by Laura Pavlov
My weakness.
Hell, she was my weakness.
“Hey, we just wanted to have a quick meeting to discuss how to handle the Governor Labrith story,” Ford said as I dropped in the seat beside my brother and across from Dan and Monroe.
“I’ll tell you how we’re going to handle it. We’re going to kill the story. Who gives a fuck if her husband is into kinky shit or if their marriage is in the shitter? Not worth the heat on this one.” I folded my arms over my chest and glared at Dan.
Dan Arbor had worked for us long before I came on board. He’d worked here when my father ran the newsroom. He was a good guy, a brilliant journalist, and I’d call him a friend. But allowing Monroe to step in the lion’s den did not sit well with me, and I was sure as hell going to make sure he knew it.
“Who gives a shit? Um, the people of our great city, that’s who,” Monroe said, straightening her shoulders as her mouth morphed into a solid line and she stared at me hard. Those indigo blues could turn icy on a moment’s notice. She was gearing up for a fight.
Buckle up, girl. I’m not going to back down on this one.
“I don’t care. You are not running with this story. Don’t we pay you the big bucks to cover the heavy shit, Dan? You’re going to allow a newbie to run with a story like this? Really?” I hissed, and Dan’s face startled.
“I, well, er, I didn’t think it was a problem.” Dan turned to look between Ford and me with surprise. He tugged at the collar of his light blue dress shirt—a habit I’d noticed over the years whenever he was uncomfortable. “She writes an anonymous column and I figured this would be a story we’d want to keep anonymous. It’s more of a personal story, as it’s regarding the governor’s husband and not her. But most importantly, Monroe actually found the lead on this one and I thought it would be a good one to cut her teeth on.”
Ford glanced over at me with a questioning gaze. He leaned forward in the black leather chair and folded his hands to form a teepee on the table. “That makes perfect sense. What is the problem with Monroe digging into this a little bit?”
“What’s the problem? I’ll tell you what the fucking problem is. Let’s start with Joseph Capetti being Melissa Labrith’s father. Come on, you both know better. She shouldn’t be involved in this shit.” My hand came down hard on the table and everyone jumped. The walls in the conference room were surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, and a few people out in the hallway turned and stared from the other side of the glass.
“Excuse me, but she is sitting right here. Don’t act like I’m not part of this conversation. And why the hell should I not be involved in this? I’m a reporter, for god’s sake.” Monroe pushed to her feet with her hands braced on the table as she spewed her angry words at me. She wore a cream dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, and I couldn’t help but stare at her perky tits as they pressed against the fabric.
Focus.
“Listen, I’m not sure what’s going on here and I apologize if I made a bad call. She came to me with the story and I was impressed. She’s, I mean, Monroe, you’re hungry and I respect that. I didn’t think Joseph Capetti would be part of the story as this is about Professor Labrith, but you’re right, Jack, it’s something to consider. He’s going to protect his daughter at all costs.” Dan glanced over at Monroe and she dropped back down in her seat.
“Melissa Labrith is estranged from her father. That’s public knowledge. This has nothing to do with him. We aren’t digging into organized crime here. It’s a personal piece about a politician’s husband. You’re being dramatic.” She raised a brow with pursed lips.
Ford chuckled to my right and I turned and stared hard at him before he pulled his shit together and straightened his face.
“Estranged my ass. Every fucking candidate who ran against her backed out. He was her largest donor. You don’t find that interesting being the reporter that you are?” I clenched my jaw as I tried to calm myself.
“Sure, he keeps an eye on her. It doesn’t mean he can protect her from a story breaking. He can’t. It’s news. That’s the way this works,” she said, her tongue dipping out to wet her bottom lip and it took all the restraint I had not to pull her on my lap and taste her sweet mouth. Hell, I was pissed at her, but I still wanted her. What the fuck was this girl doing to me?
“You couldn’t be more wrong, Blue Jay. He can protect her from whatever the hell he chooses. And he will. And you’re foolish if you don’t believe that.” I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes for a minute to tamper down the anger brewing. What the hell were they thinking even considering letting her do this?
“Oh, I’m foolish now because I don’t agree with you?” she hissed.
“You’re foolish for thinking one of the most powerful men in the city, who happens to be linked to organized crime, can’t shut you the hell up. And shame on both of you for allowing it to get this far.” I pointed my finger at Ford and Dan.
“Oh my god. So, we just kill the story because her dad is powerful?” Monroe shouted, begging me with those indigo blues to see her point.
“Yes.” I shrugged. It wasn’t fucking worth it.
There was a light knock on the glass and our assistant Sam stood on the other side. I waved for her to come in and she let us know that our next meeting was running late. She smiled at me because Sam knew me. She knew when I was losing my cool, and I was definitely losing my cool. I nodded, and she stepped out of the room.
“Okay, listen. I hear what you’re saying, brother, but we do report the news, and Monroe was brought on as a reporter. She found this lead on her own. Her column is anonymous. No one will know who writes it, so anyone that doesn’t like it will come after us, not her.”
“You think it’s that difficult to figure it out? Come on, you’re smarter than that, Ford.”
