by Linda Kage
Gabby snorted out her amusement. “Do I detect a bit of sibling rivalry there?”
Waiting for my answer, she leaned in toward me, nailing me with a grin full of pleasure and big brown eyes that glittered mischievously. Some deeply locked part of me tumbled right into her stare, becoming a willing prisoner under her captive spell.
“Always,” I said. “Which is why I’m determined to get our department’s portfolio finished early tomorrow morning before he gets the Purses department’s portfolio done.”
“I’d say I have faith in you, but since he’s got Kaitlynn on his side, working in his department now, I gotta think…” With a teasing shrug, she pointed her sucker at me before tucking it back into her mouth. “You’re probably screwed.”
I laughed. “Yeah, probably. And speaking of Kaitlynn: Lana discovered where she was working today.”
“Oh shit.” Gabby tore the sucker from her mouth, instant worry contorting her features. “What happened? What did she do to you? Are you okay?”
Pulling up to the curb at her brother’s school, I focused on Gabby, not sure how to deal with all her concern.
It was new. And foreign. Honestly, I wasn’t all that comfortable with it, making me wonder if I even liked it or not. Was the rush flooding my system my natural warning signal, cautioning me of danger? Or was it a thrill from pleasure and maybe even something more?
“I’m fine,” I told her, watching her shoulders instantly relax with relief. “She just tasked me with a new unpleasant duty to make up for my failed one.”
Gabby’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of new duty?”
But I didn’t get a chance to answer. Miguel pulled the back door open and was already climbing into the backseat, talking a mile a minute.
“You guys will never guess what happened at lunch today…”
He prattled the rest of the way to their apartment, successfully cutting into the conversation Gabby and I had been having. But she wasn’t deterred. As soon as I parked and Miguel had wished me a farewell before shooting from the car and racing inside the building—once again forgetting he needed to wait on his sister—she spun toward me.
“Seriously, what is she making you do this time?”
I shook my head and glanced away. “I don’t know. She hasn’t told me yet.” Recognizing a vehicle parked a couple spaces ahead of mine, I frowned.
“Well, that doesn’t sound good,” Gabby started, only to follow my stare and squint. “What? Do you recognize that car?”
“Yes.” I nodded, frowning slightly. “It’s Ezra’s.”
“Really?” Smiling, Gabby hummed deep in her throat and squeezed my arm excitedly. “I guess he and Kaitlynn are hitting it off nicely, then.” I turned to frown at her. She shook her head in confusion. “What?”
“I’m not so sure it’s safe for them to hook up.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean? You think he’ll hurt her?”
Instantly smiling over her concern for my sister, I shook my head. “No. Not Nash. It’s Lana, actually, that I’m worried about.”
“Oh Jesus. Why am I not surprised? Does everything bad originate from her?”
“Typically,” I replied. “But she’s shown some interest in Nash at the office, and if she learns he and Kaitlynn are growing close, there might be some unpleasant repercussions.”
Gabby snorted. “Oh, just let her try to come between Ezra and Kaitlynn. I’ll put itching powder on her toilet seat.”
Unable to help myself, I blurted out a hearty laugh. “Remind me to never cross you, Miss Salazar.”
With a soft smile, she reached out to run her finger along my jawline to my chin. Then she leaned in and murmured, “Never cross me, Carmichael. I’ll show you what unpleasant repercussions really look like.”
My gaze lowered to her full, tempting lips as I swayed her way. “Does that mean you’ll also show me pleasant repercussions if I’m good?”
“Hmm.” Her gaze went hooded with sexual promise as she smiled slowly. “There’s only one way to discover that answer.”
“Really?” I leaned toward her, wanting to kiss her. Badly.
But she held up a finger, halting me. “Question,” she said, as if getting back on track with our earlier conversation.
My brows furrowed. I’d much rather have my mouth connected to hers right now than continue talking. But I said, “What’s that?”
“Well…” She heaved out a troubled breath, making me blink and pull back just as she asked, “If we do find something to prove that Kaitlynn rightfully inherited the company all along, then what’s going to happen between her and Ezra? I mean, will he still own half of JFI, since Lana obviously sold something that wasn’t even hers to begin with?”
I snapped a startled glance toward Nash’s car still sitting at the curb. Ah hell. “I don’t know,” I admitted numbly.
Next to me, Gabby spoke the words, “You didn’t think about that, did you?”
I turned to her, letting her see my concern. But all she did was smile again and lean in closer to kiss my cheek. “Don’t worry,” she told me. “With me on your team now, we won’t let your sister get hurt there, either.”
I shook my head, simply amazed by this astounding woman. “Have I told you how grateful I am that I recruited you to my crusade?”
“No.” With a soft chuckle, she opened the door beside her and began to slip out into the darkening evening. “But it’s about time you did.” Before I could respond, she added, “You going to give me another ride to work tomorrow?”
Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from this woman. “What better way is there to check in for updates on your searching endeavors?” I asked before skimming my gaze down her body. “Besides, I’m curious to see what kind of uniform Lana’s picked out for you.” I was slightly disappointed she’d changed out of it before coming home.
