by Lynn Hagen
I sat forward when Gabe walked down the hallway with some stuffy-suit guy. They were talking, and Gabe hadn’t noticed me yet. He shook the guy’s hand, and they said their pleasant good-byes.
“Hey, Gabe,” Emerson said. “Glad to see you weren’t lying about where you work.”
Gabe turned, and his light brown eyes drilled into me like I was the only person in the room. He crossed the carpet and held out his hand. I reached to shake it, but he pulled me to my feet instead. “Did the receptionist give you your wallet?”
“What receptionist?” I asked. “The only person who said anything to us was a woman who looked like my high school social studies teacher.”
“She had a pinched look,” Emerson added. “Like her shoes were on too tight.”
“Ah, Penny.” Gabe nodded.
“She’s the receptionist?” I asked. “I hate to tell you this, but she’s not very friendly.”
Gabe chuckled. “She’s hardly the receptionist.” Gabe looked behind him, and that was when I noticed an empty desk. “Susan must’ve stepped out.”
Gabe still hadn’t let my hand go, and I didn’t pull away. I was still in lust with the guy and wouldn’t mind being taken to his office for some fun.
Sadly, Gabe let it go and went behind the desk. He searched around while frowning. “It should’ve been here.”
“If you lost it, you’re replacing it,” Emerson said. “Fitch had five hundred bucks in it.”
I did? “More like five bucks,” I corrected.
My cousin whispered something under his breath that I didn’t catch and was pretty sure I didn’t want him to repeat. I loved Emerson, but sometimes he didn’t know when to be quiet.
“Hang on a second.” Gabe pulled out his phone and then walked to the windows as he spoke to whomever he’d called.
Emerson slapped me on my arm with the back of his hand. “Dude, why didn’t you go along with the five hundred bucks?”
“Because it’s dishonest,” I said in a harsh whisper. “Since when have you become such a crook?”
“I’m not,” Emerson huffed. “I was just teasing. Jeez. Lighten up, Fitch.”
Emerson hadn’t been teasing, but I let the subject drop as I waited to see what Gabe would do. I was also trying not to drool as I looked at him standing by the window. What was it about business suits that made a man so damn sexy?
My heart stuttered when he turned around and looked at me. Those intense light brown eyes had my body tingling. Gabe hung up his phone and tucked it into the pocket of his jacket.
“Sorry about that. My driver tells me he left your wallet with Mr. Russo’s assistant. I’ll go have a talk with Derek. It shouldn’t take but a minute.”
Emerson and I dropped back to our seats. I felt bad because I’d lied to Gabe. There was nothing I needed to do in a few hours. I’d just said that so I could see the stud again. Not even Emerson knew the truth because he still thought I was in deep trouble for getting myself involved the other night, feared someone would come after me.
I hadn’t told my cousin about the guy who had followed me, either. Emerson would freak out and tell my parents, and then they would freak out and try to put me on lockdown.
I’d witnessed someone trying to kill Gabe. No other facts would’ve mattered.
“I’m getting bored.” Emerson slouched in his chair and yawned as a few people walked by them, files in their hands, looking busy and important while I sat there with no prospects in my life.
I stood when I spotted Gabe walking toward me. He had my wallet in his hand, and when he passed it to me, our fingers touched. My lust shot through the roof, and I wanted to shove myself into his arms and beg him to fuck me.
Jeez. I needed to get laid more often. My blue balls were making me insane.
“Thank you.” I tucked my wallet into my back pocket and struggled for something else to say. Gabe was freaking hot, and I wanted him so badly.
“I’m glad you got it back.” Gabe glanced at his expensive-looking watch, and I knew when I was being dismissed. Mr. Rolex said it was time for me to go.
Emerson smacked my arm. “Let’s blow this joint.”
I stared at Gabe for one last second before turning on my heels and nearly tripping over my own feet. Gabe grabbed my arm and steadied me.
“Careful.” His voice was low, deep, and hypnotic and right at my ear. I shivered and sighed at the closeness.
