by Reana Malori
“Dave Martin.”
“Right, it’s been insinuated that his death was not accidental. They have her personal cell phone number. They know where she lives. They know where she works. Clearly, this is not a street hoodlum who only makes his living doing small-time shit. I’ve advised my client to not tell any of you a fucking thing—”
“Mr. Reed, your language is unnecessary,” the other auditor spoke up. He seemed like the more reasonable one of the two, but she still didn’t trust either of them.
Reed made his living doing this type of thing. If he was concerned about these people then so was she. It had been three days since he’d come to her house that Monday and now they were here at her office behind closed doors discussing who could be out to get her. And just what exactly did her boss do.
“My language is the least of your concerns. Ms. Powers has put her trust in this company,” he slid his gaze to Mr. Livingston and Geneva noticed him wince. Direct hit. “But now she’s been placed in danger because one of your executives decided to get in bed with some people who do not play around when it comes to their money.”
“What do the cops have to say?” John addressed his question to both Geneva and Reed. Geneva answered.
“They’re looking into it. The numbers were blocked and routed through other avenues, so they can’t trace where the calls originated. I believe Detective Jones reached out to you,” she looked at the auditors, “regarding looking at the files and the path the money followed. They’re working all angles, but that doesn’t mean something else won’t happen. The last call was Tuesday. They fully expect me to be back at work and doing their bidding. They’re banking on me being more afraid of them than I really am.”
“Geneva, why aren’t you afraid?” John asked.
“John, I’m terrified,” she admitted with a small smile. “But, I can’t live my life wondering what they’re going to want next. I don’t know how to get them what they need. And if I don’t know how to get them what they’re asking me for, then that puts my life in even more danger. I had to take the risk to let you know and the police.” Looking over at Reed, she smiled. He was back to frowning and his lips were pulled tight. The man looked like he was ready to bring death to every person sitting at this table. “Plus, Reed has a special skill set. He has a unique background with experience providing physical security analysis and protection for senior officials, and many other VIPs, who've needed his special services. If anyone can protect me, it’s him.”
After she said the words, she knew they were true. Even during these past few days since he’d been at her home, she’d never felt more protected than she was with him. It wasn’t that he hovered or closed her in. She still had her freedom, but having him there, she knew he would be the first line of defense if anyone tried to come at her. And based on how close he held her at night, and how good he loved her, he wasn’t letting anything or anyone get close enough to her to do any harm.
After giving Reed a seductive smile that held promises of all types of naughty things, she turned back to the group around the table. “Now, based on what I’ve figured out, I think we have our work cut out for us. John, I’d like your input on some of the transactions I’ve flagged and our auditor friends here can check their records as we go. Sound like a plan?”
Time to get down to business. These fuckers were interfering with her life and she didn’t like that one bit. While their threats and scare tactics did bring her and Reed closer together, she wanted their relationship to be about more than just him protecting her.
Chapter Eight
Reed felt like a man standing ten feet tall. His heart swelled with joy as she defended him and his place by her side. For him, this was no small thing. She trusted him. Believed in him. Knew that he would protect her. That meant something to a man like him. And it almost made him crack a smile as he stood against the wall observing the men earlier today.
Geneva and the suits spent all morning going over numbers and accounts and other boring shit. Stuff he knew was important to a successful business, but it still bored the hell out of him. He was glad he had someone he trusted to look after that for him. Maybe if Geneva left this place, she’d come work with him.
He was just glad they’d arrived back at her house a few minutes ago. Sitting around those dudes for so long gave him hives. Laughing to himself, he wondered how he’d gotten mixed up with a woman who worked with numbers every day. A goddamn accountant of all things. Just his luck, she carried a calculator in her purse and pencil behind her ear all day, in the event she had to do a quick financial calculation. The two of them did not fit one bit, but he was damned if he was going to walk away before giving it the old college try.
Geneva was in the backroom changing while he sat on the couch scrolling through his phone answering emails from his guys. Things were busy at the office, but if he stayed connected and accessible, he had nothing to worry about.
His phone started to buzz as a call came through. Looking at the name on his screen, he hesitated for a second. Not that he didn’t want to talk to the person, but he was positive the call coming in was meant to deliver a message. Earlier this week, he’d given Tommy a rundown of what was going on, and why he wouldn’t be at the Club this week, and maybe next week if this wasn’t resolved.
Swiping his phone to answer greeted his longtime friend,” What's up?” His voice low enough not to be rude, but he sure as hell wasn’t gonna whisper like a bitch.
“Hey. What's up, dude? Where you at?”
“I'm still here with Geneva. We just got back to her house. What’s up?”
Tommy’s deep laugh came through the phone. “Hanging out or hanging out?”
Leave it to his boy to always crack a joke. “Man, fuck you.” Reed was laughing as he said it though. That was just how they were. It felt good to just talk to his boy about stupid shit, especially considering everything surrounding him and Geneva with this bullshit at her work.
“So, um…Prez wants you to come by the Club today.”
“Yeah, okay. I can do that.” He wasn’t worried about Prez asking him to stop by. There was a lot of shit going on. Only thing was, he didn’t want to be away from Geneva too long. And he sure as hell didn’t want to bring her with him. It was too soon for that. If she saw him in that environment, it might change how she felt about him. That’s not something he was willing to risk just yet.
“He wants to know what's up with your girl’s situation. Said something about needing to make sure there’s not going to be any blowback on the Club. You know he's trying to keep us out of shit that has the potential to become an issue.”
