Complicated Risk Read online

  “I’m sorry, Sir, but no one of that description has come into the building.”

  I tensed. What would happen if he tried to search the building? I started to shake. My breathing was out of control. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to faint. There was a long pause. The blue-haired woman reached under the desk by my head, and I saw a red button. Was it a panic button? I sat there silently feeling on edge, praying Ted would leave.

  Eventually, he spoke. “Thank you for your time.”

  I blew out a breath in relief. I hadn’t thought he was going to give up.

  “You’re welcome, Sir. Have a nice day.” The blue-haired woman called after him.

  “Don’t move,” She ordered as I shifted a little. “He’s still out there. He didn’t believe me, but he realised he was in the wrong place to cause a scene.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered gratefully.

  “You’re welcome, honey. I’m Kate.”

  “Hi Kate, I’m Ivy.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. We had a phone call earlier about you. Come on out now, and I’ll ring Maverick to tell him you’re here.”

  Kate picked up the phone, and I crawled out of my hiding place. I was just getting to my feet when the lift opened in front of me. If this man walking towards me was Maverick, then I was in trouble. I stared at him with a mixture of fear and womanly appraisal. He was tall, broad, and he looked lethal. His black leather jacket hung open, giving me a glimpse of a hard chest encased in a black t-shirt. His jeans clung to his muscular thighs, the denim worn and stretched. His dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and dark stubble gave him the look of a dark angel. Heat flicked through my body.

  He stopped a couple of metres away from me, and his eyes caught mine. His lips flicked up into the barest hint of a smile before he looked to Kate. “He’s gone?” He asked her.

  “It seems so. I’m surprised he actually came in here given the circumstances.”

  “I believe he thinks himself untouchable.” Maverick almost growled.

  Kate scoffed. “No one is untouchable.”

  Maverick nodded before turning to me. “Ivy, you’re safe here, but I want to get you out of sight in case Ted decides to come back. Is that okay?”

  I nodded. I liked that he’d asked me. I smiled at Kate and followed Maverick into the lift. He had sexy hands I noted absently, no wedding ring on his finger. I didn’t want to think about why that pleased me. I frowned. He wasn’t exactly a picture of reassurance. His entire demeanour screamed badass, but I felt no bad vibes from him, none at all. If anything, now I’d relaxed, I actually felt safe. I sighed. I also felt exhausted. My brave front had officially ended, and all I wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry.

  “Don’t cry, Ivy,” Maverick said in a low voice, and I raised my eyes to him.

  I wiped my cheeks with my hands. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired.”

  “I imagine you are. You’re holding it together really well.”

  “Thank you.” I bit my lip as I studied him.

  “Just ask,” Maverick ordered gently.

  “How do you know I want to ask you something?”

  He raised his eyebrows and waited.

  “Why aren’t you scared of Ted?”

  “I have nothing to lose.”

  “Oh,” I realised he meant he had no one in his life. I didn’t know if I should feel sad for him, but I thought it best not to say anything. He didn’t look like he would relish my pity. Surely, his life was lonely.

  “I like it that way. It makes my job much easier.” He added.

  “I guess it would.”

  He stared intensely at me. “Except now, I see complications.”

  “You do?” I asked.

  The lift dinged, and he motioned for me to step out. I walked slowly, looking around until we came to an open door. Inside the room, everything was so neat. A black leather sofa sat next to a window, and in the middle of the room, there was a huge desk. Maverick motioned me towards the sofa, and I sat down. It felt good to be off my feet. I felt worn out, torn in two, it was probably the adrenaline, but I had a feeling it had more to do with the stranger in front of me.

  “I’ll make you a coffee. Do you take sugar?”

  “One, please.”

  “I’ll be right back, Ivy.”

  I nodded.

  He held my gaze. “You’re safe here.”

  “I know.” I sat back and sank into the soft leather.

