Sweet Obsession (Men of Whiskey Row Book 1)

by D. A. Young

  Jack’s ex was married to Ira’s loser-ass son. That was the real reason Joel had such a hard-on for Jack. His ego couldn’t take that his wife had dated someone more good-looking, charming, and smarter than him. Someone if judging from the looks his wife had given Jack at the party, she still wasn’t over. Noelle had heard enough and her head was spinning from all the little surprises that kept popping up. She stood up, grabbed all the papers, and shoved them into her tote. Giving him the finger, she started walking towards the door.

  “Hey, where are you going? Noelle!” he shouted.

  “Our lives,” Noelle said abruptly and turned around watching Joel narrow his eyes in confusion.

  “Huh?” He asked stupidly. “What did you say?”

  Noelle gave him a withering glare. “You said our lives. Not our business, which leads me to believe that this is a little more personal for you. Go fuck yourself, Rothman. We both know there’s a little more to this story than your ego is willing to acknowledge. When Jack finds out what you tried to pull here, for your sake I hope you have plenty of lubricant. You’re going to need it when he jams both of his size thirteen’s up your smug ass.”

  Noelle watched with satisfaction as his face paled and she saw real fear in his eyes. She walked out despite his protests and texted Avery to meet her in the lobby. Noelle pressed the down button on the elevator and waited impatiently for it to arrive. Her head was pounding, and for once she was regretting breaking up with Mary Jane. She’d kill for something to relax her right now. When the doors opened, she came face to face with none other than Joel’s wife. It was hard to say who was more surprised. Quickly Noelle composed herself and nodded her head in greeting.

  “Hello. You’re Jack’s friend Noelle, aren’t you?” Blondie asked curiously as she stepped out of the elevator and Noelle gritted her teeth. Like this heifer didn’t know. She really didn’t want to do pleasantries with the woman who’d dated her husband and was married to Joel the slime ball. Not today, not ever. And as mad as she was at Jack, she really wanted to let his former lover know she was more than a friend. She was his wife, lover… oh hell, who was she really kidding? She was nothing more than his fucking puppet on a string

  “I am, and you’re Joel’s wife,” Noelle stated shortly, watching as the doors shut and the elevator began the downward descent, without her.

  “Vaughn Emerson.” She held out her well-manicured hand haughtily, and Noelle reluctantly shook it. Up close Vaughn was even prettier than she’d first thought, but she could see exhaustion in her big, brown eyes; and Noelle suspected it was due to Joel.

  “I always knew you and Jack would wind up together,” Vaughn said with a wry twist to her bow-shaped lips. At Noelle’s surprised look, she shrugged her shoulders prettily. “It was obvious the way he couldn’t stop staring at you the night of your birthday party. I asked him about it afterwards, and he just shrugged off my question. A week later, I went to his place, and there was an open folder with a full dossier on you as well as pictures. I knew right then that any hopes of being Mrs. Sullivan were not going to be brought to fruition.”

  “Do you still want him? Is that why you’re telling me this?” Noelle demanded, pressing the down button for the elevator. Mentally, she moved Vaughn to the top of her shit list and Jack to second; or should Jack go first and then the Rothmans? Realistically, if it wasn’t for Jack, she wouldn’t be having all these damn issues…

  Vaughn looked at her seriously. “If I was single and he wanted me, then yes, in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, he doesn’t feel the same way. At Tarik’s party, it was déjà vu all over again for me. He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you, but you can’t even see it, can you?”

  Noelle gave her a contemplative look as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. She moved forward, forcing Vaughn to step aside, and entered the elevator. Turning around she spoke to Vaughn calmly. “I really hope you listen to what I’m going to say to you, Mrs. Rothman. Mind your own damn business and don’t ever think you can address personal issues with me again. I don’t believe in repeating myself and, you won’t like the results should you be stupid enough to try. Are. We. Clear?”

  “Crystal,” Vaughn replied nervously. Noelle’s gaze remained intently locked on her until the doors softly closed.

