Pursuing Phoenix: Nova Satellite Security

by Linzi Baxter

  I looked up when I heard the clicking of heels on the marble floor. Lily had ran to talk to Kaylene—I hadn't expected her to be back so soon. But it wasn't Lily walking toward my office—it was Rachele. She looked rough, her normally perfect hair matted. She had on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I had never seen her in anything other than a dress and high heels.

  Not wanting Lily to have to deal with my ex-wife again, I walked toward the reception area.

  Rachele glared at me. "How could you do this to me?"

  I crossed my arms over my chest. The sound of her voice started a dull ache in the back of my head. "What have I done to you, Rachele?"

  She tapped her expensive shoe on the floor. "I can't get into my house."

  "The Los Angeles house is not yours. I had your items removed. Your lawyer has the key to the storage unit."

  Rachele let out a loud screech. "You did this because of her. Are you giving that street whore my house?"

  Lily walked in at that moment, and her eyes widened. I shook my head so she wouldn't say anything. I needed to get the conversation under control. The last two encounters with Rachele were nothing like I'd seen in the ten years of our marriage. She scratched her arms through the long-sleeved shirt, and the action triggered a memory of my childhood. My mother always wore long sleeves to cover up her track marks. As a kid, I never understood her need to constantly scratch at her arms.

  I stepped forward. "You will not speak badly of Lily. I don't know what happened to you, Rachele, but you're making a fool of yourself. You have two options. Either walk out of this building and never talk to me again, or I will have security escort you out."

  She screamed then reached into her purse and pulled out a gun. "I need money."

  Rachele hadn't seen Lily walk in, and Lily slowly stepped backward. When she got to the entrance of the hallway, she turned and ran. I hoped she could get someone back in time. Upon closer look, Rachele's eyes were bloodshot and sunken in. "How long have you been using?"

  "I don't know what you’re talking about." She rubbed her one arm against her side, trying to relieve the itch.

  "I can tell you’re high. You know I don't keep money on me. Any minute, security is going to walk through the door, and what then?"

  Rachele looked over her shoulder at the door. "Why did you have to take everything from me? The foundation, my house, my money…"

  I knew she had spent her inheritance. A few years before, she’d come to me for money, and I put her on an allowance for as long as she ran the foundation. I made a mental note to check the money we had in the foundation. She had access to everything up until we cut it off Monday morning. I never thought to check the accounts—she was supposed to have money. "The foundation is my brothers’ and mine. I gave you the house in Miami, and I never took your money."

  "I already sold the house in Miami months ago. Your stupid allowance didn’t give me enough to live off. If that stupid woman hadn’t tried to steal you away, you would've been in my bed the other night. Now you've made me go to drastic measures to get the money you owe me. Wire me ten million dollars." Rachele pressed her thumb to the hammer on the gun and pulled back, and the echo reverberated through the room. Where the hell is Lily? As if she’d heard me, she and Seth from security rounded the corner. He whispered something into her ear. She looked as though she wanted to argue but stepped back behind the wall.

  I let out an audible sigh. Rachele noticed my eyes dart over her shoulder. She turned, aimed her gun at Seth, and shot, but she stumbled backward, and I pulled the gun out of her hands. The shot went wide and hit the large TV over the waiting area. Seth wrestled Rachele to the ground and used his cuffs to lock her hands behind her back.

  Lily ran to my side and wrapped her arms around my waist.

  "You think you can steal my man away,” Rachele said tearfully from the floor. “I’ll be back, and he will be mine or pay me what he owes me. I gave him ten years of my life, and he can’t leave me with nothing."

  Seth yanked Rachele off the floor and pushed her into the hallway. I knew my security guards would finish taking care of her.

  Jared suddenly came running into the room, his shirt halfway unbuttoned and his hair a mess. "What happened?" Kaylene followed behind, patting her skirt down.

  "Rachele wants more money,” I said. “Honestly, she looked strung out. I have no clue what’s wrong with her. She took a shot at Seth, but missed and took out the TV. Seth is taking care of it."

