Chapter 2
Blockade
Using a pawn to obtain shelter from an attack
Scout pressed through the revolving door and rushed into the busiest part of the sidewalk, hoping to get lost in the crowd, thus losing anyone who might be following her. The sooner she was safe, the sooner she could move on with her plans. She needed a bank.
So long as she stayed in public she wasn’t in any danger. Not that she expected one of Lucian’s minions to abduct her, but she really wasn’t sure what he was capable of at the moment.
Hustling with serpentine movements from crowd to crowd, Scout made her way toward Edison Street, where there was a financial institution. Going directly there would offer shelter. However, it also meant if she was already being trailed, it would give her follower time to catch up and wait her out.
So be it. She wasn’t sleeping outside again, and she needed money to rent a place to stay.
The tall white building stood like a grandfather among his offspring. Folsom Liberty & Trust was perhaps the oldest bank in the city and therefore, to her thinking, possessed good credentials.
Pressing through the heavy glass doors, Scout came up short. The crisp air had a scent unlike anything she’d ever smelled. Was this what money smelled like when there were uncountable sums of it? Were mere mortals allowed in here? Did she need an appointment?
She glanced around nervously. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing. Trying not to look like a bank robber, she stepped aside as another man came through the door. He went to a section delineated with velvet rope.
Another woman leaned on a glass island, filling out a form. To her right was a carpeted area with fancy desks. People spoke in hushed tones much like they did at the library.
Scout’s gaze traveled upward. There was a mural of a scale painted on the ceiling. Behind the scale were outlines of numerous men in white wigs. She wondered who they were. Likely, one was Lucian’s ancestor.
“Can I help you with something?” a man in a suit asked.
“Um, I . . . do you work here?”
He smiled and the soft creases surrounding his eyes put her at ease. “I do. My name’s Michael McGregor. Is there something you needed help with?”
“I wanted to open an account.”
He nodded. “Okay, why don’t you come have a seat at my desk?”
Following him to the carpeted area, Scout found herself sitting in a curved back wooden chair. Mr. McGregor shifted to face his computer and typed a few buttons. “What kind of account were you hoping to open today, Ms. . . .”
“Keats. Evelyn Keats.”
“Ms. Keats.” His smile seemed friendly, but slightly artificial and haughty. Perhaps haughtiness flourished when one spent every day surrounded by money. She really liked the smell of the bank and found it distracting.
“A normal account.”
“Checking?” he asked.
“Yes, I’d like to be able to write checks.”
“Well, with our checking forgiveness program, you have no minimum balance for the first year. We do require you open the account with at least one hundred dollars, however. There are also no fees for the first twelve months. Does that sound like something you might be interested in?”
Banks charged fees? “Um, yes. Is that what people usually get? I’ve never had a bank account before.”
“Not a problem. Did you bring two forms of identification?”
With shaky hands, she unzipped her bag and pulled out the documents Lucian had given her. “You’ll give them back, right?”
“Of course. I just need to make copies.” He turned and sifted through the documents. “These are in outstanding shape. Are they new?”
“Yes.”
This bit of information seemed to make him examine the documents a bit more closely. He picked up her social security card and typed the number into his computer. She glanced at the people around her. Some looked stressed. Some looked angry. No one at the bank seemed to be happy except the employees. Money was obviously taxing but necessary, and she finally had some, or would, as soon as Lucian cleared the check.
Scout realized they’d likely call him, thereby letting him know where she was. Sighing, she contemplated how to get around being followed.
“Is this your current address?”
She looked at Mr. McGregor. He held her ID card. “Um, can I see it?” He passed it to her.
1900 Gerard Ave., Suite C
Shit. The group of words was one she recognized. It was Lucian’s penthouse. She didn’t want him getting her mail and seeing how she was using his money. Her money. “For now, but I’m moving. Will changing the address be an issue?”
“No, just bring in proof of residence and an updated ID.”
She nodded. That would take some time, but she’d do it.
“How much were you planning on opening the account with?” he asked as he typed in more of her information.
“Thirty-five thousand dollars.”
His fingers stilled over the keyboard. He nodded. “Do you have a check?”
