Page 80 of Stitched Up in You
For a moment I allow myself to sit with the idea, but unlike every time in the past when I’ve been faced with the thought of commitment to a man, there’s only a sense of safety and security. I frown. “But you guys know I only did that, so you didn’t you know…” I say, slicing the air with my hand at my throat.
“The mayor is throwing an engagement party for Frank and you because of his generous donation to the city,” Mikael says.
“Oh my god,” I groan, rubbing my hands down my face and putting my elbows onto the hardwood table. No wonder he wanted to kill me.
“In any case, we need you there, Bernadette. Frank is notorious for only attending events hosted by himself and the mayor is trying to play his hand at being the first to have Frank under his roof, so to speak. The issue is Pelican Group’s, the company who stole Talbot property, their board of directors are now all in and have updated their security measures. We justneed the access code that’s on his device to narrow down the list on Jackman’s phone, but we need you to do it. We’ve already placed a surveillance team at the event location, and everyone is in place to get the list from Charles Jackman, owner of Pelican Group,” Mikael says.
I go still as I recognize the name. “The pharmaceutical company guy?”
“Yes, but you’re not going. It’s too dangerous,” Frank states, his tone brooking no argument from his end of the table.
A sharp pang enters my gut when our gazes clash, followed by a sharp wave of protectiveness.
I can take care of myself in most cases, but with a whole SWAT force there, it’ll be cake.
I bite my lip, unsure of how Frank will respond, but it’s better he figures out now that I can make my own decisions, and I think it’s only right to stop people from dying. Especially when it’s my fault to begin with. “So, you’re telling me there’s the opportunity to hack some bad guys during my very own engagement party? I’m in there like swimwear,” I state.
Bruno laughs aloud while his twin huffs as Frank’s expression turns murderous.
“It makes the most sense and you know it. We’ve had surveillance in place for a while now, and we’ll be able to protect her,” Mikael says.
“Anything could happen with her around. Within minutes of telling you to focus on the shipments and leave her to me, I found her in Brom’s paddock,” Frank says to Mikael as more than one gasp goes up around the room.
“How did she survive?” Nero asks, his gaze squarely on Frank.
“He likes me,” I say, shrugging one shoulder, and I notice Bruno nodding at me, an expression on his face that says he’s impressed.
“If we don’t do this tomorrow, we could lose the opportunity. Everyone who’s everyone in your society will be there and so will the board members who were given a dose of the formula. We can use the tracking system we already have in place for her,” Mikael says.
“Wait. You’ve had trackers on me all this time?” I interrupt.
“If I hadn’t, you could’ve died that day with Brom. They’ve been there since you arrived, and the day you mentioned your shoe bothering you, I thought you found me out,” Frank says, like it’s his right to invade my privacy this way.
I think back to how I’d thought I’d somehow gotten straw or something in my boot that day.
“Every piece of your clothing is lined with location trackers, even your new dress and shoes for the gala. He’s been so uptight since you showed up he can’t let you out of his sight, but had the cameras turned off in the house almost the same day you arrived,” Bruno says with a snicker, looking down the table at Frank.
“Enough,” Frank snaps, but doesn't lose his temper.
Being tracked doesn’t really bother me. I’d have done the exact same in his situation had our roles been reversed and he hacked my billion-dollar empire. But it doesn’t make sense why he’d turned off the surveillance in the house. Unless he didn’t wantthemto see.
I think back to what all we’ve done in this house, the very table we’re sitting at now and my face heats a bit. I meet Frank’s gaze and lift a brow. “What is it you need me to do?” I ask Mikael.
Frank and I can discuss why he had the cameras turned off later, when we don’t have anyone listening.
His gaze hardens and he purses his lips, but he doesn’t naysay or argue about me not going again, and I realize maybethere really is some hope for us even as a wave of worry comes over me out of nowhere.
I glance at Frank, and his nostrils flare just as I notice his teeth are grinding in his mouth again. I can just imagine what he’s experiencing because Mikael made it abundantly clear I’ve got to go, and Frank is obviously warring with himself.
I can practically sense it just by looking at him. He doesn’t want me to go, not even a little.
A wash of nervousness flows through me as his gaze meets mine, and it dawns on me what’s happening.
My gaze goes wide as clarity spreads.These emotions I’m feeling aren’t mine, they’re Frank’s.
Chapter 31
FRANK N. STEIN
