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I checkedthe address I’d written down and then looked up at the shiny chrome-and-glass high-rise. They must have paid someone a sizeable chunk of money to keep it that clean and sparkling. Even the doors were free of streak marks.
I’d flown straight from Guyana to Chicago, having arrived a few hours ago. I’d had to switch planes two times and had been travelling for nearly twenty hours. I desperately needed a shower and sleep. But I wanted to do this first. For Lucius.
Clutching the hard drive in a tight fist, my other hand holding the phone, I stood frozen on the sidewalk.
I didn’t know why I hesitated. All I had to do was go in, hand over the hard drive and phone, and get out. Scraping up what little courage I had, I opened the glass door.
Here goes nothing. Or everything.
Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the immaculate reception desk. “Hi. I’m here to see Elijah Anderson.”
The receptionist raised a brow at me. “Do you have an appointment?”
My hands shook around the hard drive that was about to leave a permanent imprint on my hand. “No. But this is important. I have something for him.”
Her brows rose even higher. “If you give it to me, I’ll make sure he gets it.”
I stepped back, tightening my grip. “I need to make sure he gets this. I don’t even have to go up. He could meet me down here.”
“I’m sorry, but without an appointment, there’s nothing I can do.” Her pinched face lit up, and she smiled at someone behind me. “Mr. Olsen. How are you today?”
A guy in jeans and a T-shirt came up to the desk, holding a little girl who I guessed to be about six or seven. She had messy pigtails in her hair, and her dress was on inside out.
“Sofie, darling, say hi to Alyssa.”
The girl, who I guessed to be Sofie, buried her head in his neck.
Unperturbed by the girl’s behavior, the receptionist leaned forward, giving us an uninterrupted view of her ample cleavage. “You free tonight?”
I rolled my eyes and huffed.Really?I was standing right there. I could have been a paying customer. I’d researched Locked Security before coming here, and they did everything from bodyguard to installing security systems to bounty hunting. What if I wanted to hire their services?
Mr. Olsen patted Sofie’s back. “Sorry, got a date with this little cherub already.”
Alyssa’s face fell, and she pouted.
I rapped my knuckles on the desk. “I’m still here, by the way. And as entertaining as you hitting on someone is, can we please get back to finding a way to get me an appointment with Elijah?”
Her face soured, and I inwardly groaned.Way to mess things up, idiot. Now she’ll never let you anywhere near this Elijah guy.
“As I have told you already, you can’t go up there without an appointment. And his calendar is booked solid for at least three weeks,” she said, her nose turned up, using a schoolteacher voice.
Mr. Olsen seemed to notice me for the first time. I didn’t blame him. Alyssa was quite memorable. And it seemed like he had memories to fall back on.
“Maybe I can help.” He held out his hand. “I’m Carter Olsen. I work at Locked Security.”
I shook his hand, noticing the calluses and firm grip. So not just a pretty boy. But it was easy to judge him. He had the typical surfer look: lean body, tousled blond hair, tanned skin.
“Everleigh. Nice to meet you.”
Sofie peeked at me, and I waved at her. “Hi, Sofie.”
Her head disappeared again.
Carter studied me, and I squirmed under his assessing gaze, cringing at what he undoubtedly saw. Messy hair that was a few days past needing a brush and a good wash, rumpled clothes I’d worn since yesterday, and bags under my eyes. But despite looking like I’d spent a few nights sleeping on the street, he smiled at me. “What can we do for you?”
“I need to see Elijah Anderson. I have something for him.”
“It’s not a positive pregnancy test, is it?”
