Fatal Attraction Page 5
You’d better be worried, I thought. “When were you going to tell me that you work for Nirvana Co.?” I decided to spit it out immediately.
She seemed surprised, and fumbled for an answer.
“Yes, I found out. A little later than I would have liked to, but still. Better late than never, right?” I wasn’t shouting. That would lead me nowhere. Instead, I opted for a calm coolness.
“Erik, what are you talking about?” she asked.
She actually had the nerve to try and deny it, when I had the proof in my hand.
“Adrianna. I know that you work for them. Do you understand? I know. I hired a detective and he found out everything I needed to know about you. So, there’s no point in denying it,” I continued calmly, but there was a storm brewing underneath.
“I don’t work for them. Well, not anymore,” she seemed confused and disoriented.
Well, what else would she be? She was caught red-handed and of course, her mind was busy trying to find a way out of this.
“Don’t give me that bullshit. You and I both know that it’s all too easy for them, for us, for anyone to forge documents in order to fool someone. You still work for them and you’ve been leading me on all this time, trying to extract as much information out of me as you could for them. That was why I caught you snooping through my laptop! Admit it!”
I just wanted her to confess and stop lying to me.
“Erik, I don’t know what you think is going on,” she started, pulling a loose strand of hair behind her ear. I knew she did this every time she was worried. “But, I don’t work for Nirvana Co. I work for you,” she still sounded stumped.
“Lies! All lies! And I trusted you!”
In a fit of rage, I grabbed my phone and smashed it against the wall. It broke into thousands of little pieces. I couldn’t care less about it. Unfortunately, I say the same about her, and it pissed me off.
She just stood there, looking at me. I couldn’t figure her out. What was her deal?
“I was working for them, years ago, but that was nothing to do with you,” she started explaining. It seemed that she finally regained herself. “It was a stupid internship that lasted less than 6 months. I didn’t even do anything there. They wouldn’t let me. I never got any access to their sensitive data, and I sure as hell wasn’t kept on their payroll as a spy. Is that what you think is going on?” she snorted.
It didn’t sound so preposterous to me.
“What’s so funny about that?” I asked.
“You think I’d spend all this time with you, sleep with you, and let you do all those things to me, for what? Money?” she asked indignantly.
“Of course! You wouldn’t be the first,” I spat. Her denial was pissing me off more and more.
“Well, if that’s what you think, you can go to hell!” she turned away to leave the room.
I rushed towards her and grabbed her elbow.
“Hey! We’re not done here! How dare she leave while I was still talking!?”
She stopped, looked down at my hand and then at me before half-shouting. “We’re not in one your sexual fantasies, Erik! This is real life and I have to say, I’m not enjoying this one bit! I have no idea why you felt the need to hire a detective to follow me around, but I can tell you that he didn’t do a very good job!” she yelled at me. “Yes, I was working for Nirvana Co.! And no, I’m not working for them anymore! If my word isn’t good enough for you, then we have nothing else to say to each other!”
She looked me in the eye, and I could see her fury.
“Now, if you’ll get your hands off of me, I’ll be leaving.” With those words, she stomped out of my study.
A few minutes later, I heard the front door slam shut.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Why did I have to be so stupid?
Adrianna
When Erik confronted me about working for Nirvana Co. I had no idea how to react. I mean, how stupid was he, thinking I was a spy?
Well actually, I was spying on him, but not on someone else’s dime. I was trying to get to the bottom of this whole business for the sake of the patients, not to sell secrets to the competition.
But I guess if I had revealed my hidden agenda, he would have been equally upset. Maybe even more? Who knows?
The bottom line is he’d never trust me again and that meant Erik and I were over. I felt a deep emptiness, like something had been torn out of my insides and now there was a gaping hole, exposed to the elements. I remember Nana telling me more than once that time heals all wounds, and while I believed her, I also believed that Erik would be my deepest one. I finally had to admit to myself that I had fallen hard and fast. It sucked.
What I needed to do now was use the time I still had with the company and get all my affairs in order. I was sure it’s just a matter of time before Erik fired me. I was surprised he hadn’t done it yet; it had been two days since our confrontation.
Monday morning came, and I was sure there would be news when I got to the office today. I tried not to think about it as I made my coffee and sat to watch a few minutes of the News.
I turned on the TV and saw that it was going to be a nice, sunny day. Too bad I had to spend it at the office. Oh well.
The weatherman turned it back over to the anchors at the desk and the morning’s top story stopped me in my tracks. My coffee cup shattered on the floor as the anchor began to talk.
“Several government officials have reported to CNN that a private jet belonging to the pharmaceutical mogul, Erik Westbrook, crashed near the international airport in South Sudan’s capital Juba, next to a farming community on the White Nile River. Only one body was pulled from the wreckage, belonging to the co-pilot. No other victims or survivors have been located. Initial reports state that all of the plane’s maintenance had been done according to FAA regulation, and there was no evidence indicating a distress or MAYDAY call from the pilot or the co-pilot. There will be a full investigation and we will bring you any updates as we receive them. In other news-”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Erik’s plane crashed? Where was his body? Did he somehow survive? If so, where was he? I stooped to clean up the spilled coffee and broken cup, my thoughts swirling in a hundred different directions. What did this mean for me and my investigation? What did it mean for my heart? Though I was certain Erik and I were over, I didn’t want him dead.
