by DeRosa, Mila
Reeves raked his fingers through his hair and groaned. “I seriously thing the pile grew over night. I’m useless at paperwork, bores me senseless. But, I have to get it done for the weekend.
Curiosity almost got the better of her, but she held her tongue. What difference did it make if he took his place at the cutting table as soon as they arrived back at the club. She was, and always would be, classed as his staff. Someone to serve him as if he were the full packaged Prince Charming many women had him pegged to be.
Chapter 8
What was supposed to be a reassuring text message from Jodie as soon as Bryn opened her eyes, was more a dampener on the mood she hadn’t even had time to set. Photographs of a soft plush teddy bear and a floral arrangement of exuberant colors did little to set her at ease. Josh’s attempts were shallow, hollowed out promises that he would change—until the next time Jodie stepped a toe out of line or he flipped the switch to crazy.
Mixed emotions tormented her. Reeves didn’t seem the rake she had him pinned to be. Charming followed him through to the end of their dinner together, and even after when she changed in his office and served him drinks at his desk where, true to his word, he remained. Again, he hit her up about being his personal assistant, an offer she laughed off for fear he was being a smartass about her lousy waitressing skills.
A personal assistant job would suit her quite nicely. Not such late nights, or long hours spent on her feet, sticky from drinks she sloshed over the brim as she wrestled her way through sweaty crowds.
Summed up, the appeal of being a waitress was right up there with cleaning the toilet. As much as she didn’t love the job, at least it was an honest way to earn a living, and she could sleep easy knowing that she wasn’t handing out a junkie’s last hit. There was a lot to say for peace of mind.
There was no denying she was intrigued about the kind of business Reeves was conducting over the weekend without the assistance of his Club business partner. Sure Bryn was comfortable serving drinks to thirsty patrons, even to Reeves and his business buddies in the mountains, but, being the drug lord that he was, supporting his business dealings wasn’t something she wanted to be a part of. Berating herself for not thinking to ask, she vowed to be more vigilant in the future.
With much to do and little time to do it, Bryn didn’t linger long in bed after she woke. They were leaving by noon, a car booked to pick her up before swinging past to collect Sally and Luke. Bryn offered to meet them at the club for not wanting anyone to know her location, despite Reeves keeping it on record, but he wouldn’t hear of it. As if he was doing her a favor to be at her beck and call, instead of adding to her insecurities.
She pushed the thought aside as she rummaged through her wardrobe. Even though warm winter clothes were a necessity, her choices were limited. What she did have wasn’t appropriate to wear in the presence of company, so a much needed shopping trip, as she’d expected, was on the agenda.
Even in the midst of spring it’d be cold, especially at night, in the mountains, and frozen wasn’t an appealing look. The hardest part was knowing what too wear. Reeves kept it reasonably casual for the most part, but there was an air of elegance about his attire. Sally she’d never seen outside of work, but her advice the night before was to keep it classy.
No amount of looking was going to miraculously manifest an appropriate selection, so Bryn closed the closet door, grabbed her purse, and set off to hail a cab to the mall in the next neighbourhood. Too close for comfort, but time was ticking.
The selection wasn’t huge, which made for easy purchases. Jeans, one pair casual the other more dressy, teamed with sweaters, a black scarf, and a jacket, saw to most of her savings disappearing—the simple black with fine taupe stripe fitted knit dress with long sleeves was her favourite and most expensive purchase. Heeled black boots, comfortable yet suitable to wear with all of her outfits were on sale, as was the small cabin sized suitcase. All else she could make do with what she had, fancy underwear was unnecessary, and for the limited amount of makeup she wore, there was no point buying anything new.
Proud of herself for making all of her purchases in record time, Bryn wandered over to grab a coffee before she headed home to pack. Order placed, she made her way from the queue and over to where others were waiting.
