AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Clutching my chest to protect my tattered heart, I lean against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor. My suspicions are confirmed. Trent loves Simone, and I was only a placeholder until she came back to him.
No.This isn’t how this is supposed to go. Trent and I are meant to be. Our love story is the only one that matters. Simone is the bad guy, trying to come between us. I only need to make Trent see how much more I love him. To show him I’m the one who’ll always have his back.
How does that Stephen Stills song go?“If you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.”
“They’re aware of the Oldani file,” I blurt.
Trent freezes. He slowly turns back to me, his eyes wide with horror. “How do you know about the Oldani file? You agreed to stay out of my clients’ accounts.”
I sniffle, standing back up on my shaky legs. Yes, part of our arrangement was that I wouldn’t meddle in his affairs, but it only made me curious as to what Trent was up to.
“I came across your client’s file when I was looking for potential accounts to pilfer money from. There were so many zeros behind that initial number. It was tempting. But I saw you were the investment accountant assigned to the client and left it alone. I didn’t want to mess with your work when you brought in the top clientele to the firm. I have never wanted to jeopardize your career.”
“And you’re lucky you never did,” he snarls, getting into my personal space. “The account is tied to one of the most nefarious organized crime families in the country. Your life would have been forfeit. What did you all see in that file?”
I gulp but keep my mouth shut. I won’t admit to knowing more than what I’ve revealed. Trent will never know I looked deep into the account before resisting temptation. It’s not important what Trent has gotten involved with. The only thing that matters is keeping him with me.
“Nothing,” I breathe. “I saw your name assigned to the client and stopped there.”
His hazel eyes swivel between mine, seeking the truth. Whatever he sees, it must be convincing. He sighs, backing away from me. “Did they say anything to you about the file?”
“No. Simone must have come across some discrepancies, or something, in the previous year’s file and wanted to cross-reference the current year’s file. She wasn’t exactly forthcoming with why she needed the information.”
Trent watches me with a narrowed gaze, nodding for me to continue.
“I tried to lead her away from the file by making her start at the front and work her way back—”
“Why would you try to stop her from finding the file?” he questions me, his stare cold.
This is thin ice I’m walking on. I need to be careful about how I answer. I don’t want to reveal knowing more about the Oldani account than I should. “I knew it was your client, and I didn’t want her giving you hell if she found an error. You know how she’s a stickler for precision. God forbid there be a cent missing or a grammatical typo. I tried to distract her by asking questions about you.”
“About me?”
“Yes. I’ve seen the text messages, Trent. I downloaded your call history. I wanted to know why you were reaching out to her so much.”
Trent’s nostrils flare. He’s probably enraged I invaded his privacy, but I won’t apologize for it.
Before he can scold me for snooping, I quickly add, “I thought if I could pester her enough, she’d either get fed up and leave or be too distracted to find the file, giving me time to take it instead.”
“Did she find the file?”
“Yes. Simone scanned it and saw something that sparked her interest. She and her henchman ran to their team with it.”
Trent runs a trembling hand through his hair. “Fuck. When did this happen?”
“Yesterday, late afternoon.”
“And you didn’t mention it until now?” he thunders, making me shake in my heels.
“A lot happened yesterday. I’m sorry if it slipped my mind. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly, wondering if you were with her while I waited at home for you.”
Muttering curses under his breath, Trent paces the room. His hands grip his head, his face strained with worry. With a lump the size of a baseball in my throat, I stay quiet, watching my lover panic.
After what seems like an eternity, Trent straightens with an odd calmness. “It appears we both need time on our side.”
“You said you couldn’t buy me more than another day.”
“I have a backup plan.”
