Commitment Collection 2- Ignition; Turbo Charged; Pole Position, page 24
part #4 of Commitment Series
“Oh wow. That’s fabulous, El. You pulled it off! Despite everything being thrown at you, you managed to come out of this like your shit doesn’t stink.” Kyle grins.
“Which of course, you know, it doesn’t.” I laugh back, and Jessie joins in, but then the frivolity ceases as Kyle checks his watch and leans forward, an earnest look crossing over his lovely features.
“Look, I’m sorry to break up a well-earned party, but I have some tasks I need to take care of by the end of the day.” He looks at Jessie, and she looks back at him. And I could swear a silent message crosses between them.
I’m even more sure, when a nanosecond later, Jessie grabs my elbow and steers me out of the room. “Come on, Elliott. We can’t disturb Kyle now just because the press is finally saying what they should have all along.”
Kyle
I make that call as soon as the door to my office swings closed. My hands are shaking as the line rings out, waiting for someone to please just answer the God damned phone.
Eventually, about five rings in, the call is answered and I ask for my contact.
“Justin, it’s Kyle Beaumont-Judd. I’m calling to let you know that, as expected, there has been an amazing feature in the press, not only paying testament to how solid our business plan is, but also confirming that should we require future investment, it’s secured. I know this isn’t an official guarantee, but I was hoping this public endorsement would be enough for you to reconsider your opinions, particularly as your refusal to release our funds was garnered from negative media speculation.” I stop for breath, waiting while my heart thumps like a piston.
“Hi, Kyle,” the bank manager says.
“Hi, sorry, Justin.” I make my voice sound warm, like I’m smiling. I am not; I’m drumming my fingers on my desk, waiting for his answer.
“So, you’d like us to release the next portion of money?”
Flipping heck, is he for real? Freaking pencil pusher. What the hell does he think I want from the bank? Of course I want the stupid money that he promised me. I smile now, making sure my voice is pleasant, “Yes, please. I’d like it released on both of our projects so that we may continue with our build program and finish on schedule.”
He sighs into the phone. What’s the issue, asshole? It’s not like anything ever changed, but now we have even more proof that we are sound bets. The sticky scrotum-sucker needs to have his little piece of power in his sad tiny life. Obviously, I don’t voice my frustrations. I hold the silence while he considers whether he is going to honor his legal promise, or whether I need to get Clifford on the case. I check my watch again, half an hour before they close. No doubt he’ll want to pack up and bolt out of the door five minutes before that, giving me a maximum of twenty minutes before he stops answering his phone. I need to speed this up.
“So, as you’ve now got everything and more, are we good to go then? Can I let my construction teams know they can get back to work?”
“I have to check with my boss. This isn’t going to be my decision, Kyle. You know if it was up to me, then I’d release the block on your account straight away. But, it’s more than my job’s worth, mate.”
Fucking mate, really? He is the last person on my Christmas card list. He’s not able to make the decision about whether he releases the funding that he was more than able to block?
“No problem, I’ll hold the line while you go and speak with your manager.” I’m still smiling, although my teeth are gritted and my jaw twitches.
“I can call you back?” He asks.
Humph, not a chance, matey. “No, it’s fine, I’ll wait on the line.”
With that, he’s gone. He leaves the line open, and I can hear people milling around in the background, no doubt releasing confidential data that if I was interested in, I could have a field day with. I decide to put my phone on the loudspeaker and record the conversations, just in case I need some leverage at a point in the future. I am that pissed off with all of this now, and I guess I’m learning fast how business works.
Elliott
Poor Kyle is clearly up to his neck too. With everything that’s been going on, I’ve been pretty self-obsessed. And so I have the perfect plan to lighten his load a little. I’ll call Idris and see whether he’s had any luck investigating the mysterious Axel.
“Hey, Elliott, good to hear from you.”
We chat about nothing for a while, banal niceties. We’re the kind of friends who like each other, but we’d drift apart if he and Daisy were to part ways. There’s nothing bad about him but finding things in common has always been a challenge. I don’t know if it’s not something to do with the way they got together, and me not being entirely trusting of him.
Anyway, we get over the awkward friend chat and move onto business, about which I’m way more comfortable.
“Listen, Idris, I don’t think you’ve had the chance to speak with Kyle yet, but he wanted you to look into someone for us. Did Daisy mention it?”
“Yeah, she did. She asked me to call him, but I’ve been busy; you know how it is. Who does he want me to look into? Do you have his details for me?”
“Yeah.” I rattle off Axel’s date of birth, and anything else that I’ve been able to glean from his human resources file.
“You don’t have his address then?”
“No, he’s been living rough for a few months, in and out of hostels. Before that, from what I understand he was couch surfing. Hopefully his old school will be able to help you a bit more so you can track him down.”
“Yeah, that will help, for sure. When do you need this all back by?”
I explain how Axel may carry the future of our business in his hands and if he’s our leak, sooner rather than later is imperative.
“So, then you’ll get rid of him?” He asks.