  Lily tried to pull out of my grasp, but I brought her in tighter. Having a gun pointed at you reminds you how short life is. "I need you in my arms. You scared me when you walked into the room. I thought you would try to stop her from going crazy."

  "How she was standing and acting sent up red flags. That was the reason I went and grabbed Seth."

  Jared finished tucking his shirt in and ran his hands through his hair. "Let's have a drink."

  "We can't, we’re at work," Lily said.

  Jared looked at her for a second. "I won't tell the boss if you don't."

  Kaylene rolled her eyes. Lily just stared at my older brother for a few beats. "Did you just make a joke?"

  Jared shrugged and headed into my office. He knew where I kept the good stuff and poured a whiskey for all four of us. Sometimes a day called for it, especially when someone brandishes a gun.

  "I went to ask you a question earlier, Kaylene, and couldn't find you," Lily said over the rim of her glass.

  Kaylene's face turned bright red. "I had to run an errand." Kaylene grabbed Jared’s glass and downed his amber liquid in addition to her own. There was obviously something going on between Jared and Kaylene, but neither of them was going to talk about it. He took his glass from Kaylene and refilled it.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket. I grabbed it to find a text from Seth. The cops had come, and he wanted to know if I wanted to put a restraining order on her or press charges. My fingers hovered over the screen for a second. No, I wrote back. She needed help, not to be put in jail. Get her into rehab. No matter how much I didn't like Rachele, if it hadn’t been for her, my brothers and I wouldn't have been able to build NSS into what it had become, and I felt obligated to help her.

  Growing up, I’d always wondered whether my mom would still be alive and maybe a better person if someone had helped her instead of giving her more drugs. One night, Jared and I had stayed up talking about her, and he’d said our mom was an evil human being. The only reason she had us was because she wanted more money from the government each month, he said. She always found a way to spend our monthly government checks on booze and drugs instead of food. Jared was the only reason Jax and I went to bed with food in our stomachs. Looking back, I could see that many times Jared wouldn't eat so Jax and I could.

  Jared took the last swig of his drink. "Let me know what the cops say."

  I shook my head. "I just told Seth to find her a rehab facility and that I’m not pressing charges."

  Jared glanced at his watch. "If I didn't have a meeting with the director of the NSA, I would march downstairs and make sure she was arrested."

  "If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn't have NSS," I said.

  Jared's jaw twitched. "I’ll call you later," he said. “I really think you should press charges.” He turned to leave.

  Kaylene wrapped her arms around me. "I'm glad you’re okay." I patted her back, then she turned and followed Jared down the hallway.

  I filled my glass again and sat down on the white couch in my office. I seldom used the couch and seating area. If I had meetings, they were normally done in the conference room. I patted the seat next to me. "Come here, Lily."

  Lily took a sip of her drink before she walked over. Her long blonde hair was up, and the black suit she wore accented her perfect body. Before she was able to sit next to me, I pulled her onto my lap. She let out a squeak on her way down. "I'm too heavy."

  I swatted her leg. “No, you aren’t." I didn't think Lily had an ounce of fat on her body. She was almost
too skinny.

  She wrapped her arms around my neck and lay her head on my chest. "What happens if someone walks in?"

  "Let them. I have nothing to hide, Lily."

  She ran her fingers up and down my arm. "I was scared earlier, Jacob. What happens next time if she does shoot you? I agree with Jared. Maybe you should press charges."

  "Rachele has never been like this before. She needs help, and Seth will make sure she gets it." I pressed my lips to her neck.

  I shifted her on my lap. My cock was getting harder each time she moved. "Come to dinner with me tonight."

  "Let me make sure Kat can watch Tommy first."

  "Or he could come with?"

  Lily bit her lip. "Not yet."

  I nodded. I would give her as much time as she needed.