  Closing my eyes, I tried to think of a plan to get Ted off my back, but I couldn’t. He was dangerous and not only to me. I wondered if he’d followed through with the threats he’d given to people before. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to know. The police officer had still done the right thing even if he’d been terrified. By giving me the business card, he’d sent me to someone he knew would help. I guess I wasn’t alone. I did have some hope.

  I heard footsteps coming towards me, and my eyes flew open in alarm.

  “Easy, Ivy,” Maverick said soothingly.

  My panic must have shown on my face. “I’m a bit jumpy. Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologise. You’re entitled to be.”

  “Do you know everything?” I asked him.

  “The policeman you spoke to called me to explain.”

  I closed my eyes not wanting to see his reaction, “Do you think it’s my fault?”

  “Ivy, look at me,” he ordered gently.

  I opened my eyes and looked into the piercing blue of his. “None of this is your fault. Ted is an evil man.”

  “I can’t believe I fell for him. My friends told me he was too good to be true, but I didn’t want to believe them. I should have known. He seemed so perfect.”

  “He is perfect, on paper, anyway. He wanted you, and he played into your view of the ideal man.”

  I smiled. “You mean I was gullible?”

  “I mean, he took advantage of your sweet nature. He knew how to use it against you.”

  “I feel like such a fool,” I said quietly.

  “You aren’t a fool, Ivy, but you should be worried. He’s dangerous. I’ve seen what happens when someone crosses him.”

  “What happens?”

  “You don’t need that information in your head. I’m going to protect you, and take Ted down.”

  “I believe you will.” I smiled.

  He looked stunned for a second before he smiled. “I’m glad. It makes it much easier to protect you. Until this is over, you can’t be out in the open, so we’re going to a safe house.”

  “A safe house?”

  He nodded. “It’s going to be you, me, a farmhouse, and some of my colleagues to keep us company.”

  “More strangers,” I muttered. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful it’s just-”

  “You’re out of your comfort zone, I get it, but on the bright side, at least you won’t be lonely.”

  “No, I won’t be, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

  “The last few weeks have been hard for you, but it’ll be better now.”

  I shuddered. The last two weeks of playing make-believe had drained me. “I don’t have any money to pay you.” I blurted out then I blushed. “Ted told me he’s frozen all my cards and accounts.”

  He raised his eyebrows, something I realise I made him do a lot. “You don’t need to pay me.”

  “I didn’t mean to say it like that. I just… the things you’re talking about, safe houses and protection, surely it’s going to cost a lot of money, and I can’t expect all of that for free.”

  “Ivy, our company helps people who need it whether they have money to pay for it or not.”

  “How do you make money if you give your services for free?”

  “We don’t do everything for free, just special cases. Ted has made waves, and I have a few friends who have had their lives affected by him. I know they will protect you for free, but even if they wanted to be paid for their time, they wouldn’t once they met you.”

  I frowned.
“Why?”

  “Because you’re sweet. There’s nothing hidden with you. You’re an open book of innocence. That’s why Ted picked you. In his own way, he might actually love you. Maybe he even thought he could change into someone you deserve, but no one can hide who they are for too long without cracks appearing.”

  Wasn’t that what I’d thought? Ted had seemed perfect, but little things had given him away. “I’m glad he showed me his true self before we got married because it would have been much harder to get away from him.”

  “He would have tried to stop you, but you’ve proved yourself resourceful. Few women would have had the guts to run away a second time after the first had proved so painful.” His face tightened. “He’ll pay for that.”

  “He’s done worse since then.” I bit my lip at the fury on his face.

  “I won’t pry, but I can imagine what you had to go through in the two weeks Ted had you trapped. We’ll make him pay, Ivy. I promise.”

  Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. The threat in his voice was real. He wanted to hurt Ted for what he’d done to me. Knowing I had a man like Maverick in my corner gave me all the feels. It made me feel better about what was to come. If he was my back up, then surely I was safe. “Thank you, Maverick,” I said with a smile.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “When do we leave?”

