by Linda Verji
“Master Nathaniel?” Miguel drew their attention as with one hand he pulled their suitcase from the trunk.
Nathan swung around. “Yes?”
“Where are Miss…” he looked at Shakira as if in request for her name.
“Shakira,” she finished for him.
“Where are Miss Shakira’s bags?”
“We’re sharing.” Nathan added curtly, “We’re also sharing my room.”
“But your mother said-”
“My mother says a lot of things,” Nathan returned with a shrug.
Neither of them had even factored in Edya when packing within the same case. They’d only been thinking of convenience. But sharing a room with Nathan was bound to increase the other woman’s displeasure. Experiencing a pang of anxiety, Shakira whispered to Nathan, “Maybe I should get a different room.”
“Why?” Nathan asked.
“Because of your mother.”
“My mother?” The angry light was back in Nathan’s eyes. “Don’t worry about her!”
Men! He really had no idea how much this might make her interactions with Edya harder. Before Shakira could explain any further, Nathan called out to Miguel, “My suit’s in the back seat,” then asked, “Did you know José? He was the butler before you.”
“Yes,” Miguel answered with a small nod. “He was my father.”
“I’m sorry about his death…” Nathan said as they followed Miguel into the house.
Shakira let their conversation flow around her as she took in the house. The interior of the Hollis mansion was just as majestic as the outside; rich oak paneling, and ceilings and walls that had been liberally covered with gilded plasterwork. The walls of the foyer were lined in pilasters and wall units where expensive art pieces rested encased behind stained glass.
“Your home is beautiful,” she complimented Nathan, her fingers tracing the ornate railing that lined the stairway.
“Not my home.” He shrugged. Shakira didn’t bother correcting him. Despite everything between he and his mother, home was home; that’s why he’d missed it so much – even if he pretended he hadn’t.
Miguel led them to an outsized room that could’ve easily fitted half of Shakira’s apartment. White wallpaper covered the walls while the ceiling was painted a soothing shade of dark blue to match the light blue drapes on the window and the expensive blue satin spread on the large bed pushed against the north wall. The rest of the furniture in the room was made of pristine white leather and polished oak. It all spelled wealth.
As Miguel set their suitcase on the side of the bed, Nathan asked him, “Are any of my brothers here yet?”
“Master Ezekiel isn’t in yet but Master Daniel is in his laboratory,” Miguel said. “I’ll let him know that you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
Once Miguel was gone, Shakira turned to Nathan and looped her arms around his neck. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Nathan sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Shakira rose on tip-toes and kissed his nose, her intent to at least ease some of the tension still visibly thrumming through him. She could only imagine how he felt being around his mother. Yes, Eve usually stepped on her last nerve, but for some reason whenever her mother was around she was just so glad to have her around and safe, that it was easy to forgive her.
Nathan slipped into the kiss easily his mouth meeting hers. It wasn’t a heated kiss, more like a soothing mating. Her tongue ventured into his mouth, stroking, calming and her hands eased over his back and neck in slow strokes. The feathery touch seemed to ease him because he sighed in to her mouth as his body relaxed into hers.
Breathing deeply, his mouth hardened over hers in long searching kisses, each more tender than the last. When they finally pulled apart for a breather, she felt like she’d been in a marathon and won. Just as breathless, Nathan pinned her with a simmering gaze before saying, “Thanks.”
She tilted her head. “For what?”
“For being here with me,” Nathan said huskily. “I know you didn’t want to come but I’m glad you did. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to deal with her if you weren’t here.”
It wasn’t the longest or most sentimental speech but coming from Nathan it was everything. He’d done so much for her that being here for me seemed like the least she could do. But it wasn’t just about giving back to him. She couldn’t imagine refusing this man anything.
That Nathan had carved himself a place in her heart was inescapable.
What she and Charlie had had paled in comparison to what she felt for Nathan. There had been no excitement in that relationship. In fact when she’d found out that Charlie was cheating on her, it was her ego more than her heart that had been pricked. It didn’t even bear thinking of the kind of damage Nathan could do to her heart if he ever deceived her like that.
