Julian’s reply is both gut-wrenching and honest at the same time. “If that’s the reason you sought Brandon’s help, I still believe you reached out to the wrong person. I know all your secrets, Mel. Brandon doesn’t.” I wipe away the tears careening down my cheek from his statement when the high pitch of his personal assistant squawks down the line. “I have to go, but I’d like to talk more about this tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Mel…” He sounds truly devastated like he can hear the sob sitting in the back of my throat, begging to be released. “I’m not upset. I swear to you, I’m not. I just want to make sure you know I’m here for you, too. I’ve always been here for you.”
I suck in a big breath. “I know. I’m just being silly. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. I can hear how upset you are in your voice.” Julian cups his phone to tell his receptionist he’s leaving for the day before focusing his attention back to me. “Go tell Leo you’re not feeling well and that you need to go home.”
I scoff like he’s being ridiculous. “I can’t leave, Julian. I just got here.”
“You either tell Leo you aren’t feeling well, or I’ll demand he fire you.”
I’d laugh if he didn’t sound so serious. You don’t realize the immense amount of pull money has until you’re engaged to someone with a lot of it. Doors that were previously locked up like a vault have been swinging open for me lately—including my placement in this very office.
“If you get me fired, I’ll eat ice cream until my ass becomes the size of a fridge.”
I half-hiccup half-laugh when Julian replies, “Maybe then I’ll finally have the chance to catch you.” That there summed up our relationship with ten little words. Julian is forever chasing me. “Meet me outside your office in fifteen. I’m thinking it’s a field trip kind of day.”
The tears in my eyes burn away for happiness. Julian’s adventurous day trips have taken us many places the past three years, they’ve just not landed us in the bedroom. I could see that changing today. His understanding has me opening up even more than his substantial wealth can. I just need to get the image of Brandon’s matured yet still boyishly handsome face out of my head first.
5
Brandon
Have you ever woken up feeling like you’ve swallowed an entire beach worth of sand? That’s what replicates the dryness in my mouth when the shrill of a cell phone wakes me. Don’t ask me what the time is, much less what day it is, as I wouldn’t have the faintest clue. I must have nodded off a few hours ago with my mouth hanging open and my backside willing to accept the hardness of my couch just for the chance of a few hours of shut-eye.
Phillipa was right, my couch is as hard as a rock.
After blinking three times in a row to lube up my eyes, I glance down at my phone to see who’s calling me. I’m hoping it’s Melody, but I am not disappointed when I discover it’s Isabelle.
“Miss me already?” I jest down the line, cringing when my voice comes out super groggy.
The sleep in my eyes scratches my eyeballs when my cheeks incline over Isabelle’s playful reply, “I do… but I also need a favor.”
“Another one.” The chuckle that follows my witty comment exposes I haven’t napped for long. I’m still on the cusp of insanity.
I sit up straighter when Isabelle discloses, “Megan Shroud was just seen leaving on a bus to New York. Can you please check if she purchased a one-way or a round-trip ticket?”
“Yeah, hold on.” I drag my laptop across the coffee table before logging into the local bus company’s web-hosting provider. I use the warrant my team was granted to track Isaac’s movements as an excuse to access their servers. It only takes three strokes to unearth an answer to Isabelle’s query. “It’s a one-way ticket.”
Isabelle’s voice is sickly sweet when she asks, “Can you add Megan’s name to the travel database? I want to know if she purchases a return ticket.”
Papers crinkle under my backside when I add Megan’s name to the alert field next to Isaac’s. A heavy typing hand isn’t responsible for my sudden wish to stand. It’s the digits on the credit card Megan used to purchase her bus ticket. I’ve seen them before. Recently.
I stop ruffling through a pile of wire transfer receipts when Izzy