The Unforgettable Ex (Captured by Love Book 5) (Volume 5) (3 page)

“Oh, I wanted to finish this proposal for a big project before Leo arrives, but it looks like I won’t be able to,” she said convincingly, gesturing to her computer.

“You do work—” Carter paused, fishing out his vibrating phone from his pocket. “Hey, Dave,” he said.

As Carter spoke quietly to his partner detective, Natasha went back to her task, an ear tuned in to her brother’s conversation. As usual, Carter spoke cryptically and didn’t give her any clues as to what he and David might be working on.

“Heard from Gavin?” Carter murmured on the phone. “He hasn’t returned my calls either. Hope he hasn’t done anything without telling us.”

Her fingers froze over the keyboard, her gaze flying to Carter’s face. Was Gavin working with the cops on a case? The last time he’d been involved with some police work, someone had shot him and he’d almost died.

“I’ll try him again later,” Carter said with a sigh, then said goodbye to David.

“Is Gavin okay?” she blurted out.

“I’m sure he is. He’s probably somewhere without phone coverage.”

“Are you guys working on something dangerous?”

“No more dangerous than usual.”

“He’s my friend too, you know,” she said with a huff.

“And?”

She glared at Carter. “I’m not asking for details of your cases, just some assurance that he’s not in any serious bind.”

“Gavin knows what he’s doing,” Carter answered, his brows furrowing.

“You’re worried.”

“No more than usual.”

“Do you know how annoying you are when you answer like that?”

Carter stared at her for a long moment. “He’ll be fine, Tash. Don’t worry,” he said softly.

She rolled her eyes.

“You’re on edge,” Carter countered.

“I’m fine. Just thinking I’ll call it a day now and finish this over the weekend. Leo will be—”

“Hey, guys!”

Speak of the devil.

“Hey, Leo. How’s it going?” Carter said, shaking hands with the man.

“Great, especially since I’m celebrating my three-month anniversary with this beautiful sister of yours,” Leo said, going to Natasha and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Natasha quickly erased the dismay that appeared on her face. Three-month anniversary? Geez, that hadn’t even occurred to her.

“Where are you taking her?” Carter asked.

“It’s a surprise,” Leo answered casually, although his suppressed excitement was evident.

“Well, I better go to the ladies’ and touch up my makeup,” Natasha said, grabbing her bag and walking out of her office.

Gosh, she so needed to get her thoughts in order. She and Leo were obviously not on the same page in this relationship. He wanted to celebrate a third-month anniversary when she couldn’t even make up her mind if they were truly together. And she hated making people feel bad, especially those who didn’t deserve it—like Leo.

“What are you gonna do?” she muttered to herself.

No inspired thoughts came.

Sighing, she pulled out her phone and dialled Marilyn’s number. As an unattached woman, Marilyn might have some pearls of wisdom to impart to her in regards to her conundrum.

“Hey, Tash,” Marilyn answered.

“Hi, I need your advice.”

“Sure. What’s wrong?”

Natasha paused as she observed a staff member enter the ladies’ restroom.

“Hang on a minute,” she whispered to Marilyn, spying the corridor leading to a locked archives room and heading there. A few months ago, she’d seen Carter come out of this room. Apparently, Carter had needed somewhere private to discuss a super sensitive police matter with David, and the archives room had been perfect for it. Well, she was going to do a Carter and use it now.

She let herself in and closed the door before responding to Marilyn. “Leo’s taking me out for a special three-month anniversary dinner.”

“Ooh, could he be our next Captured by Love winner?” Marilyn teased.

“How could he be when I still want to keep this relationship platonic?”

“Really? You haven’t slept with him yet?”

“No. It’s not that I’m against it. I just don’t feel sexually attracted to him and I’m feeling guilty that I’m leading him on. But at the same time, I’m thinking that I haven’t given myself enough time yet. I’m so torn!”

“Is he putting pressure on you to have sex with him?”

“No. He’s being very patient. Although I know he’ll try to seduce me again tonight and I’ll disappoint him again.”

“Well, I’ve never had your problem because I don’t see the point of going out with men I’m not sexually attracted to. That’s why I’ve been dateless for a while now,” Marilyn said with a sigh. “But you must like him enough to go out with him for three months, right?”

