.”
“And I feel like I need to make sure you make it into the elevator. I’ll feel better. You can laugh at me when you get inside and I’m gone.”
I waved at the security guard and stopped in front of the farthest set of elevators.
“And about that friend. Tucker,” Paige said. “I don’t mind. It’ll be nice to meet someone new.”
Relief seeped in and I nodded as the elevator doors opened. “All right. This weekend, then.”
“Yep.” Paige smiled at me as I stepped inside. “Stay safe.”
On the top floor, Leslie greeted me when I got out. Her smile was warm. “Mr. Moore asked if you could check in when you got here.”
“Thanks.”
Because his door was open, I walked into his office first before getting settled. He stood in front of the window, staring outside at a sunny day. He turned when I got halfway to him, and his smile melted my bones.
“You’re here,” he said.
“I’m here. Safe and sound.”
His lips quirked. “Sarcasm. Hmm.”
“See?” I smiled. “I’m not the girl you once knew.”
My body heated when he stepped closer, and suddenly I wasn’t thinking about being sarcastic anymore. Since yesterday, I couldn’t seem to get enough of Finn. Having him near me, his hands on me, meant a so much in so many ways. I meant I was moving on with my life. It meant I could have a life. Having one with Finn right now was just a bonus. Everything about him screamed sex appeal but his heart was softer now. He was more vulnerable.
And he was mine.
“I like this version,” he said, examining my clothes, and then my hair. “All serious, hair up, outfit just right.”
His words made a rush of sadness go through me. I missed that carefree girl who was easy to trust and quick to try anything new. I used to know how to have fun. I used to make Finn come up for air when he got too busy with his school work or making business plans with his brother, Jake, and their mother. He was the serious one.
“It wasn’t an insult,” Finn murmured, moving close enough to touch my cheek. His fingertips fluttered over my skin like butterfly wings. “I was thinking more that you’re like a mystery. Wrapped up in this perfect little box with secrets inside.” He sighed. “That probably didn’t sound right either.”
I looked down, tried to stop my hands from wringing. “No, you’re right. I’m different. I’m not the same person you met in college. Sometimes I don’t even recognize myself.”
“I do,” Finn said, his hand cupping the back of my neck as he went in for a kiss.
Pressing my hands against his chest, I stepped back. “Finn.”
He blinked. “What?”
“We’re at work.” I glanced behind me to the open door. I couldn’t see Leslie, but I could hear her. “This is not professional. You’re my boss.”
He sat on the edge of the table, amused. “Technically that’s not true. We’re sort of equals here. And once we’re officially open and I go, it will be yours. All of it.”
He’d said this before, but I couldn’t quite grasp the scope of it. I shook my head in protest. “No, Finn. This is your place, too.”
He waved his hand. “Sure, stocks and—”
“No, I mean more than that.”
Finn reached for me, but when I backed away, he held up his hands. “I’m serious, Charlotte, and don’t try to argue with me. I want this place to be yours. I have it all on paper—my lawyer will go over it with you when you’re ready. No, no arguing. This place is yours. Which means…you’re actually sort of my boss.”
My mouth hung open, words jumbling at the back of my throat. That wasn’t right. Finn built this place. It was more his than mine.
“Say something,” Finn instructed.
I pulled myself together, trying for a moment of levity. “If I’m your boss, how come you get the bigger office?”
He laughed and stood, reaching for me again. “Move in here with me. Then we can share the big office.”
I pointed my finger at him. “I know exactly what you’re after, and it’s not going to happen.”
“I miss being near you.”
My heart fluttered. Of course he had to go and say something like that. I felt the same way. But there would be plenty of time for all that. I hoped.
“After work,” I promised.
“That’s too far away.”
“You stay there,” I told him, already stepping toward the door. “I have work to do.”
“One kiss.”
“Finn—”
“Just one.”
Licking my lips, I glanced behind me to the door again, halfway expecting an audience. They had to know something was going on by now.
“One,” I said, holding up my finger again. “Just one. No,” I said when he wrapped his arms around my waist. “A small one.”
I gave him a peck on the lips, breathing in his cologne long enough to make me pull back. I couldn’t get distracted or I wouldn’t get anything done today.
Finn’s hands tightened. “Not enough,” he murmured against my cheek and went in for another one.