  “Scoops of bullshit on top of bullshit, and then even more bullshit sprinkled on the sundae to make it tastier,” she growled, pulling out her phone and calling the one business-minded person that she could trust.

  “Hello, my dear.” The dulcet tones immediately soothed her ire.

  “Hi, Uncle Ian,” Noelle said.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  It was seven-thirty that evening when Jack finally got to Noelle’s place. He was livid that he hadn’t heard from her all day. His repeated calls had been sent to voicemail until it was full, and she hadn’t responded to any of his texts. He unlocked the door and walked into the dark foyer. She wasn’t home, and he was stressed from worrying about her. What if something happened to her? Digging into his pocket, he pulled his cell out and called his contact at the police department to see if he knew anything about a Noelle Kramer being injured, waiting restlessly while the contact checked. There was nothing regarding her in the system, but he would keep an eye out he assured Jack, who thanked him before hanging up to take a shower and wait to hear from his wife. Where the hell was she?

  “Theo, thanks for seeing me home,” Noelle said with a hiccup as she struggled to get her keys out of her satchel purse. After three attempts, she held them up. “Aha!”

  “Not a problem, luv. It’s the least I could do so no other bugger could take advantage of you in your drunken glory,” he smirked as he plucked the keys out of her hand and deftly opened the door to her gate.

  “Hey! I resent that. I’m not drunk. I’m…I’m… ine- inebriated,” she finished self-righteously and then hiccupped again as she threw her arm around him. “Slightly.”

  “Uh-huh, well come on then. It’s been a helluva day for you, hasn’t it?” Theo gently helped to maneuver her up the flight of stairs as she laid her head on his shoulder forlornly. Outside of her door, he cautiously propped her up against the wall before inserting the key into the lock of her front door. The day had ended with Noelle having drinks with Theo, Pierce, and Avery at the Blueprint Bar. She was smashed, which was something that normally didn’t happen, but it had been necessary to numb the pain of Jack’s betrayal.

  Noelle giggled hysterically as she observed his disheveled, blonde curls and faint facial hair. “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like that Francis character on Reign? He drives all the ladies wild just like you do, my friend.” She touched his curls. “These curls are errythang, boo. Goldilocks is what I shall call you from now on.”

  Theo rolled his eyes as she gave a dramatic sigh and drunkenly ran her hands through his curls. “I’ve made a deal with the devil and now he owns me. Did you know that?

  Why couldn’t it have been you and me?” She shook her head sadly. “Instead my heart belongs to the devil.”

  Theo gave her a serious look as he pulled the keys out of the now unlocked door. “I’ve often asked myself that same question, Noelle. If you even knew well…I don’t think you really understand what you mean to me. Maybe when you sober up, we can have that talk I’ve wanted to have forever with you.”

  The door swung open, causing Noelle to yelp and stumble back in surprise. Her husband stood in the doorway, murderous intent blazing in his eyes as he grabbed Theo by the throat. “Well, why don’t you enlighten us, asshole?” he growled before turning to a stunned Noelle. “Honey, I’m home.”

  ***

  Jack was so mad, his hands were shaking as he poured his silent, sulky wife a cup of black coffee. He pushed it across the kitchen counter to the other side where she sat. “Drink it.”

  Defiantly she pushed it back towards him, and some of the hot liquid sloshed out of the cup onto the white marble counter. “That’s not how I take my coffee. Yo
u drink it,” she spat, glaring at him.

  Jack placed his hands on the counter and leaned across it so Noelle could see just how serious he was, because he was just about out of patience. “You don’t want to do this with me right now, Noelle. Drink the fucking coffee. Then you can explain exactly what the hell “Prince Charming” was talking about out there.”

  He would never admit how much her confessions hurt him. After hearing a noise by the door, he walked over and heard their entire conversation. Jack felt completely validated in choking the shit out of the little playboy. He knew he’d been right about Theo’s feelings towards Noelle, and that made him squeeze tighter and tighter as Noelle screamed and pulled at his arm. Only when the younger man started to turn blue did Jack finally let go, a primal surge of satisfaction rushing through him as he watched the younger man struggle for air.

