Ice In His Veins

by Tressie Lockwood

  Grumbling, he cleaned his desk up while considering his line of thinking. The decision might be for the best because he didn’t see himself as the type of man who would suddenly embrace foolishness.

  His cell phone rang again, and this time he checked to see who was calling. It was Reinhart. Arik hesitated, thought about it, and then answered. “Reinhart.”

  “Hello, my boy, I was just—”

  Arik jumped in before he could overthink a decision he had just come to. “You’re interested in me getting with Karina, aren’t you?”

  “Uh…” Reinhart stammered. “She’s a good woman, from an excellent family. She—”

  “If I asked her to marry me, do you think she would agree? With a few specific understandings of course.”

  The line went silent.

  “Are you there?”

  “I’m here,” Reinhart breathed. “You took me by surprise. I hoped you would come around and let go of…uh…you would realize what a great match Karina would make, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.”

  Arik ground his teeth. He could rip the man a new one for even hinting that Chevelle wasn’t three times the woman Karina was, but he had made his decision. More importantly, Chevelle had made hers. At the back of his mind, he wondered if he should be thinking of such weighty matters when he hadn’t slept, but he forged ahead. Who knew? He might actually get to sleep that night because of moving forward with this.

  As soon as Arik disconnected the call with Reinhart, a voicemail came in. He checked to see who it was and tensed hearing Chevelle’s voice.

  “Hey, Arik. I know I left you hanging, and I’m sorry again. There’s nothing I can say at this point, but if you would, can you please mail my last check? If I remember correctly the last paycheck isn’t directly deposited, so mailing it would be great. I’m still out of town, but I have someone picking up my mail. Thanks.”

  A slow smile spread over his face. Mail her check? He wondered how long she would hide from him if he withheld it and waited for her to show up in his office. It was the least he deserved as her employer and more so as her lover.

  He spent a solid hour thinking about Chevelle and her lovely body before he realized he was about to commit to another woman. He would have to stop thinking about Chevelle and let her go. His migraine flared into unbelievable pain, and he packed up to leave work. Nothing else was getting done. First, he would get some more meds and then go see Karina.

  “You’re not really going to do this, are you, big bro?” Cael had been pestering him ever since Arik told him about his plans. He didn’t know why he was so stupid as to tell his youngest brother. Cael made his displeasure known from the first moment.

  “I’m not having this conversation with you, Cael.” He turned his back and began looking through the file cabinet for paperwork he was starting to think didn’t exist.

  “Come on, man. Karina? She’s a sweet girl, but not Chevelle.”

  Arik cut his eyes back at Cael. “You hardly know either of them.”

  “I know Karina as much as you do, and yet you’re marrying her.”

  He had a point, but Arik wasn’t going to concede.

  “Plus I can see Chevelle being my sister-in-law. She’s hot and sweet and—”

  “Cael!”

  “Perfect for you. Plus she loves you.”

  “That’s enough,” Arik growled.

  For the first time, anger flashed in Cael’s eyes. “This is a mistake, Arik, and you know it. If you have to draw up a prenuptial agreement with your wife to be, there’s a problem.”

  “I’m being generous with her.”

  “Generous?” Cael laughed, a cold sound that made Arik uncomfortable. He’d become accustomed to Cael’s sunny personality. It didn’t sit well to be the cause of dimming Cael’s disposition.

  Where did that sentiment come from? Pull yourself together, Arik.

  What he needed was sleep. It still escaped him no matter what he did. He rubbed his red, painful eyes and looked around for the eye drops he’d taken to squeezing into them. The bottle was nowhere to be seen.

  “Karina understands this isn’t a love match. It’s convenient for both of us. It works, and I don’t see your problem with the situation. You’ve agreed to be a part of the ceremony, so let’s just end the conversation there.”

  “I’m thinking about changing my name,” Cael announced, completely off topic.

  Arik froze. “What?”

  “To Johansson.”

