Catching the Storm

34. One Question

Crystal's POV

"How do you even know Marrek?" Damien questioned me when I got back into the room. I noticed both Jackson and Noah were gone while Julie appeared to be trying to get into Noah's computer. And if her colorful language was any indication, it wasn't happening.

I shrugged as I turned my attention to Damien. "Met him in a bar."

Damien looked at me in total confusion. "A bar?" He questioned. "And he just happened to approach you?"

"I approached him, actually," I told him.

"Doesn't seem like your type."

I shrugged. "Not really, no" I agreed.

Damien shot me a flat look and crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you going to elaborate or not?"

I let out a sigh and sat down in one of the armchairs, wincing slightly, my body still sore. "I met Marrek after he'd gotten out of a meeting with my father."

"Your father?" Damien questioned with a frown.

I nodded. "Yep," I replied. "He wanted to hire Marrek for some his more . . . questionable business practices. I mean it's understandable," I said. "He's a former Navy Seal and built like a mountain. My father offered him millions, to work for him."

"So Marrek works for your father," Damien said with a shake of his head.

"Nope," I told him. "My father made him the offer and Marrek's exact words were, 'Go fuck yourself'. And when my father then questioned Marrek, asking if he knew who he was, Marrek said, 'Absolutely and I stand by what I said'."

Damien just stood there staring at me in shock, like he couldn't believe that that had actually happened.

I waved my hand dismissively. "Anyway," I said. "my father made some threats. Marrek told him to go to hell, something about there was nothing he could take away from him since he didn't have anything and he wasn't that easy to kill." I shook my head. "And then he asked the doorman where the best place to get a drink was, and I followed him. I figured anyone who could stand against my father like that was someone I wanted to be friends with." I shrugged. "Not that Marrek and I are actually friends. He's kind of an asshole."

"I noticed," Damien replied flatly.

I shrugged again. "But he's been useful." I turned to Julie. "Jackson or Noah say where they were going?"

Julie shook her head. "They were both speaking to each other about the yacht, then the conversation veered to Mrs. Rat, then they were discussing Branson," She threw hands up in the air. "And then they just walked out together. Hey, what do you think Noah's password is?"

The timing couldn't have been more perfect, because Noah pushed open the door right after she said that and saw the computer in her lap.

He scowled at her. "Don't touch my things."

I nodded my head at him. "Where's Jackson?"

"Downstairs on the deck," Noah said. "Sitting in a lounge chair."

"Doing what exactly?"

Noah shrugged. "Having a drink? Relaxing? The usual."

I shook my head and pushed to my feet. "I need to talk to him."

"About what?" Julie questioned.

I let out a sigh. "About what the hell he's planning our next move to be." I walked toward the door. "And see what you can find on Mrs. Branson while I'm gone."

"Like what?" Julie asked.

I shrugged. "Like anything. We know nothing about her. The more we know the better," I said.