“Yeah, careful,” Emerson said. “They wouldn’t want you suing them for hurting yourself on their property.”
I wanted to smack the crap out of my cousin. What was his deal? Emerson wasn’t usually a jerk, so why was he acting like one?
“Thanks again.” I smiled at Gabe before joining Emerson at the elevator. “What’s your problem?”
I hoped my whispered voice wasn’t loud enough that Gabe had heard me because he was still standing there watching me.
“Hungry,” Emerson said. “And this place gives me hives. It’s too high-end for me. I’ll feel better once I’m back on the ground floor and sniffing out that cafeteria food.”
When the elevator arrived, we entered and I turned, staring right at Gabe, who was still staring at me. He had his hands tucked in his suit pants, his head slightly tilted, and a look in his eyes that I couldn’t discern. What was he thinking right now?
Unfortunately the elevator doors closed and I was robbed of ogling him any further.
Whether I wanted to or not, when we reached the ground floor, Emerson steered me toward the cafeteria, and I found myself seated at a table with a big meatball sub and soda.
So much for my diet.
* * * *
Once I’d gotten home and gone to my room, I pulled my laptop out and researched Gabriel Rothe. It wouldn’t hurt to know about him, even if I wasn’t ever going to see him again. We lived in two different worlds. My life was simple, and I loved it that way, though at times I dreamed of something different. I imagined everyone did that, no matter their lifestyle.
Gabe’s business website was open in front of me, and I scrolled through it. The site didn’t give me much information. Gabe had graduated from Columbia University, which, after researching that, I discovered was expensive as hell and highly accredited.
Impressive and it only solidified my belief that he was way out of my league.
Aside from listing a bunch of degrees Gabe had, there wasn’t much on the website about him, so I searched for any social media accounts. He had none. Who didn’t have any in this day and age? Maybe he’d had them under some other name, but I hadn’t found any.
My research into Gabriel Rothe had been a bust. I slapped my laptop closed and slid it across my bed when a knock sounded on my door.
“Honey, dinner is ready,” my mom called.
I was still full from that meatball sub. Emerson had been right. The food in the cafeteria was amazing. “I’m not eating,” I called back. “Emerson forced me to eat fast food, and I’m still stuffed.”
My mom opened the door. I hated that. It was one of the drawbacks to living with your parents. Your mom still treated you like a kid.
“I’ve told you a hundred times not to let him talk you into ruining your diet, Fitch,” she admonished. “Please tell me you didn’t eat anything greasy or heavy.” She walked around my room picking up my dirty clothes.
“I’m gonna go take a walk.”
She nodded, her arms full of my clothes, including my underwear. I’d told her a million times that I could do my own laundry, but my words had always fallen on deaf ears, so I’d given up that battle. “That’s a good idea. Exercise. But be careful, dear. It’s almost dark out.”
My parents had told me that when they first bought their house the neighborhood had been a great place. Over the years it had declined so rapidly that even they didn’t go out at night. They’d talked about selling the house and finding one in a better neighborhood, but with my dad getting hurt and losing his job, they couldn’t afford a better place to live.
/> “Do you need anything from the store?” I asked as I moved out of her way while she set my clothes aside and made my bed. I felt five years old.
“Milk and bread.” She gathered the dirty laundry. “And get your Uncle Glen his favorite cookies. He’s almost out of them, and you know how he gets when he doesn’t have his cookies for the evening news.”
The store was two blocks away. As long as it wasn’t full dark, I always felt relatively safe.
“Stop in the kitchen and I’ll give you some money.”
I would’ve argued that I could buy what she needed, but I had five bucks in my wallet until I got paid. My mom gave me ten bucks and I was out the door, enjoying the evening air as my sneakers pounded the sidewalk.
I rounded the corner and was almost to the store when my heart nearly gave out. Walking toward me was Toothpick and his goons. Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Gabe wasn’t going to drive by and save me this time. That had been a fluke. I was on my own and knew I was in deep shit when Toothpick locked gazes with me and smiled.
