When the short ceremony finished and Brayden and Mike kissed, the group of thirty gathered in the park to congratulate the newlywed couple. Shane was the first, embracing his brother with a manly hug.
“I’m happy for you,” he said, choking on the words.
“Thanks.”
Shane cleared the frog and slapped Mike on the back. “This still doesn’t get you invited to poker night.”
Mike laughed along with Liam, Aaron, and Justin—his other three brothers. Candace, Liam’s spitfire of a beauty wife, pushed them all out of the way and tossed herself into Brayden’s arms.
“Candace,” Liam scolded. “Quit tossing yourself around. You’re about to have my baby any day. You’re supposed to keep her safe and sound, damn it.”
Everyone stopped.
“You’re having a girl?” Shane asked, stunned. “You knew, and didn’t say anything?”
Liam shrugged. “We found out last week, but Candace said we weren’t allowed to steal Brayden’s thunder. So we were waiting to announce until tomorrow.”
“A girl.” Aaron laughed and slapped Liam on the back. “Good luck with that.”
“You shush. He’s already nervous enough, and claims he has no idea how to deal with a girl,” Candace scolded.
Shane grinned. Yeah, his brother was screwed. Which reminded him...he pulled out his cell and... nothing. When he’d left Leila’s bed on Friday night after she’d fallen sound asleep, part of him had hoped she’d try to call him. Even though he knew staying away from her would be for the best. His male ego wanted her to chase him. Want him. It had taken great effort to convince himself to leave her bed, but he’d managed to get his head on straight and get out of her apartment. A morning-after cuddle wasn’t a task he wanted to attempt. But why did her lack of contact irk him?
Two days later, and apparently their night meant nothing to her.
“Hey,” Justin grabbed his attention. “Do you mind leaving work at work for at least one day? It’s your brother’s wedding.”
“Not working.”
“Then leave the hook-ups where they belong. It’s just a few hours, Shane,” Justin snapped, walking toward the booze table.
Shane watched Liam place a supportive hand on Candace’s back as she waddled over to the appetizer table. She looked ridiculous and entirely beautiful. She was about to bring his niece into the world. How amazing was that? A tiny little version of Liam and Candace combined. God, she was going to have her uncles wrapped around her tiny finger.
Shane glanced at his phone again, as if a call had come over in the minute since he last looked at it. He shoved the phone back into his pocket, vowing not to look at the damn thing until the party ended. Clearly Leila had no intention on asking for more time with him. Why the fuck did that rankle?
6
Shane loomed over his desk, his mood dark. He eyed the ridiculously large office wall clock. Leila was already ten minutes late. As usual.
After he left Brayden’s wedding reception, Shane developed an unreasonable anger. Absolutely furious that Leila didn’t find a need to contact him. Funny how the role reversal didn’t set well with him. Now he distastefully understood the disappointment women experienced when he did the same thing to them. It sucked. But worse, reasonably he knew getting involved with Leila would be bad news for him. He didn’t have time to invest for her. He didn’t want to be tied down. He didn’t want to answer to anyone he might form a relationship with. So why the hell did Leila’s silence rub him the wrong way?
Shane heard the door to his office open and close. “Leila, get in here now.”
He spun, surprised to see someone other than his secretary standing in the doorway. Their office didn’t get walk-ins, only appointments. Shane wasn’t one of the employees who dealt directly with the clients.
“Can I help you?”
The man casually leaned against the doorframe and crossed his large arms over his chest. He stood tall but Shane had a couple inches on him. His dark eyes sized Shane up.
Shane, being the oldest of five brothers who would consistently brawl for no reason other than they were bored out of their skulls, knew that look. It was the look of a man who wanted a battle. He was game.
“Again, can I help you?” Shane asked, with more bite this time.
“I’m looking for Leila. Though it seems you are, too,” the man said.
Shane cocked a brow. “And you are?”
“Her boyfriend.”
Shane felt the air leave his lungs. What the hell? Leila had worked with him for over a month now and she never mentioned a boyfriend. When he’d been driving into her soft body on Friday night, she never spoke of a man in her life. Not that he’d asked. Obviously an error on his part. But Shane didn’t want to listen to reason, and his ornery side decided to push the man’s buttons.
“Funny, she hasn’t mentioned you.”
The man chuckled in a strange way. “Yeah, I doubt she would when she’s trying to bag herself a guy with money. That’s Leila for you.”
Shane prided himself on knowing people. He studied human nature. He was pretty damn good at it. The only person Shane managed to pass wrongful, blind judgment on was Mike. He’d made an enormous mistake, thinking he was after Brayden’s cash and a fling, nothing more. Shane promised himself never to allow that error to occur again.
So when HR sent Leila his way, he’d done his own background check. And nothing in the search gave off that she chased the wealthy. Hell, her apartment was Spartan, living minimally.
Shane stepped around his desk and sat on the edge, crossing his arms over his chest. “Leila’s a gold digger, huh?”
“That’s her.”
“And what is it that you do for a living?”
The man stood up straight. “I make enough.”
