8
Liza
I roll to my back and blink rapidly, attempting to shake off the last vestiges of sleep. Something feels different this morning. My throat is sore, and my body feels tender in an unfamiliar way. I glance around the room, barely able to make out the shape of a bedside lamp in the dim light of early morning. The silence is shattered by a loud screech, followed by a meow that will be heard for miles. I sit up quickly just in time to hear a commotion in the hallway. “Goddammit, you mongrel, come back here! How was I to know you weren’t finished taking a shit? There was a pile in the box the size of a small building.” My mouth drops open as a light flips on outside the door, and I see Rufus run by, followed closed by a nearly naked Lee.
It takes my brain a long moment to register where I am and why, before I gather my wits enough to slide awkwardly from the bed. I look around but see no sign of my clothes from the night before or anything else for that matter. The sound of a crash, followed by curses has me tossing modesty to the wind and hurrying to find out what’s going on. I’m brought up short by the sight of Lee, with his hands on his lean hips, staring down as Rufus kneads his claws in what is undoubtedly a very expensive chair. “I think I’m gonna be sick,” I whisper as I survey the damage.
I swear, if it’s possible for a cat and a person to be glaring at each other, then they’re doing it. Rufus appears almost defiant as he works his claws into the leather while Lee stands there doing nothing to stop him. “You do realize that you’ll pay for that, don’t you?” he asks without looking my way. I open my mouth to assure him that I will, when he continues. “I know you’re doing it on purpose, and while I applaud your attempt to show me who’s boss, you’ve made a dire miscalculation.” He’s having a conversation with Rufus. Damn, I wish I had my phone to record this. I remain stock-still not wanting to ruin the moment. “You see,” Lee continues, “if you knew me at all, you’d realize that there’s only room for one boss here, and that ain’t you, pal. I let you get away with covering most of the bathroom in fucking sand and attempting to rip my dick off last night, but it’s the end of the line.” His voice takes on that commanding tone that I’ve heard so often at Falco as he raises his hand and points toward the floor. “Now come down from there right now and don’t even think about taking off.” I grin, waiting for Rufus to ignore him, but I’m astonished when my normally stubborn animal does exactly as Lee has commanded. Even going so far as to sit at his feet as if awaiting praise and his next order.
“Unbelievable,” I say to myself, but neither of them appear to know that I’m witnessing this scene unfold.
I’m further shocked when Lee bends down and scratches Rufus behind the ears. The cat begins purring loudly and staring at Lee with a look of absolute adoration. “Well done,” Lee praises him. “Since you listened so well, I’ll let the chair thing go, and you’ll be rewarded at breakfast. But if this happens again, you’ll be shitting in the street somewhere.”
That’s it. I can no longer hold it back. I begin laughing. Lee turns and rolls his eyes at me as if he’s known I’ve been here all along. “I swear you could be the cat whisperer,” I gasp out. “I can’t believe he did what you told him to. How in the world did you manage that?” Lee stands, and his eyes roam leisurely over me. It’s then that I realize that I’m completely naked. “I couldn’t find my clothes,” I say awkwardly as I cross my arms over my chest. Of course, the bottom part of me is still exposed, and I can’t do anything about it without looking like an idiot.
I almost expect him to pretend like nothing happened last night, but when he pulls me against him and lowers his mouth to mine, I feel giddy. He kisses me thoroughly, and when he pulls back, I’m drunk from the taste of his tongue sliding against mine. Sweet baby Jesus, the man is amazing at both kissing and fucking. Wait, did I just call it fucking? It’s hard to refer to being taken against the wall as making love. Whatever, it was amazing. I came in an embarrassingly short amount of time, but there was no holding back. His big cock, along with his mouth and hands, were enough to drive me insane with desire. I want him again now, and if the hardness pressed against me is anything to go by, then he is of the same mind. “Good morning,” he murmurs against the side of my neck, before dropping a kiss onto the tip of my nose. “I trust by all the sounds you were making that you slept well?”
