Chapter 10
Joel
“I’ll put the cheerleader outfit back on once we’re home, so stop pouting,” Sierra tells me as we pull up to the pizza place.
“I’m not pouting. I’m sulking,” I tell her with a laugh. “You look great in your sweater and jeans, too, by the way.”
“Why thank you.”
I open her car door for her and take her hand in mine. When we get inside, the team calls me over to sit with them. I hesitate, but Sierra tells me to go ahead and sit with them. I kiss her cheek and join the guys while she sits with her girls.
A few minutes after we order, I see a guy in a suit approach Sierra’s table. “Daniel!” she yells, jumping out of her chair. “Oh my God! What are you doing here?” she asks as she hugs him.
“I had a delivery for a client. I was going to give you a call tomorrow,” he tells her, keeping his hands on her hips when they move apart.
I’m waiting for her to move his hands off of her, or at least step back. She doesn’t. She lets him keep his hands on her. She lets him lean in and kiss her cheek. I can objectively say that he’s handsome, and he’s probably never had a speck of dirt on him in his life.
“I miss all of you so much. I’m so glad to see you. It’s like seeing a little piece of home.”
“You can always come back. You know that.”
“Thanks, but I’m loving my new job.”
“Are you going to introduce me to your friends?’
“Oh, yeah. Sorry,” she says, turning so that his hands are finally dislodged. They end up holding hers, and she doesn’t stop that either. “These are my co-workers Jenysis, Harlow, Neveah, Kalilia, Camari, Waverly, Rose, and Rhieve. Everyone, this is Daniel. We worked together in Seattle.”
“We did more than work together. We were a couple.”
“Yeah, we were,” she says, blushing.
“Come sit with me?”
“Sure. I’ll be back in a few,” she tells her friends, sliding into a booth with him. He sits next to her instead of across from her, and I almost lose it right then and there. I force myself to stay calm and trust that she’ll call me over.
I wait another couple of minutes, giving her a chance to introduce me. Wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t happen, though. He keeps touching her, and she keeps letting him. All while either pretending I’m not in the room or forgetting about me. Maybe both.
“I gotta go,” I tell Miles, who nods. I try to hand him some money, but he just waves me off.
I stand and walk past Sierra and the guy, Daniel, but she doesn’t even notice me. Jenysis does and she gives me a sad smile. I can’t believe this is happening. She said she forgave me when I screwed up, but now she’s ignoring me for some guy in a suit, who she apparently used to date. We haven’t talked a lot about our pasts, so she doesn’t know that if I hadn’t found baseball, I’d be a guy in a suit, too. I guess now she’ll probably never know.
* * *
Sierra
“It was great catching up, but I should get back to my friends,” I tell Daniel.
I was caught up in seeing him again because he was a part of the life I left behind, but after ten minutes of talking with him, I now remember why I broke up with him. He’s only interested in himself and what he’s doing. He touts all of his charity donations, but would never actually help out somewhere. The sex with him was good, so I stayed longer than I should have, but I was right to end things.
“I’m sure they won’t mind if I keep you for the rest of the night,” he says, rubbing my arm. “It’s not like you have a boyfriend or anything.”
“What?”
“If you had a boyfriend, you wouldn’t be letting me touch you like this.”
“I thought you were just being friendly. You touch all of the women in our group like this.”
“Yeah, but think how it would look if you were with someone.”
“I am with someone.”
I crane my neck around to see that Joel isn’t at the table with the players any longer. Miles is glaring at me, and when I turn my head, Jen is staring at me like I’m insane.
“Where is your mystery guy?” Daniel asks, pulling me to him.
“He’s not a mystery,” I say, pulling away. “Have a safe flight back.”
I get out of the booth as he sputters. I don’t care about him right now. I need to find Joel. He’s still not at his table, but I walk over there to talk to Miles.
“Where’s Joel?”
“He left, Sierra.”
“What do you mean he left? We came together.”
“Didn’t look like it,” one of the kids tells me. “That other guy was all over you.”
“He’s just friendly like that.”
“You could’ve introduced him to Joel,” another kid tells me.
I get the unspoken message. I should’ve introduced them. I can’t even imagine how it looked to Joel, especially when I go back to my table and none of the girls will look at me.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Bloody hell, Sierra. I love you, but that was just not cool.” I want to laugh at Jen and her mixing of the British and the American, but I can’t.
“I realize that. Can I ride home with someone?”
“I’ll take you,” Kalila says. “I need to do some studying anyway.”
“Thanks.”
I text Joel on the drive home, but he doesn’t answer. I can’t believe I didn’t introduce him to Daniel. I don’t know what I was thinking, although I guess I really wasn’t thinking. I let my happiness over seeing someone from my past hurt the person I want in my future. It’s my turn to apologize, and I can only hope he’ll listen.
I give Kalila a hug and thank her for the ride before going into my apartment. I stop short when I see Joel sitting on my couch. He has his elbows on his knees and his hands steepled together as he stares straight ahead. He doesn’t move as I close the door and walk over to stand in front of him.