But he would never do it. Nathan wasn’t Charlie.
Shakira drew her features into a scowl as she stepped away from him. “You going soft on me, Hollis?” Wagging her finger, she ordered, “Man up, soldier.”
“Did you just call me weak?” Nathan tried to mimic her scowl but it fell flat as a smile creased his face. “Oh, I’m going to get you for that.”
He lunged for her. Giggling Shakira darted towards the bed before he could catch her. She hadn’t been in her high-school’s track team for nothing. Nathan came after her but she was already on the bed. It bounced under her feet as she ran over it and then hopped to the floor on the other side, still laughing, and raced for the door. She yanked it open quickly but instead of empty space ran into a wide chest.
“Oomph!” she grunted as she splayed her hands over the soft grey cotton. Firm hands grasped her upper arms in an effort to steady her, drawing her attention upwards, from the broad muscular chest, six foot plus height, sexy thick lips to meet the most vivid blue eyes she’d ever seen rimmed by long girly lashes. They were the kind of eyes women went to bed dreaming of.
“Woah!” The sexy blue eyes clouded in concern. “You okay?”
Surprisingly, Shakira still had some breath to talk even after all the air he’d stolen with his entrance. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?” Sexy Blue Eyes bent his eyes skimming her body as if searching for some invisible injuries.
“Get your hands off my woman.” Nathan’s voice cracked like a whip in the room, drawing both Shakira and Sexy Blue Eyes attention towards him.
“And if I don’t?” Sexy Blue Eyes asked.
There was silence. Tense silence! The kind of tense silence even knives shied away from cutting through. It lasted a whole minute or maybe even more as the two men stared down each other with narrow-eyed looks. And then all over sudden both men started laughing. After one last check to make sure Shakira was okay, Sexy Blue Eyes crossed the room to meet Nathan halfway. They dapped and then hugged.
There was no doubt that the two men were related. Sexy Blue Eyes was slightly taller and slimmer than Nathan but their hair was the exact same shade of midnight black and their facial features were curved by the same knife; patrician nose, sexy lips and a strong jaw-line.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Sexy Blue Eyes asked with a grin.
“I could ask the same of you,” Nathan said.
“Attending Mother’s wedding,” Sexy Blue Eyes said but when Nathan cut his eyes at him, he huffed. “Okay, fine! I’m trying to get her to fund my Back-a-Coster and she says she’ll think about it if I come to her wedding.”
“What’s a Back-a-Coster?” Shakira asked.
“Don’t even ask.” Nathan rolled his eyes. “Danny here pretends to be an inventor.” He slapped the back of his palm over Danny’s chest. “When are you going to get a real job, man?”
“Look who’s talking.” Danny turned his interest to Shakira as a wide smile suffused his face. “Who’s the pretty lady?”
If Nathan didn’t already have her heart, she would’ve given it to Danny for that smile. Good God! If Zeke was half as hot as these
two, she’d have a hard time concentrating at dinner.
“The beautiful lady is my girlfriend, Shakira.” Nathan crossed over to stand beside Shakira, his hand dancing at the small of her back as he introduced, “Kira, this is my little brother, Daniel.”
“You can call me Danny.” He winked at her. “And there’s nothing little about me.”
“Keep flirting with my woman,” Nathan threatened, “and you’ll find yourself floating face down in Mother’s pool.”
Shakira laughed, “It’s nice to meet you, Danny.”
“Baby, don’t be nice to him,” Nathan warned. “You’ll only encourage him. This boy would hit on a moose if it wore a skirt.”
“Me? No. He’s just jealous of my good looks.” Danny protested but the smile he threw at Shakira belied his words. She had a feeling Danny was the resident ladies’ man. It was proven when Zeke walked into the room thirty minutes later.
