by Shain Rose
I jumped. “Jesus, Jett.” I glanced across my desk to see Steve scrutinizing me. “I’m sorry. Mr. Stonewood. You scared me.”
“Mr. Stone—” His eyes flicked to Steve’s desk, then his smile curved across his face, slow and calculating. “You’re referring to me as Mr. Stonewood now, Victory?”
I shot up from my chair, alarm bells silently ringing from his look. We needed to exit the building now before people found out I was sleeping with the boss. People, yes, but more specifically, Steve.
“Of course.” I grabbed my bag and motioned toward the elevator. “You were going to give me a ride to see Brey and Jax over the holiday, right?”
“Was I?” Jett asked, walking much slower than I wanted him to. “I was under the impression I was giving you a ride to my family’s house so you could meet them.”
I laughed, but it came out high and strained. I turned to Steve. “Tell your family I said hi and happy Thanksgiving.”
“Uh, yeah. Sure,” he replied, studying me as if I’d grown horns. Then, a smile so slimy slid across his face as I saw the pieces of the puzzle fall into place for him. “Vick, did I mention I might have left my watch at your place on Halloween night?”
I saw his comment for what it was, a blatant pissing contest, one where he got to insinuate that he’d placed a flag down on me before a Stonewood.
Both Jett and I tensed, my muscles coiled to attack him for such an asinine move. “No, you didn’t mention it because that was about a month ago and I can assure you that you didn’t leave it there. Goodbye, Stevie.”
Thankfully, Jett followed me as I stomped to the elevator and didn’t say a word as we stepped in. I pressed the lobby button repeatedly until the doors closed. As soon as they did, I turned on him. “Are you trying to make it everyone’s business that I’m sleeping with you?”
“I don’t really care one way or the other,” he answered, completely unfazed by the annoyance in my voice.
“Well, I do.” I poked at his large shoulder. “You can’t just start acting like we’re intimate. People are already suspicious.”
“Suspicious? Or territorial? Seems Stevie wants to make it known that he slept with you.”
“Oh, please. Who cares if he’s doing that? It’s not like he actually wants to be with me. It’s only about impressing you or being the bigger man. If people think we’re dating, that’s a larger issue. The team is starting to trust me, and I want their trust. I like the career I’ve started here. I have more respect than I’ve ever had anywhere else.”
Jett moved forward and swiped his FOB before pressing a red button. The elevator slowed to a stop.
“What are you doing?” I pushed the lobby floor button again but the elevator didn’t move.
“Making something clear to you. I want your full attention for it.”
I waved at the doors. “That’s a little dramatic.”
“You told me before you don’t belong to anyone, right?” He raised an eyebrow.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Right.”
“Then I never want to hear another man try to metaphorically piss all over you in front of me again.”
“You’re being ridiculous. You want me to call him out?” I widened my eyes when he didn’t immediately shoot down the idea. “You know how painful that would be for everyone?”
“You and making everyone feel at ease,” he mumbled under his breath before crowding me up against the wall and breathing into my ear. “I don’t care whether it makes my whole office uncomfortable, Victory. I don’t enjoy hearing a man imply that about you. I’m not proud to say it just about nearly killed me to not fire him on the spot. If you’re worried about making someone feel uncomfortable, know that I’m twisted up inside listening to him being an asshole.”
“Phantom,” I smoothed his chest, trying to calm him. I saw his anger for what it was. He didn’t like the disrespect Steve put out there. I didn’t either. “I made it pretty clear that no watch was left at my place. I’m done with him and he knows it. And for the record, I never slept with him. There’s nothing left for him to say. So, he won’t do it again.”
“No. He won’t. Because I’m coming to realize if you belong to anyone other than yourself, it’s me. You better realize it fast too. I will remove anyone from our lives who claims otherwise.”
I brushed my fingers over his jawline, soothing away the tension and anger. “Okay, Phantom.”
