“So, Julian.” I cleared my throat, thinking of how to start and end this in five minutes. “Your report yesterday—it was very well prepared. Especially on such short notice.”
Oh fuck, I was going to blow it. The report on Alex killing Alex Slater? Why the fuck did I bring that up?!
But Julian lit up like a Christmas tree from the compliment. “Thank you,” he gushed, as if no one had ever spoken a kind word to him. “I was up all night compiling it. The Nightcrawlers are always ruining my sleep.”
A wide smile slid onto my face, completely out of my control. Not me. The Nightcrawlers—one in particular—were always careful about my sleep. Always gave me all the time in the world to rest.
“The Nightcrawlers, huh?” I said more stupid things. “It’s been a grind.”
Julian nodded slowly, but then floored me with his next statement. “I think we’re close to ending my sleepless nights, though.”
I furrowed my eyebrows, putting on my best questioning face while my entire body lit up like a match. What thefuckdid that mean?
“Can I tell you a secret? Promise not to tell anyone?” Julian leaned on his desk and lowered his voice.
"Of course," I responded with all my authority and sensuality.
"I'm really not supposed to tell you this. Or anyone. It's absolutely top-secret information." The way he explained it made me think his next words would be ridiculous, like he was going to tell me he liked me and that was the secret.
"Don't tellanyone.” Fucking Julian spoke in circles instead of spitting it out. I shook my head, indicating that I wouldn’t tell a soul. “I just…I just need to get it off my chest, and I feel like I can trust you, right?"
Oh, absolutely, I'm very trustworthy.I nodded eagerly, the concern on my face giving him permission to continue in a hushed voice.
"We're going to accelerate this whole thing."
Julian revealed thesecret,and my legs went numb. I blinked at him, suppressing any sort of visible reaction.
“Their office? The one that burned down? We can’t find anything in the aftermath.” I barely breathed, afraid to miss any of Julian’s words. “But it also gives us an edge. If we can’t findanything…” Julian paused and raised his eyebrows. “Then we’re going to findsomething.” He used air quotes and winked at me, the understanding hitting me instantly. “This’ll be over soon.”
My fingers trembled around the coffee cup, and I placed it on my knee, trying to quell my shock. “H-how soon?” I cleared my throat, hoping he couldn’t hear the way my heart hammered.
Julian met my gaze, almost looking proud as he delivered the blow. “Two weeks. Give or take.”
A phone rang somewhere outside his office, but we sat together quietly. Two weeks.
“Top secret, Jade. Don’t tell anyone,” Julian warned me again.
Two weeks.
“I look forward to the wrap-up,” I lied, gulping down my fear. “Then we can go on a real date."
I rushed out of Julian’s office in complete disarray. He was either incredibly stupid to tell me this or he was tricking me. I was involved in a multilayered game of deceit, and I had no clue whether my opponents knew more than they let on or who I was up against. As far as I was concerned, it was Alex and me against the whole damn world.
And that was proven once more when I returned to my office and saw none other thanXavythe rapist sitting with a cup of coffee in my father’s office. It was all tumbling down like a house of cards.
“Jade? Come into my office, please.” My father’s authoritative voice sounded when I tried to sneak by. I paused mid-step, taking a deep breath in to prepare myself.
Reluctantly, I showed up at the door wearing the same revealing top I’d worn for Julian, much to my father’s disapproval and to Xavier’s great pleasure.
"Xavier dropped by today, and we're going for lunch. Join us,” my father commanded after a quick glance at me before returning to his paperwork.
"No, thank you. I have a lot of work. I was already out for the entire morning."
Xavier settled into his chair and turned toward me, the smile on his face sending a trill of repulsion down my back. His hand was still bandaged. Good.
"That's okay. You're my daughter, you can be late on a few deadlines." My father still shuffled files in front of him, not paying me any attention.
"Who’s that?" Xavier sat up suddenly and leaned across the desk, intently staring at a photo in my father’s hands.
