Chapter 27
He got off, I knew he would. I thought I had enough on him to charge and convict. My father was disappointed to say the least. It was his idea for me to do this. Tragger told him about Zeke the day in the shopping center, he had recognized him and told my father. I was done for after my father scrutinized me for fraternizing with someone like Zeke. My father then forced me into undercover to make up for my mistakes. I didn’t want to, I wanted it to end on that last breakup. I should have known better. I agreed, and it was hard…beyond hard.
I gathered the evidence my father needed, I snooped through things, investigated members. But still none of it could hold him. We had nothing substantial. He’s a smart man and knows men in high positions. It took them a day to drop charges, to get him set free. I’ve never seen it happen so fast. The day he walked out, I was right there watching him. He had a devious smile coating his face when he walked to me. My blood was rushing so fast in my veins, I could hear my heart beating rapidly in my chest. My palms were sweating.
“It’s not over, Bexley,” he whispers so low when he walks past me. Shivers coat my body. Was that a threat? I don’t know.
My father is waiting for me when I arrive back at the office, his face stoic. He nods his head to me indicating for me to follow him. I follow reluctantly, half knowing what’s going to be said. He takes a seat at his desk while looking at me shaking his head silently. He starts pulling out paperwork, reading it over, not saying a word to me but building up to it like I know he is. His hair is cut short, always has been, and he’s in a suit which is usual work attire.
“Is this something you want to do, Bexley?” he asks me locking his blue eyes on me.
“It’s what I know,” I reply still standing in the office doorway.
“Yes, I know, and believe it or not you’re good at it, you are one of my best shooters. You’re usually all business…” he stops when he says that, and takes a deep breath. “But you’ve changed, I saw the way you were with this man, the way you looked at him. You didn’t want to do what was asked or what was required of you for your job.”
“I did it though,” I barely whisper.
“Yes, you did, and we would have him if it weren't for the people he knows and paid off. All charges have been dropped, he knows people in high places that’s for sure.” He stands from his desk and walks toward me, stopping when he’s towering over me.
“Go, take as much time off as you need. I don’t want you back until you know you’re back in the game and can give this job your all.”
“I do give it my all, Papa.”
“You used to, and that was mostly my fault. I forced this life on you. Take a few months and make sure it’s what you want. Don’t come back until you’re sure.” His hand comes and rests on my shoulder, and he leans down to kiss my forehead, and then with a wave he dismisses me. I don’t even try to argue, he’s right. I’m good at this job, always have been, but it was pushed on me. I was the son he never had. I wanted to make him proud but lost myself somewhere along the way.
****
Ember rings me when I enter my apartment; her voice is soft, and not her usual bubbly self. I try to focus on everything she’s saying to me, but it’s hard, my mind is running a million times an hour. Zeke takes up most of it, then followed closely by my father. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who I am anymore. I didn’t think I was a person that would love someone who I wasn’t meant to love. Someone that wasn’t meant to love me either. His walls came down, and then I brought him down with them.
I find a package on my doorstep, it’s wrapped, but I don’t know how it got here. I look around, gun in hand and ignore everything Ember is saying on the phone. No one is here. Grabbing the closest knife, I open the package, and discover it’s a vest. The one the prospect was wearing. It’s also covered in blood. I drop it automatically and the blood soaks my counter. Is this retaliation?
“Are you even listening to me?” Ember screeches into the phone. I rid the thoughts that are running rampant in my head and try to concentrate on her.
“Yes, I’m here,” I tell her walking into my quiet bedroom, looking around and finding it so plain and boring all of a sudden. There are no pictures anywhere, nothing to say that I live here. My nerves are high, I’m worried about why that was sent to me, but I ignore it, they’re trying to scare me. I know how they work.
“Well, will you?” she asks. I take a moment to think of answer not knowing the question. I must pause long enough ‘cause she repeats it to me again.
“Will you be my maid of honor?” she screams into the phone. I pull the phone away and look at it to make sure it’s her actually calling.
“What? Who?” I ramble sitting on my bed.
“Lance, you met him briefly at one of the parties. I didn’t want to date him because he’s an actor, and well, you know. A man that can win a Grammy award for his acting could lie and cheat on me so easily as taking his next breath, and honestly, how could I trust someone with such a skill? Anyway, he tried to tell me he would never lie to me, then he swooned me, then he fucked me. And well, he should have just started with the fucking, cause fuck, I would’ve married him for his cock all alone,” she rambles again into the phone and this time I actually burst out laughing.
“So your marriage is based on great sex? And how long have you been with him?” I question her.
“Well, it’s also based on his mouth. Who knew a man could make me orgasm so many times with the tip of his tongue. And to answer your question, it’s been going on for a year, just haven’t told anyone.” She expels a heavy breath into the phone and I have to shake my head, even knowing she can’t see me.
“So is there any love in this relationship?”
“Oh, for him maybe, I’m working on it. Well, his body is working on it,” she cackles into the phone.
“Well, I see this lasting forever then,” I tell her sarcastically.
“Anyway, wedding is in five days. I need you here today, I need to fit your dress and I need you to keep me calm. I’m freaking.”
“I’ll find the next available flight and come straight away, and why are you getting married so fast?” I ask her pulling out my suitcase to begin packing.
“Not my brilliant idea, it was his. God, this man doesn’t do anything slow.”
“Okay, I’m packing now. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
“I already booked you a ticket, I knew you wouldn’t say no to me. No isn’t a good word for you. You leave at seven tonight. See you then, bye,” she says not giving me a chance to say anything before she hangs up on me.
I feel nervous, nervous leaving everything behind. Nervous being back in the same town as Zeke. Well, possibly, just being near Zeke. I didn’t plan to leave to see him. Actually, I would prefer not to see him again. We’ve had our time together, and now it should be time apart. Especially now he knows who I am and what I’ve done, I would hate to see him again, but a big part of me also craves it.