He leaned toward the buttons and swiped his FOB. Then, instead of pressing the lobby, he pressed the underground parking button. He stepped away from me and cleared his throat. “I’m driving. My vehicle’s in the garage.”
I folded my hands together, not sure where we stood but sure it wasn’t on the same ground we’d stood before. “Don’t you have work to attend to?”
He pointedly slid his phone from his pant pocket and turned it off. “You’ve got my full attention.”
“Oh.” I leaned against the elevator railing, and my hands gripped it like it would help stabilize my spiraling feelings. “I don’t need it. I could work too.”
“You also mentioned you’re concerned people won't respect you in the office if we’re in a relationship.”
Even with the admission he’d just made, I still felt that way. “I just think that we aren’t sure this relationship will work out. We aren’t even sure if this is a relationship. So, I don’t think everyone needs to know about it. And by everyone, I sort of mean no one. No one needs to know.”
He rubbed the shadow of stubble on his chin. “Interesting approach, Pix. What do you expect me to tell my family then?”
“Will they ask?”
He chuckled. “Someone will ask, woman. You think I bring all the women I sleep with home for Thanksgiving?”
I cleared my throat and the frustration at hearing about the other women he slept with away. Watching the doors, I said, “I’m Brey’s friend. We’ll just go with that.” The elevator doors opened, and he lifted his chin as he held the doors open for me. The blue in his eyes was deep, dark, and masked any emotion he felt toward my words.
My heart galloped faster than a horse chasing a damn dream. And maybe I was chasing one too. But Jett didn’t dismiss my idea. He didn’t want to claim me as his.
The moment in my apartment a few days ago had been a fluke and his anger in this elevator was just jealousy. Even so, there was a whisper of hope in the back of my mind that wished it could be real.
“I’m this way.” He turned left, and we walked down the row of luxury cars on sleek cement.
“I’ve never been down here.”
“It’s pretty absurd in Chicago. Having a car is inefficient.”
“And yet you do,” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.
He pressed a button on his keychain and a black F-150 truck chirped in front of us. The ground clearance was ridiculous and the wheels were so big, it took up more than one parking slot.
My mouth dropped. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“About what?” He rounded to the passenger side and opened my door.
“This is grotesquely extravagant.” I scrunched my nose and walked over, ready to get in. “Why would you have this big ass truck in the middle of Chicago where you can’t even fit into a damn parking spot?”
One side of his mouth kicked up as he grabbed my hips to lift me into the seat. A spark of heat shot straight through me, and I gasped.
He wedged himself between my legs before I could turn in my seat to face forward, his eyes on my open mouth. “I enjoy getting my hands on you any way I can. If I get that reaction every time I lift you into this dumbass truck, I’m driving it to work from now on.”
“Get real, Phantom.”
He rubbed his hard length against me, and my nipples tightened. “I’m the most real thing you’re ever going to have between your legs again, woman.”
He grabbed my jaw and devoured me. I clawed at his shirt and pulled him closer, needing the taste of him more than I’d needed anythin
g in days. My body hummed for him, was becoming attuned to him and starting to thirst for him like it did for water. I drank in as much as I could as fast as I could before I pulled back to catch my breath. “We’re in the workplace.”
He murmured, “My workplace,” before diving in again and pulling at the bottom of my dark green top. Then his hands were on my skin and my pussy clenched, so wet and ready to have him in me again. “I swear you’re trying to drive me insane with these outfits,” he mumbled as he worked at a tie that cinched my waist in to form an hourglass figure.
“It’s conservative and very work appropriate.”
“It’s a fucking maze to get off you and looks like porn for the guys at work. Stevie stared at you all damn day,” he growled into my neck as he focused on undoing the knot at the side of my top.
“Steve can stare all he likes, Jett, as can most men, if it helps get them through the day.” I shrugged.
Jett’s head whipped up from my neck. “Victory,”—his jaw popped and the stare he gave me held warning—“those men don’t get to eye fuck you on company time. Especially not when it’s my company.”