  “Kate is just going over the details for the safe house with Ian, and then we can go.”

  “My bag is in my car. I should get my phone.”

  “You don’t need anything, and you definitely don’t need your phone. Ted knew you were here somehow, so I’m assuming he used it to track you.”

  “Thank you. I mean it, I’m really grateful for everything you’ve done.”

  “I haven’t done anything yet.”

  “You believed me.”

  “I don’t think you could ever lie.”

  “You don’t know me.”

  “I’m getting there.”

  I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, “After knowing me an hour?”

  He looked at his watch. “Fifty-four minutes, actually.”

  “You can’t get to know someone that fast.”

  “You can if you’re me. I’m a brilliant judge of character. You’re sweet, honest, and loyal.”

  “You make me sound boring.”

  He chuckled. “Nope, you’re definitely not boring. Now, drink your coffee,” he ordered me gently as he passed me the cup from his desk.

  I took it with shaky hands. “Thanks,”

  As he picked up his own, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his jeans pocket. “Yes. Great, we’ll be down in a few minutes.” He said as he ended the call.

  I looked at him in question.

  “That was Kate. The house is ready, and she has a suitcase of clothes packed for you.”

  “Oh, wow. How does she know my size?”

  “She guessed.”

  I laughed. “I hope she guessed well.”

  “I’m sure she did. Kate has a keen eye. She wants to be a part of my team, but I keep putting her off.”

  “Why?” I asked curiously.

  “Because she’s Ian’s little sister and if anything were to happen to her, it would kill him. It would kill all of us.”

  “Is Ian the Reid, in Steele and Reid?”

  “Yeah, we’ve been mates since high school.” He came over to where I sat and offered me his hand. I hesitated before I placed my hand in his warm one. He pulled me gently to my feet. He didn’t let me go and the touch of his strong fingers clasped around mine did funny things to my breathing, I wasn’t sure if I liked the feeling or not. We walked to the lift, and he pressed the button. Both of us were silent, I couldn’t have found words if I’d tried. My heart was beating in my throat. There was no way I could push words past it. When the doors opened, and we entered the lift, he let go of my hand and leaned against the rail. I stood across from him, staring at the doors trying to get my breathing under control. I looked down at my shaking hands, and my engagement ring caught my eye. I flinched when the memory of Ted getting down on one knee entered my mind. Biting my lip, I tugged on the ring, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “Here, let me,” Maverick offered as he took my hand in his and turned it palm up. His fingers gripped the ring and pulled it straight off. My shoulders sagged in relief.

  He held it out for me, but I shook my head. “I never want to see that again.” I breathed.

  “Okay,” He said as he pushed into his jeans pocket.” I’ll throw it in the nearest bin for you.”

  “If I thought it would melt, I’d burn it. For a symbol of love, all it’s brought me is heartache.”

  “You can’t blame the ring, Ivy.”

  “I said yes, because of that stupid ring.”

  “It’s the person you’re marrying, not the ring that decides your answer.”

  “You don’t understand. That ring is THE ring. I saw it when I was around nineteen, and I fell in love with it. I have a picture of it in my keepsake box. There is no way Ted would have known that unless he went through all my things.”

  “He had to keep up his charade, so he made sure he knew everything about you.”

  “It makes me so mad. When I saw that ring, I thought - wow he knows me, he has to be the man for me,” I shook my head. “I didn’t hesitate to say yes. But he was just a damn fraud.”

  Maverick sighed. “I’m sorry, Ivy.”

  “It’s not your fault that I’m so bloody gullible.”

  The bell dinged to signal we’d made it to the ground floor and the doors slid open. I sucked in a quick breath and walked to where Kate was waiting. She was smiling hugely.

  “Hey, I’ve packed you a bag. You’re a size twelve, right?”

  “I am. Good guess.”

  She chuckled. “Everything you will need is in there.”

