Chapter 39

CHAPTER39

Haven Technologies

“This isn’t going to end well,” Casey admitted to herself while she knelt there, doing her best to beat her personal record. While she slid the pick into the keyhole on the locked desk drawer, she held her breath in a well-practiced move as she closed her eyes and focused on the sensation of the metal pick moving inside the lock, the soft clicks, the tension in the springs, and finally, the feel of the pick sliding into place and forcing the lock open.

Slowly exhaling, Casey opened her eyes and quickly pulled the pick free and put it back in her backpack before carefully opening the desk drawer as she shifted to the side, careful of the camera aimed at the desk and-

“Looking for this?” came the quietly murmured question that had her closing her eyes on a resigned sigh as she pushed the drawer closed.

“I can explain,” she said, even though she knew that it was pointless.

“I’d love to know why you’re breaking into my desk at two in the morning, Pam,” Nathan said before adding, “Or should I call you Casey?”

“Casey’s fine,” Casey said as she grabbed her bag and stood up, already knowing that he wasn’t going to believe anything that she had to say and knowing better than to waste her time.

It was over.

“That’s funny because Bailey never really told me how she met you,” Nathan drawled, not bothering to look up from the file on his lap, the same file that she’d been hoping to destroy before anyone could read it.

“That’s because there’s nothing to tell,” Casey said, shrugging it off as she took in the incredibly handsome man who’d been keeping an eye on her since the day that Bailey dragged her through the front door, noting the way that a muscle in his jaw clenched as he looked through the file that she should have grabbed as soon as she saw it before her gaze flickered to the elevator less than thirty feet away and-

“I’m not sure that your parole officer would agree,” Nathan said as dark, almost black eyes locked on her.

“You’re probably right,” Casey murmured in agreement, knowing that there was no point in sticking around to find out.

With that in mind, Casey adjusted her hold around her bag and headed for the elevator, deciding that she’d take her chances with the large security guard downstairs and worry about how she would get back inside later. She wasn’t surprised when Nathan joined her a moment later by the elevator. She noted that the file was no longer in his hands and somehow resisted the urge to glance over her shoulder to see if he’d left it on the desk, but she knew that her luck had already run out.

“Are you ready to start talking?” Nathan asked, sliding his hands in his pockets as he leaned a shoulder against the wall while they waited for the elevator to slowly make its way to their floor.

“There’s nothing to say,” Casey said, biting back a sigh of relief when the elevator finally came to a stop.

“You really don’t think that I’m going to let you leave this building after what you put my sister through, do you?” Nathan asked, watching as she grabbed hold of the metal gate and pushed it open.

“No,” Casey simply said as she stepped into the large freight elevator and decided that there was no point in playing this game any longer. “How long?” she asked as she reached over to press the button for the lobby, only to pause with her finger hovering over the button as she shot him a questioning look.

“How long before I have security grab you or do you want to know how long you have before the police show up to arrest you?” Nathan asked, stepping into the elevator to join her before pulling the gate closed behind him.

“Both work,” Casey said, shifting her attention to the keypad and quickly typed in Bailey’s code before pressing the button for the third floor.

“It’s over,” Nathan said, watching her curiously.

“We’ll see,” Casey said, grinding her jaw as she watched the second floor slowly disappear before the third floor came into view.

“Tell me something,” Nathan said, sounding curious while Casey stood there, inwardly screaming at the elevator to go faster as she absently tapped her foot against the floor, willing it to go faster before it was too late.

“What’s that?” Casey murmured absently as she slowly exhaled.

“What did my sister ever do to you?” Nathan asked casually, but she didn’t miss the hard edge to his words or the way that he watched her every move, letting her know just how badly he was struggling not to make her pay for everything that Bailey went through.

It was understandable, but right now, it wasn’t her problem.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Casey said, reaching for the gate before the elevator had a chance to come to a stop.

“Try me,” Nathan said as he followed her off the elevator.

“It’s none of your business,” Casey said, quickly making her way through the large loft apartment and headed for Bailey’s bedroom, wishing that she didn’t have to do this, but she didn’t have a choice.

She should have done this as soon as she found Bailey, but…

This was the only way.

“You don’t think the bullshit that you put my sister through is any of my business?” Nathan asked as he followed her.

“I had nothing to do with it,” Casey said, pulling her bag off her shoulder as she made her way to Bailey’s bed.

“You really expect me to believe that?” Nathan asked, watching her curiously as she quickly opened her bag and grabbed the envelope that she’d been carrying with her for the last twenty-five years, and after a slight hesitation, she placed the battered envelope on Bailey’s pillow.

“I don’t care what you believe,” Casey said as she reached up and forced her trembling fingers to work the clasp on her necklace free before pulling it away and carefully laying it on top of the envelope.

Swallowing hard, Casey stared down at the small Celtic knot that had brought her comfort since she was a little girl before forcing herself to look away. Slowly exhaling, Casey shifted the bag on her back and turned to leave, only to find Nathan blocking her path.

Shaking his head, he said, “You’re done fucking with my sister’s head,” as he reached for the necklace.

“No,” Casey said firmly as she placed her hand on Nathan’s, stopping him from touching the one thing that she honestly didn’t think that she could live without.

Jaw clenching, Nathan glared down at her as Casey forced herself to ignore just how good his warm skin felt against hers. “I’m asking you nicely, Nathan. Please,” she said, stressing the last word.

She watched as his angry gaze searched hers for answers that she couldn’t give him. Whatever he saw had him reluctantly dropping his hand away as he asked, “Why did my sister lie for you?”

At her questioning look, Nathan added, “We had a deal. She wasn’t supposed to hire anyone with a record, but for some reason, she broke that rule for you, and I want to know why.”

“Because she’s too damn nice,” Casey said, watching as his lips twitched.

“Yes, she is,” Nathan murmured as he stood there, watching her for another moment before he asked, “Did she know about your record?”

“Not exactly,” Casey admitted, watching as he digested that information.

Slowly nodding, Nathan said, “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“That’s the only answer that you’re going to get,” Casey said as her gaze flickered to the envelope on Bailey’s pillow one last time before she moved to step around him when his hand found hers and-

“What the hell are you-” she started to demand when he tightened his hand around hers and pulled her into the small closet behind them. Before she could finish, Nathan was pressing his hand over her mouth and pushing her against the wall as he reached over and pulled the closet door closed until only a small stream of light shined in through a crack.

“Shhh,” Nathan whispered softly as he pressed his large body against hers while she stood there, struggling not to panic as long-ago memories threatened to swallow her whole.

When she tried to pull away, Nathan moved closer, shaking his head once before he turned his head and watched through the small opening as she did the same, wondering why he was acting like this when it was probably just one of Quinn’s men coming up to see what they were doing, only to feel her stomach drop as she watched the man that definitely wasn’t one of Quinn’s men slide his gun back in his holster before he reached for the necklace. Trying not to panic, Casey moved to shove Nathan away so that she could stop him, only to have Nathan’s lips brush against her ear as he whispered, “Don’t.”

Knowing that it was useless, Casey stood there, feeling sick to her stomach as she watched the unknown man pocket her necklace before reaching for the envelope. That was followed by being forced to watch as he tore the envelope open and read the letter that she’d guarded with her life as Nathan moved impossibly closer to her and whispered in her ear, “What’s in that letter?”

“Our mother telling Bailey goodbye.”