A limo picked him up from the O’Hare airport. As soon as he slid into the car, Garrett called his son’s nanny to check on him. He couldn’t wait to get home to see him with his own eyes, but that would have to wait a few more hours.
Garrett instructed the driver to take him to his office. Then, made a phone call.
Arrogant and smug, Raymond answered on the second ring. “I guess you’ve finally come to a decision about my offer.”
Garrett ran his hand back and forth over the stubble on his chin. “You know what I find most interesting? Your complete amnesia about what I’m capable of.”
Loathing laced with defiance was evident in Raymond’s response. “No, I know exactly who you are, Garrett.”
“You couldn’t. Otherwise, you would already be preparing for the shit storm that’s about to rain down on you.”
This time it was Raymond who laughed out loud. “I’ve taken everything that’s ever mattered to you—your business, wife, and if you don’t cooperate, I’ll take your son.”
Garrett was ready. He’d prepared himself before his plane landed on the Chicago airstrip. Raymond’s words wouldn’t penetrate his armor. As a matter of fact, he welcomed his attempts. The upcoming fight thawed some of the numbness that started to settle inside of him.
Raymond’s weakness was that he had always played small ball. Always trying to be successful off the backs of others. It was too bad he wasn’t content with the cushy position Garrett had given him. If Raymond wanted to move up to the big leagues, so be it. He would crush him.
“That’s where you’ve miscalculated. However, I’ll be generous and tell you this—you’ve revealed yourself.” Garrett’s voice lowered to a menacing level. “That’s not good for you.”
“Are you Michael Corleone now? Am I supposed to squeal like a little bitch? Your threats don’t phase me. I’m holding all of the cards.”
“I only called to warn you.” Garrett looked at his watch. “I’ll be at the office within the next half hour.”
“I guess I’ll see you there.”
“No one would ever accuse you of being a smart man. If you were, you’d make sure you weren’t anywhere within a thousand feet of me. But more importantly, you would know you should be scared.”
Garrett disconnected. He still needed to make one last call. He dialed the number. “Hey, it’s me. Is everything all set? Good. See you at the office.”
*****
Shannon Hadley sat across from Raymond. She crossed one long leg over the other and bounced her stiletto up and down. She hadn’t seen Garrett or her son since he’d packed all of her belongings and sent them to Raymond’s apartment over two weeks ago.
“Maybe it’s not a good idea to be here in Garrett’s office when he arrives.”
Raymond’s eyes narrowed. “His office?”
“You know what I mean.”
“The board voted me in as the new CEO. This is now my office. Don’t get all wobbly-kneed on me, Shannon. We’ve finally got Garrett exactly where we want him.”
“Did you have to tell him about our son?”
“Whose son? Mine and yours, or yours and his?”
Shannon tossed her glossy hair over her shoulder. “Jealousy is an emotion that causes mistakes. Get it together! You’re being a jerk for no reason. Garrett and I are getting divorced. I chose you.” She’d never tell him that Garrett discovered their affair and was the one to file for divorce. As far as Raymond knew, she’d chosen him.
If Garrett hadn’t been so cold and focused on building his business, Shannon would never have resumed her relationship with Raymond.
Before she could utter another word, the door opened to reveal Garrett and several other men in suits.
Shannon and Raymond both stood. She thought she would have enough time to leave before Garrett arrived. Apparently, not.
The firm set of his lips and shoulders was a dead giveaway that he was furious. She could see it in his eyes, and that made Shannon nervous. When he walked through the door, he didn’t even glance in her direction. He had a laser-like focus on Raymond.
Raymond came from behind his desk buttoning up his suit coat as he walked towards Garrett. “I had them move your things to the office down the hall.”
Unfortunately for him, Raymond walked into a hard punch to the stomach. Garrett hit him so hard that Raymond doubled over as his body stumbled backward. Garrett almost dropped him to his knees. Shannon ran over to Raymond, and he slapped her hands away.
