“Why are you with this bloke?”
“I have my reasons.” Not really.
“You have to admit, this looks bad. I run into you when I’m in the midst of liberating critical information that I need. The next thing I know, you’re at the right place at the right time, and I had no option but to slip you the drive, otherwise, I’d have been found out.”
“That wasn’t my fault. I was coming to yell at you for breaking my pin. Last thing I wanted to do was help you.”
“Or you were trying to steal the drive from me, which makes me wonder who the hell you are and what you want with it? How would that information benefit you at all? Unless you mean to blackmail everyone.”
My eyes went wide. “I would never blackmail anyone. How dare you even suggest—”
He shook his head. “You see how I’m here with you right now on a Jack the Ripper tour? Isn’t that blackmail?”
My jaw unhinged. “That is not blackmail. We had an arrangement.”
“Blackmail.”
“No, you’re twisting what happened.”
“Am I?”
“Oh my God, yes. You came in and offered me a bribe to not ask any questions.”
It was his turn to sputter. “You weren’t handing over what I needed.”
“And now you’re shouting.”
He quickly lowered his voice. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. And for the record, you joined me in that closet. I was minding my own business.”
He sighed. “Oh my God, you are the most infuriating woman on this planet. I swear to God, if you would just once do what you were asked or told...”
“Why?”
He frowned. “What do you mean, why?”
“Well, I mean, why? Why should I do what I’m asked or told? What, because I’m a woman? Because I work for you? Because you know better and I know nothing?”
He opened his mouth to speak but then shut it promptly. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“Isn’t it though, Mr. Arrogant? Why should I just do what you tell me?”
“Jesus Christ. Because I’m concerned about your safety.”
“Well, you weren’t concerned about my safety when you handed me whatever the fuck was on that drive.”
“I didn’t hand it to you. I needed it tucked away for safekeeping.”
“And you slipped it to me. How is that safekeeping? Because I am not safe.”
“I don’t know if the two events are related, but I don’t see any possible way that they couldn’t be. I’m sorry about that, but who the fuck would have seen you? That slip was clean. No one should have noticed. And even if they did, why would they be after you, not me?”
I should tell him the truth. Tell him how I had made a copy, but I didn’t.
“Okay, let’s get you the hell out of here, and then we’ll figure out what to do in the morning.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, for starters, you’re going to need security.”
“I do not need security. That is ridiculous.”
He stood, sliding off his stool with a feline grace. “Are you going to tell me that you don’t need anyone and that you’re perfectly safe all on your own, notwithstanding the mugging on Saturday and the attempted mugging tonight? Because how did anyone know that you were doing the Jack the Ripper tour?”
I opened my mouth to answer him, but I couldn’t, because that was a very good question.
“Hell.”
“Yes, my sentiments exactly. So, for the time being, let me get you home where it’s safe and then we can figure this out later.”
“Jesus, what is on that drive?”
“I promise you, it’s nothing that would be of any interest to anyone else.”
There was a level of sincerity in his gaze, but still, there was a shadow, as if he was holding something back from me.
Before I knew what was happening, I was ushered outside, and there was a black car at the curb. He held the door open for me and gestured that I should slide inside.
I frowned. “Is this your Uber?”
He laughed. “I don’t take Uber. This is my private car.” He slid in the seat next to me then leaned forward. “Evening Jason. Can you please take us to...?” His voice trailed, and he slid his gaze at me expectantly.
I told them my address and then sat back. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“Well, it seems that I did.”
When we reached the flat, he stepped out first, held the door open for me, and then walked me to the front door. “When you get inside, lock the door behind you. Set the alarm if you have one.”
I frowned. “Am I really in danger?”
“That remains to be seen. But it’s certainly a lot more helpful if you’re not walking around the streets by yourself. You know, basic safety.”
I sulked, feeling petulant. I should be allowed to walk home at night. “I’m not an idiot. “
“Prove it. Stay inside.”
I don’t know what it was about him, but every time he opened his mouth, I felt the overwhelming urge to hit something. “How dare you—”
He didn’t let me finish though. Instead, he turned around and was already walking toward his car. “Get in the house.”
He left me very little choice but to unlock the door and step through. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would give him a piece of my mind.
11
Ben
I told my driver to go to Bridge’s after dropping off Olivia. I’d stayed to make sure she got inside okay. When he opened the door, he was in sweats and a T-shirt.
His dark brows lifted. “Ben? What are you doing here, mate? Any idea what time it is?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Somewhere around midnight, I guess.”
Bridge might not say much, but he had an intuitive knowledge about people. He stepped aside and let me in. “What’s wrong?”
How did I even fucking start to explain? “I need to run something by you.”
I went straight for the study to the right, while he veered toward the kitchen. “Fancy a pint?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t need anything even temporarily dampening my senses after the night I’ve had.”
He preceded me to the study instead, the soft shuffling of his feet in contrast to the muffled squeak of my trainers on the wood. “Where were you tonight?”
“With a friend. Let me ask you something. Do we have exposure on this Toby thing?”
He frowned. “Does this have something to do with the same woman who was supposed to be easy to handle?”
“Something like that.”
“Fucking Christ, Ben.”
“I know.” Quickly, I recounted what had happened.
Bridge pinched his nose. “Mate? Any way you were seen?”
I’d been racking my brain since it happened. “I have no idea. Maybe someone saw me leave then saw her leave. I don’t know what she was doing in that office that night. She said she was there just to be alone for few minutes then hid in the closet to keep from getting caught, but I don’t know.”