  Arik frowned. “Did Reinhart put you up to this? Was it the condition he put on giving you money?”

  Cael denied everything. “No, it doesn’t matter, does it? I mean you’re a Johansson, and that’s our original last name. So why shouldn’t I be?”

  “Because you said you want to honor your adoptive parents, and you still have a sister.”

  Guilt flashed in his brother’s eyes, which made Arik think this idea wasn’t all his thinking. Right now Cael was far too influenced by money, and if Reinhart flashed it in his face, Cael might agree to anything. It pissed Arik off, but he wasn’t sure how to counter Reinhart’s offer. The truth was, he wouldn’t mind Cael being a Johansson again.

  “I will always be Marianne’s brother,” Cael insisted. “And my parents are gone like I told you. I spoke to Marianne about it, and she’s fine with the decision… Well, she was a little sad. I promised her I wouldn’t turn my back on her because I found my brothers.”

  “You do what you want, but let it be what you decide and not Reinhart. Don’t let him control your life, Cael. I believe you’re more of a man than that.”

  Cael grinned. He didn’t say any more, but Arik knew he’d gotten through to him.

  Giving up on finding the paperwork, he rose and prepared to take a lunch break. Perhaps if he tried to sleep before his next meeting it would do him good. Cael perched on the edge of his desk with his arms folded and a smile in place.

  “Are you ever going to call him uncle?” Cael asked.

  Arik eyed him. “It makes no difference.”

  “Family, big bro.” He shut his eyes and shivered. “Gives me goose bumps thinking about it.”

  “You’re being dramatic.”

  Cael chuckled. “Can’t you feel it, big bro? We’re getting closer, the three of us.”

  “I’m not aware.”

  Cael straightened and walked over to him to slap him on the shoulder. “We are. I’m going to be a Johansson, and before you know it we’ll convince Brand to be as well.”

  “I wouldn’t hold my breath on that. Brand has a mind of his own.”

  For a moment, Cael looked insulted, as if Arik meant to say Cael didn’t have one. Arik didn’t have the energy to apologize. He truly believed under the superficial attitude, Cael was more than he gave himself credit for. If Arik could get Reinhart out of the picture, he would uncover it. Perhaps Cael changing his name wasn’t so bad.

  “Well, never mind that,” Cael said. “We have to convince you about the mistake you’re making before it’s too late.”

  Arik shook his hand off. “We?”

  Cael walked toward the door. “Me and Brand.”

  Arik grumbled. “I’ve just said—”

  “He seems mean as a snake at lot of the time, but he likes you. Can you believe it?”

  “No.”

  Cael burst out laughing, stuck his hands in his pockets, and left the office. Arik considered tearing his hair out by the roots but figured it wouldn’t help his migraine. Cael might actually be the death of him. As he considered what he would do about the man, his cell phone beeped, and he checked it. A voicemail.

  “Arik, are you trying to be an ass? You haven’t mailed my check. Don’t be like this. Send it, all right?”

  He pressed the button for reply. “Your check will be ready for pickup in my office on Monday. No one but you will be allowed to sign for it.”

  There. Let her avoid him now. He could see her once more before he shut the door on their involvement forever.r />
  Chapter 14

  “This is crazy, Chevelle,” Shawnita said while she dressed her little girl. “You’re hiding from him like the last three years meant nothing. I told you it was dangerous to get involved with your boss, especially with his attitude, but now you’re letting him make you hide? Maybe I need to talk to him, take him down a few pegs.”

  “I’m not hiding.” She was so hiding from Arik, but what choice did she have? It was the only way to make a break with him. “I stayed in that hotel as long as I could stand to run up my credit card balance. And now…”

  Her sister eyed her. “And now what? You’re going back to him?”

  “No.” Chevelle groaned. “He’s not mailing my damn check. I know it’s his way of manipulating me into coming into the office. I just don’t know what he plans to do when I get there.”

  “Well he’s not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. Even I know he’s better than that.”

