Page 61 of Hunted Temptation
My soon-to-be wife.
Chapter Twenty-Four
VAUGHN
Walking into the office,Elodie at my side, I feel as if I can breathe easier. I don’t know if it’s because Lucille sent me a confirmation about three in the morning that all the names were up on the web, prices attached.
Now we just wait.
And I can’t go causing any trouble while we do. I can’t take on any jobs, either. I need to keep myself in the eye of the public, ensure alibis, and marry Elodie. So, it’s out of my hands at this point, which is a sensation I didn’t think I would like, but I find I don’t mind it.
“We have a new client who needs an in-home estimate. It’s in the Hays Barton neighborhood in Raleigh. Big finance guy wants every inch of it covered,” Theron says as he walks into my office. “He’s expecting someone between ten and noon. I’ll send you the address.”
He is looking down at his phone as he turns around and walks out of the office, focused and in business mode for the day.A few seconds later, I receive a text and look at the address. It’s going to take me a good thirty minutes to get there.
I haven’t done anything for the business at all in so long that this feels very out of my element. But it seems as if my little side hobby is now over, so I should spend my time on the actual business I am a partner in.
And this will be a good job to get my feet wet again. When my phone rings in my hand, I arch a brow at the number on the screen. I don’t recognize it. Sliding my thumb across the screen, I lift it to my ear and greet the person on the other end of the line.
“You killed my brother,” the man states.
I don’t ask who it is. I know. But I’ll never say a fucking word about it, not to him or anyone else. Clearing my throat, I lean back in my chair as I wait for him to say something.
I’m met with silence.
“Admit it, you piece of shit. I just want to know why.”
“I can’t admit something I haven’t done to someone I don’t know,” I drawl. “Who are you? And am I supposed to know your brother?”
The person on the other end of the line growls, and I almost laugh, but don’t. Instead, I stay silent and wait. He’s going to frustrate himself and, hopefully, embarrass himself, too. He thinks he’s doing something big here. He’s the guy with the big dick, hiring a PI and following Elodie and, in turn, me.
“You know exactly who he was. You staged it, didn’t you? The murder.”
“If I knew what you were talking about, if I knew who you were talking about, then maybe I could answer your asinine questions. But I don’t. Please don’t call me again.”
Ending the call, I shove my phone in my pocket and stand from my desk before I go in search of Elodie. I can hear her chattering echoing through the room. I follow the sound of herlaughter, and that’s when I see her and Nadine huddled in front of a computer screen.
“What are you looking for?” I ask.
Both of them lift their eyes, peering over the screen at me. “You know what we’re looking for,” Nadine replies, her voice sweet and soft.
“Do I?” I ask.
“Wedding dresses,” Elodie says, flicking her gaze down from mine to the screen.
My brows knit together. I’m confused, and I know they see the expression on my face. “For the justice of the peace, something simple, but a white dress,” Nadine explains.
“I like the sound of that. If you girls go out shopping, have one of the guys go with you. I have a job I need to go to the site for in Raleigh.”
Elodie stands almost instantly at my words. She quickly moves toward me and then stops when she’s just a few inches away. She places her hands on my chest, tipping her head backward until her eyes find mine.
“Is everything okay?” she asks.
She seems panicked, which causes me concern. I curl my fingers around her biceps, holding her close to me. Dipping my chin, I touch my mouth to hers with a brush of my lips.
“I should ask you the same thing.”
She shakes her head and takes a step backward, but I don’t release her biceps. My fingers stay firmly curled around her arms before I gently flex them, holding her tighter.