Raymond’s head snapped up. “Somebody call security! Have them escort this bastard out of my office.”
“Security is being called, but I won’t be the one who’s hauled out of here.”
“You’re not the CEO anymore, Garrett!”
“You’re right. I’m no longer the CEO of The Hadley Group. Somehow, you managed to convince the majority of the shareholders to vote me out. Your problem is that this building isn’t listed as a THG asset.”
One of Garrett’s lawyer’s stepped from behind him and handed Raymond a legal packet.
“What? That’s impossible?”
“No, it’s not. You’ve always half-assed done everything including trying to take over my businesses. This building and most of my holdings were transferred to Garrett Hadley Incorporated when I received word of what you were attempting to do over a year ago.” Having his investigators track Raymond’s every move was how he found out about the takeover—and the affair.
Raymond couldn’t believe it.
Security guards arrived at the door. “Mr. Hadley, you called?”
Garrett looked back over his shoulder. “Yes. I want these two people escorted out of here and never allowed back on this property again.”
Shannon shouted, “You can’t be serious?”
Garrett finally acknowledged her presence. “Deadly serious. You must think I’m crazy to agree to joint custody with you. As of this moment, all of your credit cards and bank accounts with my name on them have been closed. Your things are being moved from the swanky apartment you’re renting on Lake Shore Drive to Raymond’s little condo. Who knows how long he can continue to live there now that The Hadley Group’s income is much less than what it pays out in debts?”
She looked horrified. “What am I supposed to do for money?”
He shook his head. “You’re more pissed about not having money than you are about me taking custody from you? Pathetic. Don’t ask me. You’re not my fucking problem.” He pointed to Raymond. “You’re his.”
Raymond hissed. “This isn’t over, Garrett. Not by a long shot. You’ve traded this company for custody of your son. She’ll fight for him. I’ll make sure of it!”
Garrett almost lost it. He dove for Raymond but was quickly held back by his own security team.
Raymond could be heard yelling as he was being dragged out. “I promise you’ll pay for this, you sorry sonofabitch! You might as well pack up my son’s things. We’ll be there to get him soon.”
Shannon didn’t know what to do. She looked back and forth between Garrett and Raymond. Her eyes brimmed with tears. He was certain it wasn’t because she regretted the mess she’d made. She was sorry because she’d chosen the wrong side and lost.
Security tugged on her arm and led her out of his office.
Garrett turned to his team. “Clean this place. It wreaks of cheap ass cologne. I don’t want any traces of Raymond when I return to work tomorrow.”
Chapter 14
It was always good when Imani went home to visit with her family, but after two weeks of being away, she was happy to be home. She wasn’t going to pretend that Garrett didn’t have something to do with her excitement.
They talked on the telephone several times throughout the day, every day, the entire time she’d been gone. Over the past two weeks, Garrett and Imani attempted to keep their conversations friendly and free of sexual talk or innuendos. They were mostly successful.
She’d learned a lot about him during that time—some of hi
s likes, dislikes, and motivations, but not much about his family. She could only conclude they weren’t very close which was sad. Imani couldn’t imagine not having a healthy relationship with her family. They were the cornerstone of everything in her life.
Garrett was also skittish about getting involved in another relationship, particularly because he wasn’t officially divorced. However, Imani knew she was well on her way to falling head over heels in love with him—if she wasn’t already. Garrett wanted to go slow, but everything inside of her wanted to go head first and full speed ahead. Knowing his situation, Imani wouldn’t push. She would do her best to take things at a pace he was comfortable with.
He’d called earlier and wanted to get together, but Imani had already made plans with her former co-worker and girlfriend, Malika, to stop by with her boyfriend to celebrate her birthday. After a herculean effort, Imani managed to coax Garrett into coming.
She spent the better part of the day getting ready for her friends and so-called non-date with Garrett. Her two-bedroom apartment wasn’t anything fancy, but it was cozy.