Though he sported the trade-mark Hollis hair and blue eyes and had the same physique as Nathan, Zeke wore spectacles and seemed more standoffish than his brothers. His reception of Shakira was a sedate nod and ‘welcome’ but he wasn’t overtly rude. She didn’t take it personal. Zeke just seemed like the ‘look before you leap type’ which she could appreciate.
Watching the three brothers interact was refreshing. Nathan seemed a lot happier than when they’d walked into the house. When he asked if he could join his brothers for a game of pool before dinner, she was all too willing to agree. “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind.”
“Shakira.” Zeke nodded his head in silent goodbye before he left the room.
Danny followed his brother with a last smile and a, “It was nice to meet you, Kira.”
Nathan stayed behind. “You’re sure?”
From the look in his eyes she could see that he was torn between the guilt of leaving her alone in a strange house and the need to spend some private time with his brothers. She was a big girl; an hour or two alone wouldn’t kill her.
“Go have some fun,” Shakira said pushing him towards the door.
“I’ll see you in a few.” Nathan dipped his head, letting his lips glance over hers before he too left.
After he left, Shakira grabbed her phone and headed out towards the balcony. Propping her arms on the balustrade, she stared out at the Hollis estate. Green lawns stretched out, punctuated by well tended flowerbeds, three gazebos and a swimming pool. There was even a mini forest right at the edge of the estate. There was no doubt about it; this was the kind of place poor man’s dreams were made of.
Growing up she’d always thought that if they just had a little money, Eve would be home more often. She wouldn’t have to go hungry at least once every three days, she wouldn’t be teased in school for always being the Goodwill kid…she wouldn’t suffer. However, if the Hollis’ family were anything to go by, money was no guarantee for happiness. But then again she would’ve preferred to cry in a large house in Long Island then in the one bedroom flat in South Bronx.
Dragging herself from her thoughts, she dialed London’s number. Her friend’s excited voice immediately welcomed her. “Okay, details!”
“Lon. Don. You need to see this house.”
“Is it bigger than Razor Sharpe’s?” London asked mentioning a popular rapper whose house they’d seen on a TV show dedicated to showing the life of the rich and famous.
“Bigger.”
London gasped, “Stop.”
“I kid you not,” Shakira stated. “Our whole block could fit in their backyard. They’ve got gazebos, pools…child.”
London sighed wistfully, “I’m gon’ have a pool when I’m rich.”
“What you need a pool for?” Shakira asked. “You can’t even swim.”
“Bitch, don’t hate. And the swimming pool’s for my dogs,” London informed her before her voice took on an interested tone. “What’s the wild- wild Hollis witch like? Did she cast a voodoo spell on you the moment she saw you?”
Shakira chuckled. “Your New Orleans is showing again.”
“Stop diverting,” London reprimanded. “What’d she do when she saw you?”
“Actually she was pretty cool. A look here and there, but no spells.”
“Oh!” London actually sounded disappointed. “Sounds boring.”
“You’re so blood thirsty.” Shakira shook her head. “Anyway, how are the rehearsals going for your first official gig as an Extreme Expressions artist?”
“Chiiiiiild…” London immediately launched into a description of her and the Xin Monster’s practice. Only yesterday, they’d gotten confirmation that were on the school’s roster and were set to have their first gig in the coming week.
“Don’t force Enzo to sing if he doesn’t want to,” Shakira advised when London explained her efforts to get all the band members more involved in the performances.
“But everyone only knows me.” London asked, “What about the boys?”
“Have you talked about it with them?”
“Yeah, but they’re all just like London you know you’re our brand ambassador.” London’s voice dropped to a deep baritone as she mimicked her band-mates. “We can’t have five lead singers…ra ra ra. You know how the boys can be.”
“You know, some people actually like to be in the background,”
“Lies. What people?” The rise in London’s voice reflected her disbelief. “Who doesn’t want to be a star?”
“Well, me for one.”
“That’s cause you’re retarded,” London dismissed. “Eve dropped you on your head when you were a baby. I was there.”
