Conflict of Interest

19: Push & Pull

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @MorganGiglioBooks OR JOIN OUR DISCORD SERVER (LINK IN BIO) FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND UPDATES!

***

Today had been stressful to say the least considering that I had been interrogated before even having the chance to get coffee this morning. Parker had been strangely distant and pissy for days but now seemed rather relaxed as we ate the burgers and fries she had delivered. Awfully relaxed indeed for someone so paranoid and clearly involved in something to be paranoid about judging by everything that had happened leading up to now. Honestly if I was in her shoes I can't even imagine how stressed I would be, especially considering how stressed I am just loosely connected to whatever all of this is.

"How's your burger?" She questioned glancing over at me

The empty room caused her voice to echo slightly, the smell of fast food thick in the air.

"Delicious." I replied before taking another bite

She smiled pointed to the corner of her lip "You have something on your face."

I quickly grabbed a napkin wiping my mouth and seeing a smear of ketchup "Thanks."

"So should I start the explanation now or once we've finished eating?" she questioned

I shrugged "Will it cause me to lose my appetite?"

"Possibly, I have no idea." She shrugged

I shrugged taking a sip of my milkshake before replying "Well then I have no idea."

"Someone's grumpy." She teased crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back casually

I glared at her "I have a right to be."

"Will I have to find a way to make it up to you again?" She questioned giving me a rather suggestive smirk

I shrugged "You didn't do a very good job last time."

She instantly sat up "How so?"

I let out a laugh "You literally kicked me out."

"For good reason," She shrugged before once again leaning back casually "so are you ready yet?"

"Alright, whatever, let's just get it over with." I grumbled

"That's the spirit." She replied sarcastically as she shook her head "So this information is strictly between you and me, failure to keep it that way would have serious consequences."

"Like what grounding?" I joked causing her to glare me "Jeez I was joking, okay it stays between us."

"Okay, so basically the quick version of the story is that while the company was being developed back in the 80s, as I'm sure you found in your research, the original founders, my adopted parents, started working with a part of the government that handles witness protection and a few other various secret government affairs. My dad, Simon West, was bestfriends with, let's just say, a very important man." She started off, pausing a second seemingly deep in thought "So since we had such a large market share of real estate it was really convenient or I guess easy to help. The government would pay for properties and the secrecy of who lived there would remain just that, a secret."

"So that's what all of the secret floors are about?" I questioned

She nodded "There's a lot that goes into it and it's quite complicated and it can get a bit messy at times. The club and the restaurant are two properties we also used for our operations and a number of the employees there are actually government employees."

I paused, my thoughts going a million miles an hour "So like Hanna?"

"Yes and it's pertinent that this all remains a secret because even the smallest slip up can be... well, let's just say it's all very sensitive." she seemed nervous now, completely avoiding my gaze by looking at the metal floor "when I was a kid me and my birth family were in witness protection and somehow the people looking for us found out. They um, killed my parents, and my brother, and only because my mom had hidden me away in a small secret compartment in the wall did I survive."

She sat silent and I reached across the table taking her hand in mine "That's so awful I'm so sorry you had to go through that, how old were you?"

"Six." She muttered out under her breathe, her hand tightening around mine "Anyway um, the Wests adopted me and uh, well, some other stuff happened but uh basically when they died, I was their only heir and that's why I run everything now. I mean they had been teaching me the ins and outs since I was a kid so I mean I was more than ready, or as ready as anyone could be in their 20s to run this place."

"Wow I don't even know what to say, that's just, wow." I mumbled out nervously "You've been through so much."

She shrugged looking up at me, her eyes lighter than usual "I don't trust easy so I'm sorry I've been so, defensive or I guess like suspicious of you but unfortunately all of this is much bigger than me so it's not even just for my safety."

"I totally get it now that you've explained everything." I stated squeezing her hand "So I do actually have a question."

"Which is?" She questioned

"So, I'm not sure how to word this but like in regards to whatever this thing is between us," I paused meeting her intense gaze "where do you stand with it because you've been really hot and cold which is understandable but like going from one extreme to the other has been giving me whiplash."

She shrugged looking down "Yeah I'm sorry about that. I'm not usually so, well, sensitive I guess."

"So why have you been about this?" I asked completely caught off guard as she quickly pulled her hand away

She stood up and let out a shaky sigh "Look this is all just a lot and I don't really know if I can discuss this right now."

"Okay I'm sorry that I pushed it." I replied nervously

She shook her head "You didn't, I just, I think I need to relax or something."

"Okay then you should, I can't even imagine the amount of pressure you're under." I replied looking up at her

She rolled her eyes "You have no idea."

"So why don't we do something to take your mind off it." I suggested causing her to give me a weird look and my face to instantly turn, what I presumed, was bright red "No, I meant like watch a movie or something."

"Shame," She shrugged causing me to feel the heat only rushing to my cheeks more "but alright let's go watch a movie or something."

That statement was extremely out of character to hear coming from her for some reason but regardless I was just glad she had agreed.

She casually went over the door and knocked causing it to be opened and her to lean against it smiling back at me "Are you coming?"

***

(A/N) Please don't forget to like, comment, and follow! It really does help and I appreciate you all so much! ❤️