His tongue parted my lips, tracing them until they opened. Until my breathing became ragged. One hand slid to my back, holding me against him.
“Finn,” I whispered against his mouth.
His cheek nuzzled mine. “I don’t want to work today.”
“I don’t think you got where you are in life by giving into those kinds of urges.”
“You probably shouldn’t say ‘urges’ around me right now.”
Laughing, I pulled away. “Now, focus. I might be the boss by default, but I want to be respected, too. That’s not something I can get by kissing the other boss.”
He gave a playful frown. “Why don’t we try it and see?”
“I’m serious, Finn. I want to belong here because I earned it, not because you handed over this place I had nothing to do with—”
“You were the vision. And I wish we could stop having this conversation. I get that you want to earn it, but this place is yours for more than that. Okay?”
I nodded, still reeling inside from the information and from the kiss. “Okay.”
He took my hand before I could turn. “One more thing.”
“What?”
He kept his voice low and gentle when he said, “We should talk to Powell today.”
I tensed, dropping my chin automatically.
“I know it’s hard,” Finn said, “but it’s for the best. He’ll be discreet, I promise. No decisions until you agree, okay?”
Lifting my chin, I looked straight in Finn’s eyes. “Do you trust him?”
“Absolutely. Working at Oasis was just a favor to me—normally he does something a little more high-profile. Private security, bodyguard kind of stuff. He helped Jake out when he had trouble with his ex and he was very thorough and very discreet. He’ll be able to do more than we can on our own.”
“Mark knows people, too,” I said quietly, my eyes flicking to the door. There was a pinching in my chest, and I instinctively squeezed my fist over my heart. “He wasn’t lying when he said he’d hurt someone.”
“Which is why it’s time we do something.” Finn pulled my hand away from my chest and held it tightly in his own. “Relax, take a deep breath. We’ll do it one step at a time.”
“We have to tell Curtis about my family. I don’t want anything to happen.”
“He’ll know what to do,” Finn assured me. “I promise.”
His confidence seeped over to me. If Finn could trust Curtis, so could I. I was running out of options.
“Can we wait for a few hours so I can get some work done first?” I asked.
Finn grinned. “See, now, that sounds exactly like Charlotte. Yes, let’s see about doing this over lunch.”
My stomach swirled, but I only nodded. “Lunch. Right.”
Then I pointed my finger at Finn again to make him stay where he was. He laughed once more. I felt his eyes on me as I walked out of his office, and tried to focus my mind on work.
At noon, Tucker appeared at the doorway to my office. He smiled. “I wanted to make sure you were still here. You’ve been so quiet, I thought you might have stepped out.”
I pointed to the papers scattered around my desk—mostly just notes I’d made for myself—but also stacks Tucker had brought me this morning. “Busy, busy.”
“I updated the contact information so now all upper-level questions about the communities will be directed to you.”
“Thank you, Tucker.”
“Don’t thank me,” he said. “Your phone and your email are about to get very busy.”
“It’s the job. No worries.”
Tucker glanced behind him. “Also, I think they’re ready for you in Mr. Moore’s office.”
I realized I was holding my breath, and tried to blow it out. I’d rather stay here with my papers and pretend nothing else was going on, but it wasn’t going to solve the problem.
“Thanks, Tucker,” I said, standing. “Have a nice lunch.”
He nodded and walked off. I searched my desk for something last-minute to do. Then, deciding it would be better dealing with it rather than putting it off, I left my office and passed Leslie’s desk, giving her a wobbly smile.
“We still on for this weekend?” she asked.
“Yes. My neighbor Paige is coming with us because she needs a dress, too. And then afterward we can relax and have dinner.”
She grinned. “Margaritas.”
“Sounds good.”
But the idea sat heavy in my stomach. I couldn’t get past what I was about to tell Curtis. Things I’d never told anyone else. Not even the police.
In Finn’s office, both men sat at the table. Leslie had ordered lunch in for us and it was clustered in containers at the middle of the table.
When Curtis saw me, he stood and held out his hand. “Good to see you again, Ms. Evans.”
“Could you just…call me Charlotte, please? I’m about to tell you a lot of things I’ve never told anyone, so I guess…it would help if you called me Charlotte.”
