Every Breath You Take (Oasis Book 1) (4 page)

Finn’s eyebrows were knit together. He licked his lower lip, clearly prepared to question what I’d said. But he let that go, too, much to my surprise. “Well, let me know what else we can do to help. The company is glad to have you.” He walked to the door. “Welcome to Oasis, Charlotte.”

I offered him another brief smile, ignoring the flutter in my chest. I wasn’t sure whether it was Finn, the idea of starting over, or a little of both. “Thank you.”

He left without another word or another look, closing the door softly behind him. But when I heard a knock a moment later, I narrowed my eyes. I was not going to talk to him about this. No more work for tonight. And definitely nothing personal.

When I pulled open the door, I froze. Then angled my head. “Hey.”

The same man who’d brought us my key held an oversized basket. “Compliments of Moore Inc. Shall I bring it in?”

I let him into the apartment, following him to the kitchen. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said. He had to be at least three or four years younger than me. Maybe just out of college, with that fresh, optimistic look about him. “There’s a list of numbers in the basket as well, for your convenience. Whoever you need to reach in the office as well as the desk downstairs if you need anything. Don’t hesitate.”

I walked him back to the door, thanked him, and then dove into the basket. I found the list of numbers someone had typed up on Moore Inc. letterhead. Attached to it was a note from Finn.

Welcome to the family. Indulge in your favorite champagne tonight; we’ve got work to do tomorrow.

Finn

I pulled out the champagne, already chilled, and shook my head at the label. It was my favorite. Trust him to remember.

With a sigh, I removed my shoes and opened the bottle. Just what I needed.

() () ()

My phone rang in the middle of the night, jolting me out of sleep with a gasp. I fumbled for my phone, nearly knocking it off the end table, while registering at the same time it was 3:30 am.

Heart racing, I blinked at the screen. Unknown caller. I swallowed an irrational lump of fear. Mark didn’t even know where I was. But then…maybe that’s why he was calling.

Or it could be someone from home. An emergency.

I answered the call with a breathless, “Hello?”

Silence.

Nerves skittered through my stomach. “Hello?” I asked again.

The call disconnected.

I stared at the screen until it went to sleep. My heart still raced, and I closed my eyes, taking several calming breaths. It was just a wrong number. Just a…coincidence.

When I opened my eyes again, they didn’t feel tired. I wished I could go back to sleep, but I was wide awake now. I eased up in bed, leaning against the headboard. In the dark, I could only see a few shapes, the outline of furniture in my unfamiliar bedroom. A dresser, a chair, two end tables, and the shadowed doorway to my bathroom. I needed to familiarize myself with the place, get comfortable with where everything was located. I needed to feel like this was home.

This was my chance to start over.

I sighed. Wrong number. That’s all. It had to be.

The phone rang again and I dropped it on the comforter. I scrambled for the lamp, and light flooded the room.

The screen had the same read-out. Unknown caller.

Snatching the phone, I turned it off and got out of bed. I flipped on light switches as I walked through the apartment. Down the short hallway and to the living room. Phone still in hand, I yanked open the closet by the front door, and drew down a box off the upper shelf. One I’d brought with me.

I set it on the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining area and tossed open the lid. It was the kit that usually sat in my car, filled with tools and other items I thought I might need. I took out a flat head screwdriver and a hammer.

Prying the cover off the phone, I tossed it on the counter and then pulled the back off the phone. Inside, the battery and SIM card looked brand new. It was. I’d only had the phone for a few months after I’d changed my number again.

Mark had been able to trace me that way. Somehow.

Had he traced me here? Did he know where I was or only that I’d left town?

I couldn’t be too careful. I took the hammer to the phone. Who knew what kind of secret bugs or tracing devices people could use these days? The phone made a satisfying crack when I took the first swing.

Worried about the counter, I set a few towels under the phone and continued swinging. Once, twice, then two more times just to be sure. The phone sat in pieces on the towel, and a few plastic parts had escaped and littered the floor.

I dropped the hammer and rubbed my hands over my face.

I would not let Mark take this away from me. I’d just have to be more careful.

And I’d definitely need a new phone.

Leaving the mess on the counter, I turned off the lights as I returned to my bedroom. Sinking under the covers again, I left the light by the bed on and closed my eyes.

Maybe I was being paranoid. Maybe…maybe I worried too much.

Turning on my side, I tried to relax. I’d take precautions anyway.

And when I got up again, I’d be too busy with my new job to be distracted by Mark anymore.

Chapter Three

I put extra concealer under my eyes as I got ready for work. There was no way I was going to look anything less than perfectly ready on my first day. I felt naked without my cell phone, but I’d take care of that today.

Steps. That was I was doing. Taking steps, one by one, to get my life back.

The pieces of my old phone still sat on the counter, and I scooped them into a trash bag. I took it out the door and to the trash chute I’d spied yesterday after stepping off the elevator. Walking back to my apartment, my neighbor from the door just around the corner stepped out. When she spotted me, her eyes widened.

“Please tell me you’re my neighbor,” she said, brushing blonde bangs from her eyes. “Please tell me I’m not alone on the floor anymore.”