I drop my forehead against his chest in embarrassment. When I’m overly tired, I do tend to snore. “Sorry,” I mumble. “I hope I didn’t keep you awake.”
He rubs my back leisurely before moving lower and squeezing one of my butt cheeks. He does seem to have a thing for my ass. His hands were there several times the night before. And even though I’ve always been self-conscious about the size of it, I haven’t cared. It feels so good that he so openly admires my body—even the parts I don’t love myself. “No, sweetheart, you were fine. I can’t say the same for the beast, though.” He turns his head to where Rufus is still sitting in the same spot watching us. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear him raising holy hell. I went in there the first few times thinking he’d hurt himself somehow only to find him absolutely fine.”
I press my lips to his chest, kissing him in apology. “It’s the new surroundings. I’m sure he was nervous. Other than the veterinarian, he’s never been anywhere overnight except for my house.” I look around for a clock but don’t see one. “I know it must be getting late, and we need to get ready for work. So as soon as I find my clothes, I’ll straighten up the bathroom.”
“It’s already been taken care of,” Lee mumbles. He looks uncomfortable now as he stares at some point over my shoulder. “I was up early, and I didn’t want you to have to deal with it.”
I’m beyond stunned. “You cleaned up? But surely, you didn’t scoop the box out? I can do that. I’ve done it so often; it’s almost like second nature to me now.”
“Honey, it’s been taken care of.” He isn’t making eye contact, and I’m not sure what to make of that. Then he adds softly, “I’ve never lived with anyone other than Pete in my adult life. So I’m used to a certain amount of order. If something needs to be done, I do it.”
“But don’t you have a housekeeper?” I ask, knowing he does. I’ve met her a few times when she’s dropped off stuff at the office that he needed from home.
“I do.” He nods. “But she mostly does the shopping and a bit of cooking. Occasionally, she handles the laundry. She’s away visiting her sister right now, though.” I want to question him further, but he derails me by saying, “Now that we’ve covered that, we’ll have some bagels that were delivered earlier and a glass of juice. Then we’re going to talk.” So much for him being tempted by my nakedness. Talk? This can’t be good.
“Don’t we need to get to work?” It must be earlier than I thought, because Lee is never late.
“We’re taking the day off,” he tosses out as if he’s discussing nothing of importance. “There are some things we need to address, and I don’t want to wait any longer. Plus, there are too many distractions and interruptions at Falco. Kara has kindly agreed to handle everything until tomorrow.”
New strategy time. “But I’m not wearing any clothes,” I purr in what I hope is a seductive voice. He’s still hard against me, so surely I can tempt him.
He appears faintly amused as his arms tighten around me. “I’m not blind, little bird. I’ve never been more aware of something in my fucking life.” I’ve so got this, I think a mere second before he puts me firmly away from him. “Your clothes are hanging in my closet. Why don’t you go do whatever you need to and then meet me in the kitchen for breakfast?” When I simply stand there gaping at him, his hands land on my shoulders as he turns me gently around before swatting my ass. “We’re going to have to work on this sulking. I know where the cat gets it from now.” I stick my tongue out at him childishly thinking he can’t see it, but his chuckle lets me know he does. “I’ll find a better use for that later,” he murmurs before walking in the other direction. I stop, a little giddy
thinking about using my tongue on him. And now a little wet too. Damn the man.