He gave a gentle smile. “Sure.”
Finn walked around the table and shut the door. He’d already closed the blinds and now, with the entire office shut in and closed off from the outside, I was starting to feel trapped again. Finn touched my back. “Maybe you could start with something to eat.”
I grimaced. My stomach didn’t feel like starting with something to eat. I just wanted to get this over with.
I sat at the table and Finn sat next to me, passing me a bottle of water. He was close enough I’m sure Curtis was curious what was going on between us. Or maybe Finn had already told him. Either way, he didn’t give away anything on his face. Now he was all business.
He had a plate of food in front of him but ignored it as he faced me. “Ms. Evans. Charlotte,” he started again. “Mr. Moore has asked me to step up security—particularly in Housing—and he and I are both concerned about the notes you’ve been getting. He’s also implied there’s more to it—from your past. If you feel like you’re in danger and it’s something I can help with, I’d like to try.”
I felt like a little kid, sitting with my hands clenched on the table, having to tell the truth about something I’d been lying about for months. Years.
Finn squeezed my leg under the table, and I flashed him a pained smile. “Sorry. I…this is hard to talk about.”
Curtis nodded. “I understand. Your ex-fiancé?” he prodded.
My stomach tightened. Finn must have told him more than I thought. But by this point, I was more relieved than angry. The less I had to say the better.
“Yes. Mark Dublin.” I was proud of myself for keeping my voice steady when I said his name. “We lived in Portland together from, uh…just before we were engaged, and then for another fourteen months.”
The longest fourteen months of my life. Away from my family. Away from most of my friends, because I’d moved to be with him.
Finn’s hand found my leg again, but I couldn’t look at him. I watched Curtis make notes on a notebook before meeting my eyes once more.
“And when did the engagement end?” Curtis asked.
“I told him—I mean, I tried to break it off after—” My eyes flicked to Finn. His jaw was tight, gaze locked on me. Pushing back from the table, I stood and started pacing. I couldn’t stand their eyes on me. “It was about a year and a half ago. I left and he found me, and…he threatened my family if I didn’t come back. So…” My throat tightened. “I did. I cut ties with them so—so they wouldn’t get hurt. And…I tried to leave again. Twice. But…”
I couldn’t continue, but Curtis only nodded. “That’s fine. Once you left him for good, did you see him after that?”
“First it was just phone calls. I changed my number but he found it again. And then the…gifts.” Finn shifted in his seat. I glanced at him, finding anger etched into his features.
“Flowers?” Curtis asked.
I nodded.
“Anything else?”
Blood drained from my face. I hadn’t even told Christie about this. “A—a tie.”
Curtis’s head came up. “A tie?”
“He—one time, he was angry and he…” I pressed a hand over my mouth. “He put it around my neck and—and—”
Finn stood abruptly, shoving his hands in his pockets. His eyes were on fire, and he gritted his teeth.
“Okay,” Curtis said calmly.
But my hands still shook. He’d wrapped the tie so tight around my neck, I’d blacked out. The next morning, I’d woken up to bruises—and not just on my neck.
“I can’t…” My eyes went to Finn, already panicking about what he was thinking. “I can’t do this with you in here.”
His gaze snapped to mine. It was filled with shock and hurt. “Excuse me?”
“You—you’re agitated. And it’s making me nervous. I don’t want you to be upset.”
Finn’s laugh was harsh. “You don’t want me to be upset? Fuck that. Of course I’m upset, but I’m more worried about you, Charlotte. He could have killed you. He could have—Shit.” Finn ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Curtis. “I’m sorry.” Then he looked at me. “I’m sorry. You don’t need this. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Curtis set his pen down. “I don’t have many more questions for now. I can keep it brief, Mr. Moore. If you’d like to step out, we won’t be long.”
Finn glared at him like he couldn’t believe he’d suggest that. But I was grateful. Curtis was on my side, and I felt more comfortable around him. It was all facts with him. Curtis was thinking with his brain and Finn was thinking with his heart.
“It’s okay,” I told Finn, my voice gentle. “I’m okay. It’ll help if you just…”
Finn propped his hands on his hips, bowing his head so his chin almost touched his chest. When he looked up again, he’d recovered, and he walked to me and took my hand. “I’ll be right outside.”