I didn’t know if he was madder about them doing it to me or doing it on his company time.
Another car beeped, signaling someone else was in the garage with us. Jett’s hands went to my thighs and his head dropped like he was trying to pull it together.
“Guess party time is up,” I said, teasing him because he started the party thinking he’d be able to finish it.
“Give me a minute,” he grumbled under his breath.
I leaned forward and rubbed my legs against his as I breathed into his neck, “That all it takes, big man?”
“You’re a devil wrapped in intoxicating clothing, woman.” He stepped back and pushed my legs over to face the front. Then the passenger door was slammed a little harder than I’m sure it would have been on any other day.
We drove to my apartment where I teased him about the fuel economy of the massive truck he claimed was logical.
He teased me about it being very logical with all the shit I had to bring. Which was only three suitcases. Two of which were tiny ones. In my defense, I didn’t know what to expect of the holiday so different clothes for different possibilities was warranted.
The drive to the Stonewoods’ home only took two hours as Jett navigated around the city traffic and had a toll pass.
“This is Greenville,” he announced as we passed a large carved wood sign that read Welcome to Greenville, Population 5,439.
“Small town,” I said while taking in the widened and curved roads where the speed limit had dropped to twenty five. Admiring the backdrop of red-leaved maple trees and rolling hills of green grass, I wondered if he missed this lifestyle.
He pushed the button that controlled the windows, lowering them to let the autumn wind whip in. His elbow popped out right as the top of the window reached the door. A smile stretched across his face, the most genuine one I’d ever seen on him. “Yup, so small that every damn person is up your ass all day every day.”
“Seems frustrating.”
“It’s home.”
My elbow went to the middle console, and I set my chin in my hand to study him. “You kind of look like you fit here with this big pickup and your hair getting all blown around in the wind.”
He glanced at me and chuckled. “My mom raised small-town boys. We couldn’t shake it if we tried.”
“You don’t look it in your suit and tie.”
“I’m still in part of my suit now,” he said, eyebrow raised as he turned down another street.
He was. He’d lost the jacket and tie, but he still wore slacks and his white collared shirt didn’t hold a damn wrinkle. The sleeves were rolled up and his big hands gripped the steering wheel of a F-150 now. The Rolex glinted in the sun, but it was on the wrist of a man who looked perfectly able to chop wood out here in this small town. My mouth watered at the vision of him in this truck, on this country lane where kids played outside and the sun shone on every golden leaf.
He chuckled, and the sound shook my whole stupid, fantastical soul. “What are you thinking, Pix?”
I snapped up straight in my leather seat. “Nothing worth mentioning.”
“I like your not-worth-mentioning thoughts. Hit me.”
“Small towns make me think of big dreams of my picture-perfect future, Jett.”
“Hmm.” He nodded but didn’t ask me to elaborate. I didn’t want to either. We both knew that road ended in a fork where our paths and ideas split off in opposite directions.
We pulled up to an expansive home with white-stained cedar siding and a wraparound porch. Round, ribbed pillars stood tall, holding up a balcony above them. The lush, manicured front yard boasted enough green acreage for two more houses of the same size. “Ready?” he asked as he hit the gravel drive and inched forward until we were parked behind another pickup.
My eyebrows shot up at the other vehicle.
“My dad’s. And yes, probably every man in town has one.”
“Ah. It makes more sense now.”
“What makes more sense?” He opened his door.
“Every man needs a bigger truck than the man down the road.”
“I got the biggest, babe. Don’t worry.” His door shut, and I found myself laughing at the rare snapshot of humor he graced me with.
He took his time lowering me to the ground, and I immediately felt relief that I’d changed when we stopped at my apartment. I wore cream flats to match my blouse and dark jeans. The flats made navigating the gravel drive easy, and my long sleeves combated the chill of the wind.
Jett rounded the truck’s bed to grab our bags. As he did, both his parents waltzed out from their heavy, oak double doors to meet us.