Malika and Joe had already arrived and were sitting in the living room trying to catch up over the past couple of weeks. Imani was barely able to keep up with the conversation, as she casually checked her watch seemingly every ten minutes.
By the time the buzzer went off, she had worked herself into a nervous tizzy. Imani hopped off the couch. “He’s here.” She clasped her hands together pleading with both of them. “You guys, please be cool. Malika, absolutely no probing questions, and Joe, not one word about the stock market. Just. Be. Cool.”
Joe picked up his drink and tipped the red plastic cup in her direction. “Do you need a sip of this before you open the door?”
Malika’s bright blue eyes twinkled as she smirked. “Friends my ass. I knew better.”
Imani left the room, went over to the door to buzz him up, and seconds later, Garrett was knocking on her door. She took a deep breath and opened it.
He stood there with a bottle of wine and a beautiful bouquet of pink and red roses. She lifted one eyebrow. “Flowers?”
Garrett gave her that sexy half smile. “Uh . . . yeah. I saw them on the way over, and they reminded me of you.”
Imani took them and brought her face close to smell the fragrant bulbs. “They’re beautiful. Please come on in.” No, he was beautiful. It had seemed like ages since she’d seen him last. Imani needed to do something to take her mind away from his lips. She remembered how good they’d felt on her naked skin the last time. She had to remind herself internally, patience, Imani, patience.
Garrett walked into her apartment carrying the wine. “Where should I put this?”
“Let me introduce you to my friends. Then I’ll take it to the kitchen and put these flowers in some water.”
Garrett followed Imani through a short hallway that opened into an open living room space. He was uncomfortable meeting her friends but couldn’t seem to bring himself to wait until tomorrow to see her.
Proudly Imani made the introductions. “Guys, this is Garrett Hadley. Garrett these are my friends Malika Turner and Joseph Stone.”
Malika looked up beaming. “Hi.”
Joe stood. He wasn’t as tall as Garrett but held his own. He swiped his blonde hair back off his forehead and pushed his glasses up on his nose.
Garrett reached his hand out to shake Joe’s, and he took it. “Nice to meet you both.”
Imani noted that Garrett seemed to be a little nervous himself. She’d noticed that he had this vein on the side of his neck that would beat a little faster when he was angry or anxious. Strangely, that made her relax a little. She took his coat put in the hall closet then took the wine and flowers into the kitchen. When she returned, Joe was talking about the stock market which meant Malika would eventually try to ask probing questions. Both of them were doing exactly what she asked them not to do.
Imani frowned and sat next to Garrett. “Joe! Didn’t I tell you no shop talk tonight?”
“C’mon, Imani. Garrett’s a pretty sharply dressed man. He looks like he could understand the market. Outside of work, I just don’t get the opportunity to have these conversations.”
Garrett rubbed the back of his neck. “Honestly, I don’t know much about it. I leave that to people who are much smarter than me.”
Joe seemed surprised. “Really?”
Malika chimed in using this as her opening to ask the questions a best girlfriend was supposed to ask. She took a sip of her wine then went for it. “What do you do?”
Garrett didn’t want the attention that came with people finding out he was the owner, president, and CEO of GHI. Therefore, he kept his answer simple. “I’m an engineer.”
Imani gazed into his eyes at the same time he looked at her. For a moment, it was just the two of them. Malika and Joe seemed to disappear from the room.
She smiled.
He’d missed that smile and those lips. Garrett was in trouble, and he knew it.
“Is that how you met?” Malika said something and neither of them heard it. “Hellooo . . . Imani?”
Embarrassed, she turned to her friend. “Sorry? I didn’t hear you. What?”
“I was hoping to get more details on how you met. You only said he was someone you bumped into back at home in Georgia.”
Imani swallowed. Malika always knew when she wasn’t telling the truth, and that was why she always tried to keep her answers vague instead of outright lying. Imani was about to come up with something, but Garrett responded first. “I actually met Imani through her brother, Maddon. He helped me out with something. In the process, Imani and I got to know each other a little bit and have started to become close friends.”
