Page 34
“Understood.” I study him for a moment. “You can’t remember anything from that night that might give me something to work with?”
He shakes his head and stands, walking to the window to gaze outside. “She gave me nothing. No name. No number. Just one fucking unforgettable night I can’t get out of my goddamn head.” He rubs his neck and then freezes. “Wait.” He spins on his heel, his eyes widening. “I have her DNA.”
My brows lift. “Excuse me?”
Without answering, he grabs a tissue off his desk, pulls open the bottom drawer, and carefully removes a tube of lipstick. He holds it before him with the tissue wrapped around it, staring at it. “She put this on before she… Well…” A tinge of pink spreads up his neck. “You know.” He clears his throat. “I didn’t even notice it until a few days later, but she left it on the desk.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Did you two have sex in the office?”
His brows pinch together. “Where the hell else would we have fucked? The bathroom?” He scoffs, straightening his tie. “I’m not subjecting a woman to that.”
I roll my eyes. “Where in the office did this take place so I know what not to touch in the future?”
A slow grin spreads across his face. “Where didn’t it?” He uncaps the lipstick, staring at the deep red shade. “The sofa, the desk, the glass wall…”
“For the love of God.” I reach into my pocket to retrieve my phone. “I’m sending the cleaning crew out there right now.”
He laughs, dropping down into his seat. “Do you think you could work with this?” He carefully recaps the lipstick.
I lift a shoulder. “I honestly don’t know.” I meet his eyes, seeing the hopelessness float over them. “But if there’s even the slightest chance this leads us to her, it’s worth trying.”
He wraps the tube in the tissue and hands it to me. I tuck it into my jacket pocket along with my phone.
“Speaking of women who disappear into thin air…” He arches a brow. “Any word from Elena?”
I shake my head. “No, and I’d prefer to keep it that way.” I cross my arms over my chest. “I hacked into her checking account and deposited enough money into it to cover for Clara’s first year of expenses plus a little extra, but she’s not getting any more than that from me. Not after how she handled everything.”
He nods. “I would say that’s more than generous.”
We hear footsteps approaching, and he sits back in his seat, sighing.
“Regarding my mystery woman…” he begins, looking at the door, then at me. “Keep this between us?”
“Of course.”
The door swings open, and Leo, Eli, and Mauro appear.
I internally groan. This is going to be fun.
Leo drops into a chair and leans back, stretching his arm across the back, grinning. “Heard you burned the governor’s house down.”
I glare at Vin. “News travels fast.”
Eli lifts one shoulder, taking a sip of his coffee. “I would have done the same thing.” He checks the watch on his wrist before looking back at me. “Madeleine can’t make it because she’s at the casino, and not to rush things, but I have a meeting with a few recruits soon, and I’m hoping to send them Mauro’s way this afternoon, so why the emergency meeting?”
I glance at Vin, who quickly slips the photograph into his desk drawer before grinning like a smug bastard at me. “We do have some important matters to discuss, but first…” He gestures toward me. “Why don’t you share your news with the class?”
“News?” Eli asks, straightening.
I drum my fingers against the arm of my chair and decide to rip the Band-Aid off. “Charlotte’s alive.”
A few seconds of silence descend before Leo leans forward and asks, “How do you know?”
“Because she’s currently at my house.”
Eli spits out his coffee. “Come again?” He pounds his fist against his chest. “So, that’s the woman Madeleine saw at your house last night?” He shakes his head, grinning. “Damn, looks like she won the bet.”
Mauro’s eyes widen, his features going tense as he takes the seat beside mine, dragging a hand through his hair.
