She's His Everything (He's My Body Guard Sequel)

(24) Eavesdropping

I was struggling to keep my eyes open during my lecture this morning. I'd slept awfully over the weekend because I hadn't taken my pills. I was too paranoid to be that soundly asleep all by myself. I lived alone before Jackson but I'd forgotten how lonely it felt. He'd been gone 5 days already and I'd only heard from him once when he landed. I was trying not to blow up his phone because he'd said he needed a breather. Luckily the weather was getting a lot warmer so I was able to distract myself walking Kato.

The professor had dismissed the class without my knowledge and I felt my cheeks heat up noticing I was the only one still seated. I gathered my books and headed to my next class. I immediately got a strange feeling in my gut like I had before Jackson found me. Like I was being watched. I chalked it up to being paranoid from being truly alone but kept my eyes peeled. I went through half the day feeling this way.

I sat with my usual study group during my free hour trying to engage more than I usually did because I needed friends. I needed a life outside of Rayner and Jackson because now that they were gone I had nothing. I hated feeling like I needed them to feel normal. Maybe I needed to go back to therapy?

"Hey Tori!" I span around at the sound of my name the small girl from the other night was standing behind me with a bright smile across her face. "Maia?" She nodded excitedly, I returned her smile unsure of why she was so happy to see me. "Small world! We should hang out sometime I didn't really get to know you the other night and I don't have enough girl friends." That bad feeling returned in my gut the one I never listened to. I thought about how strange Riley had been and the fact that was the type of crowd she hung around made me uncomfortable.

I agreed nonetheless feeling somehow obligated. She'd made it seem as if it were obvious we should be friends. "Give me your cell." I handed it to her and she saved her number into it. "I'll hit you up, the friends you meet in college are friends for life you know." She winked then sauntered off toward another table. I felt really strange about the exchange unsure of what this girl had done to raise my suspicions other than knowing Riley. I was still being super paranoid no doubt and pushed it to the back of my mind trying to focus on my school work so I wouldn't fall behind. My parents weren't alive to push me in real life but mentally they were always there keeping me in check.

After my last class of the day I went straight to work at the country club where I unfortunately had the pleasure of being greeted by Serena at the front desk. By greeted I mean completely ignored other than a case of side eye. I had no problem in that as long as she gave me no lip. I went straight to Ramona's office knowing she'd need me tonight. She was hosting a baby shower for a big wig's daughter. A baby shower in this world meant open bar, buffet, fresh fruit and desert bar, and a very large cake.

I knocked lightly on her door before entering and was surprised to find none other than Riley whom I knew worked here because Jackson had mentioned it but otherwise had never run into. It was odd that suddenly here he was standing front and center in Ramona's office. "Tori! Thank heaven's you're here. I need you to call the bakery, ask what time they are delivering the cake Saturday. Also I'm having a balloon crisis. The mother to be has asked for a very specific balloon arrangement that is in my email and I haven't the time to find a place." She hadn't even looked up from her notepad going over a check list. "There are a few other things but those are the things I need you to do right now." I didn't even have the chance to ask what Riley was doing here but I did have the chance to catch his inappropriate wink and lick of his lips.

I escaped quickly to a different office still curious as to what business he had in Ramona's office. I pondered for the answer after making several phone calls for this ridiculous balloon arch I'd found in Ramona's email as promised. I'd also found several emails I found incredibly strange from an M. Greenbrier. I tried to place the name in my brain but couldn't remember where I'd heard it before. I skim read them and found nothing much of interest it was mostly about club money and fundraisers but the wording in them was strange. Almost as if each email had an underlying message or as if the words were code for something. I only was suspicious because specific words and phrases were in quotations that otherwise shouldn't have been. I shouldn't have been going through her emails to begin with but I always did to make sure she hadn't missed or forgotten something important.

It put me more on edge than I already had been which meant I was due for a panic attack at any given moment something set me off. I just hoped I'd be far away from here. I headed back to Ramona's office and almost turned the corner when I heard a conversation in her office. Riley was still in there? I stood just outside the entrance trying to listen in only catching the tail end of the hushed conversation. "She shouldn't be held responsible." I heard Ramona argue.

"It isn't up to me. I'm just telling you what I have been told. They want to act. That money is obviously still out there. My dad doesn't have it so where did it go?" Riley sounded frustrated but was speaking very lowly and I was struggling to keep up. I scooted a little closer to the door being as quiet as I could trying to breathe silently.

"She's been through enough. She wouldn't be here if she didn't need to be. Even if it were possible they can't be as sloppy as the last time. It won't be as easily cleaned up if something like that were to happen again. I don't think it will be necessary though especially if someone just explained to her the magnitude of what has been done. Surely she wouldn't hold on to dirty money if she knew it were dirty. I'm telling you though I don't think she has it." My heart pounded in my chest because if this conversation were about me that would mean the club was behind the entire crime. The club was responsible for the death of my parents. I couldn't be sure that's even what they were talking about though so I kept listening.

"You aren't going to convince my father of that. I'm just telling you that if it even seems like you tipped her off it's your head. He's already pissed at you because of what happened at the Christmas Party." I felt my heart sink knowing they had to be talking about me. I chose this moment to enter the room choosing to pretend as if I hadn't just heard their conversation.

"Hey Ramona the cake should be here before eleven Saturday morning and your balloon crew will be here at 8:30 to create the arch, oh hey Riley you're still in here?" I pretended to be surprised to see him. "Am I interrupting something?" Ramona shook her head standing quickly with the guiltiest look on her face. Riley just smiled warmly and I knew they didn't suspect me of eavesdropping. I had to get to the bottom of whatever was going on. Something dark was going on behind closed doors and for my parent's sake I was going to bring it to the surface no matter how dangerous.

Ramona collected the papers from my arms and scurried from the room quickly while Riley lingered. "So Ramona says Jackson's out of town?" Damn her and her big ass mouth. I nodded my head slowly turning to face him unwillingly. "Well let me know if you wanna chill soon?" He ogled me and I knew exactly what he meant despite that fact I really needed information.

"Yeah for sure how about tomorrow night?" He raised his brows in surprise. "I'll take that as a yes?" I used my appeal to my advantage leaning in purposely flirting with him. "Put your number in?" I handed him my phone and he obliged without any hesitation. "I'll text you." I promised stepping backwards from the office even throwing a wink at him really selling it. I had no idea what I was thinking but I had to come up with a plan of action. Fast.