Page 87 of The Boyfriend Experience

“Well, why wouldn’t she?” I ask. “I mean, what’s stopping her from hiring the best? If I was gonna go to all this trouble I’d hire the best. And they could be anywhere in the world, ya know? People go on that dark web or whatever, and they can get anyone to do anything. So even though I got all the answers I needed to prove I’m not crazy, that she really is stealing my corporate secrets, I have no proof. None. So there’s absolutely nothing I can even do about this.”

Vivi is driving home. She just jumped into the driver’s seat and said, “Keys,” and I handed them over. So she makes a pouty face as she gets us back on the freeway towards Denver.

“Maybe Lawton found out something useful?” she offers as a way to make me feel better.

“Shit.” I laugh. “She probably sweet-talked him into believing her lies. He’s probably dating her by now. They probably have a date for dinner tomorrow too.”

I’m only half joking.

“Well, don’t jump to any conclusions until we talk to him, OK? Lawton knows what she’s doing. He’s not going to fall for it.”

I just stare out the window as we drive, silent, until we’re getting off the freeway and making our way back into LoDo. She pulls up to the alley entrance to my building and turns the car off. Looks at me.

“Thank you,” I say. “I would’ve never done any of that without you.”

“I wish we had actual proof you could use. But at least you know now. She is stealing from you.”

“Yeah,” I say back. “But how much more does she plan to take before she’s done? Because I don’t have much left.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - LAWTON

I just sit and listen to Hanna’s story. Without comment, just the way she wanted it, from beginning to end. And when she finally stops talking, she pauses. Takes a breath, then another, like she’s trying to catch it.

“Well,” she finally says.

I just shrug. “What do you want me to say?”

“How about, ‘Maybe I don’t have the whole story?’ How about, ‘Maybe I was wrong about you?’ How about, ‘I should pick and choose my friends more carefully?’”

That last part comes spitting out of her mouth like venom.

All I can do is shrug. “It’s your word against hers, isn’t it? And you say she knows all this?”

“She does,” Hanna says, raising her chin in defiance. “I tried to tell her everything years ago. And all she did was turn on me. Told me she never wanted to see or talk to me again. Threatened me with bodily harm. Said she’d get her friends to take care of things if I decided to take this issue any further. And if you’ve known her for any length of time, then you’ve seen what she’s capable of. You know what kind of friends she has.”

“Well, from waht I’ve seen you two have the same friends. So what’s that say about you?”

“Bullshit. She hangs out with those Shrike people. They’re all criminals. You like those fancy boots you have? That overpriced leather jacket with Spencer Shrike’s signature inside the sleeve? You do know he’s a killer, right? All those people are a bunch of violent liars. The whole twisted circle is a cross between a mob family and Colorado royalty.”

“And you went over there trying to take over her tap. Trying to get Buffed Up to replaced Bucked Up. I mean, come on, Hanna. This is all so much bullshit.”

“She’s crazy. And somewhere deep down inside, you know I’m right.”

I just shake my head. “I really haven’t seen that side, Hanna. I don’t know what to think about your story, but I’ll take it back to Oaklee and ask her.”

She stiffens. Breathes in through her nose. Sets her jaw and glares at me. “She’s going to deny everything.”

“I mean, I don’t know what you want from me tonight. I don’t even know why you asked me out here. None of this is even my business. I’m just a guy dating a girl you hate. That’s all I see.”

“Well, you know what I see? I see a man who wears a suit every day walk into a bar on Saturday trying to pretend he’s a biker. Trying to play the part Oaklee Ryan assigned to him. I see a very successful man bowing to the will of a very sick woman. And that’s sad, Lawton. Sad. Because I like you just the way you are. I know she brought you to the Opera House to bait me. To see if I’d take you away. And how stupid would I have to be to fall for that old trick?”

“Why, because you’ve done it so many times before it’s old?”

“Is that what she told you? That I stole her boyfriends?” And then she laughs. “This,” she says, waving a hand at me. “You, dressed in a suit. That’s my type, Lawton. That biker costume she dressed you up in last weekend, that’s all her. Pretty soon she’s gonna ask you to get a tattoo.”

“What?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. Hell, she’s done some pretty crazy things to catch a guy. I wouldn’t put anything past her. And she’s got something up her sleeve for you, take my word on that.”