by T. L Smith
“If you insist on staying …” He breathes out heavily. “Then get my lunch.” He shuts the door again with a slam.
Lunch?
Fuck!
What lunch?
My eyes search for the guy who helped me before, but he’s not there. I could try to work out what Mr. Harley eats, but I’m afraid he will just fire me again. So, I grab my purse and run down to Rylee’s office to find her lost in her work. It takes her a moment to notice me, but when she looks up, she smiles at me.
“What does your brother eat?” I ask.
Her brows scrunch, and she looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind.
“Eat? For lunch?” she asks. I nod. “He gets his own lunch, usually.”
“He ordered me to get him lunch. But there were no instructions as to what.”
Rylee offers me a sad smile and rolls her eyes.
“He has a wholemeal sandwich with ham and salad. The shop down below knows his order. It never changes. Just say his name and they will know what to do.”
“Thanks.” I run off and go straight downstairs. When I arrive at the shop, the line is long, so I keep checking the time to make sure I’m not taking too long. The only problem is, I am. I can’t push in front of everyone. They are all in a rush.
Yeah, but will they be fired for taking too long?
As the line slowly moves, I bite my lip. There are at least twenty people in front of me, and they are taking forever. My stomach grumbles, making me realize I haven’t eaten either.
It takes another ten minutes before the line moves a few more steps forward.
Suddenly, I notice everyone has stopped. Standing in front of the line is someone who wasn’t there before.
His suit is unmissable.
It’s immaculate.
Just as he is.
His normally gray eyes darken, and they narrow as he stares me down. I see him take hold of his sandwich and walk toward me. My heart rate picks up, waiting for him to get to me.
“I asked for my food over twenty-minutes ago. Did you get lost?” he seethes, and everyone goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “I own this place. You push in to get my food next time. Do you understand?”
I nod. It’s the only thing I seem to manage when I am around him. Where the hell is my backbone, I seem to have lost it.
“Are you all of a sudden mute, too?” he barks at me.
I flinch, and he shakes his head before he literally stomps off like some sort of petulant child.
The line moves, and I can feel everyone’s stare on me as we inch forward. When I finally arrive at the front of the line, the cashier gives me a look of pity, and I find I’m not even hungry anymore.
Chapter 3
Beckham
“Do you really have to be such an asshole?” Rylee asks, sitting opposite me, her drink in hand as she watches me. “She’s nice. Give her a chance.”
“Why are you sending me accolades for this woman,” I ask. My attention has now gone from the account I’ve been working on non-stop. It’s one of the biggest accounts in the country, and I am trying to acquire it.
“Do you even know she was an employee here before she got the job with you?” One of her brows slides up. “No, you wouldn’t, because you pay no one any attention.”
“You’re sitting here, are you not?”
She waves me off. “Please. I’m your sister. You can’t get rid of me.”
“Hurry this conversation along. I need to get back to work.”
“It’s late, and we’re the last two here. You should get a life.” Rylee stands and walks toward the door.
“I have a life.”
“Something apart from fucking things that have two long legs,” she sings as she shuts my door with a click.
I scrub a hand down my face, grunt, and then get back to work.
She’s sitting at her desk the next morning. I check my watch to make sure I’m not late. Nope, I’m here at my normal time, before everyone else, so I can get things done before any shit hits the fan.
But no, the woman with chocolate hair sits at her desk, head down, as she studies something on her computer. I silently stalk toward her, stopping in front of her desk to simply glare at her. She doesn’t notice me at first. Her eyes reading the screen before she pauses then glances up. I watch as her back straightens, and she turns slowly to face me.
She’s beautiful, in a classic way. Her lips are painted red, and she’s wearing a red suit jacket with a dark-colored skirt. Her heels are kicked off under her desk, which I noticed.
“Sir,” she greets me and offers a smile.
I stare.
Who is this woman?
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Jacinta, sir. We’ve actually met before.” I pause at her words. “I had a round belly then.” Her cheeks flush, and she looks away.
“You fucked my sister’s ex.” Her eyes find mine, her mouth falls open, and she draws her head back quickly but says nothing. “Yes, it was you.” I remember her now. “You also married my sister’s boyfriend.” I click my tongue. “You sure do get around.” I turn and walk to my office door. As I grasp the handle, her voice comes loudly from behind me.
“Not that someone like you would understand, but … I had my reasons.”
Glancing back to her, she is standing, so I look at her bare feet and let my eyes drag up her legs until I get to her face. She is curved in all the right places. Beautiful. Classically so. I like my ladies with a little more … spice.
“Someone like me?” I question.
“Yes, someone who has family, money…” She pauses. “Is there anything I can get you this morning?” she asks sweetly, her tone changing, clearly wanting this conversation to be over with.
That makes two of us.
Ignoring her, I head straight into my office and shut the door behind me.
Working all morning, I hear her answer calls from her desk, and when lunchtime rolls around, a small knock comes on the door.
“Yes.”
She steps in at my bark, a sandwich in hand, and places it on my desk before she turns to walk back out. Just as she reaches the door, she stops.
“What do you need?”