He didn’t look at Curtis as he left, shutting the door behind him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, clenching my hands on the back of a chair.
Curtis shook his head. “There’s nothing to apologize about. It sounds like your ex has a pattern of this kind of behavior, and after what’s been happening, I think he might be starting it up again.”
“I’m worried about my family.”
“I can send someone to them if necessary or contact the police in their area. Have you been in touch since you left the relationship?”
My eyes stung. “No.”
“It might be smart to give them a heads-up about where things stand with you. Let them know what’s been going on. For their safety and your peace of mind. And if I need to get in touch with them, for their safety of course, they’ll know who I am. Are you comfortable with that?”
I forced a nod. It was just my mom and my sister, but Curtis was right. It was smart. And I missed them more than I could say.
He made another note and said, without looking up, “I’ll need their names. I’ll be looking into Mark Dublin, to check on his location and the basics. Then I’ll dig deeper.” His head came up this time. “Is that okay?”
“Yes. But…will he know you’re looking into things?”
“I’ll be careful. I understand it might make him more upset on his end.”
I nodded. That made me feel better to some extent. No doubt Mark would be angry once he found out I wasn’t playing by his rules anymore.
“I’ll keep you updated, Charlotte. I don’t want you to feel like you’re out of the loop or that you can’t come to me if you feel uncomfortable. I agree with Mr. Moore that this needs to be dealt with, but it needs to be on your terms, too.”
I blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay.”
“I’d like to assign Dustin to you—”
“Wait, like a…bodyguard?”
Curtis leaned back in his seat. “Just temporarily. For when you leave the building, to make sure your apartment is safe before you enter. To be on-hand in case something happens.”
“I don’t leave the building. Not often.”
Curtis smiled. “Then he’ll have an easy job. But I want him to stay close. Just in case. I trust him, Charlotte. He’s quiet. He’ll give you your space. But he’s sharp.”
“It’s going to be really boring for him to follow me around.”
He rewarded me with another smile, and it relaxed me even more. “Dustin’s a pro at following around boring people. It’s part of the job. Here’s my personal number—to reach me the fastest.” He stood and passed me a card. “And I might have more questions.”
“Okay.”
“I need you to let me know if anything else happens. Right away. The faster we can get a lead on Mark and his whereabouts, the faster we can find him and put this to an end.”
Doubt flickered in me once more. “What if it’s not him?”
“Based on the little you already told me, it’s him. Like I said, he has a pattern. To be that controlling during your relationship, it’s very likely he’d continue that behavior after the relationship was over. He still thinks you’re his, Charlotte, and he’s smart enough to bide his time to make it happen.”
I shivered and crossed my arms over my chest.
Curtis touched my shoulder. “Don’t worry, he’s not smarter than us. And he’s probably getting impatient. He’ll keep trying to work his way into your life and he’ll make a mistake. We’ll catch him.”
I tried to believe his words, though it was hard. Mark had been sneaky in the past. He wasn’t likely to make any mistakes. Not if it meant losing what he wanted.
Curtis excused himself and left the office. I heard the low tones of his conversation with Finn and didn’t miss the anger in one of the voices. Finn’s. I hope I hadn’t gotten Curtis in trouble.
When Finn entered the room again, he shut the door behind him. “You should really eat something.”
I frowned. “Don’t be mad.”
Finn faced the windows, his shoulders tight. I could hear him breathing in and out and recognized his technique for coping with anger. Better than Mark’s, which I appreciated.
“You kicked me out,” Finn said. “I couldn’t help you before because I was an ass and I left you. And I feel like I can’t help you now because you don’t want me to know what happened.”
Walking up behind him, I said, “I’m embarrassed, Finn. I let Mark treat me the way he did for longer than I should have. I was an idiot and didn’t see the signs in the beginning of our relationship. I…”
Finn turned, eyes flashing. “You weren’t an idiot, Charlotte, and you never have been. He chose to treat you the way he did and he’s going to pay for it. I just want to be able to help.”
“You are helping. I promise.”
When he didn’t look convinced, I wrapped my arms around him. He straightened at first but then relaxed against me. “Let me in, Charlie.”
His nickname for me traveled straight to my heart. I closed my eyes and squeezed him tighter. “I’m trying.”