by Linzi Baxter
Jacob barked out a laugh. “Yeah, a lot of people are scared of him. He’s not as bad as he seems sometimes. He just takes on more than he should. Jared doesn’t look at Jax and me like grown men. He still thinks of us as his little brothers.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you stay married for so many years?”
He tapped his glass against the railing. “That is the multi-million-dollar question. I paid her back our first year. We’d landed a huge government contract, and Jared didn’t want us to keep the money from her. We gave her a huge payoff as well. I just didn’t file the papers until last year. The way our prenup was written, it should’ve been done.” Jacob ran his hand through his hair. “Two years ago, her father lost his fortune in a bad deal. Rachele never understood the value of money and blew through her fifty million dollars. She won’t be able to live the same lifestyle.”
A couple of years before, I’d saved up a thousand dollars and thought I was doing well. I couldn’t imagine blowing through fifty million dollars. I didn’t even know how that was possible. My heart had broken the night Greg found my stash of money. I wasn’t sure what was worse, the beating he gave me for hiding money from him or how he went to the bar the next few weeks and spent every last dime. Then we’d had to scrape cash together for food. “Why was she at the gala tonight if you were officially divorced?”
“For the past few years, we’ve let her run the foundation. She puts the event together. I wasn’t going to tell her she couldn’t come. Earlier this week, I said I was coming, but not as her date. She kept asking if we could try dating, but I know it’s because she’s worried about not having money to continue to live the life she’s used to.”
My phone vibrated in my hand, and I glanced down at the photo Kat sent me of Tommy and Ant passed out in a fort. Superman sheets hung from every corner of his room. I brushed my finger across the screen. I didn’t need money. The only thing I needed was my boy.
Jacob leaned over and glanced at my phone. “How old is he?”
“He turns six in a couple weeks. Tommy is my world.”
When Jacob grabbed my hand, I didn’t pull away. I knew I should, but it felt so damn good, especially since I understood his relationship with Rachele better and didn’t feel like he was rebounding or anything. The main reason I should have stayed away from him was because he was my boss. Another reason was my crazy ex. I laughed. We both had insane exes, but at least the most his would do was throw wine or a glass. Mine, on the other hand, could kill someone. I knew if he got his hands on me, he would be the end of me.
I turned to face Jacob, and he ran his hand down my face. “You remind me of my favorite constellation, the Phoenix. You picked yourself up and rose from the ashes. That little boy is lucky to have you as a mom.”
My eyes burned with tears. I wished his words were true. “The only reason I’m away from Greg is because of Kat. Otherwise, I’d still be in Ft. Lauderdale, living with an abusive man and putting my son in danger. Some days all I can think about is how bad a mom I am.”
“Bullshit,” Jacob said. “You went to the women’s center for help. You worked to get your GED. Yes, Kat might’ve helped you get out faster, but you were trying to improve your life. You didn’t sit back and let your son get hurt. I bet if he came after Tommy, you put yourself in the way or took the hits so he wouldn’t go after him.”
Every word Jacob said was correct. The moment Greg would walk into the house, I knew his mood. If it was bad, I would tell Tommy to hide. I tried occasionally to run, but when he found us, the beatings were so bad that I couldn’t get out of bed for days. When I ended up in the hospital, I went to the police, but they wouldn’t help me. I found the center and figured I could get my GED and work to get money to run. That was when I met Kat, and she’d made all of my dreams come true. “One day, I want Tommy to be proud of me.”
Jacob wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. “I can tell from the pictures on your desk that your little boy loves you.”
I pulled back just enough to look into Jacob’s gray-blue eyes. I didn’t know what I was searching for. He leaned down inches from my lips. Jacob wanted me to meet him halfway. Every brain cell told me to step back. My mouth, on the other hand, had a different idea. I pressed up on my toes to meet him. His lips were soft, and the kiss was gentle. His arms wrapped around my back, pulling me in closer. My hands ran against his back, but instead of continuing the kiss, he stepped back and rested his chin on the top of my head.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, my Phoenix. If there’s something between us, I want to take it slow.”
I pulled back from his embrace. “We shouldn’t do this at all. I can’t afford to lose my job. Hell, this is my first job since getting my GED, and I’m already kissing the boss. What kind of person does that? Oh my God, I kissed my boss. What are people going to say at work?” I stepped back and paced. “Don’t answer that.”
Jacob grabbed my arm and pulled me back into his embrace. “Lily, stop. Even if things don’t work out between us, I will find you another place in the company, but not until we know for sure that you’re safe. Nobody at work will say anything. I promise. And if they do, let me know.”
I gave him the side-eye.
“I’m serious—let me know. Let’s take one day at a time, and maybe in a few months, we can fly to South Africa so I can show you my favorite constellation in person.”
I lay my head against his chest. “You’re a numbers guy. How do you know anything about constellations?”
“I double majored in finance and physics, but Jared and Jax are better at physics and engineering than me. I love numbers, but I knew what we wanted to do one day, so I took classes to better understand what the hell Jared and Jax talk about.”
“That’s amazing.” It really was. I never aspired to go to college.
“What’s your dream job?”
