She straightened her spine and lifted her chin to look him in the eye.Whatever she saw there must have reassured her because she smiled.
“I’d been waiting to talk to him about rejoining the troupe for a while, but I kept chickening out.My father is a very direct man.Once he makes a decision, there’s no changing his mind.I was scared he’d say no.Then he had a heart attack.”
The more she talked about what her father had said, the more Lex was convinced her father was trying to protect her.His words might have been cruel and cold-hearted, but very effective.Jillian had believed him.
“So now I’m not a… ‘Finnegan,’” she said, making air quotes.“And only Finnegans perform in my father’s troupe.”
“Youarea Finnegan,” Lex said.
She rolled her eyes.“Just because you say so doesn’t make it true.”She pushed him back, curled up beside him, and pulled the covers over them.“Let’s go to sleep.I have stunts tomorrow.Don’t want to blow it now that I’m stuck in Hollywood.”
The urge to allow her to continue believing that surged.He could ensure her continued safety in Hollywood and have a peace of mind.Even as the thoughts crossed him mind, he knew he couldn’t do that to her.This wasn’t about him.It was about her.Performing with her family made her happy.
Lex lifted her until they were face-to-face.“I’m serious, Jill.Your father said what he did to protect you from the people he owed money.”
“You don’t know him, Lex.Dad never says anything he doesn’t mean.And,” she pinched Lex’s nose, “Uncle Rowan said it was all true.No adoption means not a Finnegan.”She kissed him, burrowed in his chest, and closed her eyes.
Lex listened to her breathing and reached a decision.
~*~
The next morning, Lex stood on the helipad and watched as Douglas climbed in after Jillian.
“I sent the intel you wanted to the Shared Files folder,” Douglas said.
“Good.”His eyes went to Jillian, who didn’t look too thrilled that she now had his bodyguard.“Barbs is okay with Douglas being there as long as he blends in with the security guards.”
Douglas shot an amused glance.“That won’t be a problem, sir.But if you decide to leave the building, please remember the safety protocol in place.”
Nothing ever escaped Douglas.“I’m not going anywhere without you, Douglas.”His eyes met Jillian.“Be careful.”
“I’m overturning an armored car today, nothing to worry about.”
Lex’s stomach clenched.His woman had a mean streak in her, something he usually didn’t mind, but he wasn’t in the mood.“Sheath your claws, tigress.”
Regret flickered in her eyes.He wasn’t surprised when she changed places with Douglas, grabbed Lex by his tie, and planted a hot one on his lips.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Show me later.”He stepped back, closed the door, and watched them take off.Only then did he turn around and race up the stairs.He grabbed his tablet and phone on his way to the elevator.There were several missed calls from various members of his family, including his mother.Someone finally talked.Most likely his mother.The calls had started pouring in an hour ago, but he hadn’t wanted an intrusion on what he hoped would be a morning ritual with Jillian.
Lex turned on the tablet, found the folder he shared with Douglas, and opened the most recent file before the elevator closed.Like the others, it didn’t have a title, just a date and initial KP for Khosrov Petrosian.
As usual, Douglas had left nothing out.From where Petrosian was born to his marriage to how he came to America and settled in New York.His business was legit—producing cheap clothes by employing migrant workers.He paid his workers well.After a few years, his business practices changed.He was suspected of money laundering and trafficking, yet the Feds never found anything to indict him.Then his only son got killed and Petrosian and his wife went home to Armenia and never returned.He died recently.
His nephew, who was his right hand man, sold the business in New York and moved to L.A.He owned a loan shark business, completely legit, and several Hookah lounges named Petrosian in and around Los Angeles.
When it came to gathering information, Douglas was the best.His sister once asked Lex what Douglas did when he wasn’t driving him around and Lex had said, “He keeps an eye on things.”
He hadn’t lied.The Secret Service could borrow pointers from Douglas.Douglas had an office in his apartment with a montage of screens showing every inch of the penthouse’s exterior, the helipad, his offices, inside the elevator…Fuck!
Lex pulled out his phone and speed-dialed his number.“Are the cameras in the elevator active?”
“Yes, sir.The recordings are set to self delete every twelve hours unless I enter a code.There are no recordings in the archives right now.”
In other words, he’d deleted yesterday’s footage.“When I’m with Jillian, the cameras must be turned off,” Lex said.
“Yes, sir,” Douglas said, but his reluctance was obvious.