“Yes.” With stiff motions, she unfolded Lucian’s check and flattened it on the desk. Once the creases were smoothed, she slid it to Mr. McGregor.
Examining it, he gave her a skeptical look. After clearing his throat, he said, “Excuse me for a moment.” Standing, he left with her check and ID.
Scout’s breath quaked in her lungs as she watched him walk away with her money. He disappeared behind a door, and she waited. Her eyes followed the line of people behind the velvet ropes slowly snake through the main part of the bank, one customer after another concluding their business, and Mr. McGregor still hadn’t returned.
Finally, after what was likely ten minutes but felt like an eternity, the door opened and he came out wearing the same smile he’d approached her with in the beginning. He sat at his desk. “Sorry about that.”
Scout wasn’t sure what had happened, but when she turned and saw Dugan, Lucian’s chauffeur, step through the main doors, she understood. He’d called Lucian. Great. A familiar sense of humiliation prickled her pride. No matter how many times she begged him to leave her be, he simply couldn’t. Her jaw tightened. She was supposed to be a goddamn adult.
Mr. McGregor typed in more information, then asked her to endorse the deposit. The crisp check and a fancy pen slid in front of her. Scout’s hands shook as she pulled the slip close.
“Just write my name?”
“Yes. Just sign above the line there.”
“In cursive?” She didn’t know how to write or read cursive.
“Yes, please.”
Her throat was dry as she swallowed and carefully formed her letters, paying extra care to connect them where she could, faking the best script her hand could manage.
Insecurity knit her brow as she slid the check back to him. He only glanced at the signature before sliding it through a device and stamping the back. He then passed her a plastic card.
“This is your debit card. You’ll be able to withdraw sums up to three hundred dollars from any automatic teller machine. All you have to do is follow the prompts.” He slid a device toward her. “Please select a pin number between four and nine digits. You’ll want to pick something you can remember and not share it with anyone.”
She carefully typed in 1-9-0-0, Patras’s address.
“Would you like any cash back today?”
“Um, could I have three hundred dollars, please?”
“Sure. We normally have to wait for a check to clear, but since Mr. Patras is one of our trustees and offered to come down here himself in order to clear the funds, I don’t see a problem.”
Her teeth ground together. Was he here? Casually looking around, she caught Dugan’s gaze. He nodded once, letting her know that, yes, Lucian was somewhere nearby. Wonderful.
“How would you like that?”
Her gaze jerked back to the banker and she forced her expression to soften. “Excuse me?”
“Would hundreds be okay, or did you want smaller bills?”
“Could you give me some smaller bills too? I’d prefer to not have anything larger than a fifty.”
Mr. McGregor nodded. “Let me go put this through and I’ll be right back with your money.”
When he left she shot Dugan a cold look that was more intended for Lucian, but he wasn’t making his presence known at the moment. Dugan simply arched a bushy brow. The rest of his granite expression remained unmoved.
Mr. McGregor returned. Some paperwork spewed from the printer and again he asked her to sign after going over some policies with her.
“These are your temporary checks. Will ten be enough? You should receive your personal checks in seven to ten business days.”
Scout nodded. She needed to get a place and get her address changed quickly, before the checks went in the mail. Otherwise she’d have no choice but to see Lucian again sooner than she wanted to.
When they finished, she tucked her bank card and checks and the rest of the paperwork safely into her bag and shook Mr. McGregor’s proffered hand.
“The remainder of your funds should be available in two business days, Ms. Keats. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
When she reached the door, Dugan was already holding it for her. “Nice to see you again, Ms. Keats.”
“Bite me,” she grumbled as she exited the bank and came face-to-face with Lucian’s sleek black limo. Her shoulders drooped. “Is this really necessary?”
Dugan again arched a brow, but said nothing.
“Is he in there?” she snapped.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Huffing, she pivoted without a word, marching away from the limo with no idea where she was heading. As horns began to honk, she turned and found the limousine crawling at a snail’s pace beside her, holding up a good deal of city traffic.
“Get in the car, Evelyn,” Lucian’s voice calmly called from the shadows of the back window.