“I think we look into it. We don’t make any decisions yet if we’ll run with anything. For all we know, it’s just bullshit. This is very secondhand information, from the girlfriend of her son, and it could all lead nowhere. Monroe wants to find a way into the party undercover and just see what she can find out. The next event we know of isn’t until New Year’s Eve. A lot can happen between now and then, and the whole thing may blow up. If we get that far and we can get her in, we’ll have people in place to protect her. We’d be parked outside nearby, and she’ll just be an observer,” my older brother said, looking between me and Monroe.
Asshole.
I nodded. “All right, then I’ll go too. Hell, Victoria will score an invite to this ridiculous shindig. I’ll have her take me as her date.”
Monroe’s hands came down hard on the table. She pushed to her feet again and glared at me. “I do not need a babysitter. This is just an excuse for you to take some ho-bag to a party.”
Ah… she sure as shit wanted to keep our relationship a secret, but she didn’t like the idea of me being seen with another woman.
Good. Maybe jealousy would knock some fucking sense into her.
Ford and Dan chuckled before righting themselves. These two assholes thought this was funny, but this was not a fucking joke to me.
“So, I have a source on the inside. We may be able to get her in through the catering company that the Labriths use. Apparently, these types of events have you sign a nondisclosure statement, so we’d have to maneuver around a lot of different factors, but I’m working on it. It’s still a ways away so we can’t do much as of now. But you can’t attend, Jack. It’s a private after-party that is handpicked for obvious reasons. You’ll never get an invite to that event, as you own the largest newspaper in the city. They won’t do anything with you there, and you know it,” Dan said, giving me an apologetic shrug.
He was fucking right, but that wouldn’t stop me from being there.
“They don’t know me. I can go in undercover and just see if there’s anything there. Unfortunately, your face is too know
n, playboy.” Monroe refused to meet my gaze now.
“Let’s all remain calm. Come on, how often do these things blow up before we even get there? It might not even happen. For all we know, this is a rumor,” Ford said.
I pushed to my feet. I wasn’t happy. But it was three against one, and I wasn’t getting anywhere with them. I’d sure as shit find a way to be at that party, and they’d all have to deal with it.
I stalked out the door without saying a word and made my way to my office, slamming the door behind me and pacing the room. The door swung open and Sabrina waltzed in and shut the door behind her. Could this day get any fucking worse?
“Hey, boss,” she purred as she walked over to me and rubbed her body against mine. “It sounds like you’re having a tough day and I thought maybe I could help.”
I gripped her shoulders and pushed her back. This wasn’t the first time I’d turned down her advances, and it was grating my nerves. “Are you kidding me with this shit? You need to leave.”
My door swung open again, and Monroe stood there slack-jawed. “Oh. This looks cozy,” she spat. “We need to discuss what just happened in the conference room. If you can spare a minute for a work meeting.” Her arms crossed over her chest and she narrowed her gaze at me.
“She was just leaving.” I rubbed my temples as Sabrina made her way out of my office and I slammed the door behind her.
“What the hell was that?” Monroe huffed, placing her hands on her hips.
“That was fucking nothing.”
“It didn’t look like nothing. This is why I can’t trust you,” she hissed.
“No. You don’t get to play that card.” I stepped into her space, pressing her back up against the wall. “She thinks I’m fucking single. Whose fault is that? I’ve made it clear I’m not interested in her multiple times.”
“Fine. If you say so,” she snarled. “What the hell was that back in the conference room?”
“That was me trying to talk some fucking sense into you.” I placed a hand on each side of her face. The girl was driving me crazy.
“By taking some skank to a party. This is your idea of proving to me that you want something with me? Then I walk in the office and find Sabrina grinding up against you.”
Ah… she was more pissed about Victoria and Sabrina than me interfering with the story.
“I assure you there was no grinding. She took her shot and she missed. I asked her to leave. And I’m not letting you go in alone to that fucking party, and I sure as shit can’t take you as my date if you’re undercover. So, I’ll be there. One way or another. And you know that I’m not interested in anyone but you.” My nose rubbed against hers. Our breaths were labored as desire lingered whenever we were together.
“Who’s Victoria?”
“Some chick I used to see. No one important. But she’s a socialite and she’s on every guest list in town. I’m sure she can get me in the door.”
“So, you’re going on a date with someone else?” She pushed my chest back and glared.
“I’m trying to keep you fucking safe. You’re playing with fire, and I won’t have it. I don’t give a shit about Victoria and I’ll make sure she knows it. But I’ll be at that party keeping an eye on you.”
“I don’t need you to be there.” Her gaze softened, and she tugged me close.
“I don’t care. I’ll be there.”
“Why?” The word came out breathy, and her gaze searched mine.
“Because I’m fucking crazy about you. And I don’t give a shit who knows it. Hell, I want it out there. And I want your fucking brother to know the truth. I want everyone at the office to know the truth. I’m tired of hiding. It’s not my style and you’re making this more difficult than it has to be.” I ran a hand through her silky hair, settling my fingers at the nape of her neck. Her chest rising and falling in response.