“You know, I’m not sure. If we kick him out, he’s more than likely got everything that he needs to do us some serious damage already, and a non-disclosure settlement agreement won’t be worth jack because he’s already used to moving around and disappearing. We would never be able to find him with his experience of living off the radar, leaving him free to do his worst undetected.”
“You read my mind,” Idris says. “That’s exactly the warning I was going to give you. Whatever the outcome of this investigation, Elliott, keep your enemies close.”
I nod, and although we can’t see each other, the amicable silence that floats down the line has me feeling a little more secure knowing he has my back.
“How soon do you think you’ll have something?”
“I’ll start on it right away and hopefully then it won’t be too long.”
“Thanks, Idris, speak later.” I say, about to disconnect the call.
“Elliott, it’s good to hear from you. I’m pleased this whole business disagreement between Kyle and Daisy isn’t going to affect our friendships. Since Daisy went straight, she’s lost a lot of the friends she used to hang around with. You and Kyle are important to her. She’s just watching her back, that’s all. It’s not personal, and I’m glad you’re man enough to understand that.”
“Uh, yeah, sure, of course.” I’m not about to say I don’t know what the fuck is going on.
Kyle
“Oh shit,” I mutter. Justin decides to come back onto the line just as Elliott marches through the garage with such force I’m surprised he doesn’t send the mechanics flying on either side of him.
“Kyle, are you still there?” The tinny voice on the other end of the phone asks.
‘Of course, where else would I be?’ “Yep, I’m here.” ‘Speed the fuck up, would you? I don’t have time for this.’ Elliott is heading straight for me and his face is thunder.
“I’ve spoken with my manager and-” He’s here. The door to my office crashes open and Elliott stands, looking double his usual size, his breath rapid, and he is puce. The guy is pissed. At me.
He’s about to roar. What choice do I have? I raise my finger, “One minute,” I whisper, covering the receiver.
Whoa, that was probably the worst thing I could do. His mouth gapes open. He’s about to scream. I hold my finger up to him again, widening my eyes, begging him to just shut the fuck up and let me deal with this phone call before he blasts his rage into me.
He must have a sixth sense for how important this call is, because he does as I silently pray and instead of blowing my head from my shoulders, he waits until I’ve finished. He paces as Justin continues to wax lyrical about how important this decision is and how he’s had to pull some strings, but his manager wasn’t happy about it. ‘Just get to the point already, would you!’
“But, yes, we will release the funding.” If I wasn’t already sitting in my office chair, I’d sink to my knees. The pressure that has been compressing my chest lifts and for the first time in what feels like years, although it’s only days, I can fill my lungs with air and stand tall. The vice that has been gripping my head, crushing my skull and my brain with it, loosens and my mind is no longer in pain. The immediacy of symptoms I didn’t even know I was experiencing lifting and floating away is overwhelming.
My face flushes as I fight tears, so when I speak, I make an effort to project my voice, ensuring it sounds level and confident. “Can you please send me an email to that effect before you leave tonight?” I ask.
“I’ll try my very best.”
Oh, no, that will not do. “No, please send the email. It will take you ten seconds, and it is very important.”
There’s a pause, while Justin finally understands the repercussions from his pen-pushing ways. “OK, I’ll do it right now, but if you need to reply, I won’t be able to collect that until the morning.”
“That is fine. Thank you for all your help Justin. You have been a dream.” More of a fucking nightmare, but I want that email so I play nice.
Elliott is still glaring at me as I place down the receiver. But I don’t give a shit.
We’re through it.
The worst is behind us and although it was a traumatic time, Elliott and I will be stronger for this. I jump out of my chair, shoving it back so hard that it crashes against the glass wall behind me. I jog around the desk, almost tripping over my feet in my eagerness to hug the man who I love with all my heart close to me.
As my arms envelop his strong muscles, they’re still tense, angry at me, and not willing to relent until he’s had his say. “It’s OK, Elliott. We did it. We got the bank to approve releasing their funds again. It’s as though this whole sorry public relations disaster never happened. We’re going to be OK.”
I ignore his solid frame, the way his hands rest on my hips rather than drawing me back into him as he usually does, and I wrap my arms around him, one hand sneaking up to cradle his head at one side, mine resting against the other. And I stand like that until he relaxes. Until his body gives way and understands what I just told him. Until he clings to me like I need him to.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. If my phone hadn’t rung when you were here earlier I would have, but we got interrupted and when the article came through, there was no need to delay anything by explaining then. I needed to act on this before the end of the day.”
“I told you not to keep anything from me again” is all he says.
“I know,” I whisper. “But it's in your best interest. I want to look after you just like you do me and sometimes that protective part of us means we don’t always say exactly what is going on in our lives.”
I plop another easy kiss on the top of his head and release him. “Don’t go anywhere. I still need to call Daisy.”
Elliott
My emotions are all over the place.
They’re like the ebb and flow of one vicious mother-fucking tide. One minute the waves are crashing around my ears, deafening me until I can no longer hear the logic of my thoughts. The next, they’ve abated, drawn back, and the landscape is calm, unfettered by these tribulations and I’m free. Until those waves crash again.