  It’s what I want to do that’s the problem.

  “You don’t understand. He has…” She bit her lip, not wanting to talk to her sister about how Arik made her feel and about how much she loved him. How long could she deny the man she wanted to be with more than anything? “Never mind. I’m just going in there, grab my check, and get the hell out.”

  Her sister made a noise of disbelief. “Well in the milliseconds you’re there I suggest you get him to agree to give you a good reference. A sister is not made of money.”

  Chevelle chuckled. “Nita, you know you wrong.”

  “Please. I’m right. You liked to brag about how much you were getting paid, but wait till you start to dig into your savings.”

  “I wasn’t bragging.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Anyway,” Chevelle said pointedly. She steered the conversation to other things, but at the back of her mind, she kept thinking about Arik. Everything inside her wanted to tell him she made a mistake. The strength she thought she had gained fizzled days after she didn’t see him. She was pathetic in that she missed him so much. The man had gotten under her skin. The only reason she kept going along with her decision was because it had been so long now that she would look like a fool going back. Besides, maybe his desire had cooled.

  Her cell phone beeped, and she noticed the voicemail symbol. Stomach clenching with nerves, she checked the message.

  “Your check will be ready for pickup in my office on Monday. No one but you will be allowed to sign for it.”

  She let out a screech of annoyance and threw her phone on the couch. “He drives me crazy!”

  Shawnita and her niece both blinked at her like she’d lost her mind.

  “What’s up?” Shawnita asked.

  “Stupid Arik wants me to pick up the check. I told you that’s what he’s up to. Ugh, he’s trying to drive me to drink. Seriously!”

  Her sister pursed her lips. “If you’re over him, it won’t be a problem.”

  Chevelle didn’t say anything.

  “Chevelle?”

  She rubbed her eyes.

  “Girl, you’ve always been weak against men. You’d think we weren’t related. Tell him what he can kiss and get your money, Chevelle.”

  “I will.”

  Her sister looked unconvinced. “What about that other dude you were telling me about? You seeing him?”

  “Eli?”

  “Yeah, you said he’s exactly what you would want in a husband.”

  “That was before… Never mind. I’m not getting into that. But no, we were never involved. Eli was always just a friend. He’s still my friend, I guess, but I’m taking a break until he gets things straight with his son. I refuse to be the reason he doesn’t take care of his little boy.”

  “His little boy? What didn’t you tell me?”

  “I don’t want to get into it. But you’ve got a point. If I let Arik think I’m with Eli now, maybe it’ll give me that added barrier.”

  “Because you’re too weak to tell him no.”

  “Nita, for real. Do you have to be so cold?”

  “I tell it like it is, and if I’m not real with you, who will be? You’re my sister, and I love you. I’m not going to let some asshole take advantage of you.”

  “He’s not taking advantage of me.”

  “I know because I’d kill him first.”

  Chevelle laughed. “I can’t win with you. All right, I’m going up there on Monday and get this mess cleared up. Then I can start over and choose a new path for myself.”

  “That’s the Chevelle I know.”

  The blaring alarm startled Chevelle awake, and she fumbled around for her phone. After knocking it on the floor a few times, she came alert enough to turn it off. Little feet with tiny wiggling toes caught her attention near the door.

  “Lily, what are you doing?” she groaned.

  “Waiting,” came the chipper reply.

  “For what?”

  An elbow and a knee landed in her side as her niece jumped on her. She grunted in pain but rolled over tickling the little girl. “I’ve got somewhere important to go, sweetpea.”

  “I know. Mommy went first.”

  Chevelle froze. “What do you mean Mommy went first?”

  The little girl sat up. “Mommy said if she let you handle everything you’ll just go back to that son of a—”

  “Okay, okay, I get it. I hope your mom bleeped out that last part. Sometimes, that woman’s mouth… You’re telling me she went to see my…uh…boss?”

  “Not your boss, Aunt Chevelle.” She offered a mischievous grin. “Your boyfriend.”

