9: Little Bird

Baron’s POV

Valerie is a ticking bomb waiting to explode… in no time. 

My eyes trail her sleepy figure, her now ginger hair with a mix of blonde, side hair like a baby, her cupid bow lips pout as she murmurs in her sleep. Undeniably, she is cute. It's one trait the Smiths aggressively shared. 

The things I made her endure replay in my memory. I feel worse than the devil and watching her sleep peacefully isn't something I deserve. I'm bad for her but I can't let her go. Not now. Not ever. 

I pull the duvet over her slightly shivering body and stand to leave when her phone binges. It's clutched in her hand beneath the sheet. I try to take it from her but the first seconds are fierce. Weak, she succumbs. 

The text message stares right back at me: We need to hear from you concerning the offer before noon, my team is a bit on motion. - Mark.

‘Offer? Team…’ I pause, running my brain around it. ‘Who is Mark?’ 

When she rolls to her side, I set the phone down and watch her in deep silence. Valerie is keeping a secret, worse still, a deadly one.

Going on my knees, I root out the small rusty box she brought in earlier like a sorceress. I knew she had visited Veronica’s home and she had every right to. Trying to be silent so the sqeaky sound don't wake her up, I open the box and run through it. Just a bunch of old photos and a camera. Nothing about it is related to the certain Mark. I push it back in and stand upright. 

Quietly, I exit the room and walk down to my study. The estate is silent except for the squeaking crickets on the lawn. 

First, I run through the names of our clients in the system. We’ve had tens of thousands, and a few bore Mark, but none of our recent clients in the database bear such. 

‘Oh, Valerie. You just have to be difficult.’ 

I recline in my seat, stretching out my long legs on the brown mahogany desk. I take my pressure ball and squeeze. 

Valerie has always had a mind of her own, just a bit submissive to love, but dangerous. 

I release and squeeze again, thinking hard, trying not to explode from exhaustion. 

Protecting her may cost me my life and sadly, I signed up for it. 

I flip my phone and dial Jax’s line. “Study.” I groan and end the call. Squeezing and sighing, the steady steps of Jax come to life. 

Soon, the door creaks open, streaking light rays from the well-illuminated passage into the dark study whose only source of light is my tablet and cell phone. 

“Boss.” He stands by the side, arms crossed.

“I need the names of every client we’re working with, starting from this week.” I throw my ball and catch it mid-air. “Especially a certain Mark.” 

He nods, his shadow displaying on my desk. “Yes, boss.” 

I turn to see him leave, keeping his gentlemanly poise. The sight of items on the ground catches my attention before the door shuts. I pick them up to see that they are Veronica’s photos. 

Valerie had seen it and called her friend who in turn called the police. 

I chuckle lightly. She’s a possessive ladybug with a protective friend. The smile slowly fades off with the tip of my finger tracing the photos. 

That sinful night… I wrote this declaration. A night I want to be forever buried in the dark…

A soft knock on the door makes me slip the photos beneath thick books. The door opens and Jax walks in.

“The name isn't on the record,” he says what I already know. “But one of the staff says he visited the office earlier today and Ma’am Valerie attended to him. He just wants to invest.” 

I scoff, eyes darkening with rage. “There is no just.” I count my words. “I need every single detail, Jax. Don't make me ask again.” 

“He wants to invest about a billion dollars in the company’s new project.” He recaps.

Interesting. I subconsciously squeeze the ball. “Why wouldn't the company accept such an offer?” 

“Sir?” 

“Never mind.” I wave him off. “Get me his details, every single one.” I assign him another task and he nods before disappearing.

For a minute or two, I try to wrap my head around the game Valerie is playing with potentially dangerous men. Men who can throw such money around aren't jelly. They are sharks and they sting, and hard too. 

It's obvious that Valerie is in a sea full of sharks. The wave is coming real quick and I have to act fast before it consumes us both.