“That was an epic failure in seduction,” I grumble to Rufus. “And what are you now, a lap dog? Have a little pride.” I swear he gives me a look of disdain before following behind his new master. Once in the bedroom, I wander into his closet and blink in surprise. It’s as big as my entire bedroom, and everything is organized so well it boggles my mind. The hangers are all pointing in the same direction and the clothing is arranged by color. All the shirts are grouped together as well as the slacks and jackets. There’s a separate area for his ties, shoes, and hell, everything really. I wander around the space until I find the items from my suitcase all carefully arranged at the far end of the closet. Dear Lord, he’s anal retentive. I’m almost afraid to touch anything. I have a feeling he’ll notice if a hanger is moved. He even hung up my yoga pants. I grab a pair with a wild floral pattern and a matching Nike shirt. I’m careful to leave everything as it was. I then go through a nearby set of drawers until I locate my bra and panties. Pretty, matching undergarments are one of my few loves. I choose a silky pair of purple boy shorts and a pushup bra and close the drawer. After a quick shower in Lee’s luxurious bathroom, I dress and head toward the kitchen. I have no idea how long it’s been, but I know how he is about punctuality.
He’s sitting at the bar with a glass of juice in front of him and Rufus at his feet when I walk in. He glances up and smiles, and my heart does a funny somersault. He’s so freaking beautiful. I’ve just taken a seat across from him when the cell phone near his elbow rings. He picks it up and glances at the caller ID before answering it with a curt, “Yes.” He stays on the line for what seems like forever with only the occasional acknowledgment of whatever the person is saying. He doesn’t add anything to the conversation—which seems bizarre. When I look up from my bagel and find his gaze fixed on me intently, I shift uneasily in my seat. I offer him a smile, but he doesn’t acknowledge it in any way. I understand how seriously Lee takes everything in life, especially business matters, but this feels different. Why isn’t he speaking? Surely, whoever is on the other end of the line has said something by now that would require Lee to say more than, “Yes” or “I see.” But he hasn’t, and even though I have no reason to be nervous, I am. I can’t help it. I know instinctively that something is wrong. It’s there in the waves of energy radiating off him. I feel the desire to grab Rufus and make a run for it—but I’m frozen in place. I don’t want to stay, but I can’t leave. Then it hits me with the force of a speeding train. He knows. I know he’s known something about Hunter Wrenn and me, but clearly it can’t have been as much as I thought. But now? I’ve never been so certain of anything before in my life. My nerves are at a breaking point by the time he ends the call and tosses the phone down carelessly onto the bar. It clatters loudly, and I can’t control my flinch.
I gape at him in confusion when he picks up his half-eaten bagel and takes a bite as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. I almost believe I imagined the whole thing if not for the weird current that still fills the air around us. “Is everything all right?” I ask hesitantly, unable to stand the silence any longer.
He doesn’t answer the question, but says instead, “Finish your breakfast.” His face is impassive, and his body language says clearly that any further conversation isn’t welcome. I take a few more bites of the blueberry bagel, but it’s like sawdust in my mouth. I finally lay my napkin down, and as if he has been waiting for the signal, he gets to his feet and clears the table. I don’t offer to help because I’m not sure my legs will work at this point. I’m literally a prisoner to the barstool I’m sitting on. Even upset, angry, or whatever the hell he is, he still carefully cleans up all the remains of our food, right down to wiping the crumbs away and loading the dishwasher. I have never known a person in my life—and certainly not a man—who is as much of a neat freak as he is. When he’s finished, he says stiffly, “Could you come into my office please?” He may have phrased it as a question—but we both know it isn’t. Gone is the man who couldn’t keep his hands off me. I follow him out of the kitchen and down the hallway to a door at the other end. He keys in a code to release the door, then motions me inside. I didn’t notice the lock when he pointed his office out last night, but I’m not surprised. He’s always been very security conscious, which made what my family wanted me to do virtually impossible—thank God. “Have a seat, Jade,” he says softly, and I comply without hesitation.
Then it hits me with the force of a lightning bolt. Jade. He knows my name. A denial springs instantly to my lips, but I don’t voice it. What is the point? It’ll only make matters worse—if that’s even possible. There has always been an air of danger around Lee, but I’ve never been afraid of him, and strangely, I’m not now either. I can’t bring myself to believe he’d ever physically hurt me. But I know now that he doesn’t have to, because he holds the power to destroy me with his words alone. “I wanted to tell you.” I sigh. “I didn’t know how to do that without you hating me.”
