Forbidden Love

“Now onto the real issues at hand. Where are we at with the investigation into the crane accident?” I looked at Barton then to Jesse.

“The video surveillance on-site was conveniently blacked out at the time. But they didn’t count on the footage from across the road.” Jesse grinned.

“What did you find?”

“It’s pixelated, but I’m working on cleaning it up,” he said.

“Work faster. I want to catch whoever is trying to fuck me over and bury the asshole. Anything on the fire?”

“Nothing. Whoever lit that covered their tracks or is paying off someone high up,” Barton said.

“Fuck!” I slammed my fist on the table. “I know they’re connected.”

“We will find whoever did this, Barrett. You know we will. We just need more time,” Barton added, a steely determination in his eyes.

“I know you will. I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.” Alfred’s words swirled in my mind, and my heart hammered away. I wouldn’t lose Lourde to some lying-fucking-asshole trying to screw me over. I was Barrett-fucking-Black. I came from nothing and turned my life around. I ate fuckhead’s like this for breakfast, lunch, and goddamn supper.

“At least the press has put that story on the back burner. Pictures of you and Lourde together are getting mid-six figures,” Ivy added.

“And they say the Kardashians made it rich quick. What the fuck is this world coming to, seriously?”

“I hear you, but people love a fairy-tale story with a fairy-tale ending.” She smiled, and I got the feeling she was happy for me.

I laughed. “Is there any such thing?”

She leveled her gaze at mine. “Only you know the answer to that.” Happily married, Ivy was as far from your closet romantic as they come.

And just perhaps, I felt like happily ever afters existed for even the mere monsters among us.

“Well, if that’s it,” I said.

“There is something else,” Jesse said.

“What?”

“Jessica, Olivia’s assistant, just disappeared. She has seriously gone off the grid. She hasn't used any form of payments in weeks. Her credit cards and bank accounts have not been touched. We’ve had someone watch her apartment in the Bronx, and she hasn't been back since she disappeared.

“What the fuck?”

“We also followed up with her employment contract to track down her emergency contact, but when we searched for it, it wasn’t there,” Barton added.

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. “Do you think she’s involved with whatever that is going on here?”

She was quiet but good at her job. Apart from that, I didn’t know too much about her, and I didn’t care to. But Olivia said she was okay.

“We're looking at everything. Nothing is off the table, sir,” Jesse said, folding his arms on his chest.

“We need to find her. I want more resources on this. I don’t care how much it costs. No one fucks with my company and my people.”

“I’ve got a crew I know can help with more resources,” Barton suggested.

“Good. Get it done. I have to go,’’ I said, checking my watch and making sure I could leave on time to meet up with Lourde. She was due back at the office any minute, and I didn’t want her waiting another second.

I walked back into my office, where she was already waiting.

“Rough day?” she asked, walking toward me in her tight black skirt that hugged her delicious curves.

“I’m good now that I’ve seen you.”

“I see.” She took her lips to mine, and I devoured them in a hungry kiss.

“That bad?” She stepped back, not expecting my assault on her lips.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said, pulling her hand.