“But not enough for Leila?” Shane asked. “So she what, got a job here, hoping to nab one of the executives? How cagey. I’ll be sure to address this issue when she finally arrives this morning. Though, that may be inappropriate and against the law. Mr…?”
“James.”
Shane snorted. Yeah right, that was his real name. “Mr. James, this is a place of business. If you want to talk to Leila, I would suggest you contact her at home, after work hours. Since you two are close, that shouldn’t be a problem. Have a good day.” He pushed up from his desk, picked up the phone and dialed security. “I have a Mr. James that politely needs shown out.”
Shane hung up and looked at the man, ready to go to battle. He refused to allow some jackass to stand in his office and blatantly lie about Leila. At least, he hoped they were lies.
Mr. James narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightened, and his face turned a dark shade of red, but he remained mute. The man spun and stalked out of the office.
Shane didn’t know what to think of that meeting. And that pissed him off.
7
Five minutes after Mr. James left the floor, Leila strolled in, oblivious to her tardiness.
“Leila,” Shane barked from his office.
She scurried into his office with the white bag in her hand. “Sorry, Shane.”
He raised an eyebrow. Oh, so she’d decided a first name basis was now appropriate?
She stopped in her tracks. “Do you want me to call you Mr. Quinn at work?”
Shane looked her over. Today she wore a navy blue sheath dress. Not designer, but probably from a boutique at the mall. Shane knew fine material, and she didn’t possess anything in her wardrobe that imitated or even hinted at a desire for wealth, or that she benefited from having a sugar daddy at her beck and call.
“You’re late.”
She sighed and sagged. “I know. I don’t why I can’t make it on time. The bus arrives every morning on time. But when I stop to get you a pastry, I end up talking to the workers at the bakery. I’m amazed at the creations they come up with. I don’t possess any cooking or baking talent, so I get drawn into their creative world.”
“I never asked you to bring me a
nything for breakfast.” And each day, he had to work off the extra calories because he refused to allow the pastry item to go to waste. After all, she spent her hard-earned money on the food.
“I know, but I also know you probably wouldn’t eat anything until lunch time, if then. You need to get your morning energy. I can start bringing protein shakes if you’d like.”
He looked at her, shocked. She had a boyfriend. Why the hell was she offering to cater to him? “Leila, what the hell are you doing?”
She tilted her head and her brows slid together. “What do you mean?”
“Your boyfriend just stopped in here. Did it slip your mind that you have one of those? You know, when I was making you scream my name as I fucked you?” he spat.
“Boyfriend?” she whispered, seemingly confused. Her eyes went wide. “Oh god. What did he look like?”
“I didn’t take notes, and I don’t really give a shit. Why the hell didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?” He felt his blood pressure begin to rise.
Leila stiffened. She stood up straight, her jaw clenched, and her face went blank. “I see.”
He watched her shut down before his very eyes. A piece of him, one that he didn’t allow anyone to see, cracked. He stood from his chair, ready to go to her side. But Leila took a few steps, set the white bag onto his desk, and stepped away.
“I’ll be at my desk if you need anything.” She turned and shut the door behind her.
Shane stared at the closed door, as if waiting for her to storm back in and start yelling at him. He would have preferred that to the silence that haunted him for the rest of the day.
8
Shane started his car, ready to head home after an exhausting day. Tonight he was to have dinner with Candace and have her stay the night at his apartment. Liam had an unsuitably timed firefighting education class to take in New York, five hours away. They each took turns watching their sister-in-law when Liam had to go away for his training. Now that she was due any day, they never left her alone, even when Liam worked.
He pulled out of the garage of the office building bothered by Leila’s lack of communication. Normally, she chatted about mundane things all day. Nothing important, just mindless chatter. Shane hadn’t realized how much he adored that quirk until Leila remained mute for endless hours, except for meeting reminders or to have him sign forms.
He didn’t understand her silence, or what had made her so upset. She hadn’t answered his question. Was she angry because her boyfriend showed up and gave away her secret? How did she have a right to be pissed off at him? And why the fuck did the thought of her sleeping with a man other than him bug the shit out of him?
Shane veered off his trail home to get answers to his questions.
***
Forty-five minutes later, Shane found himself pounding on Leila’s apartment door.
She answered, swinging the door open. A look of surprise combined with fury graced her beautiful features. “What the hell are you doing making all that noise? My neighbors are going to complain.”
He pushed past her into her apartment. “You never answered my question today. Why the hell didn’t you tell me that you had a boyfriend?”
She shut the door and followed him inside, her hands going to her hips. “So that’s the impression I’ve made upon you? You think that I go around having sex with random men while I have a boyfriend waiting in the wings for me? Terrific.”
Well, when put like that... “Not random men. Your boss. He showed up at my office, telling me that you go after men with money.”
She blanched, looking horrified. “Oh. My. God. He did what?”
“So you do have a boyfriend. What the hell am I to you, Leila? Are you just waiting to reel me in to start milking my back account?”
Leila took two steps toward him, hauled back, and punched him square in the nose.
