“Yeah, we’re all sorted. The new CEO is dealing with all the media and releasing a statement about Uncle Harry and Brightlight. And I’ve talked to the Dean. I can start back at school on Monday. And now my other favorite man is sitting in front of me,” she says, leaning over Shay’s shoulder, giving him a peck on the check and a backwards hug.
“That’s great, hon. Wanna come sit down?” I pat my hand on my lap.
“Best seat in the world,” she says, plopping down in my lap with a thud.
“Ugh,” I say through gritted teeth. The responding giggle from Elle makes my crushed junk a little more bearable.
Wrapping his arms around her, I lean around to look at Shay. “So what happened?” he asks.
“We met with an old security guard who worked at Brightlight,” he says, looking anxiously at Elle. She just smiles at him, letting him know it’s okay to continue. “He was able to tell us that there had been some backhanders going on for a few years. Jobs on the side, mainly protecting Harry while he went to ‘meetings’, but that was it. Wasted a grand on him, too. Then, when the boss called and told us that his money was out of Brightlight…”
He pauses, looking at Elle again.
“It’s okay, Shay. Brax told me everything.”
“Victor asked me to do a favor for him. He wanted to settle one last grudge and bring Brimstone down.” I hear Elle gasp in shock, her body going unusually tense in my lap.
“How did you do it?” she asks Shay.
“He simply told me where to get our contact to look. She found at least ten million missing but brace yourself, Elle, because I’m sure the FBI’s forensic accountants will find more,” he states somberly.
She tenses but relaxes as I start rubbing my hand in slow circles on her back.
“His accounts will be frozen now. They should be able to at least recover some of it,” I murmur against her back.
“I hope so,” she sighs.
“So what about you two? Anything been happening here?” Devon asks.
“Apart from the throng of media outside, that’s been about it for us. It has been quiet on all fronts,” I say, giving both Shay and Devon a knowing look because weirdly enough, there hasn’t been anything suspicious since they’ve been gone.
“Good, good. It might be the calm before the storm, though. You know that.” Shay looks between Elle and I, and his concern is not lost on us. I feel Elle’s body tense, so I wrap my arms around her, reaching for her hands and entwining our fingers. I’m trying to soothe her, to let her know that whatever is coming we’ll face it together. A united front.
“Any sign of the black Honda?” Shay asks.
“Not that we can tell. I’ve been watching overnight all week, and I haven’t seen him. Unless he’s changed vehicles, in which case he’s going to be hard to spot.”
“Well, I’ll take over tonight, and we’ll get Devon doing some walking around the neighborhood. I have a feeling that something is brewing.”
“I hope for all of our sakes that you’re wrong, man. She’s been through enough,” I say emphatically, giving Elle’s hands a small squeeze of reassurance.
“On that note, I’m going to go have a shower,” Elle says, letting go of my hands and rising to her feet. “Make yourself at home, boys,” she adds with a grin before walking towards the bedroom.
Once she’s gone, Devon shifts in his seat so that he’s leaning forward and sitting on the edge of it. “Shay said you met Sylvia?” he asks.
“Never been more shell shocked in my life. It was f**king unreal.” I’m still shocked.
“You seeing her again?” Shay interrupts my train of thought.
“Yeah. We talked about it last night. But, man, I’m glad Elle was here with me because I didn’t exactly handle it well. I got well acquainted with my good friend Jack Daniels. I run my fingers through my hair in frustration. “But I’ve spent too much time wondering why she did what she did and it’s time I moved on from this shit, you know?”
Devon clears his throat. “I can probably help you piece together some of it if ya want. She was my nanny. Mom hired her after I was born. Until Daddy-o couldn’t keep his f**king dick in his pants and knocked her up with you.”
I shake my head. Is this why Evans said I didn’t know the whole story? “Why the f**k haven’t you told me this before?” I’m getting riled up now.
“Because I wasn’t sure what was true and what was bullshit and I was only a kid, so I don’t remember much. But I do remember mom crying a lot and Sylvia suddenly leaving. She should be able to tell you the rest,” Devon explains.
“That’s what I’m hoping. It’d be nice to leave that part of my life behind me. Know what I mean?”
“Yeah, man. Those kind of demons can screw with your head. I’m a prime f**king example of that aren’t I?” Shay says. I nod in agreement. It’s very rare that he talks about what happened in his past. In fact, I think I’m the only one who knows the whole story of what went down with his girlfriend Brenna, and that’s because I was right there with him when she died.
“I’d be in the same boat if you hadn’t saved Elle.”
“I said I’d be your eyes and ears, B, and I meant it. But about that...since Brimstone is off radar now, what are we gonna do?” Shay asks.
“Well, I’ll need to check in with Vic, but you know I’m not going anywhere. He can try pulling me off the case, but it won’t happen. We’ve still got Gibbons to sort out, and as much as I don’t wanna go near the prick,” I say, looking at Devon, “I need to get the lay of the land with Evans.”
“I don’t wanna deal with that f**ker either,” Devon mutters under his breath. “But if you want, I’ll have your back. You know that.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when and if we come to it. Until then, just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
They both nod, we don’t need to say anything else. We know what we’ve got to do, keep Elle safe at all costs.
16
It’s the last day that Aunt Sylvie is going to be in town. She has a charity dinner to prepare for back in LA, and says that she should really check in on Uncle Harry, even if it is just to play the part of the concerned ex-wife.
Brax is a nervous wreck. If I thought I fidgeted when I was nervous, I’ve got nothing on Brax. He’s been tapping his foot, bouncing his knee, cracking his knuckles and running his fingers through his already messy hair. We’re waiting for her to arrive at the apartment. The media will have a field day with this, but Brax thought it was better to have them report Sylvie’s presence, than for me to have to face them and all their in-your-face questions myself.