Even from behind, a distance away, she recognized him. Tall with dark hair beginning to grey, the swagger in his step was as arrogant as his demeanor. The breath caught in her throat and she expelled an audible gasp. Vision blurred and dizziness threatened to throw her off balance despite the fact she was stationary. Angling her head down, but keeping watch of the direction Baxter was headed, Bryn noticed the woman beside him was not her mother. Dark hair, in a similar style, but she was taller, thinner, younger.
It didn’t surprise her to see him with another woman, cheating was one of the tamer sins he’d committed in his life, it just fuelled her hatred toward him even more. Her mother, so kind, so good, had been his doormat. A doormat with fancy things, so when they were out in public all would envy the shower of glamour she was privileged to. Bryn, and the few staff Baxter employed to ensure the household ran smoothly, knew the truth. Brutal and heartless, the cruelest man she knew. It sickened her to know his blood ran through her veins.
He stopped, turned to the woman he was walking with, and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. She’d seen him do that to her mother too, countless times. The slight flick of his head in Bryn’s general direction was enough for her to know they were changing course and headed her way.
Angling her body, all Bryn could hope was that he would pass before the barista called the name for her order. In future she’d have to remember to use a false one, Bryn wasn’t exactly the most common name in the book, and Baxter wouldn’t miss a beat if he heard it.
Holding her breath, she watched him pass. The angle at which she was standing she could only make out from his knees down, but the polished pointed toe shoes she recognized as easily as the rest of him. The clip of high heels against polished tiles was enough to annoy her. Too over done for shopping, and far too young to be hanging off Baxter’s arm, she was clearly after his money. Even in his prime he was a nasty looking man, hard, with features too sharp to be classed as good-looking. Now more than ever she was thankful she took after her mother in looks, or else mirrors would be something else she’d have to avoid.
As the waiting area began to thin, Bryn moved closer to the counter and gathered a lid, sugar, wooden stirrer and a few napkins so she could grab her cup and get out of there as quickly as possible. Despite Baxter and his handbag having passed her by, she had no idea where he’d gone. For years she’d been so careful, now wasn’t the time to take chances.
Like a beacon, her name being called was loud enough to turn heads. Heart pounding, she took the few steps to close the distance between her and the counter and snatched her cup from the barista. Not waiting around to put the sugar in or lid on top, she could do that once she put some distance between her and the nightmare she envisage developing if she stuck around any longer.
The cab line wasn’t far, although, the open area provided less comfort than the busy mall, but she had no other choice. She still had a lot to do before noon when Reeves driver was due to pick her up.
Relief washed through her as she saw a cab waiting for a passenger. Holding her hand up, she hailed him from a distance so as to reserve her position as first in the cue that hadn’t yet formed. He nodded, stubbed out the cigarette in the bin he’d been leaning against, walked to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel.
Bryn picked up the pace, careful not to spill her drink, she yanked open the back door and climbed in. Offering her address as she added sugar to her coffee, gave it a quick stir before popping the lid on top. With one hand she stretched the seatbelt around herself and clipped it in place as the driver pulled away from the curb.
Dizzy from shock, Bryn rest her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Perspiration dampened h
er forehead and upper lip, and her heart continued to pound. Coffee may not have been the best choice of drink, with her heart already racing, but she needed something to moisten her mouth. Opening her eyes, she took a long sip of the hot brew before closing them again.
The thought of spending the weekend in the mountains with Reeves was originally a drag for her, but now she couldn’t wait for his driver to arrive and whisk her away to where she’d feel safe.
* * *
Reeves recognized the haunted look in Bryn’s eyes the moment he saw her. Pale faced and eyes too wide, she looked every bit a scared white rabbit in the headlights.
“You okay?” He kept his voice low so no one else could hear.
“Couldn’t be better. Look at this place.” She attempted cheery, but didn’t pull it off. Even though he hadn’t known her for long, he’d been watching her. She was easier to read than a newspaper.