“I’m sorry.”
“For?”
“Not introducing you to my old friend.”
“Your old boyfriend. Let’s just be clear about that.”
“Yes. I dated Daniel, but I broke up with him months before I moved here.”
“Yet you let him put his hands on you, while pretending like I didn’t exist.”
“I didn’t mean to. You just don’t understand.”
“You’re ashamed of me. Just admit it.”
“Are you insane? Of course I’m not ashamed of you.”
“My parents are very wealthy. I can put on a suit and use the right fork.”
“Well I’m glad one of us knows how to do that. I can never remember.”
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I. Why do you think I care about a suit or a damn fork?”
“You looked good with him.”
“I look better with you. I was happy to see him, because I miss my friends from Seattle and I was hoping he’d tell me about them.” I need to be honest now. “I didn’t dissuade him because I needed to hear what he said, and see how I was affected by it. I know I made the right choice in coming here, but it’s nice to have that validated sometimes.”
“And you needed to know if you made the right choice in breaking up with him.”
“God, no. He’s a self-absorbed prick. I have zero interest in him romantically.”
“I don’t like how I felt tonight. Like I was less than him. Like you were trading up.”
“Up? There’s no higher than you as far as I’m concerned. I’m sorry for how I behaved tonight. And I’m glad you’re here.”
“I almost wasn’t, but then I remembered how I hurt you and you gave me a chance to explain things to you. I owed you that chance, too.”
“Thank you for that.”
“You’re sure—really sure—that you want to be with me?”
“Yes. It’s you, and only you. You’re the one I want.”
“Can you call him
and tell him that?”
“Daniel?” I ask, and he nods. “I already told him I was seeing someone.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. And then Miles and the kids from the team put me in my place.”
“Shit.”
“I’m sorry. I never meant to make you look bad with them.”
“I don’t. They saw me leave. I’m not so sure they think too highly of you right now, despite the cheerleader outfit.”
“Oh, I know they don’t like me right now. Maybe I can just wear a bikini next time and make it up to them.”
“Over my dead body,” he growls, pulling me onto his lap.
We make out for what seems like hours before he carries me upstairs. We don’t make love, because that’s not what either of us needs to tonight. We kiss and touch each other until we fall asleep, holding onto each other like we’re afraid it’s all a dream. I just hope we don’t turn into a nightmare.
Chapter 11
Sierra
“Hi, Sierra. Please have a seat,” Reina says with a smile as I walk into her office. Darcy is in one of the chairs and smiles at me, too. I take the seat across from her and smile back.
“Hi.”
“It’s time for you to go out on your first mini mission.”
“Oh. Wow. I didn’t think it would be this fast.”
“Honestly, neither did we. Something came up and we both believe you can handle this.”
“Is it something technical?”
“No. It’s something Brazilian,” Darcy tells me with a wink.
“Brazilian?”
“Yes. There’s a young businessman who’s been receiving death threats. We’ve investigated, and while we’re not sure there’s really anything to worry about, we’d rather be proactive than reactive.”
“You speak Portuguese, don’t you? I mean, why me? I’m not proficient yet.”
“Several us are fluent, but we’re all married. Neveah is also fluent, but we need the people on this mission to be armed. As for being proficient, I heard you have a whole conversation with Joel at dinner the other night. You barely stumbled.”
“But I did. I stumbled.”
“The people at this dinner will find it charming, believe me.”
“You said there will be others there with me?”
“I’ll be there with Brayden. He was invited because, well, because people think it’s intriguing that he gave up his kingdom for me.”
“I’ll be part of your team?”
“No. You’ll be the principle’s date.”
“Date? I have a boyfriend.”
“We’re not asking you to sleep with him. You may have to kiss him, and I’m truly sorry for that, but sometimes it’s necessary. He will know you’re not really there with him, and you can threaten him if he gets out of line.”
I nod. I know I have to do this. I knew it would happen sometimes. I just never expected to have a boyfriend, or at least not one who I’m totally in love with. The last week has been close to perfect, and I won’t jeopardize him, even though I want the job. I can handle a kiss or two if I remember I’m just acting.
“What do I need to do?”
Reina and Darcy go over everything with me, and then they call Ainsley in to go over it with me all over again. Stella comes in at some point, getting the information she needs to dress me, and finally Audrey and Kendrick join us. They explain the procedures I’m going to go through in order to have the ear comm and tracker embedded in my skin. It’s more than a little like a sci-fi movie, but it’s also exciting. They wouldn’t be doing this if they didn’t expect me to become a real member of the Society.
I have time for a quick phone call to Joel. I get his voicemail and leave him a message that I’m going out of town for some training, and there’ll be no way to reach me until I get back. I tell him I love him, and then I hand my phone over to Ainsley. Minutes later, I’m falling asleep in the operating room.