Gabby sent me a husky laugh. Flinging her garment bag over her shoulder, she bent down to wink at me through the open car door. “Well, spoiler alert, Carmichael. I look really good in it.”
That part I never doubted.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she added, “I better go make sure Miguel made it home okay, then finally tell him and Papá I have a new job.”
She shut the door and strolled into the building.
I watched her go, grinning wildly.
Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough. And for once, the antsy anxiety coursing through me had nothing to do with my mission for justice, and everything to do with a spunky woman who was somehow turning my world inside out.
Chapter 20
Gabby
“Son of a bitch,” Hayden hissed under his breath.
Turning away from where I was waving Miguel goodbye as he raced off toward his school, I focused on the driver’s side of the car. My sexy chauffeur for the morning scowled at a message he was reading on his phone.
Even as pissed as he seemed to be, he looked damn good in his suit. Today, it was a charcoal gray button-up with a black vest and no jacket. And mmm, how had I not known those suit jackets he wore hid such nice, wide shoulders under them?
“What’s wrong?” I asked, wiping my hand across my mouth in case I’d been drooling.
With a put-upon sigh, Hayden turned his phone to show me the screen as he pulled into traffic and started me toward Preston Estates. “Lana finally has that new assignment for me to make up for the way I failed to keep Kaitlynn from taking another job elsewhere.”
“Ah, hell. What’s she making you do this time?” I lowered my gaze to his screen and read the text.
* * *
MOTHER SATAN: Get the Purses portfolio for me.
* * *
“The Purses portfolio?” I repeated slowly, before frowning and looking up at him. “But isn’t that your brother’s department?”
His jaw went hard as he nodded stiffly.
My mouth fell open. “But why would she want to steal his portfolio and sabotage his presentation? Holy shit.” I shook my
head, astonished by her depravity. “He’s her son.”
“And he crossed her by hiring Kaitlynn behind her back,” Hayden explained. “In her mind, Broderick needed to be taught a lesson. Unless…” He shrugged out a bitter sigh. “This has more to do with Kaitlynn herself. Lana might just want to hurt her for not crawling back and begging for her volunteer internship to be returned to her. But honestly, it’s probably a little revenge against both Kaitlynn and Brick.”
Jesus, how could Lana freshly amaze me with the lengths she’d go to hurt people. Even her own children.
“So, what are you going to do?” I asked. “What’s your plan?”
Hayden glanced at me curiously. “My plan?”
I growled out an impatient breath and rolled my hand to get him to talk. “Yes, your plan,” I prompted. “I know you’re not just going to steal that portfolio and hurt your own siblings. You’re the master of loopholes, remember. Crafty, resourceful Hayden. So what’re you going to do to make it look like you’re complying to her wishes while you’re not really complying at all?”
“And what makes you think I simply won’t comply?” he asked as he found a spot to park next to Lana’s building.
I snorted. “Because I know you. You would never—”
He cut me off by wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and hauling me in for a hard, hot kiss.
My mouth crashed against his, and as soon as he sealed us together, his tongue spiked deep and his hand gripped my hair. I whimpered, then kissed him back, melting against him and meeting his tongue with my own.
When he pulled free, breathing hard and resting his temple against mine, he touched my hair reverently before whispering, “Thank you for knowing I’d never undermine my own siblings.”
I squinted at him, rasping, “Of course.” Smiling softly, I touched the base of his throat before stroking my fingers down his tie. “I totally believe in you.”
He shuddered out a relieved breath and nodded. It was humbling to realize just how desperately this man needed someone to have a little faith in him. Made me want to show him even more gentleness and trust.
His fingers softly shifted a piece of my hair behind my ear before he breathed out an unsteady breath. “You look really good in that uniform, by the way. I want to fuck you in it like you wouldn’t believe.”
Well.
Wow.
The shock of that crude suggestion right after such an emotional moment between us caused my body to pulse with unexpected desire, hot and molten, and directly in all my erogenous zones.
An image of him biting me in a couple of those places had me crossing my legs tightly. So I nodded and licked my lips, shrugging as casually as I could manage before rasping, “I’d say maybe later, but as soon as we find the proof we need and I’m done cleaning Lana’s apartment, I’m never wearing this sexist uniform again.”
He pulled back, nodding as he looked into my eyes. “Fine by me. I’m okay with you taking it off too.”
I blurted out an amused laugh, only to shake my head. “That’s three times now that you’ve kissed me without my permission, you know.”
“Is it?” He tipped his head as if surprised to learn such statistics before he smiled wickedly. “Well, then you’re a couple behind, Salazar. I gotta say; I’m disappointed.” He clicked his tongue sadly. “I thought you’d be more competitive.”
I rolled my eyes, dryly muttering, “Ha-ha. You’re just a barrel of laughs. But seriously, what’re you going to do about that portfolio? You can’t just take—”
The look and harassed sigh he sent me told me he wanted to keep sexy-talking, but I was going to have to face Lana in about a minute’s time. And no way did I want any remnants of lust still flowing through my bloodstream while in her presence.
Hayden had the worst timing when he kissed me, I swear.
