This Man Confessed
Page 102

I land at my desk and spend the rest of my Tuesday clearing the build-up of paperwork.
 
 
* * *
 
 
Six o’clock comes around fast, and I’m the last the leave the office. Patrick didn’t return to work as planned, but called to assure me that he’d be in tomorrow. I’ll talk to him then, but I’m disappointed. I feel the compulsion to rid myself of this mind burden without delay.
I get straight into the big black Range Rover without a sigh, falter or complaint. ‘Hi, John.’
‘Girl,’ He pulls off into the traffic. ‘How was your day?’
‘Constructive. Yours?’
‘Magnificent.’ he rumbles.
I get the feeling he’s being cynical. ‘Where are we going?’ I slouch back in my chair, hoping he says Lusso, but I won’t hold my breath. Jesse would’ve collected me himself if we were going home.
‘The Manor, girl. How did it go with your boss?’ He flicks his covered eyes to me, a curious look flickering across his face.
‘It didn’t. He wasn’t in today.’
‘That’ll please the crazy mother fucker.’ He laughs.
I smile my agreement. I know it will, but I can’t tell Patrick if he’s not there to tell. I can’t be blamed for it, but at least I can say that I’ve told Mikael. That’ll show my intention was there, and it really was.
 
 
* * *
 
 
I jump out the second John pulls to a stop and take the steps fast, unlocking and pushing my way through the doors. ‘He said to wait in the bar for him, girl.’ John calls to my back, but I pretend not to hear him. I’m not waiting in the bar. After having him to myself for three days, my first day back at work has been the longest ever. I hot foot it past the stairs, towards the back of The Manor and through the summer room before John can catch me. The usual gatherings of members are here, but I don’t hang around to gage the reaction to my presence.
I steam straight into Jesse’s office, without knocking and without stopping to think that I could be barging in on a business meeting. I’ve had some shocks when doing this before.
And I’m shocked now.
 
 
Chapter 28
 

‘Dan?’ I say warily, staring at my brothers back. He’s sitting opposite Jesse at his desk, and he turns at the sound of his name. ‘What are you doing here?’ The sudden astronomical consequences of his visit hits me hard. ‘Hey, kiddo.’ He stands, all smiling, and makes his way over to me, stooping to hug me. ‘Congratulations.’
‘I might get to tell someone myself soon.’ I grumble, landing Jesse with a reproachful look over my brother’s shoulder. He shrugs sheepishly and pouts before mouthing I love you and pulling at his suit jacket, and then his shirt, as if reminding me that he dressed in what I asked this morning, so I should go easy on him.
‘So what are you doing here?’ I repeat, cocking my head at Jesse, but he just shrugs again and remains quiet. It’s a novelty.
‘Making amends.’ Dan releases me and runs his hand through his dark mop. ‘I didn’t want to go home without sorting this out.’
‘Oh?’ I look at Jesse, but damn him he just shrugs again. ‘So you’re friends?’
‘Something like that. Anyway, I need to shoot. I’m meeting Harvey up west.’ He turns to Jesse. ‘Thanks.’
‘No problem.’ Jesse nods, not bothering to be civil and stand to see Dan out. That and the nonchalant shrugs leaves me very suspicious.
‘When are you heading back?’ I ask when he’s facing me again.
‘I’m not sure. Depends on flights. I’ll call you, okay.’ He kisses my cheek and heads past me, meeting the big guy at the door. John shakes his menacing head at me before escorting my brother from Jesse’s office. What’s he doing here, anyway?
I point my suspiciousness at Jesse, and I know he knows what I’m thinking because he’s refusing to meet my eyes. ‘What was all that about?’
‘What?’
I walk over to the sofa and drop my bag down before taking the seat my brother has just vacated. ‘Look at me.’ I demand. Those three words always do the trick, but not because he’s obeying me. It’s because he’s always shocked to hear them. I don’t care. He can look at me stunned all he likes. ‘Why was Dan here?’
He stands and picks his phone up from the desk. ‘He apologised.’
I laugh in his face. Dan would never apologise, not to Jesse. I’ve known him my whole life, and I know he’s far too proud to back down, especially to a man like Jesse. Dan feels inferior, as most men do. Just because he’s my brother, doesn’t eliminate the testosterone batting between them. ‘I don’t believe you.’
‘That makes me sad, baby.’ He pulls a solemn face, which raises my suspicions further. ‘Now, tell me. What did Patrick say?’
I know my suspicious glower has just transformed into guilt, and it’s me evading his eyes now.
‘You’ve not told him, have you?’ he asks with an edge of anger in his tone. ‘Ava?’
‘He wasn’t in the office,’ I blurt quickly. ‘But he will be tomorrow, so I’ll speak to him then.
‘Too late, lady. You’ve had your chance. Again and again and again.’
‘That’s not fair.’ I argue. ‘I told Mikael I won’t be working with him anymore, so you can’t say I’m not trying to resolve this.’ I know immediately that I’ve made a grave mistake when his shoulders stiffen and his greens widen.
‘You did what?’
‘I don’t think he drugged me, Jesse. He said he wanted me, so why would he hurt me?’ I need to shut the hell up. Those words have just made his mouth drop open.
‘What the fucking hell are you doing talking to him?’ He rests his fist on the desk, like a silver backed gorilla getting ready to charge. It makes me sit back in my chair.
‘He knows that you’ve…’ I start a frantic tap on my front tooth with my nail, ‘entertained other women while we’ve been together.’ I hold my breath, knowing that I’m increasing the building fury.
‘We agreed never to speak of that again.’ He virtually grinds the words out, his jaw tense to snapping point.
‘It’s hard when people keep reminding me of it.’ I’m leaning forward now, finding a momentary spurt of braveness. I will not be made to feel like a pain in the arse on this. ‘How does he know?’ I figure the answer out before he can deny even knowing it. The chewed lip and quite a few other things, mental comprehension, mainly, bring me to a fast conclusion. Mikael’s ex-wife. ‘She was one of them, wasn’t she?’ I ask. His eyes close, and I stand up and lean across the desk, mirroring his threatening stance. He doesn’t need to reply. ‘You said months. You said you hadn’t been with her for months, that you didn’t understand why she was suddenly sniffing around. You’ve slept with her more than once, too!’
‘I didn’t want to upset you.’ He’s still hostile. It’s a blatant defence mechanism.