“Go away, Lucian.” Her legs trudged on. When she spotted a one-way street they wouldn’t be able to enter, she picked up her pace. The limo continued beside her as she steadily speed walked in that direction.
Voices of aggravated drivers shouted at the limo from the line of traffic. Finally reaching her planned detour, she turned and the limo shot off in the distance. Her walk transitioned into a jog. She needed to get out of there.
Just as she reached the intersection of the next block, the limo slid in front of her, blocking all traffic and causing a driver across the way to slam on his brakes. Horns blared and Lucian’s window rolled down.
“Evelyn, you’re causing a scene. Get in.”
“You are causing a scene. Go away.” She pivoted, walking east when the sound of a car door opening had her doubling her pace and risking a glance over her shoulder.
Sure enough, Lucian was out and coming after her. Should she run? Surely he wouldn’t force her into the car.
“Where’s your jacket? It’s still chilly out.”
She glanced to her left. Lucian strode beside her with an air of casualness she didn’t understand. His hands were wedged in his pockets and his expression light. Dugan putted along beside them, continuing to block traffic.
“It’s May.”
“Still, the low is fifty-eight. You should have a jacket.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t own a jacket.” This was ridiculous. “Are you just going to have Dugan follow me? He’s causing a traffic jam.”
He shrugged. “I offered you a ride. If you’d let us drive you where you’re going he’d be able to obey the speed limit.”
Silently she counted to ten before facing him. He stopped. “Lucian, I know what you’re doing.”
“I wasn’t trying to be secretive.”
“This isn’t going to work.”
“What do you suggest I do then?”
“Leave. Me. Alone.”
He smiled sadly, eyes downcast in an expression that was downright inappropriate for a man of his stature. Guilt rode her hard, but pride got her second thoughts under control. He deserved this.
His voice rasped in a hoarse confession. “You see, I can’t do that Evelyn. I love you, and without you I’m miserable. Even standing in your shadow is better than not knowing where you are.”
Her fingers rubbed her forehead. “Damn it, Lucian . . .”
“Come home with me, baby. Let me feed you and let’s talk.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Why? You know I’ll eventually wear you down.”
“Doesn’t it mean anything to you that I don’t want to be worn down? I just want to live my life without being harassed or stalked.”
His eyes grew sadder. “But I can’t sleep without you in my bed. I can’t think, not knowing where you are each day, worrying where you’re spending your nights, if you’re warm enough or if you’ve had dinner.”
“Those aren’t your worries anymore.”
“They’ll always be my worries, Evelyn. Please, let me at least give you a ride where you need to go.”
Her shoulders sagged. She’d worked eight hours that day and didn’t have the energy to play hide and seek in a city the size of Folsom. She needed to get away from him, but clearly that wasn’t happening tonight.
“Fine.” His face lit with a smile. “You can drop me off at the Slumberland Motel.”
Happiness morphed to disapproval. “The fucking Slumberland, Evelyn? I don’t think so.”
She huffed in exasperation. “Then good-bye.” Pivoting on her heel, she walked away from him at a quick clip. Her steps faltered as he jerked her to a stop.
“I own the nicest fucking hotel in the city. Stay there. This is ridiculous.”
“You’re ridiculous! When will you get it? I don’t want anything to do with you!”
His lips thinned. “Nothing except my money.”
“Fuck you, Lucian. I’ll use that money as equity and get a lesser loan from the bank. I’m not stupid. With that as collateral I’ll get approved for at least half, and then I’ll gladly write you a check and give it all back if it comes with your manipulation or judgment. You know I’m not like that.”
“Don’t do that. I want you to have the money.”
“Then don’t make me feel like a user for taking it! It’s a loan, not a fucking handout.”
A frustrated groan rumbled from his chest as his hands fisted his hair. “Tell me what I can do? I just want a chance to make this right.”
“There is no this! There is no us. We are over. The sooner you come to terms with that the better.”
“Goddamn it, Evelyn, how can you say that?”
She glared up at him and in a voice far too calm to reflect all the turmoil raging inside of her, she said, “You gave me to him, Lucian. You gave me away to another man. I trusted you and I trusted him and you both betrayed me. I’ll never forgive you for that.”