  Chevelle flew out of bed at a run. She jumped into the shower and did a record-breaking wash off. If she didn’t check her sister, Shawnita would cuss Arik out, and then he’d be too pissed off to give her any kind of reference. She was pretty sure she could get him to put in a good word to a future employer, but not if her sister made him too mad.

  She texted Shawnita on the way to the office and glanced at her niece and nephew in the back seat. “Okay, guys. I need you to be on your best behavior please. I have to convince your mom to let me handle my own affairs. So let’s go.”

  She hurried the kids up to the floor where Arik’s offices were, hoping her sister hadn’t started in on him yet. So many times when they were kids, Shawnita would mouth off when they got in to trouble, and she made things worse. She never knew when to take the low road as their Aunt Sylvia used to say. Not Shawnita. She was front and center and didn’t bite her tongue for anybody.

  When they exited the elevator and Chevelle led the kids into her old work area, a sense of panic overcame her. She could already hear Shawnita’s big mouth as she went at Arik. Chevelle pointed out cushioned seats for the kids and handed them the coloring books and crayons she brought along before starting toward Arik’s door. Shawnita’s anger crackled like lightning.

  “I don’t know who in the hell you think you are jerking my sister around, but I’m here to tell you it stops now!”

  Arik leaned back against his desk with his arms folded. “What I do and your sister does is none of your concern.”

  “It is when you think you can use her for her body, and then toss her aside.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I wasn’t the one who left.”

  “You’re the one who did the using, and I’m telling you I’m the one who’s going to kick your ass for it.”

  Arik grew amused, a grin spreading over his handsome face. Chevelle, who had been about to interrupt this argument, froze and stared at him. Her heart pounded. She was still a mess over him. It was a good thing Shawnita had come, to keep her from doing something stupid.

  “You are going to kick my ass?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “By all means give it a try.”

  Chevelle snapped out of her trance and ran over to them. “Cool it, you two! And Nita, I told you I can handle this for myself. You walked out on your kids to come tell Arik off.”

  Shawnita rolled her eyes. �
��I left them with their Aunt Chevelle, who they love almost as much as they love me. Plus I was just about to put my foot somewhere the sun don’t shine with this fool.”

  “Wow, I can’t believe my eyes!”

  All three of them looked around at the new voice, and Chevelle sighed. Cael had arrived, and he was staring at Shawnita like she was on the lunch menu. He took his time striding into the room and strode straight up to her, standing far too close. Shawnita stuck a hand on her hip and raised her chin.

  “May I help you?” she demanded.

  Cael grinned. “You sound like her too. I never would have believed it. I knew she had a sister, but wow!”

  “Whatever, pal.”

  He grabbed one of her hands and raised it to his lips to kiss. “Why don’t we make it a double wedding?”

  “Cael,” Arik snapped. “Close your mouth.”

  He ignored Arik, or perhaps he was that mesmerized by her sister that he didn’t hear. “I’m willing to devote my entire life to you, my beauty.”

  Shawnita snatched her hand from Cael’s grasp. “Chevelle, is this idiot serious? We’re trying to get you settled here, and we don’t have time for men who think their sweet talk is going to blind us.”

  Chevelle suppressed a smile, but she was also curious about why Arik was so quick to shut his brother up about marriage. Did he seriously think she was trying to get him to marry her this late in the game? Or was it that he thought Shawnita would fall so quickly she would take Cael up on his crazy offer? He should know Shawnita better than that by now.

  “Nita, this is Arik’s brother Cael. Don’t they look alike?”

  “Just looks apparently,” Shawnita said with smirk.

  “Likewise,” Arik quipped. “But what am I saying? You don’t look like Chevelle.”

  Shawnita got the intended dig against her and started to shove Cael aside to get to him. Chevelle hurried over and grabbed her sister’s arm. She tugged her toward the door. “Just give us a few minutes to talk, Nita. I can handle this.”