“I’d love to be a chef.”
We spent the next hour talking about food. I explained my favorite dishes to make and Jacob talked about the different thing’s he’d eaten as he traveled the world. I looked down at my phone, and it was already close to one. Jared, Kaylene and Sasha hadn’t come back yet, but Jacob didn’t seem to worry. When I yawned, he declared it was time to go to bed. He walked me to my room, which was next to his, and kissed me goodnight. The kiss left me yearning for more. Sleep didn’t come easily. All I could think about was Jacob.
8
Jacob
My feet pounded on the sidewalk as I ran through Central Park. For the middle of May, it was freezing cold, so I’d dressed in a pair of long sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored the call and ran faster. The night before, Rachele kept calling my phone, so I turned it off. That morning, when I turned it back on, I had thirty missed calls. I needed to run off some of my anger. When I walked into the spacious kitchen, Lily and Kaylene were drinking coffee.
Our flight back didn’t leave until seven—we were staying late because Jared and Sasha were judging a robotics competition at Columbia. NSS had one of the top internship programs in the country, and we offered the winner of the competition a paid internship with us for the summer. Some of our best employees came out of the contests Jared judged. He had an eye for talent. Every so often, I would go with him, but I wanted to show Lily around New York.
I glanced at my fit bit. I’d run close to five miles by the time I exited Central Park near 72nd Street. Running through Central Park always amazed me. It seemed like a different world. A man playing sax in one section of my run was followed by chirping birds and the trickling of water as I ran over little bridges. Not to mention the horse-drawn carriages or the families walking and playing with their kids. I loved every aspect of the park.
When I reached the hotel, Jared and Kaylene were getting into a black SUV. Kaylene waved and smiled. My brother nodded and guided Kaylene into the car. A bellhop held the door open for me as I went into the g
orgeous hotel. Kaylene always booked our trips, and she did a fantastic job finding a place we could all stay in. The price tag was outrageous, though, and sometimes it still felt strange spending more money on a one-night stay than we’d spent in the whole first year we’d lived in our apartment.
I swiped my card and selected the top floor. The doors sprang open into the beautiful penthouse, where I heard laughter coming from the living room. I stopped and grabbed a bottle of water. Sasha and Lily were sitting on the couch, laughing.
“What’s so funny?” I asked as I wiped the sweat off my brow.
Lily turned toward me with her hair down, and she had on a long-sleeved shirt and tight jeans. She was just as stunning as she’d been the night before. “Sasha was talking about the man she went home with last night.”
I rested my hip against the couch and took a sip of water.
Sasha had been working with NSS for years. Her current boss was a dumbass, and we needed to get rid of him. He’d caused an extremely high turnover rate in the department. Jax and I had talked about it, but we hadn’t pulled the plug. I needed to talk with human resources when we got back. I knew we could promote Sasha into the job, and she would do well. We knew who she was from her work.
“You went home with a man last night?” I asked.
Sasha rolled her eyes. “Yes, and before you get all alpha male and tell me how serious my actions are, Jared went to college with him.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “That doesn’t mean anything.” I pointed out the window at New York. “He could have been a serial killer.”
“I don’t think someone would pay five thousand dollars a plate then kill the person they meet at the event. Serial killers normally kidnap off the street or know the person they’re going after.”
She was right, but I didn’t want anything to happen to her. “It was still dangerous.”
“No, it wasn’t. I hooked up with Marcus Whitney.”
“Okay. Are you going to explore New York with Lily and I today?”
“Nope. Marcus and I are having lunch, and he has an appointment in Houston on Monday. I’m flying back with him. I came to grab my things.”
Marcus was a big-time real-estate investor who had indeed gone to school with my brother. Like us, he didn’t come from money. He’d made risky choices at the beginning of his career, and they’d paid off. “If you need anything, call.”
Sasha nodded.
“Now what was so funny?”
Lily and Sasha looked at each other and burst out laughing, “There are just some things you don’t tell your boss. See you on Monday.” Sasha got up, hugged Lily, and went to her room.
I finished my water. “I’m going to jump in the shower and get ready.”
“Sounds good. Tommy should be up by now, so I’m going to call and check on him while you shower.”
I leaned down and kissed Lily on the forehead before I headed to the shower.
“Oh my God, you’re right. This is the best bagel I’ve ever had.”
I took another bite of my everything bagel. “I don’t find many places that put the seasoning on the top and bottom. I like eating each side separately.”
“How did you find this place?”
The bagel shop was in East Midtown. I’d happened to stumble upon it one morning when I was heading to a meeting, and every time I went to New York, I tried to make it to the corner of 43rd and 2nd to have a bagel. “I never asked—have you been to New York before?”
The light dimmed in Lily’s eyes. She was no longer smiling as she looked out the window. “Yes.”
“I take it it wasn’t a good trip?”
Lily set her bagel down and took a swig of orange juice. “I came with my parents.”
It was the first time she’d mentioned her parents. We’d only known each other for a week, but even in her file, I didn’t see anything about them. I’d assumed her parents were dead—it was hard for me to imagine what kind of parents would let their daughter be beaten by a scumbag and not do anything. “I’m sorry if this place brings up memories of your parents. If you don’t mind me asking, when did they pass away?”
