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“At least you are honest. Want to talk about it?” he asks, offering to be the shoulder he thinks I need.
“No.” I echo my first growl with just as much emphasis.
“That’s not healthy.” The concern in his voice tells me he is as worried as I am.
What if they can make this stick? I can’t go to jail for something I didn’t do. It would be a catastrophe for the hotels, and who would look after Mum and my grandparents? So much is rushing through my head now.
“Probably not,” is all I can say.
“All right, silence it is then. But just know that we have your back on this. There is no way we are letting this happen. Forrest and the lawyer are on the case, Rem is flying to Rome tonight to see what he can find out from the staff and start reviewing security tapes, and we all know Broderick treats you like a long-lost son. There is no way he will let this rest until he finds out the truth.”
We pull into the garage of my apartment. I know everything he is saying is the truth, but I just can’t discuss it.
Opening the door of the car, all I can manage to say is, “I know. Thanks, Flynn, talk tomorrow.” Closing the door before he has time to try again to get me to talk, I walk to my private elevator.
The ride up to my penthouse apartment seems to take forever tonight. My brain is racing with thoughts, but the main one is, what if I can’t fix this?
And then as the doors to my apartment open, a stab to my heart stops me in my tracks, staring out the window at the view. What will Victoria think of me if this gets out?
It should be the least of my problems, but I know deep down it’s the most important problem to me.
ChapterFourteen
VICTORIA
Iknew this morning would be painful, arriving in the office to the thousand questions of why I’m back already. Not a great way to start a Monday morning.
“He had some business he needed to get back to London for. It’s not like he has to tell me what it is. We are no more than business associates,” I say defensively, standing at my desk, trying to fend off Suzi and Theo.
“Sure, you aren’t more than associates. Why else would he take you to Rome?” Theo’s jealous streak is out again.
“Theo, seriously,” I snap, trying not to give anything away with my answer.
“So, are you still working on the proposal?” Suzi looks at me, a little disbelieving of my response. They don’t really know me yet, so they are still trying to work me out.
“Of course, I’m heading over to the offices today to have a meeting with him and his offsider, Mr. Taylor, so we can go over a few things we didn’t get time to in Rome. Mainly about the London hotels.” I should win an Oscar for my Academy-Award-winning performance and bold confidence this morning.
I haven’t even set up a meeting yet, but maybe that’s the trick. I just turn up at his office and ask to see him. Surely, he won’t be stupid enough to ignore me. I mean, I could make a big scene in his office about him being such a douchebag. Not that I ever would, but the way we left it, he could get scared that I might.
Even if I can’t see him, I’ll try to see Flynn and find out what the hell is going on.
I try to change the subject so the heat is off me. “Is Gwenda in yet?” I ask, hoping that she doesn’t take me off this project. I have a whole explanation for what has happened in the last week, praying that she doesn’t want to take back the reins on this job.
“Oh shit, I forgot to tell you.” Suzi slaps her forehead. “There is an email from the big boss, you will it see when you log on. It says she is on leave and no confirmed date of return yet.”
Well, that solves that problem, but I’m also a little worried about her. She said it wasn’t a holiday.
“Don’t you think that is a bit strange?” I ask both of them.
“Absolutely. She didn’t say anything to you before she left?” Suzi looks at me for answers, and Theo is unusually quiet.
“No, but she hardly knows me, so why would she talk to me?” I look at Theo, trying to provoke him to answer. “She spent more time telling me not to drink with Theo.”
His head whips up. “What?” He looks a little shocked, and I don’t know why.
“And she was right. That little Friday-night drinks session after work was lethal. Next time, no shots for me,” I say, trying to make light of how drunk I was.
“Famous last words, Tori. No Friday night with Theo goes shot-free.” Suzi is now giggling and starts to walk away as the clock is ticking closer to nine am and we should be working.