  “Thank you so much,” I whispered and embarrassingly my eyes filled with tears.

  “You are so very welcome, Ivy. I hope you have a wonderful time with Mav and his friends.”

  “You make it sound like we’re going on holiday.” I grinned.

  “It’ll be fun.”

  “It will be safe,” Maverick added.

  “Of course, it will be. You’ll be there.” Kate said.

  “Where is the suitcase?” he asked her.

  “It’s in the car. Ian packed your case.” She bit her lip. “He wouldn’t let me do it.”

  “I wonder why that is,” Maverick growled.

  I looked at Kate’s amused face. She caught my curious expression and laughed. “Last time Maverick had to go away, I packed him a suitcase full of jeans and Hawaiian shirts.”

  Picturing the strong, broody Maverick in bright colours had me practically crying with laughter. Maverick in his tight black t-shirt, his jeans, boots, and leather jacket did not look even a tiny bit amused.

  “I looked absolutely ridiculous.” He snapped.

  “Did anyone get pictures?” I asked, still laughing at the image.

  “No one who values their balls will ever admit they took one.” Kate laughed.

  “And on that note, let’s go,” Maverick ordered. He took my hand again, this time he just grabbed it from where it hung at my side and entwined my fingers with his. I saw Kate’s eyes widen slightly before she smiled. “Catch you later. Be careful.”

  “Always,” Maverick promised. “Take care of yourself.”

  “Will do. Take care of Ivy.” She winked at me, and I felt a blush crawl up my cheeks.

  Maverick just grinned as he tugged me towards the door.

  A large black car was right outside, and a man stood by the driver’s door. “Mav, it’s all set up,” he said as we walked towards him.

  “That’s good to hear. Ian, this is Ivy.”

  “Nice to meet you,” He said.

  “Nice to meet you, too,” I said shyly. His brown eyes studied me. He smiled, and I smiled back, feeling my tension drop a notch.

  “We’ll get o
n our way. Are Lee and Matt coming with us now?”

  “Yes, Spence and Dev as well, but you won’t see them until you get there. They’re checking the place out.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “No worries. Enjoy yourselves,” Ian said, and he winked at me. I smiled.

  His twinkling eyes didn’t seem to go with his baldhead, leather trousers, and tattooed arms. His image gave off the impression he was a serious badass. His smile told me otherwise. It was warm and full of affection when he looked at Maverick, and I had a feeling this man had hidden depths.

  He moved away from the car, heading closer to us. He clapped a hand on Maverick’s back. “I’ll see you soon. Keep in touch. I’ll ring as soon as I have anything.” He paused. “You know he has a plan.”

  “We have one too. As long as he knows she’s with us, it’ll slow him down enough for us to find a way out of this situation.” Maverick looked down at me and gave me a tight smile. “We’ve been out in the open long enough we need to leave now.”

  “Yes. He’ll be aware that we’re involved. I wish I could’ve seen his face when he realised.”

  “Me too. He’s a piece of shit, but lucky for us he’s a cowardly one. Whatever plans he had for her will have to change to accommodate us.”

  “And that’s the way we will catch him,” Ian said with a grin. “Ivy, it was lovely to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you better.”

  I smiled. His words were genuine. “You too.”

  Maverick squeezed my hand, and I looked up at him. “Ready?” he asked me.

  Was I ready to be locked away with a man whom I knew nothing about, but who was growing on me every second I was holding his hand? “Sure.”

  “Good, it’s a three-hour drive.”

  “Three hours isn’t too bad. I’d figured it would be longer.”

  “I’m glad it isn’t. I hate driving.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’d much rather be riding my bike.”

  “I should have guessed.”

  “Was it the leather jacket?”

  I nodded, “And the attitude.”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise, and I realised how my words sounded. “You seem like you don’t like constraints like you crave to be free,” I explained.

  “You’re right, but I take my responsibilities seriously.”