During our time together, he had always proven himself to be trustworthy. He had never hurt me and had always given me an out. Maybe he wasn’t as bad of a guy as I’d made him out to be in my head. Maybe he hadn’t meant to deceive people? Maybe he didn’t even know what was going on in his own company? Maybe he was a victim?
Or maybe, I was just deluding myself? After all, wasn’t I in love with the guy? Madly, deeply, passionately, irrevocably in love with him? I might not exactly have an objective grasp on the whole situation.
Now more than ever before, I will not give up my investigation. If by any chance, it turns out that someone arranged Erik’s death in that plane crash, I swear, I will make them pay.
Fatal Attraction Vol. 4
An Alpha Billionaire Romance
Adrianna
After hearing the shocking news about Erik’s plane crashing, I knew I’d be good for nothing at work, so I figured the best thing to do was call in sick. Because, that’s exactly how I felt: sick at the thought that Erik was lost somewhere, hurt and in pain, or even worse. I dared not think about that.
I couldn’t focus on doing anything at home; I couldn’t do any additional research on his company. I couldn’t even fall asleep, hoping that sleep could bring me at least short term release from the pain and emptiness I was feeling at the thought of Erik being gone. It was all no use.
As I was sitting on the sofa, trying to think of something, anything, I could do to try and find out what exactly happened during that flight, I heard the familiar sound of my phone. The last thing I wanted to do right now was pick it up and talk to whoever it
was, but something urged me to get off the sofa and answer it.
The screen showed an unknown number. Strange. If the situation were different, there was no way I’d pick up. But, now more than ever I was desperate for answers.
“Hello?” I whispered into the receiver.
“Adrianna?” I heard a familiar voice.
I couldn’t believe it! It was Erik!
“Erik! Oh my God! Erik! Is that you?” I pressed the phone firmly to my ear.
“Listen carefully, I can’t talk long, this isn’t a secure line. I’ll give you the coordinates to the place where you will meet me at 7pm, tonight, got it?”
I felt like heart was going to jump out of my chest, but I knew I had to remain calm. Erik needed me.
“Yes, got it,” I answered clearly.
“The coordinates are: North, the number of times you visited Paris multiplied by the number of pets you had, and your favorite two numbers put next to each other. Then, west, the first number is the number of times we went out and the second is the street number of the Italian restaurant we went to last time. And finally just add your age when you started working for our company. Got it?”
“Yes.” I put down the pencil and looked at the coordinates. “I’ll be there.”
There was so much I wanted to ask him, to tell him, but I knew there was no time.
“I’ll be waiting. Be very careful, Adrianna,” I felt like he also wanted to tell me something else, but changed his mind. Instead, I heard a click and the dial tone.
I looked at the clock. I still had four hours before I had to meet Erik. What the hell was I going to do until then? I was ready to jump out of my skin.
I had to calm down, that was the first thing I needed to do.
There was obviously something huge in the works and I needed a cool head on my shoulders to be able to make sense of it all.
As expected, time passed by slowly. I tried to find things to do, to make time pass faster, but nothing worked. I had to be patient and that was that. I glanced at my phone; finally the display read six o’clock. I started to get ready for my meeting with Erik.
The road to the meeting place wasn’t really easy and my GPS system wasn’t of too much help. I had to consult an old road map, which I mentally thanked my mom for; because she had left it in the car the last time we went on a trip together. It was one of the only useful things she’d ever done for me.
I had to pass through a series of dirt roads and paths that weren’t even on the map, leading me through rough terrain, through the mountains and past something resembling a forest, when I finally stopped in front of a cabin in the middle of nowhere.
From the looks of it, it didn’t seem like anyone was home. All the lights were off, and honestly, it started giving me the heebie-jeebies. Reluctantly, I turned off the car and got out. I kept looking around me, expecting all sorts of boogeymen to appear from the shadows.
I always had pepper spray on me, and was squeezing the little spray bottle firmly in my pocket. It made me feel safer, at least I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
All sorts of horrible things started swarming in my mind, and I was on the verge of rushing back to the car and getting the heck out of there, when I heard a noise coming from behind the house.
I stood my ground and waited for the noise maker to appear.
When he jumped out, I screamed. It was just a raccoon, who was as frightened of me as I was of it.
Get it together Adrianna! I scolded myself.
“Not so brave now, are we?” I heard Erik’s voice behind me and it made me jump again.
I turned to face him and saw that he was smiling.
“Not funny, Erik,” I tried to remain serious. I still had no idea what in the hell was actually going on here and I felt the need to remain on guard.
“Were you followed?” he asked me, taking a cautious look around.
“I don’t think so,” I replied.