  When Noelle bent to help him, Jack quickly snatched her arm and yanked her back. “Get your ass inside, Noelle.” Head held high, she glared at him evilly, before staggering through the doorway.

  Jack leaned down and got in Theo’s face, “Stay away from her. I catch you near her or trying to get next to her again, my hand will be crushing your balls instead. Got it?”

  Gasping, Theo tried to answer and Jack pressed his index finger to his lips. “Don’t speak. I know you got it.” Then he slammed the front door leaving Theo lying in a painful daze on the floor.

  “Well, I won’t have to wait long for us to be together right? You said we’d only need to stay married for a couple of months until everything dies down,” Noelle said smugly as she took a small sip of the coffee, watching his eyes flicker in response. Lying ass bastard.

  Jack observed her coolly. There was something very off about her, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with him finding her and Theo together, as hurtful as that was. She was pretty pissed off, he thought, observing the sparks in her gray eyes. Her lips formed in a snarl, and all of it was directed solely towards him.

  Noelle pressed on as she stood up, pushed her chair back, and headed down the hall, her words floating over her shoulder. “That is what you said isn’t it, Jack? Well, I don’t want to wait for the divorce papers to be drawn up. I want it done ASAP, and I want you to move back into your own space. I will pay you for the time you’ve spent with me. This thing between us is DONE.”

  Heart pounding and blood roaring in his ears, Jack swiftly moved out of the kitchen and followed her down the hall to the bedroom where she angrily whirled to face him.

  “We ain’t gettin’ a divorce, Noelle. I don’t know what the fuck happened with you in the time that I’ve been gone, but divorce is off the table, sugar,” he said in a tightly controlled voice. His southern accent was coming out strong. “I’ll be damned if I let you go so that you can run off with that sniveling pansy. I’m not going anywhere, so quit actin’ like a damned spoiled brat and talk to me about what’s got you so riled up.”

  “Theo is more of a man than you’ll ever be!” Noelle retorted furiously. “At least he’s honest. Unlike you who has done nothing but lie to me! Maybe I should stay away from Theo or he might wind up like Joel Rothman, right? Or dead like Remy?” Her anger reached new levels as she watched realization dawn in his eyes that she knew of his deceit. “Yes, I know about that little fact you decided to keep to yourself. When were you going to tell me that Remy was dead? I had to hear it from my sister, and then an associate confirmed it! You fucking lied to me, Jack!”

  So she knew. Jack stood still as he watched her helplessly falling apart. The cause of her pain, he was remorseful for the state she was in. His jaw ticking, he ground out, “I never lied to you, Noelle.”

  She looked at him crazily. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but was it not you who said that Remy would do all sorts of crazy things if he didn’t get what he wanted? That was you, right?”

  “That was me, but I never said he was dead or alive. I just told you that his threats checked out and relayed worst case scenarios. Then I offered a solution to avoid those scenarios,” Jack said calmly, even though his stomach was clenching, and he could feel sweat forming on his back. He really needed to get a hold of himself. He was a sailor that could navigate the deadliest of waters, but this one woman could capsize him with the gentlest wave. He knew it had been a dick move to play on her fears. She knew what he’d done and wanted to leave him. He wouldn’t let her. By rights he should, but in Jack’s world, that wasn’t a possibility that he would entertain, now that he knew what happiness felt like.

  Noelle paused, and Jack could see she was trying to remember exactly what it was he’d said. Finally, she threw her hands up in exasperation, “It doesn’t fucking matter, you manipulative asshole. You already knew what happened to him, and you kept it to yourself; on top of arranging my business loan for me and giving me pity clients. What a laugh you must have had at my expense as I talked to you about business and listened to your suggestions. You’re no better than my family with their goddamn interfering asses!” she raged, smacking the dresser with her palm.

