NARROW ESCAPE

DYLAN

Despite the pleas raging in my skull and begging for me to stop, I refuse to let go of Jenna. My shock had been too many levels too high after Ethan introduced her as his daughter, and now, having her stand so close to me is doing so many things to my head.

My hand goes around her waist, and I drop my head down to graze my lips against her ear. She shivers at the words that leave my mouth, but that's the least one of our problems.

"I thought I heard your voice. What the hell is going on here?"

I refrain from dropping my hand too quickly from her daughter's back. Instead, I raise my eyes to hers and flash a dazzling smile. "Dian, I didn't think you would still be up." I let my fingers relax and push Jenna softly away from myself. "Is your daughter always so clumsy? Or is it just an effect of being new to the working class?" I tease.

Ethan's wife, Dian, smiles and visibly relaxes. "I guess she's so young and used to being fended for that she has a hard time getting used to the working environment."

Jenna pinches my arm hard, and I refrain from giving a reaction of any sort. She turns around to face her mother. "I was just hungry. I didn't expect to run into a semi-naked man in the kitchen."

"We would have told you if you hadn't pled a headache and run for the hills. Your father said that Dylan can stay the night, for old times sake."

I laugh. "While this has been fun," I toss the content of the glass in my hand down my throat and place the empty glass in the sink. "I have to catch some sleep. You ladies have fun."

"What were you doing out here anyway?" Jenna asks, deciding that it is safe enough to talk in front of her mother now.

"Asides saving you from crushing your tailbone? I was getting a drink. Some of us find it extremely difficult to fall asleep." I wink at her and walk out of the kitchen.

Good thing her mother showed up because there's no telling what all I could have done to her if she hadn't.

********

"Sir, we have yet to grace the company with your presence since you came back into town. Don't you think it'd be a good idea to let them know that you're still very much involved in the activities of the company?"

"I have spies everywhere," I tell my right hand man, Donald. "If something were to go wrong, I would be the first one to know. And you know that heads most certainly would roll."

He lets out a soft chuckle. "How could I possibly forget that?" His humour disappears almost as quickly as it formed. "Where are we going?"

"Downtown. I have something to take care of."

He shoots me a look through the rearview mirror. "Shouldn't you have someone else handle that for you? It's not wise for you to be seen in areas like those so soon after your return."

"The only person I can trust asides myself is me. I'd rather have this done myself. And don't worry about me being seen. There's no one as nondescript as I am."

By the time we finish with the tons of business I had to attend to in town, there was mostly nothing else for me to do; and it was only 1pm.

"Let's go to the company now. I would like to see how it is being handled now that I have the spare time."

Donald merely nods and turns in the direction of the office, bringing me down to the massive building that houses the billions that provide me with a level of safety that can not be rivalled.

I get out of the car and waltz into the building in sure strides, confidence, and a touch of arrogance, my fragrance for the day. Not many of the employees of Carlson's Inc. know me by face, and even those that do don't expect to see the face regularly - or at all.

"Mr. Carlson. I had no idea you would be dropping in today," George, the managing director of my investment, greets me as he walks into me when the elevator pulls up at the sixth floor.

"I know. I didn't think I needed to give notice before I could show up here, though." My eyebrows climb my forehead.

He shakes his head. "No. No, I didn't mean that. I'm just surprised to see you, that's all." His fingers straighten his already perfect looking tie. "What can we do for you?"

"Not much." I smile at him. "I just need the documents on our most recent projects on my desk within the hour, and make an announcement for a board meeting by 3pm."

He nods eagerly. "Yes, Sir. I'd get right to it."

By the time the elevator gets to the ninth floor, I step out alongside Donald and George. "Where are you going?" I ask him.

"I just needed to pick some really important files from your desk for the board meeting."

"Files that are not present in your own office?" I raise a brow a him.

Just then, my phone starts ringing. I click on the accept button and place it on my ear. "Ethan. To what do I owe this call?"

"I want to invite you for lunch." He cuts straight to the chase.

"If you weren't already married, I would think that you are in love with me," I tease, earning a laugh from the other end. "I can't do lunch today, unfortunately. I have some business matters to attend to."

"Which is exactly why this meeting is extremely important. I'm meeting with the president of Chang group of companies, and I think it would be a good expansion opportunity for us both."

Ah. The good old spice of connections. "I will be with you in two hours. Let me wrap this up really quickly."

His throaty laugh greets me from the other end of the line. "Never content, are we? Meet us at the Ferguson place."

When the call ends, I look up at the two men in front of me. "Get the memo out immediately. Our meeting is in thirty minutes."