Chapter 55 TENSION IN THE SILENCE
I stared at him, disbelief tightening my chest. Was he implying that we should continue the act we’d put on the last time we were here?
“I don’t want to do that,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. “Isn’t there any other way to go about this?”
“This is the only way I can keep you safe,” he replied calmly. “You don’t want your identity exposed, do you? I’m not saying that showing up with me will make you invisible, but it won’t draw much attention—as long as no one knows you’re a cop.”
His words did nothing to reassure me. I didn’t want his protection. I didn’t need it. What I needed were answers.
“I think I can protect myself just fine,” I shot back. “So why don’t we all worry about ourselves? All I want right now is to find the woman from that footage.”
“Okay,” he said after a brief pause. “Suit yourself.”
Before I could respond, Troy drove up, the sharp beep of the horn pulling our attention toward him. Moments later, we were all seated in the car, and Troy pulled off without another word.
I had no idea where we were going or what the next step was. The uncertainty sat heavily in my chest, making it hard to breathe. But one thing was clear—I was here to find Mia, and I wasn’t leaving until I understood what the hell was going on.
It didn’t take long before Troy turned into a beauty shop, and that only deepened my confusion. He parked in the lot and turned off the engine.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, my eyes moving from Troy to Jaxon.
“We have a party to attend,” Troy said casually. “And to do that, we need to change. So here we are.”
A party?
Before I could process that, Jaxon shot me a look and stepped out of the car. Panic and irritation surged through me at the same time. Why a party? And why hadn’t anyone bothered to mention it until now?
I rushed out after him, catching up just before he reached the door and blocking his path.
“Could you care to explain?” I demanded, needing a straight answer—needing him to take me seriously.
“I thought Troy already did,” he replied, his voice flat. “What other explanation do you need, Nancy?”
The boredom in his eyes stung more than I expected.
“Are you being serious right now?” I snapped. “Aren’t we supposed to be finding the guy from the footage? Why are we going to a party instead of looking for him?”
“Because—” he started, cutting himself off as if restraining his patience. He exhaled slowly, clearly irritated by my questions, but he had no right to be. He was the one who had conveniently left this part out.
“The man in the footage goes by the name Gary Hushman,” he continued. “He’s a member of the same group that nearly attacked you last time. After everything that happened, I figured he’d be laying low—especially since he’s already wanted by you.”
My jaw tightened as I listened.
“You reporting him to the sheriff and requesting a warrant may have tipped him off,” he went on. “So tracking him down directly would be difficult. But this party?” He paused, his eyes locking onto mine. “There’s no way he won’t be here. And that’s all we need.”
He folded his arms across his chest, his expression practically daring me to ask for more.
“Well,” I said reluctantly, the tension between us suddenly unbearable, “you could have told me. Now what exactly am I supposed to wear to this party?”
For a brief second, something unreadable flashed across his face.
“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “You just need to relax and let the professionals do their job.”
With that, Jaxon pulled the door open and gestured for me to step inside. Hesitant but with no better option, I did. Almost immediately, a staff member approached us, a bright, welcoming smile plastered across his face.
“Mr. Lennox,” he called out in the sweetest voice imaginable. It was only then I noticed his perfectly fixed lashes and the long, manicured nails on his fingers.
“Billy,” Jaxon replied, returning the smile.
Billy didn’t hesitate—he leaned in and pecked Jaxon on both cheeks in greeting. Instinctively, I stepped back, positioning myself closer to Troy. My eyes never left Billy as he continued chatting animatedly with Jaxon, blushing every now and then like a teenager with a crush.
“Is he a…?” I started quietly.
“Yes, he is,” Troy cut in before I could finish, lowering his voice. “So please don’t make things awkward. He’s Jaxon’s best stylist—and trust me, he’s good. They’re also very good friends.”
He emphasized the last part as he stepped forward to join the greeting.
Yeah, right.
