“Yeah,” he deadpans, “that sounds about right. I’m Reign.”
He offers his hand, then gives her one of his famous smiles, making me roll my eyes internally. Reign has this way with women that’s effortless. He’s the one who can sell any woman shit just by pointing his innocent eyes at her.
Kendall eyes him suspiciously before finally reaching out her hand, shaking it with hesitation.
“Kendall.”
“Are you here to replace David?”
“I don’t know who David is?” Curiosity washes over her face as she leans back in her chair waiting for clarification.
“Reign,” I call out, wanting him to shut the fuck up.
I love my brother, and I trust him with my life, but he and I? We don’t always get along, and this is one of those moments where he would do anything to see me squirm. I don’t need him to make things even harder with her when she’s already mad at me. Telling her we whacked the man she’s replacing probably won’t get me into her good graces.
“Sorry.” He shrugs with a grin. “The boss is calling. I’ll see you around.”
He enters my office with a big smirk on his face that is met by my frustrated glare.
“She’s feisty. I like her. Is she the girl?” He flops in the chair in front of my desk, talking way too loud in order to piss me off some more.
“Stop.”
“What?! Is she?”
“Lower your goddamn voice, you tool,” I snarl while I feel my blood start to boil.
I rub my face, trying to keep breathing as I clench my jaw, when really I want to punch him in the fucking face. I let out a deep sigh, looking at his taunting face, his eyes beaming like saucers. A carbon copy of my own. Yet otherwise, we are nothing alike. At least, he likes to think we aren’t, and I’ve been going along with that for a long time now. Maybe too long, but I couldn’t reach him as a teenager, and it seemed like the more years passed, the more distant we became.
Even though I’d give my life for him in a heartbeat.
“Well?” He wiggles his eyebrows, finally speaking with a lower voice. “That’s the girl, right? The one everyone keeps talking about?”
I lay my elbows on my desk, bringing my head closer to his.
“Who keeps talking about what, Reign?” I growl, balling my hands into fists.
He shoots me a bored look.
“Sorry, bro. You can’t go around telling the guys you’re going to marry some girl and not expect it to find its way back to me.”
“Dammit, that was a joke,” I mutter, the tension in my face giving me a headache. “You’d better silence those fucking chatterbox soldiers.”
He cocks his head with an irritated glare.
He glowers for a moment, then shrugs.
“You’re an asshole, but I’m the only one who can talk shit about you.”
“Thanks,” I mumble as I lean back in my chair, doing my best to relax a little.
“Anyway, I got a call from Liam.”
“Carrillo?” I frown.
We’ve done some deals with the Carrillos before, but they usually contact me, not Reign.
“Yeah, remember the tech guy I sent them after I declined their offer?”
I nod in response, recalling how they’d wanted Reign to work for them because he’s the best hacker around. Which is also the reason I’ll never let him leave Boston.
Well, that and the fact that I want my brothers to be in the same city as I am. It makes it easier for me to keep an eye on them.
“He’s dead.” He rakes a hand through his hair, letting out a deep breath. “And they’re in this crisis or something. They need my help.”
“How much are they offering?”
“Blank check.”
“No shit!”
I chuckle in response, knowing this must be some serious shit if Kane and Liam Carrillo are throwing away money like that.
“Yeah, so I’m gonna go. They’re sending a jet.” He’s looking at me with anticipation, like he’s waiting for my agreement even though we both know it would only be for show, anyway. Reign does what he wants. The last time I told him to stay in Boston, he disappeared to New York for a year.
The little shit.
“Yeah, sure. Go. Just keep in touch, okay?” I take my cigarette out of the ashtray and take a long draw, sucking in the nicotine.
“You know that shit kills you, right?” I follow his gaze as he sneers at the butt between my fingers.
“There is a lot of shit that could kill me, Reign. Smoking is not one of them.”
“Whatever, grumpy.” He gets up and walks towards the door without a second glance.
“Keep in touch, Reign,” I bark to his back, knowing he didn’t answer my question.
“Whatever, Franky,” he answers before walking out the door.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, then turn my focus back to Kendall once again as she waves goodbye to Reign.
When she turns her head towards me with another scowl, I offer her a genuine smile, hoping to butter her up a little bit. Instead, her lips a thin strip before she turns her attention back to the task in front of her.
I have a feeling this one is going to be a lot of work.
Nine
Kendall
I’m happy it’s Friday because I need a fucking break from this job, which is a lot more intense than I’d thought it would be. I was expecting to be doing the books, like maintaining them because the previous person quit or something. Instead, I have to reorganize everything in order for any of it to make sense. It’s a huge mess, and even though I love that I’m using my brain instead of standing behind a bar, I also feel like I’ve overstretched the gray matter in my head over the last couple of days. It’s definitely more challenging than pouring drinks at The Library. Not to mention the nerves that hit me every time Franklin comes within a five-foot radius.
