Page 59 of Daring You

“My apologies, how rude of me. I’m Enrique Chavez.” He holds out a gloved hand.

I hesitate, internally berating myself for not recognizing him sooner. Out of politeness and job security, I shake his hand.

“Yes, I remember now,” I say. “But…what are you doing at my apartment?”

“It’s on the way to the courthouse. I’m going to the arraignment, and Altin said you were one of the lawyers that will be there, too. It’s how I got your name.” He smiles. “And your address.”

“I—hang on.”

I’m frantically trying to process his words at the same time I’m pulling out my phone and checking my email. Altin said I’m on the case? How can that be? Taryn and I only just...

Then I see the text.

Taryn: Had to give Yang what we had. He gathered us in the conference room and demanded info, was going crazy no one was giving him anything. I’m sorry!! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?

Shit.Shit, shit, shit.

I’m later than I thought, if Altin Yang’s already rounding up the associates in preparation for the arraignment this morning. I had it in my head to get there before dawn, but then Ben happened, then sleep happened, and—dammit.

“I really have to go, Mr. Chavez,” I say, and am about to apologize, but then remember he’s accosting me outside my apartment building.

Chavez lowers his sunglasses, and I get that eerie feeling like I’m being studied by a snake in the grass. “I’m counting on you, Miss Hayes.”

“I really don’t know why,” I say, and continue a confident stride to my car. It completely belies the queasiness sloshing around in my stomach. “I’m not in charge of José and Angel’s defenses. Altin Yang is.”

He follows me. Even opens the passenger side door for me to get in. “Yes, but I have you to thank, I’m told. For the new information. Now, if only you could just give it to me.”

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about.” I duck into the car and attempt to shut the door, but he stops me.

“You’ve figured out where the boy is,” he repeats patiently. “I’d like to know.”

“Sir,” I say, praying my voice remains steady. I’m wavering between screaming at him to go away, or remaining polite in order to keep my job. This annoying, scary man is one of Yang’s top clients. “If I’m going to make the arraignment, I need to leave now. And that’s what you want, right? For your…friends…to make bail?”

“Of course, of course,” Chavez says, but still won’t let me shut the door.

My mom’s voice bursts through. You can always leave a situation where you feel uncomfortable. I don’t care if it’s a sleepover, or a party, or with a boy who’s hitting on you and you don’t want to be rude. Leave. Never feel like you have to stay to be the nice girl. Call me, and I’ll always be there to pick you up.

No, Mom. You’re not here now.

“But if you could just tell me where you found him?” Chavez tries again.

“I’ve told you once, Mr. Chavez. I don’t know.”

Like a bracing wind blowing between buildings, his eyes tunnel into me. “You know where Ryan Delaney is. Altin so much as said. You have the papers, and you’ll be bringing them to the courthouse. I want them. Now.”

“Mr. Chavez, I don’t have any papers.”

And I didn’t. Perhaps Taryn did. Likely, I need to get my head out of my angsty ass, stop mooning over Ben, and get back into the thick of climbing the ladder at the firm of CW&C so I’m not made to be so out-of-the-loop again.

I grip the inside handle, and with all the Yoga-Pilates strength I possess, slam the car door shut. Chavez barely gets his fingers out of the way before they become attached to the vehicle as it drives off.

“Thank you,” I say to the driver.

“That was one persistent fucker,” he replies, and in typical city fashion, that’s the end of our conversation.

Unable to resist, I look out the back window, and sure enough, Chavez is standing at the curb, staring at my car. As the distance widens, he steps out into the street to watch me turn a corner before he’s out of sight.

Quelling a shiver, I redirect my route to the Staten Island courthouse, then spend the rest of the drive shaking off Chavez’s unsettling focus. Ben’s warning keeps running laps around my head, bringing with it a pounding headache that massaging my temples isn’t helping.

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