Possessive Boss

“Yeah, sure.”

“Hey, maybe they’re not mob at all, you know? Just some pissed-off trash men.”

I give her a flat stare. “You really think so?”

Her smile slowly disappears. “I don’t know.”

“Yeah, neither do I.”

We linger there for a moment. I lean back in my chair and rub my eyes. This has gotten too far out of control and I don’t fucking like that.

“Look, get back to work. We’ll deal with Carmine and them when it happens, okay?”

“Okay.” She hesitates. “I really didn’t mean for this to happen. I really thought… I thought it would flush them out somehow.”

I nod a little. “I know you did. It’s okay.”

“It’s really not.”

I smile. “It will be. Go ahead, go to work. I’ll handle it.”

“Thanks, Jacob.” She stands. “I’m really glad I told you the truth.”

“I am too. Even if it’s a hard fucking truth.”

She heads back to her desk and I stare at her as she goes.

She’s so fucking beautiful and smart. But she went behind my back and did this. I don’t know what I’m going to do about that. I demanded her devotion and I was ready to give mine right back, but this… this makes things harder. I don’t know where she really stands or what she really wants. I’m afraid it’s always been about using me to get an easy case.

Well, it doesn’t change the fact we have some pissed-off gangsters, and it’s up to me to make things right.17ValI go home that night dreaming of mobsters breaking into my apartment and shooting me with machine guns.

That doesn’t happen, of course. I almost want it to though.

I was stupid. I knew what I was doing. It wasn’t entirely my idea… but I knew I was provoking a reacting from dangerous men. But the idea that the reaction might be violent never occurred to me.

And not telling Jacob… that’s even worse. He’s trying so hard to help me with this investigation, going above and beyond, and I need to show him that same level of trust. He wants to call it devotion, and so I can be devoted.

I made a mistake. But I won’t make that mistake again. I need Jacob more than just for this thing with the SEC.

As I step into my apartment, my phone starts ringing. I answer right away.

“How are things?” Mr. Gauge sounds almost chipper today.

“Things are okay,” I say. “Things are moving.”

“What have you found?”

“I did what you suggested,” I say. “I bet that money on the stock you suggested.”

“And?”

“And I lost them half a million.”

He chuckles. “Poor men.”

“Sir, are you sure they’re gangsters?”

“I’m very sure.”

“Because what we just did…”

“Was insider trading? Could land us in jail?”

“The latter, at least.”

“Well, don’t worry. I won’t investigate us if you don’t.” He chuckles again. “They’re going to be angry, and when men like them are angry, they do stupid things. We’re watching them closely.”

“What happens next?”

“I’m not sure,” he admits. “But once we have proof of what they are, we’ll know Darin’s truly guilty. Then we get warrants.”

“Warrants for what?”

“To search FLFM.”

“Wait, you never said we were going after FLFM, just Darin himself.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Listen, Valerie. If Darin is guilty, FLFM is guilty. Which means Jacob Lofthouse is guilty as well. Maybe he wasn’t knowingly in on this, but he’ll have been a part of it.”

I stare at my living room wall in shock and horror.

“Sir—”

“Keep an eye on those men,” Mr. Gauge says. “And report back in soon. I’m counting on you, Valerie.” He hangs up.

I slowly let the phone drop down to the floor.

We’re going after FLFM. We’re going after Jacob.

That wasn’t what they told me. From the start, it was about Darin and Darin alone. FLFM and Jacob weren’t a part of any of the briefings I received.

And now they’re changing the rules. Something happened, and now FLFM is on the chopping block.

I can’t let that happen. I won’t let it happen. Not after Jacob did so much for me. Not after he made me feel things… made me want him.

I shower, eat dinner, go to bed that night thinking about him, trying to figure out what I can do. I don’t want to just call him out of the blue and tell him what’s happening. I’m afraid it’ll only scare him away and make him angry. I don’t want to lose him on top of everything.

In the morning, I get to the office early. Jacob doesn’t show up at his usual time, which makes me uneasy. I try calling him, but he doesn’t answer. I email and text, but get nothing

Eventually, around noon, he shows up. He looks tired. I get up and take a step toward him but he just waves for me to follow.

I close the door behind us. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He sighs and sits down.

“Why are you late?”