One Wild Night

"Hey! You called earlier," Tom said immediately the call connected, while he tried to drive the car slowly so that he wouldn't disturb Lucy's sleep. He could tell that she was exhausted, even though her tiredness had nothing to do with her duties at the office.

"You have now become a difficult man to reach. I wonder if it's because your right-hand man isn't with you," Jade said as she went to sit in front of the dresser in her bedroom.

"Simply because you called once and I didn't take your call I've become a difficult man to reach? When did you become such a drama queen?" Tom asked with an amused chuckle, ignoring the other part of her statement.

"Since you sent your cute best friend over here to babysit me," Jade responded as she untied the belt of her night robe with her other hand which wasn't holding the phone to her ear.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tom denied, trying to play ignorant.

"Cut the crap, Tom. By now you should know that your friend isn't very good at telling lies. Besides, the moment he showed up at my doorstep I already figured out that you had to have sent him over for him to have left the company under such short notice," Jade pointed out as she shrugged out of the night robe leaving only the skimpy nightdress. 

"Alright. Fine. I asked him to help, so please try not to make things too difficult for him," Tom pleaded. 

"As if I could. He does a fine job of making things difficult for both himself and me already. I'm curious about something though, how come you never tried to hook him up with anyone?" Jade asked curiously, making Tom raise a brow as he tried to figure out how to interpret Jade's question. Was that to say she was interested in Harry or not?

"You expect me to hook him up with someone while I was busy trying to get myself hooked up?" Tom asked dryly.

"Well, I guess you have a point," Jade said with a smile.

"Plus, if I was going to hook him up with anyone, it would likely be you," Tom pointed out, making Jade giggle.

"That's not something a big brother should be saying. You should jealously protect me by warning your friends off me and making sure I don't get involved with any of them, not thinking of hooking me up with one."

"You asked a question, and I answered. Besides, it's not in my place to hook him up with anyone. I'm sure when he meets someone he likes he will do the right thing," Tom said confidently. 

"I don't think so. Plus it's too late anyway, I already hooked him up with a lovely lady," Jade informed Tom, and his brows pulled together in a frown.

The last thing he had been expecting was that Jade would try to hook Harry up with someone else. Somehow he had been hoping that both Harry and Jade would hit things off as they worked closely together since he had always suspected that Harry liked Jade. 

Also, he knew that they were alike in a lot of ways yet very different too. Without a doubt, he knew they would both compliment each other perfectly. He believed they would be good for each other.

"You hooked him up with someone? How did he react to that?" Tom asked, masking his disappointment with curiosity.

"He was pissed even though he did a good job of controlling his emotions. But at least he showed up for dinner, and he even engaged her in a conversation before I excused them," Jade said with pride in her tone as she raised her left hand to admire her perfectly manicured nails. 

"That's nice of you, but I hope you don't do that again. Don't put him in an awkward situation. So how are things going between the both of you? I hope you're working well together?" Tom asked, changing the subject to what concerned him. 

"Well, I can't tell. You know how tight-lipped your friend can be. Plus he seems to assume that I'm flirting with him every time I give him basic compliments. And he keeps asking me to dress properly around him like he has never seen a naked lady before. He should be a eunuch or a monk!" Jade said dryly.

Tom chuckled, "You can't blame him. His dad is old-fashioned and he was raised that way. It's not such a bad thing. Besides, most ladies might consider someone like him a romantic gentleman," Tom said in his best friend's defense even though he would have liked to know what Jade said to make Harry think that she was flirting with him. 

"I don't think it's his dad's fault. His father sounded okay. Your friend just has a problem. Or perhaps he is gay?" Jade asked thoughtfully, and Tom laughed out loud. 

"Don't even think about asking him such a question. Just let him be, okay? And please, for the last time don't try to hook him up with anyone anymore," Tom pleaded. 

"Fine, I won't. Anyway, that wasn't the reason I called," Jade said dismissively.

"Okay... So why did you call?" Tom asked curiously, 

"Uhm... You know about my case?" She asked cautiously.

"Yeah?" Tom said, turning to look at Lucy to be sure his phone call wasn't disturbing her since he was making use of the car's Bluetooth speaker.

"A young lady and her little boy are in danger, and I need a place where I can hide them. Somewhere no one would look..." Jade started.

"Isn't that why you have something called witness protection? I'm sure the cops involved in the case can help you out, can they not?" Tom asked with a slight frown, wondering what any of it had to do with him. 

"Well, not exactly. She is not a witness. Look, I just need somewhere she can hide with her kid until I'm done with the case..." She cleared her throat, "I was hoping that they could come to live in your house for the time being. You could even employ her to be a cleaner and she would live with the other household staff in their quarter," Jade hurried to suggest before Tom would refuse.