“I think Dan is a little confused by that show you just put on in there. I mean, he thinks we broke up.”
“I don’t give a shit. I’m pissed at him,” I said, waiting for her to respond to the rest of what I’d said.
“You know why I don’t want to involve Miles right now. Nor do we need all the people in the office in our business. Why can’t this be something that’s just for us?”
I rested my forehead against hers. “What do you want from me, Little Bird? What’s it going to take for you to believe I’m all in?”
Her fingers traced the scruff on my jaw, and she looked up at me. “I only want you. That’s it.”
I covered her mouth with mine. Hungry and needy. I was done holding back. Done following rules that made no sense. If she wanted this just between us, so be it. I just wanted her.
Only her.
“Let’s go,” I said, pulling away abruptly and tracing her swollen lip with the pad of my thumb.
“What? Where are we going?” Her words were raspy.
“You want me. I want you. What the fuck are we waiting for?” I said, picking up my office phone to let Sam know to cancel my morning meetings.
“We’re leaving?” she whispered.
“I asked you what you wanted and I’m giving it to you. I’m done torturing myself, and you.”
Her eyes were big as saucers as she wrung her hands and shifted on her feet. “What changed?”
“Nothing. Just done waiting. You either trust me or you don’t, Blue Jay. So, I’m going to show you.” I pulled her flush against my body.
“Show me what?”
“That I’m all in when it comes to you,” I said, grazing my lips against her ear as I spoke.
“What are you waiting for?” she whispered.
She insisted on leaving the office first so it wouldn’t look obvious. But after the way I’d lost my shit this morning in the conference room, I highly doubted Dan wasn’t aware something was going on. Sam winked as I walked by, so I figured she was on to us as well. Obviously, my brother knew. So, Monroe could keep this little game going as long as she wanted, but I was done holding back.
Hell, I was just getting started.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Monroe
Big Tony was waiting at the curb when we stepped outside, and he drove us to Jack’s place. Panic flooded through me. This man had touched me more times than I could count, but he’d never let me touch him aside from the teaser last night. He’d never let us take things further together. And now it was happening. In the middle of a workday. This was so not me. But I couldn’t get past the thrill coursing through my veins. The anticipation had me buzzing.
I pushed away my concern about finding Sabrina in his office. She certainly was persistent, I’d give her that. And Victoria—who the hell knew what was going on there. I needed to tread with caution. Jack wanted to go all in, but how could I?
He reached for my hand and tugged me closer. “Don’t overthink it, Blue Jay.”
I raised my brows and tilted my head toward the driver’s seat, reminding him that Big Tony sat just a few feet away. I wasn’t about to discuss this with him in the car.
“I’m fairly certain Big T thinks we’ve been sleeping together this whole time.” He grazed his lips against my ear, and I squeezed my thighs together to control myself.
Jesus. This was not okay.
I looked up to meet his gaze and chuckled, before holding my finger to my lips, desperate for him to stop talking about it in the car.
He leaned forward and nipped at my finger, pulling it between his lips and sucking on it before letting it go. “So sweet. Every inch of you.”
“Oh my god,” I whispered before we stepped out of the car and made our way to the private elevator.
Once the doors closed, he was on me. He pressed my back against the wall and kissed me hard. My breaths came hard and fast, and I melted against him. I’d wanted him for so long I couldn’t think straight now th
at it was actually happening.
The doors opened and we stumbled into his apartment. “Sarah,” he called out and she hurried out to greet us.
He wrapped his arms around my middle, his chest to my back, and I patted my hair in place and said hello to the sweet woman who probably thought we looked insane. We were both panting, and I was fairly certain my blouse was unbuttoned, but too nervous to look down at the moment.
“Well, hello,” she said, using her hand to cover her smile. “What can I do for you?”
“Take the rest of the day off, paid, of course. Go see a movie, grab some lunch, treat yourself.” He handed her what looked like a wad of cash.
She chuckled. “You got it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As soon as the door shut, he turned me in his arms, lifting me off my feet. My legs came around his waist and I tangled my fingers in his hair. “I can’t believe we left work. What if we get in trouble?”
“I’m your boss. You won’t get in trouble. We both work too damn hard anyway,” he said before his mouth came over mine and he carried me to his bedroom. I’d slept in this bed a dozen times, but now I was nervous. I didn’t know why.
He set me down on the bed like I was a precious piece of china. “I’ve waited a long time for you.”
“Right back at you, Montgomery.” My words were so breathy and needy, that my cheeks heated in response.
“Tell me what you want.” He stood at the foot of the bed, hovering over me.
“I want you. All of you. No more holding back.”
Well, so much for being cautious. I’d lost control of myself. Something about this man pushed me past boundaries I’d never crossed. Jack Montgomery was a bulldozer, knocking down walls and barriers since the day I’d met him.
“No more holding back.” He licked his lips, and I could no longer wait. I sat forward and reached for his belt, tugging at his dress pants, and yanking them down. He didn’t stop me this time.
“Someone’s anxious.” He laughed as he stood there, letting me take the lead.