I hadn’t thought to look for someone following me. I assumed everyone thought Erik was dead so why would anyone care what I did or where I went?
“Follow me,” he ordered, and I immediately obeyed. I didn’t want to stay outside in this pitch-black night for a minute longer.
Erik
At this point, I knew that Adrianna was the only person I could contact without any fear of my whereabouts being revealed. That’s why I chose my Play Lodge as the meeting place.
I welcomed her inside, and offered her a glass of wine, or any other drink she might prefer. As I was making her a Long Island Iced Tea, I could see that my lodge enticed her. She looked like a kid in a candy store, wanting to look at everything, to touch things, just to see how they felt.
She marveled at the BDSM related paintings on the walls and the leather paraphernalia carefully placed all around the lodge. She felt strangely attracted to it all, and I could feel myself getting hard right then and there.
But, I had to shake it off. Things had to be clarified first and we needed to have a very serious conversation, she and I.
I knew I could trust her. I wasn’t sure of it before, and I made more than one mistake, accusing her of things that weren’t true. Now, all I could do was hope that she’d forgive me and, most importantly, help me.
I brought her the drink and invited her to sit down next to the fireplace. The cozy crackle of the fire I started a few minutes ago soothed both of us.
I felt safe here, with her, and I hoped the feeling was mutual.
She sipped her drink and looked at me curiously. I could only imagine how confused she was, not being able to make heads or tails of the things. But there she was nonetheless. She came rushing when I said I needed her, without even questioning my reasoning, without asking why or how. This woman continued to amaze me.
I took a big gulp of my whiskey and knew I had to start the conversation one way or another.
“Did you find the place OK?” I tried to make small talk.
She lifted her gaze and seemed to smile.
“Well this place isn’t actually on Google Maps but I made it,” she said.”
“Sorry about calling you just like that, out of the blue, but I didn’t know who else to call,” I admitted it, because it was true.
“I’m glad you did,” I noticed she had a worried look on her face.
“Well, I guess the first thing that I should do is apologize for acting like such an asshole last time we spoke.” She listened to me intently. I paused, hoping that like many others before her, she’d just accept my apology without further explanations. Surprisingly, I was wrong.
She just kept looking at me, as if she was still figuring out whether or not she should forgive me. She was here, so I had at least that in my favor.
“I knew it was wrong to hire a detective to follow you, and I shouldn’t have accused you of something that could have been taken out of context so easily. It’s just difficult being a billionaire, you know,” I said stupidly. I stood up and started to pace, trying to explain myself better. “You never know who people really are with you or what they want from you. You have no idea what I’d give to be someone no one would recognize in the streets just for one day.”
I turned around and saw warmth and sympathy in her eyes. It encouraged me to go on.
“After I’d opened my heart to you like that, I was constantly afraid that you’d hurt me, that you had a hidden agenda, and as a result, I ended up being the one to hurt you, to drive you away. I really am sorry Adrianna.”
I got closer to her and cupped her face in my hands. Her eyes were deep, mysterious. I needed her to tell me everything was going to be alright, even if that wasn’t the truth. Because if she turned me away, I had no one else to go to. But, I didn’t want her to help me out of pity. I needed her to do it out of her own free will.
“You really hurt me with your accusations, Erik,” she started. “You have no idea how much it hurt to hear you say those horrible things about me.”
“I know, I know, baby.”
Unwillingly, my body moved away from hers.
“A hidden agenda?” I asked.
A sigh escaped her mouth.
“Initially, I only took an interest in you because I thought you were responsible for releasing that horrible cancer drug onto the market. I thought you were just a selfish jerk who only cared about himself and his wealth. But then I got to know the real you, the one that you keep hidden away from everyone else, and I realized finally that you couldn’t do those horrible things.”
Her words sobered me up immediately. So that’s what she was after this whole time! Her bravery baffled me.
Then, I remembered her story about her grandmother and her childhood, and it all became crystal clear.
She wasn’t a spy. Adrianna was a beautiful, naïve, and warm-hearted woman who only wanted to make the world a better place.
Suddenly, all the shit I was in didn’t seem so dark and menacing. If I had her on my side, I might actually pull through.
“I need you to believe me when I tell you, Adrianna that I had no idea what was going on and if I had known those drugs were harmful to such a degree, I would have never agreed to release them. You have to believe me,” I could hear myself begging.
She caressed my cheek with her hand.
“I know, Erik. I know. And I believe you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
She smiled at me and my heart melted.
“But, what about the plane crash?” she asked, worried.
“I better start from the beginning.” I made myself comfortable on the sofa, next to her. “What much of the public doesn’t know is that I’m only the front man. Well, technically both a front man and a half-owner, because I have a silent partner, who wanted to keep his name out of the press and out of the main paperwork. That was at least our deal in the beginning, and it was actually he who insisted on it. Adrianna, something else I haven’t told you about yet is that my silent business partner is also my best friend since childhood. We both grew up in the rough neighborhood in Bronx I told you about on our first date. He saved my life in more than one occasion and I don’t know if I would be her today without him.”