He grinned, pleased she seemed happy to be there, despite the story behind her eyes. “Nice, isn’t it. Peaceful too—no one ever comes up here.” He took a step closer, his grin softened to a smile in hope to reassure her.
The tension eased from her face and the smile she responded with looked genuine, as though his words alone were enough to sooth the demons that haunted her. She was like a closed book, clamped shut and bound tight. Security seemed the key to soothe her, something he planned to offer at the highest of standards. She’d open up to him eventually, he could sense it, but in the meantime he was going to dig around a little and see what he could come up with on his own. The familiarity still toyed with his focus, yet he couldn’t pinpoint the likeness.
His business guests wouldn’t be arriving for another few yours, time enough to see Bryn back to her usual self, and for them to get settled in.
Sally, the mother hen, was already fussing around and organizing them all. The best business decision he ever made was giving Sally a job. A single mom with no experience, but desperate to make a good life for her son, and she had. She was more a friend, the mother he never had, than an employee. Since the first day Reeves plucked him off the street and out of Baxter’s mob, Luke followed his mother’s orders, as the rest of them did, no attitude, no resistance. He was a good kid and, with the right influence, had a bright future ahead.
Keen to get moving, Reeves fell into step with Sally’s orders, referring to her as boss. What he’d originally tagged as a business weekend had since morphed into one of pleasure. Getting to know Bryn now fought with the top spot of priorities.
He took his usual room, the master suite, but instead of offering the other rooms in his wing to prospective business partners, he kept his staff close. The first step toward Bryn feeling secure enough to keep whatever had her spooked at bay.
Never had he wanted to protect a woman so much as he did her, despite the fact she gave off the vibe that she didn’t need help from anyone, he was determined all the same.
Chapter 9
The cabin in the mountains Reeves so casually referred to was like nothing she’d ever seen before. A mansion, comparable to a private hotel, about summed up his holiday retreat.
Rustic, with loads of exposed wood beams teamed with a massive, double sided fireplace in the center of the lobby, providing an instant warm homely feeling as soon as she walked through the door. Drug money had certainly seen him change his lifestyle, from scrawny homeless drug runner, to a man of magnificence. If it’d been done any other way, she would’ve been in awe of him. Given the nature of his dealings, and all that he stood for, she was more in awe of her self for getting out and making a run for an honest way of life. Even if a cheap rental and few possessions was all she had to her name.
“Shall we meet in the lobby in about half an hour?” Sally suggested after Reeves showed them to their rooms.
“That works for me. Bryn? Luke?”
As if kids on a school camp, they chorused a yes and then disappeared into their appointed rooms, closing the door behind them.
Living out of a suitcase wasn’t a hardship for her since it was the way she’d lived for the past few years. It seemed pointless to hang all of her clothes or to put them into draws only to take them out again the following day. The black dress for the dinner that evening was the only item she opted to hang, more out of want to look at it again than need of reducing crease lines.
Bryn took her time to look around. The plush cream carpet was soft under her feet, even though she was wearing boots. Sitting on the edge of the bed she undid the zipper of each boot and slipped them off before laying on the bed to test it for softness. Like a cloud, she sunk just enough to frame and support her body in all the right places. Whoever said money couldn’t buy happiness obviously hadn’t slept in a bed so comfortable as the one Reeves offered for the weekend. She stretched, knowing she was in for a good night sleep—the first she’d had in a long time.
Time was getting away and she had to meet the others soon, so she abandoned the bed to check out the adjoining bathroom. Like a hotel room fancier than one she’d ever stayed in, the bathroom was almost as big as the bedroom. A spa nestled in the corner caught her eye. She hoped there would be time for a soak, before or after the dinner, she didn’t mind, all she knew was that anytime Reeves needed staff to accompany him on his business dealings, she was happy to oblige.
Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror she approved of her chosen outfit, soft and feminine, yet classy. A slight sheen from travel had appeared across her forehead, so she wandered back to her room to retrieve her make up bag and carried it back to the bathroom to touch up her face.
