The Private Serials Box Set(31)
“Not so fast, Reid. Get back in the car and roll the window down.” The headlights went off, shrouding us in darkness again. Preston folded himself inside the car and rolled the window down as asked.
“Shit,” he mumbled under his breath. He reached over and gave my knee a quick squeeze. “Everything’s going to be fine. I promise,” he said quietly.
I heard footsteps coming closer to the car, and even though Preston no longer seemed threatened, I was still trembling and scared. Looking for the person who had chased us, my eyes darted through the darkness. Finally, the outline of a man appeared, coming closer to us with steady, unhurried steps. He was a tall, round man. Easily three hundred pounds, perhaps six-feet tall. He was lucky he’d chased us in his car, because Preston could effortlessly beat him in a foot race.
“Reid, nice evening for a leisurely drive.” The man was just outside the driver’s side of the car now, looking in at Preston.
“Edgar, I’d say it was a pleasure to see you, but I’d be lying.”
I swallowed hard, freaking out a little bit that Preston was mouthing off to the man who had us trapped in an alley.
“You know I like it when you call me Eddie,” the man said, placing one hand on the door and leaning down so his head was in view. His face matched his body, round and full.
“What do you want, Eddie?” Preston’s voice was low and angry.
“I’m just checking on my assets.” Eddie’s eyes fell on me. “Hello there, Lena, darling. I hope our little car chase didn’t frighten you too badly.”
I saw a muscle in Preston’s jaw twitch and his grip on the steering wheel tightened.
“Again, what do you want?” His voice was even lower now, nearly a growl.
“I just want to make sure you’ve thought through all your actions, Reid.” Eddie’s eyes traveled to me again. “Some of us are starting to doubt your decision-making capabilities.”
“I don’t answer to you, Eddie, but even if I did, all I’d say is that I am just doing my job.”
Eddie chuckled, then sighed. “You’ve got balls, Reid. I’ll give you that.” Eddie stood up and thumped his hand on the roof of the car. “This job doesn’t go right, you’re going to lose a lot more than just your balls, Reid. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With those parting words, Eddie walked back to his car. After a moment, his headlights came on, flooding the Lotus with light again, then he backed up and drove away.
Chapter Two
I exhaled heavily when his car was out of sight, then turned to Preston, who was still gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. “What the hell was that all about?” Preston’s hands finally loosened on the wheel, but instead of answering me, he just started the car again and put the gear shift in drive. He pulled out of the alley and started driving back into the city. “Preston, why did that guy chase you all over the city and then just walk away like that?”
He let out an aggravated sigh. “Eddie is someone I work with. He was just trying to scare me. I don’t want you worried about it.”
“How did he know my name?”
“Like I said, I work with him.”
“I thought you said you were in the business of secrets. I don’t understand why he needs to know my name.” Something was off about the way Eddie approached Preston. It made me nervous, as if somehow I was involved in something I didn’t want to be a part of and I’d gotten in over my head.
“Listen, he doesn’t know why you hired me. He doesn’t even know the specifics of the case. Hell, he might not have even known I was working with you until he saw you—you’re not exactly unrecognizable.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, anyone who’s anyone in this town would see your face and know your name. You’re Lena f*cking Bellows, for Christ’s sake.” He was shouting now, his voice angry and agitated. His hand slammed down on the steering wheel as he yelled, “Fuck!” He took another hard right turn then pulled over on the side of the road. He threw the car in park and then turned in his seat to face me. “Listen, I never intended for you to get involved this way. When I took this job, I thought it would be a slam dunk. I’d be in and out in a matter of days and then move along, just like I always have.” His voice softened as he spoke, his eyes imploring me to listen and understand.
“I wasn’t expecting to be this drawn to you, Lena. I couldn’t have prepared myself for the attraction I felt when we first met. I should have turned the job down, should have walked away, but I’m not that strong.” His voice had lost all its roughness and anger from earlier and was now like silk.
Thinking about him walking away caused a sudden and unexpected panic in me. Surely, if on that first day he’d turned me down and left that bar without taking the job, I would have simply found someone else. But after the small amount of time we’d spent together, knowing the way he could make me feel, the power he had over my body, and the promise of something more to come, the thought of him ending whatever it was between us was terrifying. I didn’t want him walking away, but I also didn’t want to be a part of these strange and dramatic scenes, either. Sexual escapades in closets and car chases weren’t my idea of a good time. I wanted quiet movie nights cuddled up by a warm fire. I wanted inside jokes and silly notes left in obscure places. I wasn’t sure Preston Reid was the man to give me what I wanted.