Permanent (Indelibly Marked) (Volume 1) Read online

  “I’m taking you up on your offer.”

  She clicked her tongue.

  “Can you fix it?” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

  She held the letter out to him. “I need to think about it.”

  No one said no to him. “What? Are you saying no?”

  “No.”

  “You just said no.” He pointed at her.

  “I said no, I wasn’t saying no.”

  “Then what are you saying?” Unable to stand still, he paced around in a circle.

  “I’m saying that I need to think about it, I can’t just answer right away, I need to weigh the options.”

  He groaned. “You said you were the best.”

  “I said I was good, and that has nothing to do with whether I take this on or not.” She pursed her lips. “How many other letters have you received?”

  “How do you know there are other letters?”

  One narrow glance told him she knew.

  “I don’t know, I keep hiding them.” He tried to give her a toothy grin.

  “Thank you for being honest.” She rubbed her finger across her lips.

  “I’ll never lie to you, I promise.”

  “I will think about it.”

  “What do you need think about?” This was a yes or no question, and no was not an option since she offered to help him if he needed it. Fixed head for fixed finances seemed like a fair trade.

  “Well, this is a big undertaking. It could be a conflict of interest with my new job, and I may not be the right person for you.”

  Somehow he located the backbone she easily destroyed in a few words, and hooked his arm in hers. “I think my financial mess would showcase your talents as an accountant perfectly.”

  He took her briefcase, slinging it over his shoulder. She opened her mouth but before she could protest, he plodded ahead. “I would never jeopardize your job, ever. It would be our secret.” He stared right into those baby blues.

  Though she shivered, she didn’t push him away.

  “I have no doubt that you are not only the right person for me, but the only one.” He nodded until she mirrored his actions. “It has to be you.”

  They both remained silent.

  “I think I’m the only accountant you know and I owe you a favor.” She put the letter into his hand.

  “But—”

  “But I will think about it.”

  He set his jaw. If he kept pushing she would downright refuse. “When will you tell me?”

  “As soon as I decide.” She exhaled. Another wave of sadness washed over her and seeped right through her hard business armor.

  “What?”

  “The last thing you want is an accountant who jumps into things.” With a nod she took her bag back, opened her door and lowered her head.

  In one last-ditch effort, he came up behind her. “I promise not to bug you every second until you give me an answer … if you let me pick your silverware drawer.”

  For a good minute she stared into her apartment. “But I will buy the take out for everyone.”

  At her agreement, he almost broke into a victory dance. Before he entered, he wondered what happened to his plan. He wanted to feed her, unpack her and have her practically begging to fix his disaster by the time he hung the last picture on the wall. Did she best him?

  *~*~*

  “Miss Lindsay.” Ivan charged into her kitchen carrying a three-inch knife blade up.

  “Yes.” She backed up. The hair, the height and the tattoos made Shane’s best friend appear as if he should be fronting a rock band. She pieced together he worked with Shane.

  He bowed then used the knife to point back to the front door and bowed. “I broke down all the boxes and stacked them according to size as you requested, my queen.”

  “Thank you.” She tiptoed forward and tapped his shoulder. “You may rise.”

  When he lifted his head a shock of long blond strands fell around his face. Ivan’s tattoos were as impressive as Shane’s, but rather than animals and art, they depicted motorcycles and motor parts against a blazing sunset. “Just to make things interesting, I lined up all the packing materials in alphabetical order.” He put his arm around her. “You will notice bags, boxes, bubble wrap, foam and trash. I hope that meets your approval.”

  The effort was appreciated, something she would have done, but she sensed the laughter behind his words. “I just want to save the boxes in case I need them. I was told I could put them in storage.”

  “Aye, aye.” Once more he bowed. “I’ll do another sweep before I take it away.”

  Ivan left and Carson joined her. Where Ivan could be in a rock band, Carson would be in a naughty boy band. Her younger sister would absolutely love him.

  “Hey.” He hooked his finger telling her to come with him.

  She followed him to the living room where he swept his hand over the space. “Oh.” All her pictures now graced the walls, even the one she unsuccessfully tried to hang the day before. “They look amazing.”

  “Not only have I double reinforced every frame, but I also made sure they were perfectly level.” He held up a level and elbowed her. “I wouldn’t want a lopsided picture to disturb your gentle sensibilities.”

  “You didn’t have to go through the trouble.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. She liked order, especially in her first place on her own.

  He gave her a one-two jab. “I shall now work on knick knacks.”

  “I’ll help!” Emily bounced from the bedroom, her pink hair and perfect makeup creating a colorful kaleidoscope in the neutral surroundings. “Not only have I hung all of your clothes by clothing type and then by color, but I did the same with your shoes. I’ve never seen anyone have so many different types of hangers.”

  Lindsay opened her mouth. Apparently a lesson in the proper clothing care was in order. Then they might understand and stop making fun of her.

  “How would Miss Lindsay get dressed if her clothes were not in the proper order on the right hanging device?” Ivan carried a box, set it down in front of her and flipped his knife open. “Here’s one last box for you.”