“Vick!” Nancy shouted and waved at me as she hurried forward. The black maxi dress flowing around her legs matched her long ebony hair.
I tried to grab one of my suitcases, but Nancy waved me away. “Let the men handle it.”
I glanced at Senior Stonewood, who was an older but just as good-looking version of his son. He could be classified as the silent type. He took one look at me, making his assessment, and I tried not to shake under it. This man had single-handedly restored a large city’s economy. He masterminded every pitfall and escaped every recession. My mother, an extremely intelligent businesswoman herself, considered his accolades some of the best in the history of entrepreneurship.
Every time I’d encountered him, I’d hid behind Brey or Jaydon. Today, I had no one to hide behind. “I’m Vick.” I stuck my hand out for him to shake.
He didn’t move, and the wind died, the sun dimmed, my heart raced. He was a stone wall standing taller than anyone I’d ever encountered, more forbidding than I’d ever imagined. Then he chuckled, and the wall crumbled with the rumble of it. His hand clapped me on the shoulder as he pulled me in for a hug.
“I know who you are. You’re Brey’s best friend. I know my daughter’s best friends.”
His words warmed my heart to him immediately. They had taken Brey into their family after her father went to prison for burning down their home with Brey’s mother in it. Some wouldn’t have accepted her as a daughter so quickly. After Brey married into the family though, there wasn’t a doubt. She was a Stonewood, and Senior Stonewood obviously took notice of his daughter’s life.
“Right,” I nodded. “Thanks for having me.”
“Thank you for coming.” He motioned to his son and they moved in sync to get the bags. I heard them grumble to one another about women and their belongings as Nancy pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so happy you could make it.”
“Yes. I was happy Brey invited me,” I mentioned loudly for everyone to hear.
Nancy pulled back. “Oh, honey. Don’t do that. Jett told us he was bringing you. I’m happy he’s dating someone,” she singsonged as she hooked her arm in mine and guided me toward her home. “Otherwise he’ll end up just like his father.”
“You
’re still with me, aren’t you?” Senior Stonewood grumbled.
“Legally, we’re still separated,” she quipped back without turning around. Smirking at me, she whispered, “Make them work for it. It’s what they deserve when they put in five hundred hours a week as if life outside of Stonewood Enterprises doesn’t matter.”
We stepped up onto her porch and I barely had time to take in the expansive foyer as we walked in. The smell of tea drifted through the house as she steered me toward the kitchen.
“I’ll show you to your room later. You’re staying with Jett, right? Now that we’ve addressed the elephant that shouldn’t have been in the room in the first place?”
“I ... um …” I stuttered, glancing back to see if Jett could answer for me.
He winked at me from the foyer where he and his father were setting down bags. “She’s staying with me, Mom. Give her a little breathing room.”
I rushed to amend his statement. “I can stay wherever. If it’s Jett’s room, he’ll obviously sleep on the floor.”
“Of course he will.” Nancy winked at her son. Then she let go of my arm to pour some tea. She proceeded to add a splash of liquor into the hot tea before handing it over. “Take the edge off if you want. Just remember, you’ve been known to drink with me and Brey before dating my son. I’m still the same person, Vick. I just have more ammo to equip you with in the dating field.”
Truthfully, I’d always enjoyed a night out with Jaydon and Brey in college. Sometimes, Nancy would roll into town to see her son and join us. She was that woman who could fall in step wherever, completely comfortable and accepted anywhere.
“I’m trying to process everything,” I admitted. “I had a whole story prepared for today.”
Her smile warmed the room, and as I sipped the spiked tea, I relaxed a bit. “Isn’t it so much better to stick with the truth?”
The temptation to give an answer that would appease her was strong, but I gave the honest one instead. “Maybe. I’m not sure what to expect.”
“No one in love does.” She contemplated her estranged husband and my Phantom walking toward us. I would have corrected her—Jett and I weren’t in love—but I had a feeling she wasn’t talking about us anymore.