Page 60 of Lies You Told
My heels click against the marble floor, but her back is still to me. “Franchesca,” I say like the lady boss I am. Channeling the Ice Queen just a little. My defenses are up, and it’s the first time I’ve ever felt like this in all the years I’ve known her.
She slowly turns around, giving me her full attention. “I was surprised you’d be here tonight. My dad tells me you’re the reason we have more security this year.”
“I’ve never missed this event, Franchesca, you know that.”
“Yeah, my dad said the same thing.” She says. She has a look on her face, and I can’t make out if it’s disgust or whatever it is, but she’s not happy.
“I’m surprised you’ve not followed my dad around all night.”
“Why would I?” I ask, a little confused. I know a good chunk of the people in this room. While I’m not a socialite or a household name, I’m a respected lawyer in the city. My client list is one of the best in the city. I definitely have one of the best client lists within my firm, not only because I have Greyson and Huntington Group in my portfolio.
“You and my dad…”
I take a deep breath. I thought Franchesca was better than this, better than the gossip and rumor mill. I guess I was wrong before, and I’m obviously wrong again.
“Your dad is a client and close friend, that is all.”
“You keep telling yourself that.”
I turn to walk away from her. I do not need this in my life. The elevator door next to us opens, and I feel Franchesca grip my wrist, pulling me into the enclosed space. My body becomes hyper-aware that I’m in danger right now. I can only hope that someone on my security team saw her drag me into the elevator. ‘Don’t panic, Chloe.’ I hear Jax in my head.
“Hello, Chloe Lawson.”
I freeze in place. The voice I prayed I was never going to hear again. Bile threatens to bring up the champagne I was drinking not ten minutes ago. My back hits the metal wall, and he corners me, hands on both sides of my head. My fight or flight is kicking in, and while I want to knee the bastard in the balls, I’m also in an enclosed space and outnumbered. I don’t have time to process that Franchesca and my old professor know each other. He looks different. But I know it’s him from his voice alone.
The doors open, and Franchesca steps out like she owns the place. Which I guess she does, technically. Well, her husband does. I’m so fucking screwed right now. The only thing I have in my favor is that I know Jax is looking for me. When he can’t find me, I know he’s going to do everything in his power and beat down every door in this place to find me.
I’m so distracted thinking about Jax. I don’t see what the dick does to me, but I feel it, the prick in the arm. Before I know what’s happening, my vision becomes blurry, and the last face I see is him. The dick who raped and tormented me during my first semester at Harvard. He looks a lot different, even different than he did a couple of weeks ago when I saw him outside my firm’s building. I don’t see or feel anything as blackness takes over me.
33
JAX
Iget stopped too often in the ballroom where tonight's event will be. There are guys from Danny’s security team around the room, but I can’t see Chloe or Kieran anywhere. When I find Chloe, I’m going to make her see that us together in public doesn’t bother me. I know it won’t bother Bryan. He already kind of suspects after all the whispering Catherine was doing in his ear. She can be like a dog with a bone sometimes.
“Sorry,” I say as someone else tries to stop and talk to me. I need to find Chloe, and I need to find her now. Drag her into an empty room and turn into the alpha asshole she loves so much.
“Where’s Chloe?” I ask.
The guy smirks at me. “Took you long enough.” He presses his earpiece. “Eyes on Chloe, he’s come to his senses.” He laughs. In seconds, his demeanor changes, and his whole body stiffens up.
I spin around, my eyes scanning the room. Every security guy and girl in the room has their hand on their earpiece, frantically looking around the room.
Danny comes running into the room, a panicked but angry look on his face. He comes running towards us, and I know what he’s about to say is not good.
“Where is she?” I ask, getting in his face.
“Hannah hasn’t checked in. The guy to last see her got distracted, but she was talking to Franchesca the last time he saw her.”
“Where is Franchesca now?” I ask. I can feel my blood pressure rising.
I pull out my phone and call Greyson. It keeps ringing, but no answer. That’s unusual. Greyson has that phone on him at all times. You don’t own a billion-dollar empire by not making yourself available to everyone twenty-four-seven. I end the call as soon as it goes to voice mail, pressing the call again and again. Something is seriously up.
“I can’t get hold of Greyson,” I say, taking in my surroundings.
Bryan and Catherine walk over to me, obviously reading my body language from across the room.
“What’s going on?” Asks Bryan.