  Rather than imparting knowledge, panic shook her. She needed to stop the impending disaster. “Stop!”

  The three of them jumped away from the box.

  “Is it going to explode?” Ivan dropped the knife.

  “I got this one.” With their jibes and jokes, she definitely didn’t need them spying in that particular box. She didn’t belong with these people and didn’t need a repeat of Ohio.

  Almost on cue Shane bounded up the stairs and into the apartment. “Did we find the one box Lindsay brought with her that isn’t full of something brand new?” He knelt beside the box. “Maybe we should open it up and find out what she’s hiding.”

  “Not tonight.” She swooped up the box and headed straight to her bedroom.

  Without delay, she slid her shoes aside and shoved the box in the corner of the closet wishing California buildings had incinerators.

  The laughter coming from everyone in the living room echoed through the walls. At least it made her decision about Shane’s accounting all the easier.

  She balled her hand into a fist, hit her leg and went into the bathroom. With a deep breath she put her hands on either side of the sink. Then she saw it.

  The most horrible thing she ever had the misfortune of seeing stared up at her. Worse than needles or cutting her head open. She was powerless before it.

  With her heart racing and her breath ragged, she tiptoed away. She wanted to yell, scream, or more accurately, burst into tears but her throat dried and she couldn’t make a sound. She tried not to make any sudden moves for fear her foe would attack.

  Once free, she headed toward the living room, to the blue-black Mohawk, her only safe haven. She charged forward, jumping into Shane’s arms.

  “Whoa.” Shane caught her. “Look what I got.” He smiled. “What’s up?”

  Shane was here. She wasn’
t alone and relief encompassed her and she buried her face in his neck, wanting to disappear.

  Somehow even with fear clogging her thoughts, her nose remained coherent enough to detect a waft of his linen-fresh soap mixed with something she couldn’t identify, and man.

  “Okay.” With her still in his arms, he leaned against the wall. “This is good, too. We’re just about done unpacking.”

  “Something spooked her.” Ivan stood. “Scared her speechless.”

  “Shane,” she whispered.

  “Yes, you can stay right here.” He chuckled.

  She closed her eyes and swallowed. “Will you help me?’

  “Just say the word.”

  She lifted her head, trying to remember the only reason he did these things was because he needed her. But she needed him.

  “How can I be of service?”

  “There’s something bad in there.” She pointed toward her bedroom.

  “Animal, vegetable or mineral?”

  “None of those.” She squeezed his shoulder.

  “Arachnid then?” A huge smile crossed his face, Ivan and Carson laughed and Emily wrinkled her nose.

  “Yes.” She buried her head again, this time in shame and maybe to get another soap sniff.

  “Where is it?”

  “Bathroom sink.” She shivered at the thought of the eight-legged furry menace taunting her in her own home.

  “Okay.” He bowed and took her hand. “I shall save you, but don’t move. We’ll resume this position when I get back.” Before he left for the scene of the crime, he saluted her.

  She opened her emotional ledger. One side had Shane and his crew making fun of her, the other, the man being purely gallant.

  “Mission accomplished.” He returned, and with a lot of flourish, picked her back up. “I am known throughout Hollywood for my expertise in getting rid of unwanted creatures, my weapon of choice, the basic paper towel.”

  She let out a laugh, the simple act like a release valve alleviating all the pressure weighing down on her since the move from Ohio.

  “I was just telling everyone how we had to be more like you. Everything is awesome in here.”

  “You said that?” She studied his profile.

  “Yep, this is cool.” Ivan elbowed Carson and they both took a seat on her couch.

  “Your clothes are to-die for.” Emily smiled. “I can hardly wait to practice my makeup on you. Your coloring is perfect.”

  Maybe they weren’t making fun of her. Maybe this is how they interacted with each other. Damn it, she couldn’t add liking them to her ledger. They weren’t part of her plans.

  Chapter Four

  “Thank God it’s Friday!” Rick Marshall sauntered into Lindsay’s office holding a stack of file folders.

  After her first week at the prestigious accounting firm of Sebastian & Peters, Lindsay won the coveted invitation to happy hour at some ritzy little bar in Beverly Hills. Back in Ohio, she would have gone out alone, but not in Los Angeles. She’d looked forward to the outing since Wednesday. “Let me gather my things and we can go.”

  “You can take your time.” He plopped the paperwork down on her desk.

  “What?” Her chest tightened.

  “Yeah, it’s a no go tonight, Nancy had a problem with the house husband and a couple of people had tickets to a show.”

  “When did you know this?” She glanced at the clock.

  “Earlier today.”

  “Oh.” She pressed her lips together.

  “Don’t take it so seriously, it wasn’t a wedding.”

  Maybe it wasn’t important to him, but it was her chance to make some real friends. Well, other than Shane and his invitation to go on something he called rounds.

  “This is so you can get a fresh start Monday morning.” He laughed and patted the mess.