  The phone in reception started to ring. Lily tried to get up, but I pulled her back down. "Let it go to voicemail." I wasn't ready to let her out of my arms yet. We stayed on the couch for another hour, talking about nothing and everything. When Lily finally pulled away because she needed to go to the bathroom, I wanted to follow her and make sure Rachele didn't appear from behind a corner, but Lily rested her hand on my arm and told me she would be okay.

  The rest of the day went by quickly. Lily left right at five to go home and get ready for dinner—it turned out that Kat would watch Tommy. Since she wasn’t prepared to introduce me to her son just yet, I agreed I would meet her downstairs at seven.

  10

  Lily

  “I think I need to try the black one again.” I glanced down at the red dress and matching heels. I didn’t have to look in the mirror to know I looked like a slut. Kat told me I looked hot, but I was pretty sure my ass was showing. My makeup was natural, the complete opposite of the red rhinestone dress.

  Jacob hadn’t said where we were going. The red dress was more let's-go-clubbing, not I-have-a-six-year-old-at-the-house. I sat on the bed and rested my head in my hands. “This dating thing is hard. Maybe I should text him and call the night off.”

  Kat stopped rummaging through the closet and turned toward me, shaking her head. “You just need to dust off your dating skills, and everything will fall into place. Besides, you have a free babysitter for the night and a sexy man who wants to take you out.”

  I quickly glanced at my reflection in the mirror and winced. Kat pulled out a beautiful black dress from my closet, and I snatched it from her hands before she could put it away again.

  The black dress fit perfectly—I no longer felt a breeze over my ass. When I stepped out of the bathroom into the master bedroom, Kat smiled as she looked me over from head to toe. She walked over to my dresser, pulled a necklace out of a box, and asked me to turn around. She clasped a heart-shaped locket around my neck. Inside was a baby picture of Tommy.

  “You are going to knock him dead,” Kat said, clapping her hands. “Maybe you’ll get laid tonight. Don’t worry about what time you come home.”

  Sex had always been painful, not something I was interested in. “I’m not going to sleep with him,” I replied as I replaced the red dress in the closet. “For starters, we’ve only known each other a couple weeks.”

  Kat glanced at her phone and smiled. Antonio had been texting her for the past few hours. “Jacob is good-looking. I bet he knows how to make a woman scream. Who cares how long you’ve known him? I see the way you talk about him, and you like him, Lily. There is no written timetable about how long you have to date before you can sleep together. Antonio and I slept together before I knew his name back in the day.”

  Jacob was extremely good-looking. At work that day, he’d worn a pair of gray slacks, a white button-down shirt, and black shoes. The pants framed his ass perfectly. When he rolled his sleeves up, I could see the edges of the tattoo on his right arm. I wanted to trace my finger along it… and along his firm muscles. “I’ve only ever slept with Greg.” I paced in front of the bed. “He always told me how bad I was at sex. What if I’m terrible?

  “Greg is a douchebag and probably couldn’t find a g-spot even if it had a neon sign.” She rubbed her hand over her flat pregnant belly. “He said those things to make himself feel better. You have to change your mindset and forget everything he ever said. I know that’s not easy, but you might never move on if you keep running the things he said to you through your head.”

  I’d spent so many years trying to figure out how to make it through the day that I’d never let my imagination wander to the what-ifs of the world. Kat was right. I needed to get Greg out of my head, which would have been easier if I knew he was behind bars again. My thoughts turned back to Jacob. “What happens if I sleep with him and everything goes bad? He’s my boss. I don’t want to fuck up my new start in life. I’ve more than myself to think about.”

  “I understand. For years, when I thought Antonio was dead, I never could bring myself to date. Maybe my subconscious knew he was still alive and waiting for me.” Kat held up her phone. Antonio had sent a picture of the gators in their backyard with the caption Even the gators miss you. “You need a man like Antonio, and I think Jacob is.”

  I spent most of my life in fear because of the person I lived with. First, it was my parents, then it was Greg. I didn’t know if I was ready to let someone in, especially someone with so much baggage. His ex-wife was a psycho, and there were no guarantees that she wouldn’t put Tommy in danger if I started to date Jacob.

