Facade (Billionaire in Disguise 1)

“I wasn't attacked. I’m just getting letters.”

“Is that what you call having your life threatened? Derek, I’m trying to contain the chatter. But people are already gossiping. Sooner or later, this thing’s gonna get out.”

“Then we’ll just have to stop it from getting out because that’s not an option,” I said.

“This person’s probably some disgruntled mailroom guy from the merger, but now he knows things are serious. He’s lashed out. Assaulted me. I have a bodyguard. And if someone’s watching like you think they are, they see all that.”

“You’re calling this person a ‘he.’ Any reason why?” I asked.

“No,” Jacob said with a shrug. “But I’m a pretty tall guy. Wouldn’t it take another tall guy to bash me over the head with something?”

He had a point, and it was a point I was going to bring up to Sam as soon as I was done telling him that John was sticking around.

“I’m worried about this, Derek. It isn’t going to end well. Did you know Gretchen was in here sniffling around?” Jacob asked.

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah. I’ve seen her around the office a couple of times. Just in the lobby, but I didn’t think much of it. Trying to see you. Get a slice of what she left. That kind of thing. But now that you’ve gotten so paranoid and you aren’t letting up on this bodyguard thing, I think it’s worth mentioning.”

“And seeing my ex wasn’t worth mentioning before? When was she here?” I asked.

“The day you left for Vegas and a couple of weeks before that.”

“Uh­-huh. Funny. I ran into her in Vegas. Said she got a hot tip about me being there with someone's wife or something,” I said.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Was she really snooping around here for a scoop on you? Isn’t she still in Los Angeles?”

“I don’t know, but now that I know she’s been around here, it’s worth looking up.”

“Holy shit. You think she’s the one who attacked me? I mean, Gretchen’s tall. In heels, she’s eye-level with you.”

“I think those odds are very, very low. Gretch and I left things on good terms. In fact, she was the one who technically broke things off with me, so it’s not like she has a reason to be upset and threaten my life.”

“I didn’t realize a woman needed an excuse to do that,” Jacob said with a grin.

“Usually, I’d laugh with you, but this is serious. Whoever this person is, they’ve escalated from notes to attacks, and I’m pretty sure the only reason I wasn’t the one attacked was that I was in Vegas. I can only assume everyone around me is now a target. Like Emma, for instance.”

“Interesting. I thought you would’ve thrown Sam’s name first,” he said.

“Figured that was a given,” I said with a shrug.

“You think you should get some protective detail on her too? If you’ve got it on me, you might need it on her.”

“What we’ve got going on now is enough. Sam and I are keeping things in a low profile. Romantic evenings in. Not going out together in public. Things like that. She’s good for now, but you’re not. And as much as I know you hate it, John stays.”

“Fine. But if the gossiping gets too bad, it’s not going to matter what I said.”

“I hear you. Now go home and get some rest, okay? I’m serious. Don’t make me come over there and knock you out again just to get you to sleep,” I said.

“With the beating I took, that would be considered foreplay now,” he said with a grin. “I’ll catch ya around, Derek.”

The moment Jacob shut the door behind him, Sam emerged from the washroom. She had a fun little setup in there now to keep tabs on me and the cameras in my office. I turned toward her as she made her way to me, and I could tell by the look in her eye, she had more information to play around with.

“Something Jacob said made me curious,” she said.

“Okay. What’s this fun little curiosity of yours?” I asked.

“I started going back through Emma’s files while you two were talking. In there, it states she worked for LampLight Corporations.”