So far, I’ve been able to keep my distant attitude. For the entire week, I only discussed what was necessary with him and ignored his annoying glances my way. The glances that make my heart jump out of my chest. And there are a lot of them. Every now and then, he wants to ‘show’ me something about the books, or ‘ask’ me for clarification about something else. Obviously there is nothing wrong with that, you know, him being my boss and all, but he does it grazing my back with the tip of his fingers or I can feel his breath on my neck when he points to something on my desk while he’s standing behind me.
It’s those moments that turn my brain into mush, making it hard for me to concentrate or think at all. Each day, it’s getting harder to maintain my defiant stance and not give in to the urging pull I have towards him. Not to mention that I still hear Emerson’s voice rumbling through my head, threatening my brother if I don’t act as his little spy.
I’m so screwed.
So yeah, I need a fucking break. A break to regroup and take some deep breaths, to make sure I keep my distance. To make sure I keep my head in the game, maintaining my distance from Franklin while gaining enough of his trust so I can find something to get Emerson off my back without any of the Wolfes finding out. The more I think about it, the more unrealistic it sounds that I can actually pull that off.
When I walked out of the house yesterday to go to the office, Nigel, one of Franklin’s boys, was waiting for me at the curb.
‘Franklin won’t be coming in today. He’ll be back tomorrow. Here are the keys to the office. I’ll text you the code.’ I’d just blinked in response, stunned that he would give me the keys to his office after only three days, but I eagerly took them.
My heart beat against my chest as I was snooping around the office an hour later, looking into the archives, searching through Franklin’s desk, hoping to find something that would satisfy Emerson. But after three hours, I came up empty-handed. There was nothing accessible to me that would incriminate Franklin or the Wolfes in any way.
Of course not, Kenny. Like he would hide his secrets in plain sight.
I look at the clock, s
eeing the time ticking away. It’s eleven in the morning, and he still hasn’t walked through the door. As if the devil is playing a game with me, the door opens, and the subject of my daydreams walks through it. His hair is a bit messy, and fatigue is clear on his face, as if he hadn’t slept all night. Regardless, he’s still as handsome as ever. He takes off his coat before his eyes focus on me while walking to his office. With a scowl in place, I’m patiently waiting for a flirty comment like he’s been constantly making. Obviously, I keep pretending I don’t, but secretly, I enjoy his double entendre.
“Morning, Kenny,” he greets me. When he doesn’t say anything else, my mouth falls open a bit as a feeling of disappointment trickles down my spine.
I get back to work, feeling as irritated as I had been the entire week, determined to not let him get close to me in any fucking way.
Around four o’clock, I walk into his office holding some papers I need for him to sign.
He’s sitting behind his desk, his head leaning against the back of his chair, and his eyes are closed. I frown at the sight of him, wondering if he’s actually asleep.
I clear my throat, watching him carefully, hoping to get his attention.
Instantly, he opens his eyes, then blinks a few times to regain his focus.
“Sorry, I have some papers for you to sign,” I explain while he rubs his hands over his face, looking at me like I’m speaking another language. “It’s just papers that confirm I’m authorized to sign off on your taxes and stuff.”
“Yeah, okay.” He gestures his hand to summon me closer. Then I place the papers in front of him, making sure I keep the desk between us while he assesses the documents in front of him.
“Long night?” I ask.
It’s not my place, obviously, but I can’t help my curiosity. Wondering what kept him up all night.
Or who.
He lifts his eyes towards mine, and instantly I regret my nosy ass as he keeps staring me down. I’m waiting for his face to display some kind of emotion, but instead, he keeps looking at me with a blank look. I fold my arms in front of my body while I bite my lip, doing my best to hide the nervous feeling that is growing in my stomach.
“More like never ending,” he replies before his eyes move back down to the papers in front of him.
Quickly, I let out a deep but quiet breath, feeling relieved the moment his intense gaze left me.
He grabs a pen before his hand hovers above the papers, but then he jerks his head up.
I force a tight smile, trying hard not to let him see my discomfort.
“Are you going to fuck me over once I sign these, Kendall Ryan?” With amusement in his eyes, he waits for my answer. All I can think of are Emerson’s devilish eyes.
A tightness forms around my chest while I run a hand through my hair.
“What? No,” I huff out, barely convincing myself.
Clearly, he believes me because he turns his focus back to the papers in front of him, giving me the opportunity to take a deep breath when his eyes are no longer concentrated on me.
When I walked through this door for the first time on Monday, I was pissed at Franklin because, apparently, I’m still a needy little brat.
At least, that’s what Emerson used to call me.
We broke up two years ago after the twentieth time, but who’s counting?
Right, I am. Because I had tried to leave him nineteen times, knowing I would be better off without him, but not feeling confident enough to leave him behind.
Not feeling confident enough to fight for my freedom. Believing I deserved every punch he ever gave me.
When he finally did let me go, it was only because he’d met some other girl, which made me feel even more worthless. I’d been crying for weeks, wondering what was wrong with me until Josie found me passed out with a bottle of tequila, doing my best to drink my pain away.
I had hit the ultimate low.