  My salary as an administrative assistant with NSS was more than enough for Tommy and I to find our own place. After I put a little of the money away in savings, maybe I could go to school at night and work toward my culinary degree. “I don’t need a man,” I said as I touched up my lipstick. “Tommy is enough for me. That’s not saying I’m not open to this date. I already have one crazy ex coming after me. Do I want to worry about his ex-wife too? You don’t have to answer the question. You didn’t see her today, Kat. She could’ve killed someone.”

  “I have Neal looking into her as we speak. We’re taking care of the Greg situation, and Seth checked Rachele into a rehab facility. Neal also put a flag on her information at the facility. If she gets out, we will know.” Neal was a close friend from Ft. Lauderdale. He was one of the best hackers I’ve ever met. That wasn’t saying much, though, because I didn’t know any hackers until I met Kat and her friends.

  “Did you find something out about Greg?”

  Kat looked out the window. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  “This is my life, Kat. If something changed, you need to let me know.” I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for an answer. When it didn’t look as though she was going to give me anything, I continued. “Please let me know what’s going on.”

  “Don’t get mad.” Kat got off the bed and walked my way. “Greg sent a few emails to Jacob.”

  “When?” I demanded. Jacob never said a word to me.

  “He’s trying to protect you,” she responded, answering my unasked question while pulling me into a hug. “You have enough to worry about. Neal traced the IP. Greg’s still in Ft. Lauderdale.”

  It no longer mattered that he was still in Ft. Lauderdale. He knew where I was; it was only a matter of time before he found us. I felt myself begin to shake.

  “Stop panicking. Jacob hired a local company to watch you. Antonio would’ve sent someone from our company, but we’re shorthanded, which is why they were watching me, too.” Kat had figured out the detail the second she’d walked out of my apartment with Tommy and Ant. She’d understood the importance and didn’t complain too much as the bodyguard followed her around.

  “I’m never going to be able to repay you guys for everything everyone is doing.”

  She waved her hand in the air. “We don’t want to be paid back. You know I don’t need your money. I just want you safe. Now go enjoy your date.”

  “I have a few choice words for my date. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me Greg emailed him.” Anger washed over me, but I let it go for the time being. “I know I’
ve said it a hundred times, but thanks for coming out here. I’m going to be sad when you leave tomorrow,” I said as we walked to the front door. Tommy and Ant had gone swimming earlier in the day and were fast asleep. I didn’t want to wake him to say goodbye.

  She arched an eyebrow.

  “No, I don’t need you to stay longer. You’ve stayed long enough.”

  “I’m always here for you, Lily. Call, and I’ll be on the next flight anytime you need me.”

  Her words meant the world to me. Even if things didn’t work out between Jacob and me, Kat would always be there for me. Friends. The word almost felt foreign in my mind. Growing up, I barely knew anyone outside of my parents’ church. “Thank you.”

  “Now go get laid.” She laughed as she pushed me out the door.

  My heels clicked as I walked down the hall to the elevator. I felt excited to see Jacob, but we would need to discuss him keeping secrets that affected me. I didn’t have to wait long for the elevator to reach my floor, and the ride down was smooth. It swooshed open, and I stepped out. I caught my breath every time I walked through the common area of the building. The design was sleek and clean. George, who always gave Tommy a lollipop when we walked by, sat behind the desk, reading his newspaper.

  I waved as I walked by. The older gentleman waved back. When I opened the doors, Houston's humid May air hit me. I was used to that kind of weather from living in Florida, but it didn’t change the fact that after five minutes outside, I wanted to take another shower.

  My phone pinged in my purse as I walked down the sidewalk to where Henry normally parked to pick me up. When I reached the spot, I reached in my purse and grabbed my phone. It was a text from Jacob, letting me know he was running a few minutes behind.

  My fingers hovered over the screen. I was concentrating on writing my reply and not to my surroundings. The city and danger around me escaped my mind as I tried to come up with a witty response.