“They're not dead.” She let out a sigh. “Have you heard of the Richous Church?”
I’d heard of it, but I wasn’t sure I would consider it a church. The news articles made it seem like a radical cult. They didn’t follow the bible—they followed what their leader wanted. “Yes, I can’t remember the leader's name, though.”
“Clint Marshall is the current leader. He’s my father.”
“You used to be part of Richous Church?”
Lily took another bite of her bagel. I could tell she was buying time before telling her story. “I was about to turn eighteen when my family wanted to join. My first time with the church was in New York. We came up here to protest the court system. I didn’t understand what was going on until I had a sign pushed into my hands and was told to march up and down the sidewalk. The people we were with were extremely radical and started fights, so someone called the police. My dad and mom snuck me away before we were arrested. The next month, I found out I was pregnant. Dad thought it would hurt his and Mom’s chances of getting in. He had been a pastor for a local church but always wanted people to follow him. I wouldn’t be surprised if the last leader died at my dad’s hands and not from a heart attack.”
“Do you still talk to your parents?”
“No. I follow the reports and watch where they are. Dad’s always in the news, spouting against the government.”
I reached across the small table and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry your parents did that.”
Lily shrugged and popped the last piece of bagel into her mouth. “You can’t pick your family.”
Her words were right, but I wouldn’t exchange my brothers for anything in the world. They meant everything to me. My mother, on the other hand, was a piece of shit. Each time I learned something about Lily, I felt a little closer to her. The woman had been through hell. I could only imagine what her life growing up with radical parents was like. “Okay, we’ve had enough gloom on this trip. What do you want to see? Henry will take us anywhere you want to go.”
Lily stood from the table and walked out to the sidewalk. Henry stood next to the car, waiting for us. She walked over to Henry and said something that had him shaking his head and looking at me.
I walked over. “What’s going on?”
“She told me to go and enjoy the city sir, she wants to ride the subway.”
“Lily, let's take the car.”
“Nope, I want to see New York like a normal person.” She turned to face me. “Have you ever ridden the subway?”
“No.”
Her face lit up. “Enjoy your day, Henry. Jacob and I are going on an adventure.”
That’s exactly what we did. First, we hit Times Square and checked out the fake Elmo and Mickey. Lily went on to tell me how the characters don’t have background checks. Anyone could put the costume on, kids walked up, and their parents took a photo with the character. A few years back, fake Elmo got arrested, and later he was put in a psych ward for being crazy.
The subway wasn’t bad—a little crowded, but we figured out our way around New York quickly. After Times Square, we headed to Chelsea Market. There were many restaurants, and we wanted to try everything. We each went our separate ways, got plates, met in the middle, and shared our food. I had to say my favorite was the fried Oreos. I was glad I’d run five miles that morning because we ate our weight in food.
When we finished stuffing ourselves, we walked down the High Line and enjoyed looking at the art and buildings. I reached over and grabbed Lily’s hand as we walked. “I still feel bad for what Rachele did last night.”
Lily smiled at the little boy passing us by. “I still can’t believe she did that. She acted like a woman scorned, Jacob. I’m not so sure you’ve seen the last of her.”
“Yeah, she’ll probably make a few more scenes, but it won’t change how I fee
l about her. I really like you, Lily, and I want to see where this goes when we get back to Houston.”
“I’ve got my son to think about.”
I pulled her to the side of the walkway and wrapped my arms around her. “I know your son is important to you, and I want to meet him.” I placed my finger on her mouth. “I know it’s too soon, so I’m not asking to meet him tomorrow, but I want to meet him when you’re ready. There is something between us, and I know you feel it, or you wouldn’t still be in my arms.”
“I would like you to meet him” She pressed up on her toes and kissed my lips. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in deeper. The sounds of the city died around us. My tongue swiped across her lips, and she let me in. I don’t know how long we stood on the walkway, making out like teenagers, but when someone whistled at us as they walked by, Lily pulled back and rested her head on my shoulder. I couldn’t wait to spend more time with her.
9
Jacob
A week had passed since the New York trip, I finally woke up and didn’t have a missed call from Rachele. I never listened to any of her voice messages, and I deleted her text messages before I read them. We were no longer married, and what she’d done in New York was uncalled for.
Over the past week, Lily and I had talked on the phone every night, but she wanted to spend time with Kat while she was in town. Kat planned to head back to Ft. Lauderdale in a couple days. Abe and her husband were still on a mission. Instead of Antonio’s team sending another man from Ft. Lauderdale, we talked about the person he had hired to tail Kat and the boys while we were in New York. I spoke with him, and he agreed to stay on for a few more weeks. Greg was still in the wind, and Kat had grown concerned after the gala when a photo of Lily and I was featured on TMZ with the headline “Who is the Mystery Woman Jacob Black is with Just Days after His Divorce?” Kat worried more about me than her own safety when it came to Greg. She thought he might come after me. Luckily, we were able to keep Rachele’s incident under wraps. Most of the attendees hadn’t seen it, and the others kept their mouths shut.