I laughed and nodded, already charmed by her. “You’re not alone anymore.”

“Good. Because it can get kind of creepy how quiet it is around here. I mean, I’ve only been here two weeks but I’m used to noise–I work in a daycare so of course I’m used to noise. And before this, I lived with a roommate and there was noise all the time.”

“Are you in Main? At the daycare there?” Another genius idea. A nearby daycare for employees of Oasis. Just another way to make life easier. Finn really had thought of everything, and I was kind of jealous I hadn’t been in on the planning.

She nodded. “Little Tots. Though we’re just getting up and running. I’m Paige.”

“Charlotte. I work in Business.”

Paige smiled. “I noticed those offices were starting to fill up. There are moving trucks outside all the time now, but it’s still been pretty quiet over here. I bet those fancy suites on the upper levels are filled up, though.”

I thought about the place Finn had arranged for me to live, and then about his own penthouse several floors above where we were right now. I wasn’t going to be able to avoid him outside of work forever. It was only a matter of time before we ran into each other in the elevator, or at the gym, or dining in the restaurant downstairs.

But I’d handle it. Just like Mark and my phone and a dozen other things. I’d handle it.

“I’ve got to get going,” Paige said, checking her watch. “I’ll be around tonight if you want to stop by, compare apartments and notes on this place. I still haven’t seen it all.”

“Me either. I’ll stop by when I have a chance,” I assured her.

As she walked off, I made a mental note about laundry. I’d have to check to see if there was a laundry service. Since I’d thrown away my phone, I went back inside my apartment to make a note on a pad of paper sitting by the house phone. I’d also need to check to see who had access to the key cards for each room and how one went about making extras or who was allowed to use them.

With an extra ten minutes to spare, I rode the elevator down to the lobby, smiled at the desk clerk, and then forewent the tram to the Business Community. I took the closest path in the Commons and made another note on my pad. Kiosk, coffee, pastry.

I hadn’t eaten breakfast, so my mind was on food. But for those in a hurry or just needing something small on their way out to work or shopping, a kiosk near the entrance to the Housing towers, or on the path to Business would be a good idea. In fact…it looked there was already a structure for that particular purpose.

I had to grin. Finn really had thought of everything. Couldn’t help but admire his mind. And his efficiency. In fact, there were a lot of things to admire about Finn.

I grumbled. I couldn’t get distracted by that line of thought. We worked together, so I just had to keep it to professional admiration.

I watched the trees as I walked, remembering the phone calls last night. I hadn’t slept well afterward despite being tired. Maybe the champagne had had something to do with it as well. I’d had two glasses right before bed. If I’d known I was going to get those calls, I probably would have had one more.

Or not. It made sense to stay on my toes. Just in case.

The same security guard manned the Business lobby. I made a note to get his name when I came down next time.

On the twenty-second floor, Leslie was already at her desk. She stood when I exited the elevator and smiled. “Coffee?”

“You read my mind.” I glanced around, looking for the coffee maker, then followed her to a room in between the offices. It was a cozy, with a table and counter for the appliances, as well as a stainless steel refrigerator standing next to a wall of cabinets.

“Ms. Evans, I’m happy to bring it to your office,” Leslie said.

See? I wasn’t the only one with the itch to stay professional. “Please call me Charlotte. And please tell me those are banana nut muffins.”

The entire counter was filled with food, mostly breakfast items, but also small snacks for later in the day.

“Banana nut or blueberry today,” Leslie said. “I picked them up from Crumbles–it just opened up in the Entertainment Community. If you have any requests in the future, just let me know. Or your assistant.”

“My assistant?” I asked.

She smiled. “When you hire one, of course. In the meantime, I’ll be happy to get anything you need.”

“Thank you.”

Leslie poured coffee and gestured to the door. “Really, Charlotte. Get settled in and I’ll bring you the coffee and a muffin. Fruit, too?”

It was too much. At my last job, I’d been an intern for two years and then finally worked my way up just to have to take a leave of absence. Which turned into a two-week notice. I had been the assistant there. Now I was being assisted. I was sure Finn was used to it, but it was foreign to me.

It sent a pang of longing straight through me. What if I had to leave for some reason? What if Mark found me and I was forced to run again? I was already falling in love with this place. I didn’t want to say goodbye.

I left Leslie to deal with the coffee and walked to my office, keeping my gaze from straying through the glass panels of Finn’s. He used to be an early riser. He was probably already in. Probably already deep into his workday. Might as well get myself settled before I bothered him.

I already had a list of items I needed to speak with him about and a list of items I needed to go through in my own head before eventually speaking with him. In spite of my anger about our history, I still wanted to prove myself to him. I wanted him to know how capable I was of doing this job, and just how perfect I was for it.

Passing another desk that would be for my assistant, I entered the office and did a quick scan of the space.

It was half the size of Finn’s–the one I’d eventually end up in if I stayed here–but it was still impressive. Another long bank of windows with a similar view, stretching so far west I was sure I saw a glimpse of the ocean. The desk was imposing but comfortable, with a cushioned chair I already knew I’d spend many hours in. There was a circular meeting table by the window and a small bar that also looked like the one in Finn’s office.