“I explained. There was no choice. In time—”
“No! There’s no amount of time that will take back what you’ve done. You’ll always be the first man who touched me, the first man who loved me, and the first man to royally fuck me over, and I’ll never forget that. You can’t negotiate your way back into my heart. I won’t let you. If you think I’m bluffing, try me. All of my life I’ve had one cardinal rule: the only person I can trust is myself. I’m the only person I can count on to truly look out for me without ulterior motives. That’s what I’m doing now, looking out. I don’t need your hotel. I don’t need your damn limo to give me a ride. And I don’t need you.”
He stared at her, a blank expression on his face for a long moment. Finally, he whispered, “But I need you.”
Weary, she shut her eyes and shook her head. “You don’t need me, Lucian. You’re gorgeous, wealthy, and, for the most part, a sweet man. Find someone else to give your heart to. I don’t want it.”
“Is that what you really want?” he rasped.
No. God, no. The thought of him loving another woman was agonizing. “That’s what I need. That’s what’s for the best.”
“And what will you do, Evelyn? Will you find someone else?”
“My mind is so far away from that right now, Lucian, I can’t give you an answer.”
He visibly swallowed. “Will you be okay? Will you promise to come to me if there’s anything you need?”
His words showed he was relenting. That was what she needed, but the pain in her chest was back. “Yes.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I know that means nothing to you right now, but it’s the truth.”
She looked away. He didn’t deserve any sign of forgiveness from her. She lacked even the ability to acknowledge his apology at that moment. Everything was still too fresh, too raw. It had only been a few days since she found out about his betrayal—his and Parker’s, the man she loved and the man she thought was her best friend.
She was tired, needed a shower and wanted to sleep in a bed with blankets. “Will you drive me to the motel?”
He hesitated, but nodded. They walked back to the limo in silence. Scout slid onto the cool leather seat and stared out the window. Lucian climbed in beside her and shut the door.
“Take us to the Slumberland Motel, Dugan,” he said, and the limo eased into traffic.
They arrived at the motel ten minutes later, neither of them speaking a word along the way. Dugan parked but didn’t get out. Scout sighed. Would they leave or continue this ridiculous trailing?
Her hand reached for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride.”
She was yanked back to the center of the bench seat, and Lucian’s mouth was suddenly on her. A squeak slipped past her throat as he kissed her hard, his fingers digging into her shoulders. It took everything she had not to melt into him.
He betrayed you!
Her palms shoved at his chest and he drew back. His breath was labored. “This is not the end of us, Evelyn. I don’t care what you say. I’m not done with you and you’re not done with me.”
Scrambling off the seat and out of the limo, Scout slammed the door behind her. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. Lucian didn’t roll down the window or try to come after her. Her shaken expression reflected in the tinted glass, and she felt his eyes on her, staring through the barrier.
Turning, she headed toward the window with a blinking light. By the time she opened the motel’s office door, the limo glided away. She was shocked to actually see it go and keep going until it disappeared.
Wavering emotions had her hand settling over her empty belly. Disbelief that he’d actually gone was quickly followed by sharp devastation. Lucian never walked away from something he wanted. But what if he no longer truly wanted her? Careful what you wish for.
Perhaps this was all part of his next calculated move. Or perhaps this was truly the end of them. Asking for space didn’t make it any less painful to bear. She hated him, but missed him all the same. Love didn’t surrender to hate, it merely tolerated it like a sister emotion.
She’d bathe and rest here for a while, and then she’d move on. Tomorrow she had off, and she’d use the day to find a more permanent place to stay. Somewhere Lucian wouldn’t be able to find her, because as much as she insisted this was how she wanted things, her heart was of a whole different opinion.
She didn’t trust herself not to go running to him the first time life got complicated. If he knew where she was and knew how to find her, it would only take a matter of visits for her to give in. She was too vulnerable, and hiding herself away was a safeguard she needed until she could trust herself to be strong.
She needed to maintain distance or he would eventually wear her down. That was something she couldn’t allow. She needed to be done with him for her own good.