Friends. That wasn’t a term she wanted associated between the two of them. Well, maybe if it was accompanied with benefits. She’d changed her mind on that, and it would be a good start for what Imani hoped for.
They talked for another hour or so, sang happy birthday to Malika, and she blew out the candles on her cake.
Imani was relieved that after a little while, Garrett seemed to relax and appeared to be enjoying her friends. His smiles were plentiful, and his laugh was easy.
She picked up the bottle of wine to pour into her glass, but it was empty. “That ran out fast. I’ll run and grab another one.”
She stood, and so did Garrett. “I’ll help you.” He followed her into kitchen unable to take his eyes off her. Her black mini dress fit her curves perfectly as he watched the sway of her hips move from side to side. A distraction from focusing on her plump ass was desperately needed. Garrett cleared his throat. He couldn’t think of one coherent thing as a diversion. What made matters worse, was that there were no parents or siblings to worry about disrespecting. There was no one to be a buffer between them.
Imani glanced back over her shoulder as they entered the kitchen. “Thank you for coming tonight.” Her stomach was nervous.
His voice was thick. “It’s good to see you in person.”
She hurried over to the kitchen table. “Oh, gaaawd. There’s water all over the place. Dammit.” Quickly, Imani grabbed a couple of dishtowels from off the counter to soak up the water.
Garrett finished cleaning it off as Imani picked up the vase of flowers, inspecting it while she carried the container over to the sink. “There’s a crack in the glass. I didn’t see it earlier. I hope I don’t kill these flowers. They’re so gorgeous. I think I have another vase under here.” Sure enough, there were several more containers, and she pulled one out from underneath.
Imani’s back was to him, but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her every movement. She was glad he couldn’t see her reaction. Hoping to gain some control, Imani bit her lip as she rinsed off and filled up a vase with water. Garrett was more gorgeous than he had a right to be. How the hell was she supposed to be friends with him, when all she could think about was getting naked and finishing what they’d started? Imani took a couple of calming breaths be
fore turning around. She tried to think of something . . . anything that would get her hormones under control. Imani said the first thing that popped into her mind.
“Mom asked me to invite you home if you’re not visiting with your family for Christmas dinner. She’s dying to make you a meal. She’s been cooking up a storm ever since those appliances were delivered.”
The easiness in his voice had disappeared. It was a bit more strained, tense even. “Good, I’m glad she’s making use of them.”
Imani laughed nervously. “Daddy is happy. I know that.”
Once she’d finished filling the vase and put the flowers in it, Imani then grabbed a couple of clean wine glasses from the cabinet before rinsing them off too.
“Imani?”
She stopped breathing. Garrett had moved close enough to cage her in at the sink with his strong arms. She leaned back into his firm body and closed her eyes.
His lips pressed against the curve of her neck as he placed his hands on each side of her hips. He was hard, really hard. Imani could feel his cock press up against the crease of her ass. She pushed back into him just as he thrust up into her. Imani tossed her head back onto his shoulder to give him better access. Instead, Garrett took her lips in his, and the moment her mouth parted on a moan, he slid his tongue inside. The kiss was wild and hungry from the pent-up desire they’d both been trying to suppress.
Garrett managed to grab hold of the bottom edge of her dress slowly pulling it up inch by inch. Imani thanked the moon and the stars for not wearing stockings. His hand came around to her front, and his fingers disappeared into the lacy material of her thong.
He slid a finger across her slit eliciting another throaty moan. She parted her legs a little wider wanting and needing so much more. The sensation of him rotating his hips into her and touching her tender flesh was too delicious.
His hands were magical as they opened her up like a flower. Imani’s hot juices coated them. Garrett ran his fingers back and forth over her outer and inner lips, gliding them from her clit to her opening, each time coming close but not taking the plunge.
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