“Rylee said you’re trying to land the Jackpot account?”
“What do you know about that? And Rylee shouldn’t be sharing that kind of information with you. If she didn’t own half this company, I would fire her ass.”
She bites her lip before she continues, “I did some research. It seems the CEO goes out every Friday night to Hogs and Goose. Maybe if you offered him an invitation to meet you there, you could talk to him in person?”
My head tilts to the side as I study her. “Who told you to research them?”
“No one. I simply thought it may help.”
I glare at her, and she squirms under my gaze for a moment before she walks out the door.
The sandwich she brought me sits on the desk, but before I touch it, I email the Jackpot CEO asking him to meet me for dinner tonight. He replies within minutes and agrees.
Well, shit.
I’ve been trying for months to get him to respond, so I guess knowing the place he likes to frequent has helped get me the answer I have wanted to hear.
Standing, I grab my coat and car keys and stop at her desk on my out.
“Jacinta,” I say her name this time, and she startles before lifting her eyes to me. “The Jackpot CEO has asked me to bring a date. Be there at six. Don’t be late. I hate tardiness.” Without giving her a chance to respond, I walk straight to my sister’s office.
Shandy sits on the seat opposite her, her feet kicked up on the desk and a milkshake in one hand. I walk straight past her.
“Oh, no hello, lover boy?”
“Didn’t I fire you already?” Not looking her way, I continue, “Watch what you say to employees, especially since I don’t have the Jackpot account yet. You know I’ve been trying to land it.”
Rylee looks at me, confused.<
br />
“Jacinta?” she asks. “She asked what was occupying you so she could help. Did she help?” Rylee asks.
“Just be careful what you share. This company is half yours, remember that.”
“She’s trying to help you, not take you down,” Rylee bites back and turns to look at Shandy.
“Loverboy, who’s the latest squeeze? Did you get any photos like I asked you to?”
“No,” I snap at her.
“Sounds like you have a stick up your ass that needs to be either wiggled or pulled. Which one is it, lover boy?”
Shandy, despite her annoy qualities, isn’t all that bad. I thought about fucking her once, but it turns out she doesn’t like cock. Now she’s become intertwined in my life without my consent.
The door to the office swings open behind me, and I turn around to see Jacinta standing there. Her cheeks go red, and she rolls her lips between her teeth when she notices me.
“Hey, what’s up?” Rylee asks.
Jacinta’s eyes lock with mine before moving to Rylee, and it’s then I notice the color—hazel, with specs of brown throughout.
“It can wait,” Jacinta says, backing out as quickly as she can.
“No, it’s fine. What’s wrong?” Her eyes flick to me, then to Shandy before they go back to Rylee.
“I don’t want to ask, but …” She goes quiet and looks to the floor, then back to Rylee. “Would it be okay if Oliver stayed with you for a while after work?”
I feel Rylee’s eyes on me, but she answers as I knew she would, “Of course. Winter is dying for company. Bring him straight over.”
Jacinta thanks her and walks out.
When she’s gone, Shandy shuts the door, and both sets of eyes lock on mine.
“Why does she need a sitter, brother?” Rylee asks.
“She’s attending a dinner with me.” My sister’s brows rise. “Strictly work. Don’t get any ideas. I would never, ever touch that.”
I shiver at the thought.
That’s a big no.
Shandy gives me some sort of weird look before she averts her eyes, and Rylee offers me a sad smile.
Chapter 4
Jacinta
I would never, ever touch that.
I heard him say the words, and as I pull up at the front of August’s house, that’s all that runs through my mind.
Is there something wrong with me?
How come no one ever loves me?
Why am I so broken?
“Jacinta?” August opens my car door, and I smile at him as I slide out of my car. Oliver gets out next and hugs August’s legs. I watch as Oliver runs off in the yard.
“I’m kind of broken, aren’t I?” I ask August, my eyes slowly finding his.
If anyone understands, it will be him.
August went from having the shittiest mother to ending up in prison. Then finding a love he thought he never deserved. Then me.
Oliver runs back and clings to August’s leg.
“Jacinta.” He shakes his head and looks down at Oliver. “Go inside, buddy. Winter is waiting for you.”
Oliver nods and heads into the house. I watch him go and hope I’m raising him right, that I’m not making him feel less worthy than I feel.
Because honestly, I feel like a failure.
I look up at August, into his beautiful, kind eyes. How could anyone see a monster there when all I see is someone who was willing to give me a chance and protect me when no one else would. He may have never loved me, but somewhere along the line, I loved him.
“Thanks for this. Mr. Harley requested I go to a meeting with him tonight, and I can’t afford to lose this job.” My hand pushes my hair back over my shoulder while August shakes his head.
“Beckham is an ass to work for. Everyone knows it.”
“So I’ve heard,” I say. But I thought if I stayed out of his way and did the job I am paid for it wouldn’t be such a big issue. I guess I was wrong.
“If you need money, Jacinta, ask. I’m happy to help you and Oliver out, you know this.” I look past him and see Rylee at the door. She offers me a wave before she walks back inside. She has a lot of faith in him, and I don’t blame her. August is crazy in love with her. All he sees is her. Even when I tried to make him see me, it was only glimpses.