With ten minutes to spare, boots on and feeling fresh, Bryn headed down to meet the rest of the party. The warmth of the wood fire played a big part in luring her down early. She was glad to see the others were still holed up in their rooms as she took the steps slowly so she could appreciate the view of the mountains from windows too high to see from the ground level. There was a lot of glass for a cabin in the mountains, which she guessed was triple glazed in order to keep the chill out.
Comfortable looking couches were on offer for her to sit and wait, but Bryn ignored them and stood with her back close to the fire. So warm, the front of her body almost felt cold in comparison. There was something so calming about wood heating. If she ever managed to buy her own home, wood heating would be the first alteration she’d make if it didn’t come equipped.
“Nothing beats a wood fire, huh?” Reeves broke through her thoughts.
Startled, she jumped. Hand shot up and pressed to her chest. “Sorry,” she breathed. “You scared me.”
“You’re spooked today. Anything I can do to ease your mind?”
She frowned, not certain how to respond. Reeves was more observant than she gave him credit for. Not that she was going to admit that to him, instead she decided to play dumb. “Spooked?”
Reeves smiled, obviously trying to win her over and make her confide in him. What was it about this man that made him feel he had to save his staff? “Your eyes tell a story of their own. I’m not going to pry, but please don’t write me off as too arrogant not to notice. You’re safe with me. I just want you to know that.”
He’d caught her. Summed up all that’d been running through her mind from before the car pulled into the driveway out front of his cabin. Not wanting to give herself away completely, she glanced up to meet his gaze. “Thank you for having me here—and respecting my privacy.”
“Pleasure’s mine.” He reached out and rubbed the top of her arm, a gesture of reassurance and not an inappropriate attempt to make a move. “I’m actually glad I caught you alone for a moment.” He nudged her to move over so he too could warm his back with the fire. “The personal assistant position I spoke to you about is yours if you’re up for it. Hear me out this weekend, and we’ll talk terms during the week, but I’d like you to sit in on the meetings so you’re up to speed from day dot. This weekend is hugely important, as is the project I’m proposing.”
Without details to back wh
at he was up to, Bryn pushed thoughts of the worst to the side and tried for a neutral approach. “So, these people you’re meeting with, will their support or lack of determine the outcome of your project?”
“Not really, I’ll go ahead regardless. They’ll just get the job done quicker, and the right support in business is a good thing.”
He was more cautious than she thought he’d be. Thinking things through, making connections with people he thought he could trust, and optioning off some of the responsibility of what she imagined to be a hefty expenditure.
Bryn didn’t respond as Sally and Luke were headed down the stairs and she didn’t know how much Reeves wanted to share with them until she made her decision. From what she knew already, she was intrigued, but had no interest in getting caught up in the business side of his dealings. As his personal assistant it’d be her job to know the ins and outs of all that he dealt in, and dishing herself up for criminal charges wasn’t the future she had planned for.
“Shall I organize drinks before we get started?” Sally fell into step with her duties the moment she entered the room.
“That would be great, thanks Sally.”
“I’ll give you a hand.” Bryn stepped away from the fire and followed Sally to the bar in a large room off to the right.
“Thanks.” She smiled, then over her shoulder addressed Reeves. “Are you happy to sit around the fire for now?”
“Perfect.” There was warmth to his tone, casual and more relaxed than when they were in the club where he was all business.
As a minor, Luke joined Bryn with a coke, whilst Sally fixed a scotch mix for herself and Reeves. Carrying them out they joined the boys who’d settled on the sofas and were talking. Since dragging him away from the mob, it seemed Luke had developed a few dreams of his own.
“Never know, if all goes well, I might be able to build myself something like this one day.” He gazed around in appreciation. A small smile touched the corners of his lips as if imagining his vision coming to life. “Think you could handle living in a place like this, Mom?”