I hear Kyle on the phone, listen to the words, and I know that Daisy’s investment is secured. That he’s taken whatever drama he unearthed and sidestepped it without wanting to hurt me in the process. But I have to wonder whether this is all worth it.
A little while ago, Kyle asked me why I couldn’t be happy with just having the security of money in the bank. I have to say, I understand the logic of his thinking right now. I’m shaking, not so that you’d see. My hands are stable, but as the adrenaline on which I’ve been surviving for the last few months subsides and as I dare to believe that I’ve heard the last of those relentless waves, my veins shake. My heart, which had been clinging on for dear life to the sanity of my mind, finally releases its grip.
I settle in the chair opposite Kyle, and my legs and arms are weak. I’m fit for nothing.
And that’s when it starts again. My phone rings and as I answer, I have no clue what that call is about to unfold.
“Elliott, it’s Idris.”
“Yeah, I got that from the caller ID,” I quip, doing my best to sound as normal as possible.
“I got something. I haven’t finished my investigations yet, but I wanted to give you a call because this guy, Axel, has a rap sheet as long as your arm. Or Kyle’s arm, actually. Anyway, it’s long.”
“OK, go on.”
“Well, I wasn’t sure if he was the type of individual you’d want in your business. I’m going to email it through so you can see for yourself, but I’m not supposed to do that, so I wanted to drop you a call first and make sure you understand the information I’m about to give you can’t be shared. This is between you and me.”
“No, of course not. I really appreciate you going out on a limb for me.”
We hang up and I wait for the email to appear on my phone while Kyle chats on in the background about how to best get our construction projects started up again. A few minutes later Idris’s email arrives and I tap the attachment.
This guy has been everywhere and as Kyle suspected, the types of misdemeanors he’s had would indicate he’s not the most trustworthy individual. He was charged with bribery among other crimes. It all ties in; at least he told Jessie he’d been hustling, which his rap sheet does suggest. I hadn’t realized just how close to the line he’d been treading before though.
It’s when I flip to the second page that something jumps out at me. It’s the details list where he has been arrested. One in particular jumps off the page, but I can’t place why.
When Kyle finishes his call, he makes a cheer and raises his fist in jubilation. My smile obviously tells him that we’ve been hit by another mini cannon, as he asks, “What?”
“I called Idris. I figured you were tired earlier. That’s how I knew about Daisy. Anyway, he sent over the preliminary background check on your friend, Axel.” I hand him my phone.
“Whoo,” he whistles.
“Yeah but look at the second page. Does anything stand out to you?”
“I knew he was familiar!” He slams his fist on the desk sending pens rattling to the floor. “Why didn’t I see it before?”
Kyle
I seriously could kick myself. I knew I recognized him, but I didn’t place him because the time and the place were so removed from where we’re at today that it didn’t register. But, now I can see it as clear as day.
“Elliott, it’s the kid who videoed us having sex in the toilets of that London club a few years ago. That’s why you see our close protection detail’s names on there. Alex and Sinwar burst into the toilets and dealt with everything while we got bundled out to the car, don’t you remember? I thought it was all done with years ago.”
“Me too, but didn’t they rough the kid up and leave him to his own devices?” His brain is ticking over, and he’s speaking slowly.
Everything starts clicking into place. “I think they did work him over, and they smashed his phone. I just assumed he was a rich dick, trying to entertain himself.”
“Me too.”
“They clearly did not bash him up enough. They probably left him with security while they got us on our way.”
“And yet good enough to leave him with a long-lasting memory.” Elliott makes are valid point. “It was such a long time ago. Do you think he knows who we are then?”
“Oh, Elliott, are you for real? All the trouble we’ve had since he arrived and you’re not sure whether he knows who he’s working for?”
“Sorry, it’s been a long day, and I was kind of taking to the kid. I’m a bit gutted if I’m honest. I wanted this to be a misunderstanding and for our nemesis to be Chase. Not the homeless kid we’re trying to sponsor.”
I agree. “It’s embarrassing. First, that we would take in a kid who has it in for us to such a degree, but for this not to turn out to be some kind of corporate espionage shows we need to wake up. Imagine the damage Chase could do if he set his mind, and his task force, to work.”
“We’d be screwed,” Elliott shakes his head.
I sigh. It’s been a long few weeks. “You fancy forgetting about this for a while and heading to a bar? I need a drink. I. Am. Done.”
Elliott grins, “You read my mind, Mister Beaumont-Judd. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t give ourselves a heart attack at this rate.”
A memory of our wedding springs to the forefront of my mind as he uses my hyphenated name. “You remember when we got married, and we were staying in that house in the mountains, surrounded by nothing but the peace of all those fir trees?”
He lets out a groan. “I do.” His face has turned wistful, and soft.
“That was one of the most stressful periods of our lives because you were fighting so hard to be able to walk again. And yet, my memories of that time are filled with nothing but tranquility. When we get our house built, I want lots of trees surrounding us so we have a haven to get away from all of this bullshit.”