When I woke up the next day, I’d looked in the mirror, refusing to believe what I saw was me.
Refusing to accept this was what I’d become.
I looked myself in the eye and promised myself I would never be controlled by anyone again.
Ever.
And I hadn’t.
For the last eighteen months, I had felt like me. Happy.
But after Emerson cornered me, demanding my cooperation, I realized I’d been lying to myself. I’m not in control at all. I’m still here, trying to stay alive in a world that’s ruled by animals.
Eat or be eaten.
The only control I have now is getting to choose who will be the better option? Who will be the one who keeps me alive. Which one will leave the least amount of scars on my soul? Emerson Jones or Franklin Wolfe?
Ten
Franklin
She looks worried, like she thinks I may devour her any second now.
Trust me, I want to.
But the insecure look in her eyes tells me she’s not thinking about me the same way I am about her, leaving me wondering what the hell is going on in that pretty little head of hers. She clears her throat, straightening her back before she gives me a sassy look.
“Do I have to remind you that you forced me to work for you?” she sasses after I hear her let out a deep breath, clearly feeling nervous with my eyes locked with hers.
I hold her glare, the corner of my mouth slightly rising.
“I didn’t force you, Kenny.”
“You may as well have. You practically put me in a headlock.” She shrugs.
I can’t fight the smirk that appears on my face before I look back down again.
“I didn’t, but don’t give me any ideas,” I murmur while I sign the papers.
When I bring my head back up, she’s blinking at me, looking slightly shocked. A chuckle escapes my mouth before I hand her back the papers. Then she quickly looks through them to avoid eye contact.
“R-right. It’s Friday, so I was hoping I could leave a little early.”
“Sure.” I lean back in my chair, shamelessly gawking at the girl who has been running through my mind this entire week. She’s wearing light jeans today with a cream sweater that shows off her slender neck.
God, how I want to explore that neck while she’s squirming beneath my palms.
“Thank you.” She shoots me a quick smile before she turns around on her brown booties that have just enough heel to make her calves pop as she sways her hips from left to right while walking towards the door of my office.
I clench my jaw, frustrated as I watch her leave, because I don’t want to wait until Monday to see her again. I bite my lip, considering my options for a second, before I let out a low growl.
“Kenny,” I bark out with more force than I’d intended to.
“Yes, sir?” She spins on her heel.
“Have drinks with me.” It’s a statement because I rarely ask for what I want.
She blinks, her plump lips forming an amused stripe before she sucks in a deep breath.
I lift my chin, waiting for her to say yes while I feel the muscles in my face relax one by one. My gaze stays locked with hers until she finally opens her mouth.
“No, thank you.” She gives me a blushing smile while I feel my face fall. A furious scowl pops up on my face when she quickly turns around, thinking that’s the end of this conversation.
I let out a determined grunt as I get up, pushing my chair back before I make my way towards my bundle of annoyance. I can feel my nostrils flare and my cheeks heat the closer I get to her.
I storm through the door, grabbing her upper arm to yank her towards me. Her body is flush against mine, her face mere inches away. My eyes go back and forth over her now frightened face, looking for the same pull I’ve been feeling all week. Her lips part before she takes some shallow breaths.
“What is up your ass? You’ve been a cranky little thing the entire fucking week. I’ve had an exhausting twenty-four hours, and I really just want to have a drink and relax.”
“Excuse
me?” Her eyes widen with anger before she narrows her eyes at me and tries to push me away from her. Without effort, I hold her arm, making it impossible for her to move as I shoot her a bored look.
I’m too tired to fight her, but that also means I have zero patience for whatever fit she’s about to throw.
“You’re an asshole,” she spits, her eyes now shooting daggers, making me smile with amusement.
“Never said I wasn’t, pretty girl.”
“Well, I don’t really feel like having drinks with an asshole,” she snarls, making me roll my eyes before I let out a big sigh, realizing she’s really going to deny whatever it is that we have. Maybe it’s the best thing to do, since technically she’s working for me now, but I don’t care. Ever since I felt her pulse racing just for me, she is who I think about at night. She’s the one I’m eager to see when I get into the office each morning.
I want her.
And I’m not going to pretend I don’t.
I roughly shove her to the side, pushing her back against the wall, caging her in with my hands before I brush my lips against hers.
“That was your first lie,” I muse, as my lips migrate down to the delicate surface under her ear. Gently, I press my lips against her skin while I breathe in her sweet scent, reminding me of honey. I hear a gasp escape her lips when I reach up my hand to softly grab her chin.
I smile in satisfaction when I see that the defiant look in her eyes has completely vanished.
“Why are you pissed at me, pretty girl?” I ask, thinking about the dozens of glares she’s given me over the last couple of days.
“What makes you think I’m pissed?”
I arch an eyebrow, calling her out on her bullshit without saying a word while I wait for a real answer to my question. The pull I feel towards her grows by the second, and I have to breathe in through my nose to not give in to my desire to fuck her against this wall right now.
Franklin: A Boston Mafia Romance (The Boston Wolfes) Page 5