Leslie breezed in, coffee and breakfast in hand. She settled it at the edge of my desk and pulled out her phone. “Morning messages?”

“Efficient,” I said with a smile. “I like it.”

“It’s how Finn does things. Get off to a quick start with all the information. Let me know if I’m going too fast.”

I slid a notebook over and snatched a pen from the holder. “Ready when you are.”

Leslie went through a short list, a contractor asking for a meeting Finn thought I should sit in on, security with an issue about the keys in Housing, a fundraiser update and a few smaller items.

“Also, Mr. Moore would like to see you when you’re ready. I can let him know if you’d like to meet now or you can buzz me when it works for you.”

“I’ll buzz you,” I said. “Thanks.”

I would eat breakfast first. I’d update my list since it was scrawled on the small book of paper from my apartment. A tablet, that’s what I needed. Along with a new phone.

As I sipped my coffee, I made a list of items to discuss with Finn as well as a breakdown of the tasks I was most concerned about.

“I don’t have to look to see that’s a banana nut muffin,” a deep voice said from the doorway.

I jerked in my chair, eyes meeting Finn’s. “You shouldn’t scare people like that,” I said, voice breathless.

His face went immediately contrite. He stepped into the room. “I’m sorry, I thought you heard me.”

“It’s fine.” I pushed through my surprise–and irritation at being startled so easily–to give him a smile. “Good morning.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. Are you okay?”

He didn’t smile. “You look tired. And you don’t usually scare that easily.”

“I wasn’t scared,” I said, steel in my voice. “Can I help you with something?”

Instead of taking the seat across from me, he folded his arms and leaned his shoulder against the door frame. “I wanted to make sure you’re getting settled in. I didn’t see you come in.”

I sipped my coffee and ordered myself to calm down. Finn had no idea what had gone on, and even though he was an ass and we hadn’t parted on the best of terms, he had nothing to do with Mark.

“I’m getting settled in just fine, thanks.”

“How’d the apartment work out?” He smiled and some of the tension in my shoulders released. “You ready to switch to the penthouse yet?”

I laughed. “Not yet. I met my neighbor. Very friendly, and–”

“And?” he asked when I didn’t continue.

“It’s not business related.” I pulled my pad of paper in front of me. “I have a few things I’d like to go over–”

“Wait.”

I stopped, my mouth open mid-sentence. “What?”

Finn glanced out to the hallway and then closed the door, making me tense in my seat.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Just listen for a second.” He sat in the chair across from me and leaned in, elbows resting on the desk. “I don’t want to dodge this.”

I rested against the back of my seat, tapping the pen on my palm in an effort to remain nonchalant. 

“Dodge what?”

His jaw clenched. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. We have a history.”

I rolled the chair back and stood, hating that I felt trapped at my own desk. “This is a job, Finn.” Dammit. “Mr. Moore.”

He stood as well, hands pressed flat on the desk. “I want you to call me Finn. I don’t wan–Fuck.”

I walked to the window, all too familiar with the simmer of frustration in his voice–or any man’s voice. So I got out of the way. It was a preemptive move. Instinctual. One left over from my days with Mark. Trying to stop the anger before it boiled to the surface. Before it traveled to his fists and the bruises started.

But it hadn’t always been physical. In fact, most the time, the marks were internal. Emotional.

“Charlotte,” Finn said.

I took a calming breath, finding a focal point outside the window. I heard Finn move a step in my direction.

“Charlotte, please,” he said, the snap in his voice enough to make me flinch.

Glancing over, I saw his eyes widen just slightly and my neck grew hot. “Let’s work. We should–”

“Please. Hold on.” He held his hands out, palms forward, like he was trying to get me to calm down. Or keep me from running.

“I can’t.” I shook my head. “Can we work? We need to work.”

“What did he do to you?”

My heart stopped. The entire world froze for a moment before I found my voice. “I don’t–I don’t know what you mean.”

Finn stepped closer. I shook my head. He reached for me. “Charlotte.”

“Don’t touch me. Finn,” I said, more a plea than a warning. “No…”

But then he was there in front of me, slow and steady. His arms folded around me. I tensed for a long moment, drowning in memories I’d blocked out for so long. Finn’s smell, his strength, his confidence.

It chipped away at my defenses, allowed me to be vulnerable. Just for a moment.

Finn’s arms tightened when he felt me relax. “You can talk to me, you know.” His breath was warm near my ear. “I’m here for you.”

“Finn,” I breathed.

“Tell me.”

I straightened. “No.”

He tried to keep hold, but I pressed against his chest. “Please. You need to let me go.”

He released a long breath, and then lowered his arms, saying, “For now.”

Forever. That’s what I wanted to say. We were both so different now. Maybe we should never have been together in the first place, even though we’d had so much fun together. But we’d had nothing in common then, and even less now. Except for Oasis. And it was best to keep it like that.

I took a step back, putting space between us.

Finn ran a hand through his hair and turned to the window, his shoulders tight. “I need to tell you how sorry I am.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do. I should have…” He sighed. “I don’t know. I should have done things differently. I should have thought about things before I did them.”