  “You need to calm down, darlin’. It wasn’t even like that,” Jack said slowly. “As far as the business is concerned, yes I did make a deal with Ira to help you get the funding for your company. I only did it because I knew that your parents weren’t going to give you the advance on your inheritance, and you wouldn’t accept a loan from me. Your business, one that can provide food, music, and décor, is solid though, so it’s an investment in itself for Rothman because you, Avery, and Sidra all bring something to the table. You didn’t have to take that loan, but the business woman in you recognized it as a good opportunity,” he explained earnestly, hoping that she would see his reasoning. Jack struggled to remain cool, even though the walls were quickly closing in on him.

  “In regards to the clients, they only had to hear your ideas. No one made them utilize them. That was you and Avery’s hard work as well as the repeat business. I simply got the ball rolling a little. You had a vision that you were trying to achieve, and I had the means to assist you. What’s wrong with wanting to help if I can?” Jack asked reasonably.

  Noelle stared at him like he was the devil. “Nothing, as long as you are straightforward and direct about it, which you weren’t. You created this grand scheme so you could get what you wanted. Jack did what Jack does best: You fixed me. Isn’t that what you do? In order to marry me, you had to make me worthy; someone you could be seen with and not just fuck. Not poor, pathetic, unemployed Noelle who still lives at home with her parents. You made it so I’d be good enough to be seen on your arm.” She watched as Jack shook his head vehemently, his patience finally lost.

  “No, that’s bullshit and you know it, Noelle!” Jack yelled making her jump and take a step back at the contorted look of anger on his face. “You’re the one who was so afraid of your own shadow, always scurrying around like a damn mouse! You let everyone put you down and were content to stay in the shadows. I’ve wanted you forever and just knew if you had the chance-” He trailed of realizing as Noelle looked at him expectantly that she was semi-correct.

  “What you did was despicable, Jack. From the beginning, you manipulated me to fall in line with your plans, not giving a damn about how I felt or if my heart could survive it because you have a hero complex; and that’s what it all comes down to doesn’t it? You couldn’t save your mother, but you could save Noelle from slowly dying away in her parents’ tower like Rapunzel. I’m right, aren’t I? Aren’t I, Jack?!” Noelle shouted getting in his face. She was humiliated and furious, barely able to contain the tears that were trying to fall. She’d be damned if she cried in front of him. So enamored by his physical appearance, she’d never really known him; to know he was capable of a cruelty that took her breath away. What a complete fool I am, she thought despairingly.

  “Enough!” Jack shouted as he turned and punched a hole into her bedroom wall, stunning her into silence. He couldn’t breathe as he stared at the damage. Suddenly he was that scared thirteen-year-old b
oy again, losing the love of his life. Then it had been his mother, but now it was his wife who would be lost to him; and he knew he would not survive if that happened.

  “The worst part about all this is that you had me thinking this could really work between us,” Noelle said bitterly, raking a hand through her messy curls, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “That’s not your fault though. Again, you were very careful in what you said or didn’t say. But you didn’t have to involve me with all the wonderful people in your life and your beautiful hometown. You made me fall for you and them. You made me believe that I had a chance with you. You made me…made me…love you,” she finished brokenly, turning away and willing the tears to disappear.

  “It can work, Noelle,” Jack said desperately. “You just have to want it as badly as I do, baby. Please don’t do this.” He was resorting to begging; but he could tell her mind was already made up as she shook her head to and fro, refusing to turn around. “Give us a chance.”

  “You’re off your goddamn rocker. Get out, Jack. You took me for dumb pussy, and that’s something I won’t tolerate anymore,” Noelle said now coldly, in control on the outside even though on the inside her heart was shattered. Self-preservation was finally kicking in, and she would not let him see her fall to pieces. She just wanted him to leave so that she could start the healing process. She turned away from him to wipe her eyes. Damn, this was soooo hard! “This is over. I just want to forget you and this. I’m filing for divorce in the morning.”