“Hey,” one of the guys with Toothpick said. “Ain’t that the guy from earlier?”
Toothpick nodded. “That’s the one Mr. Rothe saved from me.” The guy looked around. “Ain’t no one here to save you now.”
I was screwed seven ways from Sunday, and I knew it. Toothpick knew it. His goons knew it, too. When confronted by three bullies who outweighed you by a good sixty pounds of muscle, the best course of action was to run your ass off in the opposite direction.
Too bad I was out of shape because Toothpick caught up to me in ten strides. He grabbed my arm that was still in a sling, and I screamed my fool head off.
From fear and from pain.
I whacked at his grip with my good hand, but the bastard wouldn’t let me go. Toothpick started to drag me backward, and I was terrified of what he would do, until I saw some random stranger heading toward me.
He was tall and built, with dark hair and even darker eyes.
Toothpick’s men went after the guy, but he laid them out flat in seconds. Shit. I’d never seen anyone fight like that before, except in the movies. Quick moves and power behind his punches. The two goons lay on the ground groaning as the stranger turned his sights on Toothpick.
“This isn’t your business, Cole,” Toothpick snarled, and I nearly passed out. Had I just seen canines in his mouth? I blinked several times, and they were still there.
Holy fuck! What in the hell was going on?
“Release him, Deon,” Cole said. “He’s under Mr. Rothe’s protection.”
I was? Since when? And if Cole had come to my aid so quickly, that meant the guy had been following me. Had Gabe hired Cole to babysit me?
Toothpick…er…Deon snarled at Cole. “This isn’t over. Mr. Rothe can shove his protection up his ass. The council doesn’t run the east side anymore.”
Deon released me by shoving me toward Cole and walking away. His goons staggered to their feet and took off.
“Thanks.” I looked into Cole’s dark eyes. “Thanks for saving me, but you can tell Mr. Rothe I don’t need his protection.”
One of Cole’s dark brows rose. “From what I just saw, I beg to differ. You should be honored. Mr. Rothe doesn’t extend his protection to many people.”
Cole made it seem like Gabe was some kind of mob boss. That kind of stuff was cool to watch on TV but not comforting in real life. I didn’t want someone mixed up in that kind of mess to take an interest in me.
“Again, thanks, but I’m good from here.” I walked into the store, shaken by what had just happened, wondering if saving Gabe’s life would end mine.
Chapter Four
Gabe…
“Would you care for dessert?” I looked across the table at my dinner date. The night hadn’t been going great. Fraser was the kind of guy a person would want on his arm at a fancy gala, but there was no complexity to him. He was about as deep as a puddle.
“No thank you. So, do you want to hit a club after this?” Fraser was a trust fund baby, never having had to work a hard day in his life. Not that I begrudged him his life, but the way he’d treated the wait staff had made me grind my teeth.
“No.” I smiled and nodded at the waiter who brought another bottle of wine. I would need it by the time the night was over. In truth, I’d taken Fraser out because we’d had sex in the past and he never attached strings, but all I thought about since meeting him here was Fitch.
The little hothead human who enchanted me for reasons I couldn’t quite understand. I’d tried to figure out why I was so drawn to him when he’d been at the office.
Maybe it was because of my roots. I came from a hard background, had to fight for everything I had. I liked how cautious he was, how he didn’t hold back, and how his heated gaze had appraised me when we’d seen each other in the reception area.
“Are you listening to me?” Fraser set his glass of wine down and snapped his fingers, which seriously pissed me off. “I feel like I’m talking to myself.”
He pouted and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.
“Men don’t ignore me,” Fraser said. “You’ve never been this inattentive before. What’s going on with you, Gabriel? Am I boring you?”
The waiter arrived with our dishes, but Fraser waved a hand at them. “Not now. We’re having a private conversation.”
For the first time since meeting him, I wondered what in the hell I’d seen in Fraser.
“I’ll take my dish,” I said. “Thank you.”
Fraser made a noise in the back of his throat and slouched back with a deep sigh. I would’ve rather been home cleaning my extensive gun collection than dealing with him.