  She tried to swallow away her emotions. All week Rick tried to turn her into his own personal busy work disposal. She gave him a closed mouth smile to make sure no words escaped, but when she opened the first file she groaned.

  “Have I stumped the tax protégé?” He pulled out the chair from the other side of her small desk and sat. “Maybe you should take some of this home.”

  “I think I’m good.” Maybe she should stay at the office and talk to the janitor for company.

  Though Rick had been assigned to orient her to the accounting firm, he took it to mean he was in charge of her. Not wanting to make waves at her new job, she didn’t say anything. On first impression, she’d thought him rather good looking, exactly what an accountant should look like with neatly combed brown hair, boyish good looks and an impeccably tailored suit. Then he opened his mouth and the illusion disappeared.

  “I hope what I’m giving you isn’t too challenging.” He tilted his head and chuckled.

  While she would never tell him, she finished his assignments in half the time he allotted. After her first couple of days she learned to hold onto them a while, rather than handing them back right away. At her father’s firm she had the clients to talk with, at Sebastian & Peters everyone was just a file folder.

  “You should do some decorating in here.” He glanced around the plain four white walls.

  “I’m planning on it.” Whatever went up needed to be the right.

  “If you need help, feel free to ask, I won Rookie of the Year last year.”

  “That’s very nice.” At least twice a day, he shared that fact along with his other vital statistics. Even for an accountant, his numbers were boring.

  He drummed his fingers on her desk and adjusted his tie before pushing away. “I’ve got to finish some things. I’m meeting up with Tony and Marla.”

  She recognized the names as two of the people who were supposed to join her that night. Her face heated and she grabbed the edge of the desk.

  He pointed at her. “You know, I could ask you to get me the copies I need, but considering it’s Friday, I’m not going to. You owe me one.”

  His comment reminded her of the debt she owed someone else. Namely, Shane, and she stood. “Well, thanks, have a good weekend.” Not much of a comeback.

  With a little luck on her side, he left and she hurried out, not sure what she was rushing toward.

  Every day on the way home she ran a mental ledger to weigh the pros and cons of helping Shane Elliott with whatever tax mess he’d gotten into. Her self-imposed deadline promised she would give him an answer that day. True to his word, he never mentioned it, but the question burned behind his dark blue eyes every time they spoke. And she owed him.

  Of course there was the other side of the ledger. The side where she promised she would make it on her own. That side told her not to become involved with something and someone she shouldn’t. The entry written in bold letters screamed at her to remember the only time anyone wanted her was because she had something they wanted.

  By the time she rounded the corner home, she slammed her ledger closed. Unsure if her decision ran in the red or the black, she needed to tell him no and figure out a different way to pay him back.

  When she pulled into her apartment parking spot, Shane, Ivan and Carson were leaning on Ivan’s SUV. Somehow she found the strength to get out of the car.

  “We’ve been waiting for you.” Shane handed her a soda.

  “Me?” She almost felt like glancing over her shoulder.

  “I have something for you.” He held his palm out to her revealing a small screw. “I thought after our rounds I’d fix the panel on your air conditioner.”

  How did he remember that? “I don’t know.”

  “You’ll make Friday night worth it.” He gave her one of his irresistible grins.

  She pressed her finger to her temple. “Rounds like a doctor?” Did tattoo artists make house calls?

  “Well.” Shane laughed. “Allow me to demonstrate.” He pulled a stack of envelopes out of his back pocket, fanned them out and turned to Ivan and Carson.

  Each man took an envelope, opened it and read the conten
ts. In what seemed to be some sort of ritual, they got their wallets, and handed him some money.

  “Okay.” He leaned over to the hood of the SUV, spread everything out, and attempted to put the papers in order.

  Bile rose in the back of her throat. She knew all about the proper handling of money, and not being able to help herself, she walked over to find the envelopes were his bills. Was that how he paid his bills?

  A motorcycle rumbled toward them, stopping next to her car.

  “Yo!” A heavyset man draped in tattoos and piercings turned off the bike and approached. It didn’t even shock her and she wished her parents were there.

  “Hey!” The three men yelled.

  “I came to pay the piper.” He waved to her.

  She waved back while Shane went through the same process. A huge part of her wanted, no needed, to go over there and ask for clarification, but it would only lead to involvement. Instead, she bit her tongue.

  She couldn’t help spying out of the corner of her eye while Shane collected the money, and shook the man’s hand. The bike thundered away and Shane resumed trying to put his papers in order. “So, are you coming with us?”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  “You seem sad.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “We’re going to grab some food and make more rounds. You’ll have fun.”

  She spied his mess of papers again.

  “You need to relax after your first week at work. You’re too serious.” He grinned. “Let us take you out so I can win you over with my charms and then you can give me your answer if you’re going to help me.”

  Until that moment he hadn’t mentioned it, but having to hang around her must have gotten the best of him and he wanted an answer. No one truly wanted to be with her. Shane only wanted her help, and her work colleagues didn’t remember her enough to tell her they’d cancelled.

  “May I ask you a question?”

  “Shoot.” He mashed the papers and the cash together.