Deception (Infidelity #3)

“What?”

He stepped closer, his chest nearing mine, cologne again clouding my thoughts as I fought to project a sense of calm I truly didn’t feel.

“You said you thought it was your family trying to scare you. Edward Spencer isn’t your family.” He emphasized the last word.

“My family’s complicated. He claims to be speaking for my mother. The point is, there’s no reason to dust anything. We know who it came from.”

My gaze moved away from Nox, back to Deloris. She was silent as she read the letter, my letter, the one addressed to me.

“Privacy. Is that what I give up if I stay here?”

“If?” Nox repeated.

“Lennox, you should read this,” Deloris spoke from the other side of the room.

I slapped my hands against my thighs. “Sure, everyone fucking read my letter. Let’s get Isaac and Jerrod in here. I know, call Lana. Is there anyone else?” I pursed my lips waiting for a response. Finally, I went on. “All I want is answers; instead, I’m getting more and more questions.”

Deloris turned toward me. “There’s a plethora of accusations in this letter. Don’t you agree that they could be best addressed if Lennox knew what he was supposed to answer?”

“I’ve already asked the most important one.”

Nox’s eyes narrowed in a silent warning, telling me to avoid the subject that loomed around us, the figurative elephant prancing around the room, its trunk raised like a trumpet alarming each of us of its path of destruction. A momentary tinge of apprehension infiltrated my righteous anger as the question resurfaced—did Nox kill Jocelyn?

His posture straightened as he tightened his jaw and lifted his hand toward Deloris. When she hesitated, he said, “I’ve already touched it. What difference does it make if I handle it again?”

She shook her head and pulled another tissue from the box. Handing that first to Nox, she then passed him the letter.

I shook my head dismissively and reached for my backpack. My overnight bag was already packed.

As I stepped toward the doorway, Nox’s command stilled my footsteps.

“Stop.”

Images of Alton raced through my mind as I spun Nox’s direction. “I’m not a child. If you won’t talk to me, I’m not staying here.”

“You’re not going to that apartment. The security isn’t complete.”

I rolled my eyes as I let out a long sigh. “You’re putting security in my apartment?”

“Chelsea’s,” he corrected. “And of course.”

Shaking my head, I replied, “You’re unbelievable. Did you think to ask me? Ask Chelsea? I mean, she interviewed for that job. If she gets the one in DC she won’t even be here that much.”

“Alex…”

I lifted my hand to silence Deloris. I was tired of listening to them answer my questions in circles. “Call Jerrod, or I will. I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re—”

“Yes, I am.”

“Jerrod works for me,” Nox declared.

Fuck him! This was Alton all over again.

My neck straightened in indignation. “Then I’ll take a cab. You want a say in this? That’s your choice. This time it’s my number in your phone and the ball’s in your court. If you’re ever ready to talk to me, to be honest with me, call. Otherwise…” I took a deep breath, debating the end of my sentence. “…otherwise, don’t.”

“Charli, do not leave this apartment.”

His order hung in the air, the final word. Nevertheless, I walked into the bedroom seeing the vibrator upon the bed. Its presence mocked me. Ignoring it and the plans that I’d had for this evening, I found my overnight case.

How had our date gone from amazing to shit in record time? The ring of my phone encouraged me forward, moving me toward the living room, where earlier—when this evening had hope—I’d dropped my handbag.

The screen read JERROD.

“Hello,” I said after pushing the green icon.

“Ma’am, I’ll have the car out front in five minutes.”

I wasn’t sure if it had been Nox or Deloris who’d contacted him, but at least I wouldn’t need to get a cab.

A tear slid down my cheek as I closed my eyes. “Thank you, Jerrod. I’ll be there.”

My destination options came in rapid succession. I could go to my and Chelsea’s apartment. If I did, I was not only disobeying Nox by leaving, but also by going where he told me specifically not to go. Then again, until he could be honest with me, I didn’t need to listen to his directives. I could go to Patrick and Cy’s apartment. Surely it was safe. Or I could do as Bryce’s note implored and travel back to Savannah.

With a heavy heart, I stifled a ragged breath and turned back toward the glacial-blue eyes. Though Nox watched my every move, he didn’t speak. Silently, I turned toward the door and exited our apartment.





FUCK!

I pulled my phone from my pocket as the apartment door closed. After two pushes and one ring, Jerrod answered.

“I want to know where you take her.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Keep both me and Deloris informed. I want round-the-clock surveillance.”

“Yes, sir. You’ll be constantly informed. She won’t make a move that you don’t know about.”

Damn, that sounded wrong. I wasn’t trying to suffocate Charli. That was her word. I was assuring her safety. Why couldn’t she see that?

“Safety. That’s my number-one objective.”

“Yes, sir,” Jerrod replied.

I disconnected the call and looked back at Deloris. She was sitting on the sofa hammering out a text message. Briefly her eyes met mine and then with a slight shake of her head, her attention was drawn back to the screen of her phone. My teeth ached with the pressure as I held my jaws together—tighter and tighter. If I didn’t find another outlet, surely my teeth would shatter.

As soon as she hit send, Deloris sighed and looked up.

I waited.

The silence continued.

Finally, I spoke. “Tell me how in the fuck someone broke in here.”

Her head moved from side to side. “I can’t.”

What the hell kind of answer was that?

Then, as if delayed, her words hit hard, drying my mouth and weakening my knees as I fell to the sofa. A swoosh escaped my lips as if I’d truly been struck, the impact causing the air to exit my lungs. Her words were the same ones I’d given Charli.

“I can’t,” I said again, confessing my rare inability.

“No, I can’t,” she said, misinterpreting my statement as a question for her. “It doesn’t make sense. You know my security is top-notch. I don’t believe Edward Spencer or anyone connected with the Montagues was responsible for this note. They never would’ve been able to trick the system.”

I stared in disbelief. That wasn’t what I’d meant by I can’t. I’d meant that I couldn’t tell Charli the truth about Jo. Not yet. I hadn’t verbalized it since it happened, not in a concise statement, nor in a long, breathy rambling statement. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t even looked at the online reports. I didn’t think I could say it aloud.

Though Jo’s death was almost five years ago, if I closed my eyes it seemed like yesterday. It seemed like today. Adrenaline flooded my system as perspiration moistened my palms. I didn’t want to think about it. The anger. The blood. But it was there, in the forefront of my mind.

It had been the day that wouldn’t end. Maybe it hadn’t. Maybe it was still today.

It was like that movie Groundhog Day. I couldn’t think of a worse hell.

“Lennox, I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

I nodded, unsure if the awful images in my mind would come bubbling out if I spoke.

“You read the accusations?” she asked.