Or talking with Fitch.
When my phone rang, I snatched it from the inner pocket of my jacket.
“Hey, no business when you’re with me,” Fraser said. “That’s always been our deal.”
“I’ll just be a moment.” I got up and walked outside, sucking in the fresh air and thankful for the momentary reprieve. “Hello?”
“It’s Cole. We had a bit of a situation.” Cole told him about Fitch going to the corner store and about three thugs that had harassed him.
“Is he okay?” I put Cole on speaker so I could text Andrew to tell him to bring the car around. “Who the fuck were the men?”
My wolf wanted to get free, but I beat him back as I waited on Andrew. What was I going to do, run to Fitch’s house even though he had no idea I knew where he lived?
“Deon Govetti and two of his cohorts,” Cole said. “I handled the situation, but you’ve been ousted. Fitch knows I’m babysitting him.”
I was surprised Fitch hadn’t called me already, chewing me out for not only knowing where he lived but sending someone to watch over him.
I was also beyond pissed that Deon had tried some bullshit after I’d made it clear, without words, that Fitch was off-limits. I was going to gut the son of a bitch when I saw him again.
Andrew pulled to the curb, and I got in. I’d get an earful later from Fraser, but ensuring Fitch’s safety was my only concern at the moment.
“Where to?” Andrew looked at the restaurant as if surprised Fraser wasn’t with me, but he was wise enough not to ask.
“Is he at home?” I asked Cole.
“He’s sitting on his front porch eating some chips.” There was humor in Cole’s voice. “Funyuns if I’m not mistaken.”
“Any signs of that stranger who’d been following him?”
“No, sir. All is quiet,” Cole said. “Shit, someone’s walking up his driveway. I’ll call you back.”
“Cole,” I snarled his name, but he’d already hung up. I looked at Andrew, my heart beating a bit faster. “Take me to Fitch’s.”
Andrew pulled away as I tried to call Cole back, but he didn’t answer. By the time we reached Fitch’s house, I was ready for war. What I found was Fitch standing in his driveway, yelling at Cole. There was a stranger sitting on Fitch’s front steps, eating from the
yellow chip bag as he watched them.
There wasn’t a fight, no blood, no dead bodies. Just a human looking up at Cole with angry eyes and a mouthful of explicit words.
“You.” Fitch glared at me when I got out of the backseat and walked up the driveway. “You’re the reason this gorilla nearly took Asa’s head off!”
Asa had to be the guy sitting on the steps eating the chips.
The fire in his hazel eyes made my fucking dick hard. It was then that I realized that was what I’d been missing at dinner. That passion, the hellfire way Fitch spoke to me.
The front door opened, and a woman, dressed in a green smock and rows of rollers in her hair, looked outside. She had to be Fitch’s mom because they had similar features.
“Fitch, what’s going on out here?” she asked as she stepped onto the porch. “Do I need to call the cops?”
“No, Ma.” Fitch rubbed his brow. “I got this under control. Can you get Asa some water, please? I think the Funyuns are drying out his mouth.”
Asa looked wide-eyed at Fitch but didn’t contradict him.
“I’ve told you boys about eating that junk,” she said before walking back inside.
“Dude, don’t pull me into this mess.” Asa munched on a few more Funyuns. “Don’t get your mother started on me about eating the empty calories.”
Fitch marched toward me, and I was half expecting him to slap me. “I don’t need a babysitter,” he said in a low voice. “How did you even find out where I lived?”
“We can talk in the back of my car.” I walked away, hoping he followed. I wasn’t airing our laundry in front of Asa.
I slid into the car, and Fitch did follow, though he slammed the door. “What the hell is going on, Gabe? I save your life and now you’re all up in mine?”
“Most people would be grateful for the protection, especially after what happened this evening.” I poured a drink from the small wet bar and offered the glass to Fitch. He took it and downed the drink then coughed until I slapped his back and he quieted.
Fitch shoved the glass back toward me. “I hope you didn’t just roofie me.”