If I didn’t know Jaxon better, I would’ve sworn there was something more than friendship going on. The way Billy kept playfully hitting Jaxon’s chest, touching his shoulders, and openly complimenting how broad he’d gotten felt far too intimate to ignore.
After what felt like forever, Billy finally turned his attention toward me—and froze.
“Oh my God, Jaxon,” he gasped, already walking toward me.
I stiffened as he stopped right in front of me, his sharp eyes roaming over my face like he was studying a priceless painting.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, drawing a few curious stares from around us.
“Thank… you,” I managed, my voice barely steady.
What he did next completely caught me off guard.
Billy wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my cheek. I stood there, stunned, unsure of how to react.
“I can’t believe Jaxon finally brought a girl to me,” he said dramatically as he pulled back, “and she turns out to be a goddess.”
My eyes met Jaxon’s awkwardly—and I could’ve sworn I saw amusement flicker in his gaze.
“Billy, I trust you know what to do,” Jaxon said, his eyes still fixed on mine.
“Of course,” Billy replied cheerfully. “Now you men should find your way to your rooms. I would love to spend some time with—” He paused, his eyes questioning mine.
I quickly tore my gaze away from Jaxon and met Billy’s expectant look.
“It’s Nancy,” I replied, returning his smile.
“Oh, fancy Nancy,” he teased, hooking our hands together without hesitation. “Come on, darling. We need to get you ready for the party.”
I nodded, letting him lead me toward the stairs—though not before shooting Jaxon a murderous glare over my shoulder.
Jaxon’s POV
“Was she angry or not?” Troy asked as we watched Nancy disappear upstairs with Billy.
“I knew he was going to love her,” I said, turning away and heading down the hall. Troy followed closely behind.
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” he pressed. “You should’ve told her she was coming to this party as your plus one—aside from the whole Gary situation.”
I scoffed inwardly. Was he serious?
Why was he acting like he didn’t know how stubborn Miss Carter could be?
Telling her beforehand wouldn’t have changed a thing—except maybe given her more time to argue.
“I was going to tell her,” I said, my voice low, “but she turned down the only way I had to protect her. So… telling her anything now feels useless. I figured it’s better she finds out the hard way.”
Troy frowned. “But still… she’s not going to like it. And… are you planning on introducing her to the boss?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Troy, just let it go.”
“Well, forgive me for getting worried about this whole thing,” he muttered.
I ignored him, brushing past his fussing, and made my way to the dressing room. I had this gnawing, uneasy feeling that I wasn’t going to like the reason the boss wanted to meet me.
What the hell is he playing at this time? I didn’t care—whatever it was, I was going to figure it out. One way or another.
Once Troy left to get changed, silence settled over the room like a balm. For a moment, it felt… good. But even after taking my medication, my nerves refused to calm.
I was midway through buttoning my shirt when a soft knock at the door made me pause. A staff member stepped inside, and for a moment, she just stared at me, like she’d seen something divine.
“And… you are?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” she stammered, bowing slightly. “I—I have to fix your hair. Billy sent me… to style it.”
I nodded once and moved in front of the large mirror hanging on the left wall. As she tied the apron around my neck and began combing through my hair, a sudden, unwelcome wave of panic rolled through me.
I started sweating profusely. My breaths became shallow, jagged. Dizziness swirled around me like a storm, pressing against my skull.
I couldn’t breathe properly. Each inhale felt like fire, the apron around my neck tightening as if it were punishing me.
“Sir? Sir, are you okay?” The staff’s voice pierced through my haze, her face hovering just above mine. But her words felt distant, muffled, unreal.
I tried to respond, but the world kept spinning, edges blurring.
“Sir… are you sure you’re okay?” Her voice drew closer, urgent this time.
I forced my lips to move. “Just… get the hair done.”
She hesitated, eyes flicking over me, reading the turmoil I didn’t want to explain. All I wanted in that moment was to be alone—alone with my racing thoughts, alone with the unease gnawing at my chest, and away from everyone who could see me like this.