“Fuck!” He stumbled back. He’d seen it coming a mile away, but didn’t expect her to let loose that fiercely. Man, she packed some power behind that punch. He grabbed his nose, blood trickling out. Goddamn it. If she broke it, he’d never hear the end of it from his brothers.
“You apologize to me right now for calling me a gold digger,” she demanded.
“I didn’t−”
“That’s essentially what you did!”
He supposed she was correct. What the hell was the matter with him?
He knew what. He was tied up in knots over Leila. He’d only known her for a month. Slept with her one time, yet he couldn’t think rationally. He couldn’t distance himself emotionally or physically. She’d burrowed her way under his skin and he couldn’t rid himself of her. Shane loathed the feeling.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe that asshole was lying? I never mentioned a boyfriend because I don’t have one, Shane.” She stormed into the kitchen and came back with an ice pack, shoving it at him. “Here, you big ol’ baby.”
He went to the large plush chair and slumped down, leaning his head back, and placing the cold compress on his nose. Fuck, it hurt.
“Why would a guy show up at your office and lie, Leila?”
She sat down on the loveseat next to the chair. “Because that’s what he does. I’m surprised he didn’t find out my place of employment sooner. I’ve lost more jobs than I can count because of him.”
“Who is he?”
“A guy I went out with two times.”
He lifted the pack and looked at her. “He’s stalking you?”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice shaky. “A former friend set me up, but had no idea what he was really like. It was the day after the second date things went bad, quick. He called me twenty times in an hour. He showed up at my work with flowers. He showed up here, even though I never gave him my address. He cornered me at the grocery store and showed up at the club when I was out with the girls.”
“Have you gone to the police?”
“They can’t do anything, because he hasn’t done anything except show up everywhere I am. They can’t even call it harassment because he does just enough to be right on the border. He doesn’t threaten me. He only asks me to call him and says how much he misses me and wants to go out again. He doesn’t refer to me as his girlfriend, but he does to everyone else, scaring off dates, friends, employers. He leaves notes under my door and on my car.” Her head sunk into her hands. “I thought he was gone. I haven’t heard from him in six weeks.”
Shane bolted off the chair and to her side. He wrapped her up in a protective embrace and rocked her. “Shhh. It’s all right.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s not. I’m stuck in this awful situation, and have no idea how to deal with it.”
Shane lifted her head and kissed her gently on the lips. “We’ll figure it out.”
She snorted through her tears. “There is no we.”
He gave her a hard stare. The hell with that. He refused to allow this man or any other man to threaten or frighten her. “Oh, honey, you have no idea.”
Neither did he, until that very moment.
9
Shane arrived back at his apartment late. When he stepped off the elevator, he took a hard fist to the nose. Again.
He stumbled back into Leila, dropping the bags in his hands. “Fuck!” This time, the nose broke. Leila screamed.
“Motherfucker! You were supposed to be with my wife tonight. I had to come home because no one else is around. Aaron’s in California, Brayden’s on his honeymoon, and Justin’s drinking at some dive bar.” Liam’s vicious voice boomed off every surface in the hallway.
Shit, Shane had completely forgotten while wrapped up in Leila’s problem. “Hell, Liam, you broke it.”
“You’re lucky I don’t break a goddamn leg, asshole. That’s my wife. You don’t leave her alone when she’s close to having my baby. I was counting on you.” Liam turned and stormed back to his apartment, slamming the door behind him.
“Shane, let me help you up,” Leila sa
id, kneeling next to his crumpled body.
“Sorry.”
“Who was that jerk?”
“My brother.”
She huffed. “Some brother.”
“No, he’s right. Candace could have their baby any day and he asked me to keep an eye on her while he has to take a fireman training class.” He stood on wobbly legs, Leila’s soft hands trying to help him. “I need to put my nose back in place.”
He picked up the bags and led her to his apartment. Once inside, he went straight to the bathroom. With a painful pop, he reset his nose. Definitely not the first time any of the five brothers had had to perform self-surgery. He’d visit a doctor tomorrow.
“You’re going to look ridiculous tomorrow with two black eyes.” Leila handed him ice in a rag.
Shane grinned, but stopped when a shooting pain shot up his face. “Not the first time the office will have seen me like this. They know I have four brothers.”
“One being a complete Neanderthal.”
“He’s just defending his wife, as he should.”
The apartment door opened, and Candace waddled in and took one look at him. “Oh for god’s sake.”
She turned and tried to storm out the door, but it was more like a slow tantrum by a toddler on unsteady feet. “Liam Quinn!”
Shane laughed and nodded to Candace’s departing form. “My revenge is that his wife will kick his ass.”
“I like her already,” Leila said, watching his sister-in-law. “Does she need help?”
“No. She’s fine. She’ll ask for help when she needs it. It’s getting late, let me show you to the bedroom.” He grabbed her hand, leading her back to his room.
When Shane demanded that Leila return to his place for the time being, it didn’t take much convincing on his part. She put up a fuss, but finally agreed to pack a bag. As soon as all his brothers returned, Shane planned to put their brute strength in a pack to use.
Ice: A Quinn Brothers Story (The Quinn Brothers Story Series Book 3) Page 2