Page 128 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
“Anything, Brandon.”
He’s been nothing but supportive of me the past six months, so this is a prime opportunity for me to return the favor.
Relief skims over Brandon’s face. “Thank you, Izzy.” With how many times he wets his lips, I’m expecting something more profound to come out of his mouth than what he says next. “I need a date.” When I stiffen, he coughs to clear nerves from his voice. “My mom’s chairman of a charity that holds an annual gala. I tried to get out of it, but she won’t accept any of the excuses I’m giving.” He takes a step closer to me, his glossed-over eyes begging. “I don’t want to go alone because Melody will be there.”
Pain claws my chest. Melody was his first love. They were high school sweethearts who only ended their relationship when he joined the Bureau. Although Brandon assured her they’d make it work, Melody didn’t want a long-distance relationship. Before I begged Brandon to communicate with her, so I could gain access to Hugo’s sister's sealed file, they hadn’t spoken in years.
“I’m so desperate for a date, I'm not below getting on my knees and begging. Please, Izzy. I'll do anything, anything at all if you'll just fake liking me for a night.”
“I do like you, Brandon.” The apprehension straining his face softens from my admission. “So, I'm sure it won't be hard pretending I'm your date for a night.”
Brandon flashes me a killer grin. “Thank you, Izzy, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Now he isn’t the only one nervous. “But now, I need a favor.”
My heart warms when he nods without pause.
“I’ve been looking a little deeper at Megan Shroud.” I stop talking, anticipating backlash. When it doesn't come, I continue, “There are a lot of holes in her file I could fill in by driving out to her hometown to check things out.” I swish my tongue around my mouth to soothe its dryness. “The thing is, I don’t have a car, so can I please borrow yours?”
I slap his chest when he chuckles, “It hasn’t recovered from the last time you drove it.” He winks, loving my dropped lip. “But I’m more than happy to drive you there.”
“Really?”
Grinning, he nods. “I still have nightmares from when you went to her hotel room alone. I refuse to make the same mistake twice. I have the weekend off, so why not go on an adventure?”
“Thank you, Brandon.”
He squeezes my hand. “You’re welcome. I’d do anything for you.”
After arranging for him to pick me up the following morning, I pace back into my apartment. Happiness is beaming out of me until I spot Hugo standing near my vase of roses. When he absorbs my excited expression, silent accusations bound out of him so hard and fast, they nearly knock me onto my ass.
“He's afriend, Hugo.” My voice gains an edge of annoyance to it. I’m sick of being accused of things I’m not guilty of. “Our relationship is no different than the one I have with you.”
“Friends? Come on, Izzy, who brings roses for afriendlyvisit.”
Needing distance before I say something I’ll regret, I head to my bedroom. I have a whole heap of stuff in there I need to pack before the end of the month.
“Can’t deny it, hey?”
I whip around so quick, my hair slaps my face. “Yellow roses mean friendship. Every girl this side of the planet knows that!”
Hugo huffs. “Jeez, Izzy, don't be stup—”
I hit him with a stern finger point. “Don’t you dare. If one more person calls me stupid, or any other name this week, I’m gonna… I’m…”
A low, simpering growl is the only way I can express my genuine anger, so that’s what I do. Within the last week, I've been called stupid, naïve, a paid mistress, and a range of other nasty names, but the most stinging of all was when Isaac called me a prostitute. He may not have directly said the word, but he alluded to it. That hurt. It was the biggest hit below the belt this week. Not even getting suspended from my job hurt more than his comment.
With my fists clenched at my side, I step closer to Hugo. “It’s been over a week since I confronted Isaac, and I’ve heard nothing but crickets since. I know you're loyal to him, Hugo, and I’ll be forever grateful for that, but I have enough people dictating my life. There’s no room for another. If you truly want to be my friend, do that, but you need to leave your judgment at the door.”
Stealing his chance to reply, I storm into my bedroom. My front door slams shut not long after.
CHAPTER15
ISABELLE
“Stupid piece of shit.”
The zipper on my suitcase just burst open for the second time today. I had forgotten about the busted fastener until I pulled it out of my closet to pack an emergency bag of essentials. Megan’s hometown is nearly four hundred miles from Ravenshoe, so I’m not sure if Brandon and I will make the trip in one go or stay at a hotel. I could purchase a new suitcase, but after the massive withdrawal from my bank account last week to pay my backdated rent, my funds are best described as limited. So, busted zipper or not, my old bag must do.