“I don’t need money. The work I do pays well. Mr. Harley pays well …” I pause. “It’s just harder than I thought it would be.”
His hand reaches out, and he touches my shoulder. “Jacinta.” His green eyes hold empathy.
I shrug his hand off me. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Oliver should be okay until I’m back. I don’t know what time that will be, though.”
“Oliver can stay the night. I have his room still set up. Go. Have a kid-free night. Rylee mentioned you probably need one.” His hands slide into his pockets.
“She really is amazing,” I say more to myself than anyone else. He knows who I’m talking about right away. “I mean, I knew it.” I shrug.
“There isn’t anything wrong with you. You know that, right?”
“So I keep telling myself, but somehow, the world keeps showing me otherwise.”
“You have bad taste in men, is all.” He winks, and it’s one of the first times I’ve seen him joke.
“Happiness looks good on you,” I tell him honestly. It’s true. It really looks amazing on him. “I have to go. Call me if he needs me, right?” I ask.
August nods and watches as I get back in my car. I glance back to the house, and he offers me a small smile before I drive off.
I didn’t know what to wear, but my guess would be anything but casual. And as I get out of the taxi, I see I’m right. I spot Mr. Harley straight away, his suit as immaculate as it is every day. But tonight’s is all black, even the undershirt, with gold cufflinks, and somehow that makes him appear even more intimidating.
He doesn’t spot me straight away as he’s typing away on his phone, oblivious to the world around him. Women walk by. They stop and stare. Hell, I damn well stare. He may be young, but he carries himself well.
My long, purple dress just barely drags on the floor, even with my heels on. I’m short, but luckily for me, I learned to sew and can hem my own dresses. I make my way to where he’s standing and stop in front of him.
He doesn’t notice.
Hell, and if he does, he doesn’t pay me any attention.
Not that I was expecting him to in the first place.
“Mr. Harley.” He finally looks up at my voice.
His dark eyes rake over me before they land on mine. “You’re late.”
“I’m early, actually,” I say, smiling. “Should we go in?” I ask.
He looks at his watch as he slides his phone into his pocket. “Yes, the clients haven’t arrived yet, thankfully.”
I nod, and he opens the door for me.
A quick peer over my shoulder at him, I am surprised when he looks down at me with a frown on his face.
“I was raised with women, Miss Leigh. I know how to open the door for a lady.”
“Thank you.” I walk ahead.
The hostess looks up, but it’s Mr. Harley her eyes land and stay on.
He doesn’t even have to say his name. She simply directs him to a private booth and he tells her who he’s meeting. She nods and walks off, telling him she will bring a bottle of wine as I pull my seat out to sit across from him.
“Next to me, Miss Leigh. If we plan to land the Jackpot account, I need you to sit near me so you can steal his full attention.”
At his words, I push the seat back in and pull out the one directly next to him. Sitting on it, I have to remember not to let my cheeks redden at being so close to him. That the smell of him is not intoxicating. That he is not intoxicating.
“You drink wine?” he asks.
I have to mentally shake myself out of thinking about him.
“I do,” I answer, not looking his way, because if I do, he may see it written all over my face.
�
�Good. And you should call me Beckham tonight.”
As he says those last words, I glance up to two older men who are walking over to the table with the same hostess who seated us. They both smile at me, and those smiles they held vanish when their eyes land on Beckham.
“I see you brought back-up,” one of the men says.
I recognize him from my research. He owns most of the company. His name is Adam. While his brother, James, owns a smaller percentage and is the other man who is currently taking a seat opposite me.
“A pretty lady never hurt anybody,” Beckham says.
What the hell did he just say? I have to hold back my shock that he called me pretty. When I look at him, he offers me a smile, but I can tell instantly it’s fake. It still makes something in my stomach flutter though, even if I don’t know what.
“No, I guess you’re right,” Adam relays as the waitress brings over two bottles of wine.
“We would like one of every starter,” Beckham announces.
The waitress, who can’t seem to look anywhere else but Beckham, nods before she walks away.
“So, you want our business?” James states as he pours himself a glass, but it’s more a question than a statement. He offers me one, and I smile and nod my head before he pours mine. “Tell me … sorry, what is your name?” James looks at me.
“Jacinta,” I reply with a smile.
“Yes, Jacinta.” He’s kind, with gentle eyes. “Tell me … is Beckham as lethal to work with as I have heard?” I feel all sets of eyes fall on me. I could tell the truth that he’s as ruthless as he is a major asshole. Instead, I try to come up with something positive to say, and that’s damn hard.
“I’ve gained great knowledge working with him. Beckham is dedicated to his work.”
James’s lip lifts. “Are you choosing not to answer that question?”
“Oh no, he’s a delight.” And that lie tastes sour on my tongue, so much so I almost pucker my lips with the acidity.
The brothers share a look, and I feel Beckham’s eyes boring into the side of my head. When I turn to confirm this, he offers me a smile, and once again, it’s fake. It says you will pay for this before he turns back to the brothers.