When I wake up, my head feels weird and so does my left forearm. There are bandages on both, but no way am I going to peel them back to look.
“You get used to them,” Darcy promises me.
“I feel like some genetic mutation. Like Wolverine or something.”
“We have better tech than they did.”
“You would say that,” I tease her. Besides being a former cat burglar, my mentor is a major gamer.
“Damn straight.”
“What happens next?”
“You’ll be here for twenty-four hours, so we can make sure your body’s accepting the implants. I suggest you use that time to keep going over the file for the mission. It seems tedious, I know, but the smallest thing can save a life.”
“Okay. I understand.”
“Good. Once Kenny clears you, you’ll be on a jet to Sao Paolo. Stella’s going to ride along as your stylist since Bray and I have to be all royal and shit.”
“I sometimes forget that you’re a princess.”
“Me, too. Believe me. my mother-in-law just loves it when I forget,” she tells me with a smirk.
She starts to leave when Kendrick comes in, but bounces back into the room pretty quickly, closing the door. “What’s wrong?”
“Joel’s in the hallway with Waverly.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Kendrick tells us, slipping out the door and closing it again.
“If he sees me, Darce--”
“He won’t. Kenny’s got this.”
It’s a tense few minutes while we wait for him to come back. When he does, he simply nods. “He’s gone. He has no idea you’re here.”
“Thank you,” I tell him.
“We all have our secrets, Sierra. You don’t have to thank me for keeping yours. Now let’s check on these implants.”
* * *
Joel
As soon as I turn my phone on after physical therapy, it rings with a call from Dean. I answer immediately. “What’s up?”
“The GM wants the team doctor to check you out.”
“Okay, when?”
“Tomorrow. I found you a flight out of Vegas in two hours. Can you make it?”
“I don’t have anything packed.”
“You’ve still got your stuff at home, right? I mean, you didn’t take it all, did you?”
“No. You’re right. I’ve got clothes and stuff. I’ll head to the airport now.”
“You’re ready for this, right?”
“Yeah, but did they say why they want this? I thought I’d just be showing off at Spring Training.”
“I’ve been hearing some rumors about a trade being offered to them. I think they want to see if you’re going to be one-hundred percent back or if they should be considering other options.”
“Who are they mentioning for the trade?” He tells me, and I let out a string of four letter words. “They’re good.”
“You’re better, Joel. Just go out there and do what you need to do.”
“I will. I’m ready.”
I hang up with him, and concentrate on getting to the airport. Once I’m all paid up and through security, I pull out my phone to call Sierra. That’s when I see that I have a missed call from her and a voicemail. I listen to her tell me she’s got to go out of town for training and think about how perfect the timing is. I need to have my head in the game and not worrying about leaving her behind. We said we’d figure it out, and I believe that. Really, I do. Yet, I still can’t help the feeling that this is somehow the beginning of the end, no matter what we’ve promised each other.
* * *
Sierra
“When I asked for a lady in red, I had no idea they’d get it just right,” the jackass I’m supposed to be protecting says to me when I answer my hotel room door.
I am in red, because he requested it. A long red off-the-shoulder gown with an attached cape flowing down my arms and behind me to trail on the floor. I’ve got rubies at my throat and I’m totally rocking the retro ponytail with curls Stella put my hair in.
“Vai s
e foder.”
“Hot, feisty, and you speak Portuguese. I wasn’t kidding, Gatinha. You are my dream come true.”
“Do not call me that. Ever.”
“What? Kitten?”
“Yes. Call me it again, and I’ll cut your balls off. Now, if you’re done behaving like a little boy, we have some ground rules to go over.”
He covers his crotch with his hands as he nods. “Sure, whatever you want.”
I remind him that, except for when necessary, he needs to keep his hands to himself. When he smirks and says he might not know when necessary is, I show him my gun. “This isn’t a game. You need protection, and I’m what you’ve got. I have a boyfriend, and nothing is going to happen between you and me. Entender?”
“Yes, I understand. Your boyfriend is a very lucky man, Sierra. I hope he knows this,” he tells me as we leave my suite.
“He does, Marcus,” I assure him as we ride down in the elevator.
There are photographers when we arrive downstairs and enter the ballroom. I turn my head into Marcus’ neck, pretending I’m shy. Really, I just want to hide. This is Joel’s country, and if he happens to see a picture of me like this—with this man—I won’t be able to explain to him that it’s not real. After a few minutes, Marcus waves the photographers away and leads me to the head table.
The night isn’t horrible. Marcus got the hint earlier, and while he occasionally kisses my hand or cheek, he doesn’t try anything else. I kiss his cheek when I see his mother narrowing her eyes at us. He smiles at me, and I force myself to smile back just as brightly. Darcy gives me a subtle nod to let me know I’m doing well when our eyes meet across the room.
The guests at this table all smile indulgently at me as I do my best to converse in Portuguese with them. They seem to like practicing their English with me as well.
Society Girls: Sierra Page 9