He steeples his hands before him as he stares blankly at me. “Funny thing about betrayal; it does have a way of turning friends into enemies.”
Leaning forward in my chair, I say huskily, “I didn’t betray you, Lee. At least not in the way you think. I never gave my father any information he could use against you. And believe me, I had to withstand a lot of pressure from him and my sister.”
He snorts as if he doesn’t believe a word. “You betrayed me the moment you took a job at Falco with a false identity.” He sits back in his chair, looking like the gangster he’s reputed to be. “Now, let’s start at the beginning. I know who you are, but I don’t have the specifics as to why. Don’t get me wrong. I’m aware of the past connection with your father and the company I took over. But this elaborate scam seems a bit extreme for simple retaliation. And don’t even think of holding back on me. I want the fucking truth. You owe me that.”
Without thinking, I raise my hand to the tender skin of my throat, and his eyes follow the motion. I see the first real sign of anger simmering there as he appears to come to a conclusion about how it happened. I look down to gather my composure before once again facing him. This is what I’ve worried about. This is why I left. I didn’t want to see the anger directed at me. “You’re right, this is about more than the company. Truthfully, I don’t think my father would have been so bent on revenge if not for the fact that the company you stole from him resulted in my mother’s death. Before you took Wrenn Wear, my father said she never drank more than a glass of wine with dinner. But afterward, she began drinking heavily. And the arguments—I remember they constantly yelled at each other. Sometimes, it seemed to continue all night. Until she went out one day—and never came back.” My chest is tight as I add, “Her car left the road, and she hit a tree. The police said she never even pressed the brake pedal. She was killed instantly.”
The mighty and powerful Lee Jacks did not expect that. He’s clearly surprised—no, shocked. Even though his expression changes very little, I’ve learned to read him. And it’s there in the way his hand clenches and in the slight tic of his cheek. “I don’t see the connection,” he says flatly. “It was but a small holding in the vast Wrenn empire. Of little consequence to anyone. I have no idea why Draco even wanted it,” he adds almost as an afterthought.
“I don’t know all the details. I was very young when it happened. But my mother was running the company you took over. According to my father, outside of her family, Wrenn Wear was the love of her life.”
Lee pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes for a moment before saying, “You must know what kind of man your father is. Well, he crossed the wrong people and got off remarkably light.”
“You took the company for someone else?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
He inclines his head. “I did. He owed a debt to Draco Moretti, and he paid for it with Wrenn Wear.”
“You tossed my mother and everyone else there out i
n the street,” I say accusingly. This part of the picture hasn’t made sense to me since I got to know Lee. He’s ruthless in business, but always fair.
“The company was never officially mine, Liza… Jade.” He catches himself after using my assumed name and spits the other one out in contempt. He pauses for a moment. “It was signed over to Moretti Holdings the second it was acquired. That was always the plan. Back in those days, I worked for Victor, who was best friends with Draco. I didn’t question orders from either of them because they’d never once given me a reason to question their loyalty to me. Do you have any idea how rare that is in this fucked-up world?”
I don’t think he meant to tell me as much as he has. Naturally, I’ve heard stories of Victor Falco through the years. Draco’s name had also come up in passing, although there was very little information available on either man other than their supposed ties to organized crime. “I know my father’s not a good person.” I feel like I’m committing a betrayal of the worst kind, but what else is there to do? This has gone on for entirely too long. Eventually, someone would get hurt, and I don’t plan to be a party to it. “I couldn’t be around him for this many years and not be aware of that.” Moisture gathers at the corners of my eyes as I add softly, “But there’s one thing I can tell you that is absolutely true. He loved my mother. I might have been young when she died, but I clearly recall the way he worshiped her. He was different back then—even with my sister and me. Funny and loving—like other dads. Not this version that he turned into after her death.”
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