He had enough on his plate already without adding something like this to it. He was already too worried about Lucy and how to get rid of Anita. And now this? "Jade..."

"Please, Tommy. I'm very close to cracking this case now, and I won't be able to forgive myself if anything happens to either her or her son. Your house is big enough to house them, and you won't even cross paths with them. I promise you they will be invisible, and you won't know they're there. I'm begging, Tommy," Jade said with a pout even though Tom couldn't see her face. 

Tom sighed, "Fine. When are they supposed to come over?"

Jade cleared her throat, "Well, the thing is, they are already at your house," Jade said with a wince.

"What? You can't be serious!" Tom snapped at her angrily and Lucy roused in her sleep, opening her eyes to look at him.

"I know. I'm sorry. It was urgent, and you're my big brother, remember? You're always asking me how you can help, so I figured you wouldn't mind. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. If you want them to leave they can just leave in the morning. But you already agreed to have them come right? Just think of it that they arrived before schedule," Jade said apologetically even though she knew that she had messed up. She should have just listened to Harry. 

"You know I don't like this, Jade! You can't just bring people into my home without asking me first!" Tom continued angrily, 

"Is everything okay?" Lucy asked sleepily.

"I'm sorry. I will make it up to you after now, I promise," Jade said, but Tom already hung up the call as he turned to look at Lucy who was now yawning.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked with a concerned frown.

"I'm not exactly sure. I wanted us to spend the night at my place, but Jade just informed me that she sent some people over there. And she is only just telling me about it after they've arrived there," Tom said, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"What people?" Lucy asked in confusion and then listened as Tom explained the situation to her. 

"How come none of the staff at your house called to inform you?" Lucy asked, thinking that it was weird that he was only just hearing about it now.

"Because she probably talked them into keeping quiet until she informs me herself. She knows how I don't like people in my space. I could have gotten them somewhere nice to live, just not under my roof," Tom complained as he drove through the gates of his mansion which opened automatically as they approached.

"Is that safe? I mean the gates opening that way to anybody?" Lucy asked with a concerned frown.

"It only opened this way because it's me. There is an automatic sensor that detects my presence from afar," Tom explained. 

"And if it was someone else?" Lucy asked curiously.

"They would need to get in with their security cards. Not just anyone can come to my home, and that's why I'm mad at Jade for making such a decision without first seeking my consent! I'm even more surprised that Harry let her do something like this without informing me," Tom hissed irritably.

Lucy reached out and placed a hand on his thigh, "You should calm down. She probably did what she did because you're the person she trusts to keep them safe," Lucy said, trying to cheer him up.

"She should have first sought my consent! How hard can that be?" Tom asked her in annoyance.

"As I said, she trusts you, and maybe she believed you would be willing to help her. Besides, you already agreed, so what difference does it make that they are here now?" Lucy asked with another yawn, "I'm hungry," she complained when her stomach rumbled.

"We will get something to eat now. Sorry I kept you put for long," Tom said apologetically, and Lucy shook her head.

"It's fine. I had fun. Did I tell you that you are good-looking?" Lucy asked as the car rolled to a stop in front of the mansion.

"No, you didn't. Am I?" Tom asked, turning to look at her as he turned off the car's ignition.

"Yeah. You look drop-dead gorgeous," she assured him as she reached out to open the door.

"I'm glad you think so," Tom said with a soft smile, "I thought you were tipsy earlier?" He asked as he opened his door, and they both got out of the car. 

"Slightly tipsy, not drunk. Woaw! This still feels like a dream. Somehow I still can't believe you really own this place. Are you sure you're not really just a driver?" Lucy asked, raising both hands to cup her chin as she looked around them in awe.

Tom chuckled, "You would prefer a driver as your boyfriend?"

Lucy sighed as she turned to look at him, "I would still like you regardless of whether you are a driver or a wealthy CEO. But please, be a wealthy CEO. It's more fun," Lucy said with a grin as she embraced him. 

"I guess so," Tom said as he patted her back.

"So when can I get a tour of my boyfriend's mansion? You know, I thought it was a hotel when I first woke up that day and I was wondering how I was going to pay for the room," Lucy said as they both approached the front door. 

"Let's do that on Saturday before we go on our Jet date. For now we need to eat and get some rest. We still have to be at the office tomorrow," Tom reminded her as he held out a hand to her, and Lucy grabbed it as she allowed him to lead her inside. 

"But I don't feel sleepy anymore," Lucy said with a pout.

"Well, let's find something to keep you busy then," Tom said with a grin as he opened the door and led her into his home.