“I’ll think of something,” he answered as he rubbed at a spot between his eyes.
Thinking about it gave him a stress headache, I realized. And kissing me had been his own way of avoiding the subject.
Wanting to help him keep his mind off his worries, I grabbed his tie and said, “I believe you. And for the record, I am that competitive.”
Then I yanked him in, kissing him without his permission.
By the time I made it to Lana’s, I was a bundle full of confusion.
I probably shouldn’t make kissing Hayden a new hobby, and yet I couldn’t seem to stop. Which was weird. He could piss me off more than Lana could sometimes, and I wasn’t even sure if I’d completely forgiven him for the way he’d treated Papá the first time they’d met. He was just so damn full of irritating, unforgivable habits. But then he’d do some small simple thing that would make me melt and completely forget the rest.
Was I being an idiot and letting my attraction get the best of me, or was there really more there that I should explore?
And even if there was something in him that was worth the effort to unveil, would he even let me see it completely? It sounded as if he’d been burned by every woman who’d ever crossed his path. So why would he give me a real chance?
I mean, who was I? No one. He was a rich, handsome, sophisticated man. I was not. We had nothing in common aside from the fact that we liked to kiss. Any possibility of a future between us seemed completely doomed. If I wanted to be smart, I’d just keep my mouth far away from his.
But then I glanced up as I approached Lana’s blinged-out front door and groaned. “Good Lord, no.”
No wonder why Hayden seemed so damn appealing.
Just look at the options I’d been given.
There Diego lurked, ringing the doorbell to Lana’s place.
“Lana. Darling,” he called, pounding his fist on the diamonds next, only to wince and pull his hand back, as I’m sure rapping your knuckles against diamonds had to hurt. “Just give me one more chance. Please.” Then he closed his eyes, pressed his forehead against the diamonds and cried, “Gabriella? Are you in there?”
“Nope,” I said to myself, low enough that he couldn’t hear me, and I turned right back around. I’d had enough of this guy gushing over me. No way was I going to be witness to him making a fool of himself over another woman and me both.
Remembering there’d been a back entrance to Lana’s, I scoured the halls until I found it. Once inside, I realized Lana wasn’t home. However, I did discover a note full of duties from her in the kitchen.
Figuring she must’ve escaped out the back to avoid Diego as well, I chuckled and shook my head. “Serves you right, bee-atch.”
Grateful that I’d remembered to bring earbuds today, I plugged them in to block out the sound of the doorbell ringing over and over again and Diego alternately begging for me and then Lana.
I cranked the music up nice and loud and got to cleaning. It was around noon by the time I stumbled across a doorway I’d never seen before. The entrance was actually partially hidden behind another door, which I had to close in order to open—or even see—the other.
“Well, what do we have here?” I murmured, peering inside only to discover Lana’s personal office.
Finally!
Lana had never mentioned this room in any of her lists of things to clean. But hell, if she didn’t want me to go in, I guess she should’ve locked it.
Idly spinning my feather duster over the desk as I rounded it to sit in her seat, I hummed under my breath and opened drawer after drawer, finding paperwork after paperwork to riffle through. The only problem was I had no idea what I was searching for. It all looked legal and terribly complicated to me. I might as well be reading a foreign language.
After abandoning the desk, I moved to the filing cabinet. And right there, under the A’s, was a file tab that read, Arthur’s Will.
“Holy shit.” I yanked it out and flipped it open. The will was thick, folded in thirds, and tucked into a leather pouch.
With shaking fingers, I pulled it free and ironed it open with my palm.
“Jackpot,” I whisp
ered, fisting the air before tugging my phone from my pocket to take a quick picture before sending it off to Hayden and asking him if this was what he’d been searching for.
He responded within seconds.
* * *
HAYDEN: Show me page seven.
* * *
“Page seven?”
Making a face because I thought he’d be a heck of a lot more excited, grateful, and complimentary with maybe a bit of oh-Gabby-you’re-the-best-I-can-t-believe-you-did-it, and a lot less demanding than this.
“I guess everyone’s a critic,” I mumbled before I licked my thumb and flipped to page seven.
“Page seven,” I announced, pulling up my phone. I didn’t even bother to read it—because, let’s be honest, I wouldn’t understand the lawyer mumbo-jumbo—and I snapped another shot.
A minute after sending that baby off, Hayden responded.
* * *
HAYDEN: That’s the fake. Are there any other copies with it that might be the real one?
* * *
“The fake?!” I cried.
Dammit, I thought I’d actually found something useful. Grumbling under my breath, I looked around, flipped through all the pages of the fake will and found nothing.
* * *
GABBY: No luck. Sorry.
* * *
Wishing I’d had better news, I slumped into Lana’s desk chair and glumly plopped my elbows on the desktop so I could rest my chin in my hands.
Hayden replied immediately.
* * *
HAYDEN: Don’t be sorry. You found paperwork. That’s a start.
* * *
Dear Lord, he was trying to make me feel better. This was the guy who got off on pushing people’s buttons and saying things just to tick them off, and he felt so bad for me he was being nice. I must be more pathetic than I thought.
