Disillusioned (Swept Away, #2)(47)

“I’m not worried about sleeping in your bed,” I said softly.

“I don’t want you to think that just because you’re staying with me that you have to be in the same bed with me. You don’t have to sleep with me or have sex or anything. That’s not why I’m—”

“Oh, shut up.” I sighed. “You know I like you, Jakob.”

“You do?” His tone changed and he sounded so upbeat that I laughed.

“Yes, I do. I don’t know if I trust you, but that’s another story.”

“You don’t trust me?” He sounded disappointed.

“I’ve been fooled more than once before.” I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t personal. “Forgive me if I don’t know who to trust right now.”

“But you came with me.”

“You didn’t really give me much choice.”

“You chose to come with me. I didn’t make you.”

“I know. I want us to work on this together, and maybe it’s for the best that I stay with you. Way too many people have access to my apartment right now.”

“We’ll get to the bottom of this, Bianca. I promise.”

“Can you promise that we’ll get to the bottom of this and I’ll still trust you have told me everything you know?” I asked him quietly.

He gave me a guilty look before turning back to the traffic. After about a minute’s silence he finally answered simply, “No. I can’t promise that.”

“Jakob.” The disappointment in my voice was evident.

“You don’t know everything I know yet, but you will, I promise. I’m going to tell you everything I know, Bianca, and we’re going to figure this all out together.”



We pulled up outside a building and an elderly doorman rushed to the car door.

“Good evening, Mr. Bradley.”

“Good evening, George.” Jakob jumped out of the car, and before I knew it, he was grabbing my bag from the back while George opened my car door. He looked surprised when he saw me emerge from the car.

“Thank you, George,” I said quietly.

“You’re welcome, madam.” He gave me a weak smile, his eyes never leaving my face.

“Are you okay?” I asked kindly, and that seemed to make him regain his composure.

“Yes.” He rubbed his eyes and looked away. “Anything else you need, Mr. Bradley?”

“No, thank you, George.” Jakob handed him something and George nodded his thanks. “This is Bianca, George. She’ll be staying with me.”

“Okay.” George turned to me and smiled. “Welcome, Bianca.”

“Thank you.” I wished I had time to talk to him. Why had he looked at me as if he’d seen a ghost?

“If there is anything you need, please just ask, Ms. London.”

“Thank you.” Jakob and I were about to go inside when I froze, grabbing Jakob’s arm. “Wait.” I turned around and hurried back to George. “Wait, George!”

“Yes, Bianca?” He looked nervous.

“Why did you just call me Ms. London?”

“Isn’t that your name?” he said weakly. “Isn’t that what Mr. Bradley just said?”

“No.” Jakob’s voice behind me was deadly. “I said Bianca.” He took a step forward. “How did you know her last name was London, George?”

“Oh, sir . . .” His face went white.

“Who have you been talking to, George?”

“No one, sir.” He looked scared.

“Who’s been around here, George?” Jakob’s voice sounded deadly.

“No one, sir, I swear.”

“How did you know she was Bianca London?”

My heart was pounding as I gazed at the two men. The tension in the air was electric. I was scared that Jakob was going to hit the old man, but I too was curious. How did he know my name?

“She looks like her mother, sir,” he whispered. “As soon as I saw her, I recognized her.”

“You knew my mother?” I gasped as I stepped forward.

“No.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know her. Not well. She only came twice.”

“She came here twice?” I looked up at the expensive building in front of me. Why would my mother come here?

“What did she come for, George?” Jakob’s voice was soft this time, though no less threatening.

“She came to visit your mother, Jakob.” George’s voice was low.

“They were friends?” I asked, surprised, and looked at Jakob, but he looked as shocked as I felt.

“No.” George shook his head sharply. “Those two women were not friends.”

“Oh.” I wrapped my arms around my body, my heart sinking.

“Why did she visit my mother, George?” Jakob’s voice was slow and deliberate. “What did she want?”

“I don’t know exactly.” George looked nervous. “I don’t like to pry. I don’t want to be in anyone’s business. It’s the only way you can be in a job like this for as long as I have been.”

“You didn’t hear anything?” I leaned forward, my face cold. “Nothing at all?”