Page 20 of The Lies That Shatter
Now his voice takes on a more sinister edge, and he’s close enough that if he were to reach out, he’d be able to touch me—the thought sends shivers down my spine. Even if I knew nothing about this guy, I still think he’d repulse me. There’s just something about him, a vibe he gives off that makes you feel like your skin is crawling after he’s looked at you.
“She did. We have a small fridge in Mr Ingold’s room, but that is full of medicines and a few of the supplements that we keep on hand. But they have to be stored in the fridge, which is why I was checking that the main kitchen has placed them correctly,” I reply, and as soon as the words leave my mouth his eyes narrow, taking on a slightly darker edge.
“I thought you said you wanted to go to the kitchen to check how many you had in stock. Now you’re saying you want to check that they’re storing them correctly. Which is it? I really hope you’re not lying to me,” he growls, and my heart skips a beat as I realise how badly I just fucked up.
My anxiety is causing everything to move so fast. My brain is whirling like a washing machine, and I’m struggling to keep track. I need to salvage this, or I’m in serious shit. Ignoring the sweat I can feel gathering across my body, I try to focus on breathing normally so my voice doesn’t shake and give me away.
“Sorry, I don’t think I’m explaining myself correctly. You are making me a little nervous. What I mean is…there’s not enough room to store all the meal replacements in the small fridge in our room. So, it was agreed that the excess could be stored in the main fridge. I need to check if they've been unpacked correctly into the fridge, and then count how many we have, so I can keep track of them and know when to order more.”
I must admit, even to my own ears it sounds realistic, and not at all like the on-the-spot bullshit it actually is. Whitlock mustagree as his frown drops and the leery gaze returns. I’m not sure if I’d prefer the evil stare back, if I’m being honest.
“That makes sense, but you are still a long way from the kitchen. Not that I mind, as it gives me a chance to introduce myself… I’m Mortimer Whitlock,” he says, holding his hand out for me to take it.
Fuck, I really don’t want this asshole to touch me, but I’m guessing he’s not the type of guy you snub.
Putting on my best performance, I force my brows into my hairline, like I’m shocked to hear who he is. “Oh wow. I’m so sorry, I had no idea you were…that this is your house. I’m McKenna Lowry,” I reply, sounding far too much like an airhead, as I reach out and take his outstretched hand.
What starts as a simple handshake soon morphs into something more when he turns my hand in his before pulling it up to his lips. He presses a kiss to the top, and I keep a big smile on my face while I remind my stomach that now is most definitely not a good time to vomit.
“McKenna… A beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” he says, sounding far too slick. I force out a girly giggle, so he thinks I’m impressed with the little show he’s putting on. All the while, I’m trying to work out what the hell his angle is. There’s no way he’s really hitting on me, as I’m too old for him, but he obviously wants something.
“Aww, you’re too sweet.”
“How about you let me take you out for dinner sometime?” he asks, and now I’m sure I really do look like a deer in headlights. I have no idea what the fuck to say. If I say no, I might offend him and he might kill me. If I say yes, I might actually have to go on a date with him, and that’s such a repulsive thought, I don’t even want to consider it.
Luckily, before I get the chance to respond, two men in suits walk into the room behind Whitlock. They cast their eyes over me before quickly dismissing me, and turn to address their boss.
The older of the two speaks, pulling Whitlock’s attention from me, though he still doesn’t let go of my hand. “Boss, sorry to interrupt, but your emergency meeting has just arrived, and you said you wanted to be notified straight away.”
Mortimer’s brow furrows, and anger flashes in his eyes just for a second before he lets go of my hand. He doesn’t bother to respond to the man, who is obviously a member of his security. Instead, he addresses me.
“Sadly, work calls. I’ll have one of my security guards here, Theo, escort you to the kitchen. Think about my offer, and I will come and find you another time to get my answer.”
Just as I think he’s about to turn and walk away, he takes a step forward. He’s so close, I can feel the warmth from his body, his breath fanning across my face, and I hate how much taller than me he is. When he’s towering over me, the half a foot difference suddenly feels like a hell of a lot more.
He leans forward until his lips are practically touching my ear, his breath tickling my neck, causing shivers to ripple down my spine. “Just remember, I’m not the type of man you say no to.” He pulls back enough that I can see the determination in his eyes before he presses his lips to my cheek.
I freeze as he kisses me, my hands balled into fists as I hold my breath to try and control the revulsion I’m feeling. As soon as he takes a step back, his mouth turns up into a devilishly evil smirk, and I release the breath I’ve been holding. My heart’s racing so fast I can hear it pounding in my ears, but I try to push that aside, so he can’t see the fear he’s so obviously trying to instil in me.
“I look forward to giving you my answer soon then,” I reply, my voice coming out a lot shakier than I would have liked. But,to the casual observer, I could have sounded turned on instead of absolutely fucking terrified. So I’m hoping he thought that my deep, gravelly tone was more to do with his flirting, than me thinking I’m going to get myself and Finn killed.
The smirk on his face grows wider, as the younger of the two men—who I’m assuming is Theo—moves to my side. I give Whitlock a small smile, which seems to please him as he turns to walk towards his office. Without thinking it through, I take a few steps, following behind him.
I don’t know what the fuck I’m hoping to achieve, but I’m desperate to find out who he’s meeting with so urgently at this time on a Friday night, particularly when he’s not even supposed to be in the country.
As soon as I reach the entrance to the open plan living room, I can see straight down the corridor, including the door that leads to Whitlock’s public office. Luckily, the man he’s meeting isn’t already in the room, as I can see him taking slow strides towards the office. I’ve never seen the young man before, but I take in as much of him as I can.
I quickly look over at Theo, who is distracted talking to the other guard, and a reckless idea drops into my head. Without thinking it through, I quickly get my phone out of my pocket, and as discreetly as I can, I take a few pictures of the man Whitlock is meeting, before putting it back in my jeans. Something tells me this meeting is important, and the pictures will help Finn and his family identify this man. For the first time since getting here, I might actually be helping, and it feels surprisingly good.
Just as I’m about to walk further into the hallway, hoping to hear their introductions, I feel a cold hand grab around the top of my arm, his fingers biting into my skin. “I have instructions to take you to the kitchen,” Theo growls.
As he goes to pull me away, he looks nervously down the corridor, realising he doesn’t really have any other choice. He wants to keep me away from the meeting, but the only way to get to the kitchen from here is through the corridor, where Whitlock is currently welcoming his guest.
Even though they appear to know each other, it doesn’t look like they’re friends. If anything, the young man looks a little on edge as he shakes Whitlock’s hand. He can’t be too much older than me, yet his face seems much harder.
If being around Finn and his brothers has taught me anything, it’s that this lifestyle can harden you pretty quickly. Whilst the guest doesn’t look at ease here, he also doesn’t appear to be scared of Whitlock the way that I am. Maybe he doesn’t know what he’s capable of? Or maybe he’s just a better actor than me?
I pull my attention away from the scene in front of me, so I don’t look too interested, and I turn to glare at the man holding onto me. My eyes flick from his bruising grip on my arm up to his face. “Take your fucking hand off me, right now, or I will scream,” I snap, casting my eyes over to where his boss is standing.