“Ye-ah.”

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“Well, he’s a nice guy and he’s good-looking. And I really want to be attracted to him.”

“You
want
to be, but you just said you’re actually
not
. Why are you trying to force yourself?”

She was silent for a long moment. Leo, like the previous guys she’d dated, was a means to keep her feelings for Gavin at bay. Clearly that strategy hadn’t been working.

“You know,” she answered, “I’ve fooled myself into thinking that if I tried hard enough, I would eventually fall for him. But it’s just not happening. And then again, there’s Leo being persistent and patient, and here I am wanting to give up on him. I kinda feel guilty about that.”

“If you’ve given it your best shot, I don’t think Leo could accuse you of not giving him a chance. Love, or even just plain sexual chemistry, can’t be forced.”

“I guess,” she said with a sigh. “You know, maybe it
is
time I tell him it’s over. He’s already too emotionally invested in me and I don’t want him to fall further when I know I won’t get to where he is.”

“Yes. I’m with you on that. So why you were trying so hard to fall for him?”

“It’s a long story that I’ll have to tell you in person.”

“Aw, I’m gonna have to wait?”

She chuckled. “How about we have dinner soon? I have to go and prepare myself for this break-up. I have a feeling Leo won’t give in without a fight. He’s so determined to make us work.”

“Good luck, and let me know how it goes.”

“I will. Bye.” She hung up and looked for something to sit on. She should at least be ready with a couple of break-up lines before she faced Leo again, especially since the man had planned something special for tonight. Gosh, she didn’t want to be cruel, but surely it would be more cruel to continue leading him on.

She found a step stool behind a row of filing shelves and sat on it, mulling on a few let-him-down-gently words.

The door clicked open, making her sit up straight.

“Hell, Gav, I’ve been worried about you. Where have you been?” Carter said, his voice booming in the enclosed space.

She remained where she was, ducking to make sure Carter couldn’t see her. Since he was talking to Gavin, she sure wanted to eavesdrop.

“Next time, could you let me know what you’re up to? I know how desperate you are to get Biggs, but you need someone to watch your back if you’re going to attempt something like that again.”

She scowled. What the hell had Gavin been up to? She was going to wring his neck if he got himself shot again by some criminal he shouldn’t be following. He wasn’t with the police anymore. He should be leaving things like that to the authorities. At least Carter had a team of cops to back him up during dangerous situations.

“Make sure you let me know next time,” Carter was saying. “Anyway, do you want to have dinner with me, Cassie and my parents tonight? ... Oh, of course. I can’t believe I forgot about that. Keep me updated, okay? ... Ah, no, she has a date with Leo.”

Natasha cringed at Carter’s disclosure. But so what? Gavin wouldn’t care, anyway.

She sniffed silently.

“Hey, cheer up. I honestly don’t think their relationship will last,” Carter said.

Her brows rose and she cocked her head to listen more intently to her brother’s side of the conversation.

“I think Leo’s more into her than she’s into him,” Carter continued. “I could read it in her face that she wasn’t keen on celebrating their third-month anniversary tonight... Yeah, third-month anniversary... I don’t know. Leo said it was a surprise... I’m serious, Gav. I don’t think she’s all that keen on Leo... I just don’t want you to get depressed when there’s a possibility that things could be resolved soon... Okay. Talk to you tomorrow.”

Natasha’s heart galloped in her chest as Carter left the room, her mouth hanging open. Did that conversation mean what she thought it did?

No. How could it, when Gavin had a new girlfriend that he was close to introducing to everyone?

Argh, she was more confused than ever.

G
avin sped along the road that would take him to a five-star hotel in the city, still playing the conversation with Carter in his head.

Third-month anniversary. Ugh. How could Carter think that Natasha wasn’t getting serious with Leo when she was celebrating monthly anniversaries with the guy?

“Shut up,” he ordered himself, not wanting to remember his own monthly celebrations with Natasha. But he couldn’t stop the images that flashed in his mind with stunning clarity.