“You weren’t even-”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A loud rapping on wood interrupted Shakira’s words, drawing her attention to the bedroom’s door. “London, someone’s at the door. Call you later?”
“Sure,” London said. “And come with a breakdown of your dinner menu. I wanna know how those rich people eat like.”
Ending the call, Shakira entered the room and crossed its expanse to pull the door open. Her eyebrows shot up her forehead when she saw the person standing there.
CHAPTER 19
“What do you think?” Nathan asked.
“She’s not a killer.” The conviction in Danny’s voice was explicit.
“She doesn’t look like one,” Zeke corrected. He leant forward and tapped his cue-stick against the blue ball. The ball rolled forward over the green fabric hitting a red ball and sending it straight into one of the six pockets lining the table. His brothers both groaned in disappointment.
“Disgusting,” Danny complained even though he wasn’t actually a part of the game. He was seated on a barstool with his back against the counter, a ginger ale in his hand as he watched the game. He turned his attention to Nathan. “Kira’s not the type to hurt anyone.”
“You just met her,” Nathan said even though he agreed with Danny. The time away from Shakira had given him the space he needed to solicit his brothers’ advice. Danny was understandably upset that he hadn’t been briefed about what was going on in Nathan’s life before now but the kid couldn’t hold a grudge if it came with superglue. He’d jumped right into sharing his opinions.
“Maybe it wasn’t deliberate,” Zeke suggested. “An accident?”
“No,” Danny refuted the argument with a firm shake of his head. “She’d have to be really dumb to kill the guy and then let herself get caught sleeping beside the body.”
“What he said,” Nathan agreed as he took his position by the pool-table though it made him feel even more stupid. It had taken his younger brother less than five minutes to figure out a fact that had taken him weeks. Of course Danny had the advantage since he was the most extroverted of them and seemed to have a better understanding of human nature but that was still no excuse.
There was silence as Zeke and Danny waited for Nathan to shoot. When he did, the ball was completely off the mark which drew amused guffaws from his brothers.
“My dog could beat you at this,” Z
eke ribbed. Sobering up and pushing his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose, he asked, “Randall found Eve in Jamaica?”
“Yup.” Nathan sighed. “She’s living it up on the beach.”
“Well at least now you know that Shakira’s not a con-woman,” Zeke said as once more he leant against the table and aimed. “All you gotta prove now is…” His breath hitched as he thrust his stick sending another ball straight into the pocket. “…that she’s not a murderer.”
Nathan nodded in agreement. Finding out what was going on with Shakira was not just about proving her innocence it was also about keeping her safe. Just the thought of anything happening to her was enough to give him nightmares. “I’ve got Randall trying to figure out what the FBI have on her, and what Alim and the thumb drive have to do with anything.”
Danny shook his head as his gaze shifted between the other two men in the room. “I don’t understand why the two of you like this sneaky investigation plans bullshit,”
“It’s called strategy,” Zeke said.
“No, it’s called invasion of privacy,” Danny corrected as he tilted the brown bottle against his lips. After taking a huge gulp he turned to Nathan. “If you want to know what’s going on with her and the FBI why not just ask her?”
“So she can say what? I didn’t kill my ex-boyfriend. The FBI are just confused about me,” Zeke mimicked, giving the worst impression of a woman that Nathan had ever seen. It drew a reluctant chuckle from both Nathan and Danny. Zeke added, “You obviously don’t know women.”
“I know them better than you two.” Danny pointed his finger at them. “When she discovers this…your ass is toast.”
“When?” Nathan’s head snapped towards Danny. “Don’t you mean if?”
“You obviously don’t know women.” Danny mimicked Zeke’s words. Holding Nathan’s gaze, he said, “She’s going to string you up by the balls, slice off your dick and burn your hair.”
Both Zeke and Nathan winced at the imagery. Nathan didn’t think Shakira was capable of quite that much violence but he wasn’t ready to risk it. More to convince himself than to convince Danny, Nathan said, “She won’t find out.”
