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Kellan looks up from his laptop at the mention of his name, though it’s clear he hasn’t been listening. “Hey,” he mumbles, flashing us an incredibly sexy grin, before turning back to his screen.
Marcus leans forward, looking every bit the professional as he speaks on our behalf. “Thank you for that, and for agreeing to meet with us. You obviously know me, and my Head of Security, Miles. Jacob is back from his recent leave, and this is Indie, a…friend…who is the reason for this meeting.”
I have to bite my lip when Marcus stumbles over the wordfriend. He knows there’s something more between me and Jake, and that I have a history with Miles, but summing that up to a stranger isn’t exactly easy.
“Thank you for meeting us,” I mumble, feeling like I have to say something.
Bree gives me a reassuring smile, putting my nerves at ease just a bit. “You are very welcome.” She then turns to face Jake. “Jacob, I was very sorry to hear about your health problems recently. Forgive me for being blunt, but I have to ask…how are you coping after your stint in rehab?”
Jake’s hand, that is laced with mine, becomes tense, his grip tightening as he freezes, clearly startled by Bree’s blunt question. I stroke my thumb over the back of his hand, trying to reassure him.
He takes a shuddered breath before responding. “It’s not been easy, and I still have a long road ahead of me. I am still sober, and I’m working hard to stay that way. I have a lot of support, and a great team helping me.”
He casts a glance down the table as he says the last part, looking at the three people beside him who are helping him. Although Miles is his sober companion, the one who helps him when he’s at his worst, both me and Marcus help him when we can, and I know he appreciates the support he’s received from everyone. I just wish he could see that he’s the one doing all the hard work!
“You should be very proud of the achievement. Even with a great support network, you are the one fighting every day to be a better version of yourself. Never diminish the work you have put in,” Liam tells him, his voice deep and almost hypnotic. As if the man needed another thing to make him even fucking hotter.
Kian adds on to that. “We’ve heard a lot of good things about the way you and Marcus are running Blackthorn. You both havereputations as good leaders, and the partnership you’ve formed appears to be working better than it ever has in the past.”
The smile that spreads across Jake’s face, at the praise, is almost blinding, and I’m so proud of him. “Thank you. It helps that we are friends,” he says, looking over at Marcus with a nod.
Marcus keeps the blank mask on his face that I’m so used to seeing, not wanting to drop his professional image even for a second, but I catch the way his lips twitch just slightly, like he’s fighting back a smile, before he quickly turns back to face the others.
Bree speaks again, pulling our attention back to her. “Honestly, with all the great reports we’ve been hearing, I was a little surprised when you requested this meeting.”
Marcus looks like he’s about to speak, but the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”
As all eyes in the room turn to me—even Kellan stops looking at his computer to stare—my heart races. It’s pounding so hard, it’s ringing in my ears. My breathing speeds up, and if it weren’t for Jake’s hand in mine, grounding me, I’d be lost to panic now.
“Indie,” Bree says softly, pulling my gaze until I’m only looking at her. Her expression is soft and welcoming, and she gives me a small smile as she says, “Don’t apologise, and don’t be scared. Tell us your story.”
As Jake squeezes the hand he’s holding, Miles’ cold fingers grasp hold of my other hand beneath the table. With both men holding me, giving me their support in the only way they can, I feel my strength and courage grow.
I notice that Bree and Liam are both looking at where my hands disappear under the table, no doubt working out that the men on either side of me each have a hold. I don’t see any judgement in their eyes, and it makes me trust them just a little more.
After taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I begin my story. I start with how I met Gregg and the abuse I suffered at his hands. I tell them about his job, and all the illegal things I witnessed him do.
I then moved on to Gregg’s connection with The Count, and I don’t miss the way all of their attention pricks up at the mention of his name. There’s an element of recognition that’s impossible to miss, and I wonder briefly if they’ve heard of him before.
I guess he’s a big enough bad guy that most people in their world will have heard of him, but that just makes me extra scared. More people knowing about him just means there’s more people that haven’t been able to stop him.
I finish my story by telling them about the night I fled. The incident I witnessed with Gregg, The Count, and the three young boys. I tell them every detail I can remember, before explaining how I’ve been running ever since.
Once my story is over, silence fills the room. The four people opposite are looking at each other, sombre expressions on their faces, as they seem to have a silent conversation with each other.
After a few minutes, Jake breaks the silence and the growing tension in the room. “Why do I get the feeling you’ve heard the nameThe Countbefore?”
I lean forward, waiting with bated breath for them to answer the question I didn’t have the courage to voice. The Doughtys glance at each other, continuing their silent conversation, before Liam turns back to address us.
“We don’t know much about The Count specifically, but we’re familiar with the organisation that he’s one of the leaders of—The Aristocracy,” Liam explains, wincing at the name.
Jake bursts out laughing beside me, drawing attention to himself. His laughter is so unexpected, it makes me fucking jump, breaking through the tension in the room.
“You’re kidding? That’s such a shit name.”
Kian barks out a laugh, too. “That’s what I fucking said. These fuckers really are very unoriginal.”
Kellan on the end mutters something that sounds suspiciously likearsehole, before turning his attention back to his computer, but not before rolling his eyes at Kian, who flips him the finger in return.