He’d never been one to make a big deal of monthly anniversaries, but when Natasha had surprised him thirty-one days after they’d officially started dating, he’d become a convert. How could he not, when Tash had slaved for hours to produce a visually stunning, mouth-watering three-course meal to commemorate their first month as a couple? Then there’d been the sexy lingerie underneath her beautiful dress, with a promise that she’d wear a new one every month for him to peel off her. She’d kept her word... until he’d had to shatter their bliss.

His heart squeezed even as his dick got hard from the pictures in his head. Lucky he’d become so good at hiding his love and desire for Natasha from everyone, even when his feelings had only gotten stronger despite the distance he’d had to maintain. He wished he’d stop feeling heartsick whenever he remembered what he’d planned for the one-year anniversary they’d never got to celebrate—a luxury romantic weekend getaway and a diamond necklace. He’d been so excited to top the efforts she’d made to make their monthly anniversaries momentous, but he’d never gotten that chance.

Had she made a similar effort for Leo tonight?

“Argh!” He banged the heel of his hand on the steering wheel.

Damn it. Why did he always have to react like this every time Natasha dated a new guy? Why couldn’t he just... get over her?

Perhaps he should call on one of his playgirl acquaintances for a discreet bout of casual sex? He snorted. What was the point? Try as he might, being with other women had never helped alleviate his pain. All it had ever done was cover up his heartache for a short period of time. Besides, he was too upset right now to enjoy no-strings sex with anyone.

Third-month anniversary. Did Natasha go shopping for sexy lingerie for Leo?

“Shut the fuck up, Gavin. What’s the matter with you? Think of something else!”

Okay... well... what about Carter’s opinion that Natasha was not all that keen on Leo? Since Carter was great at reading facial expressions and body language, that could be a real possibility, couldn’t it? Plus, Carter knew his sister well.

He shook his head, frustration mixing with annoyance. Carter wasn’t objective when it came to this. His best buddy wanted him and Tash to end up together, so no doubt Carter’s opinion was coloured by wishful thinking.

And even if Carter was right, first things first. Biggs had to be caught. That was the priority.

He exhaled harshly as he drove into the underground car park of the hotel where he was to meet up with Molly—an “ex” he was “chasing”. Better stop thinking of Natasha and concentrate on tonight. It was imperative that he didn’t stuff this up.

*

G
avin walked towards the open-spaced lounge bar, strategically positioned in view of the hotel’s reception area. He instantly spotted Molly. The pretty, petite brunette was moving with practised efficiency as she prepared a drink. He pasted a smile on his face as he approached her, his gaze flicking casually to the man working with her behind the bar.

There he was. Austin Sharp. It wasn’t hard to recognise the tall thirty-three-year-old with spiked blond hair.

Thank God for the recently caught drug-dealer-turned-informant who’d coughed up the name Austin Sharp as one of Cameron Biggs’ trusted connections. The authorities had never had cause to check out Austin before, and it showed just how smart and careful the criminals were.

Austin himself had never been sighted with Biggs. But when detectives had tailed him, their curiosity had been spiked when he’d met briefly with an elderly lady at a shopping centre. Austin didn’t look like the type of guy to have coffee with a seventy-something-year-old woman for no reason, so the detectives had decided to follow the lady home instead of continuing to watch Austin. She had stopped by an address that wasn’t associated with any criminal activity and, lo and behold, none other than Biggs’ mother-in-law had come out to usher her in.

It had been a lucky break, and the police now had someone who could lead them to Biggs—as long as they kept Austin in the dark about the fact that he was known to the authorities and was being watched.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks of shadowing the guy and the elderly women, none of them had led them to Biggs’ hideaway, so the police had decided on a plan to lure him out, and they needed Gavin’s help.

Gavin was grateful for the official partnership. After years of privately working on the case himself with some help from Carter, he was keen for more resources to be thrown at finding Biggs.

He stood in front of the bar, positioning himself close to where Austin was fixing a customer’s bill. Then he waved to get Molly’s attention.

“Gavin!” Molly said, sounding surprised.

He smiled at her, making sure he had on a longing, puppy dog look. “Hi, Molly.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you,” he answered, speaking loud enough for Austin to overhear.