Rush and Restraint

Chapter Sixteen

Oliver operated like a man on a mission.

There was security tailing me now wherever I go and all his waking hours were dedicated to tracking down Thalia and whatever evidence she still had access to.

Even though I understood his precautions, I couldn't help but bristle under the tight leash. My father allowed us to grow up as normally as we could and that childhood didn't include a bevy of bodyguards following us twenty-four-seven.

So it was no surprise that both Dad and Stellan noticed Dustin who'd been assigned to drive and escort me around whenever Oliver was busy. It was just another thing to Dad's list of growing wonders because Oliver and I were definitely not 'just friends' anymore—not to anyone with eyes. Stellan stayed mum and I had a feeling that Dad was treading carefully, worried he'd scare me off into running away again.

He did ask if there was anything he should be concerned about with a meaningful glance at the stern-looking Dustin and I just kissed his cheek and told him that things were perfectly fine. I knew it was only a matter of days before Dad would finally cave in and ask what the full scope was on me and Oliver and the sudden appearance of a guard and that would be fine because it would pretty much be his birthday and we were going to tell everyone then.

No, we weren't going to announce it during the party. Dad was turning sixty so we organized a pretty glammed-up party for him and with a long guest list, whether they were people who knew him from the industry, from his charitable works, friends, family, employees, everyone.

The plan was to mention it casually when the rest of us lingered long after the party for a last round of drinks and conversation. Everyone would still be wired enough to be in a good mood but too exhausted to do a proper inquisition and by the time the smoked cleared the next day, they would've already gotten over it.

"I'm still about an hour, babe, and I'm already speeding," Oliver said on the phone just as I was wandering out of the bathroom after curling my hair. "Dustin can drive you there and hang around for a little bit. I'll go home and get changed quickly and make my way there."

"I still have some final touches to make so I can just wait for you," I said as I sat down by the small study desk in Oliver's room that I'd somewhat turned into my own vanity. "We can go together."

Oliver sighed. "I'd like to but you have to be there early with Cassie to greet the guests and do the opening programme and all that stuff. I don't want you to miss that. I shouldn't have gone."

I felt the same way but I didn't say anything.

Oliver was a bit touchy on the subject of Thalia and what seems to be one dead-end lead after another. I got that he was frustrated and physically and mentally exhausted but he refused to give up. He got a call earlier today that a suite in a cheap motel a couple hours out of town had been rented out in the last three weeks to a Tammy Berger. Tammy was Thalia's real name before she elevated herself in high society after marrying Wesley Greaves. Berger was her mother's maiden name. Oliver had a long list of possible aliases she could use based on the patterns he'd remembered her using before when she would lease hotels and apartments for her secret sexcapades. He debated chasing it down and only caved when his informant said that they'd found personal belongings inside the suite as if someone had left in a hurry. There was stuff to go through and Oliver wanted to keep the investigative circle small (literally just him and Sav) in case he found anything incriminating him.