That’s what he figured. Their Club had been involved in a bunch of under the table dealings for a long time. It had taken the current President a few years to get them from under that cloud. A lot of the old members had left for other Clubs. Ones that fit their idea of what an MC should be. They’d been free to go, but with a warning that second chances weren’t an option. Those who stayed seemed to understand the need for change. The old way of doing things would no longer work. So, yeah, he understood why Prez wanted to talk. Didn’t mean he was going to run off and do his bidding though.
“Well, the deal is, I'm not leaving her. Not right now. I’ll have to figure some shit out and be there later today.” That was the best he could give him.
“It’s like that?”
He knew what Tommy was asking. No other woman ever caused him to delay going to the Club when called. “Yeah, man, it has to be. I think her old boss was involved in some shady shit. The people that are after her are some fucked up dudes. At least if it’s who I think it is. Some of the stuff I heard her saying earlier today has my hackles rising. It sounded too familiar, but I need to look into some shit before I say too much. And now, because of her old boss, she’s mixed up in some shit she wasn’t prepared for.”
His friend’s low whistle came through the phone. “Fuck, man. How the hell do you get yourself in these situations? Trouble fi
nds your ass no matter how low under the radar you try to be.”
“These underworld bosses connected to this mess have deep pockets. And this shit is not going away. There’s too much going on. I may need to put on my other hat and call some of my guys to look into some things for me. I’m too close to the situation.”
Tommy’s deep breath came through the line. “Yeah, that's what I thought. It seems like whatever is going on with all this just keeps getting deeper and deeper every time I talk to you.”
Leaning against the counter, Reed gazed around the bright and cheery home and smiled. It was too big for just one person to live in, but the style was a perfect fit to Geneva’s personality. “We went to her office this morning to talk with some of her people, but the more layers they peeled back, the more shit they found.
He heard his friend adjusting and whispering low to someone “So what do you think's going to happen?”
Keeping his voice low, he glanced over his shoulder to see if Geneva was on her way to the front. She’d gone to change and they were going to fix some lunch. Fuck. Look at him. Fixing lunch with his woman and shit. Was he becoming domesticated? Nah, that wasn’t ever going to happen. Opening the refrigerator, he pulled out a beer. He’d noticed she had his favorite brand waiting for him when he stopped by the other day. Had she known he’d be coming over? Laughing at his uncertainty, he popped off the top. Hell, after all that fucking they’ve done, she damn well better have been waiting for him.
Getting back to the call, he answered. “Man I don't fucking know. I just want this shit over. I want to be safe. I want to make sure I don't have to look over my shoulder every day. I just want to spend time with my woman.”
“So she's your woman now?”
“Shit, she's been my woman since the first fucking day I saw her. Anyway, what time does the Prez want me to be there?”
“He said to stop by around three. Most of us will be there. Prez wants this to be an open discussion. Not just church.”
“Alright man, I'll be there.” Read hung up the phone and placed it back on the table just as Geneva walked into the room. Even in an ankle-length patchwork skirt and a well-worn dark blue T-shirt, she looked beautiful. How one woman could take his mind in ten different directions in a matter of minutes was beyond him.
“Who was that you were talking to?” Coming into the kitchen, she passed by him, grabbing a wine glass. Pulling out the pinot noir, which he’d come to notice was her favorite wine, she poured herself something to drink.
As she sipped, his mind pictured her lips wrapped around his dick and he groaned in agony. How soon could he get her undressed again? “That was my boy Tommy.”
“Everything okay?” She smiled at him, her eyes taking him in from the bottom of his boots to the top of his head.
The little minx knew exactly what she was doing. Looking over at the clock, he noticed that it was a few minutes after twelve o’clock. Calculating how much time he needed to make her scream his name, he gave her a wicked smile. “Yeah, it's all good. I just need to stop by the Club this afternoon and have a discussion with my Prez.”
Her smile dropped and her eyes looked worried, “Are you in trouble because you’ve been with me so much?”
“Nah it's all good. He just wants to make sure that whatever is going on with you, that I'm keeping you safe and keeping the Club out of trouble.” He knew it was probably more than that, but no need to get her worried if he didn’t have to.
“I don't want this to fall back on you. This isn't your fight.” As she spoke, she walked up to where he stood, placing her small hands on his chest. Those hazel eyes of hers looked up at him and ensnared him, refusing to let go. There was no way in hell he was walking away from her.
“If this is your fight Geneva then it's my fight. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you and I meant that. You're my lady. My woman. If you're dealing with shit, then I'm dealing with shit right along with you.”
Her bright smile caused some of his sharp edges to smooth out. “I just feel so bad that you're dealing with this too. Who knew this situation would blow up this way? I just thought my boss was a really good guy.” A disappointed look came over her face, dimming her smile. “I love what I do. I love my company, and now I'm faced with wondering if my entire career has been a lie. He brought me in. Molded me. Now Mr. Livingston looks at me as if I'm the one who caused all of this.”
Her deep sigh tore at him. Any sane person would be worried. She had every right to think her reputation was tarnished. If he could fix this for her, he would. “Baby, no he doesn't. I saw the way that man looked as you pulled spreadsheets and documents out of your computer. He knows this isn't your fault. He knows you didn't do anything to cause this.”
Reed pulled her into his arms holding her close as they stood in the kitchen. Having her by his side like this made him smile. No one else gave him this sense of peace, this sense of comfort. “Geneva, listen to me. It's going to be okay. I know you're worried about what's going on, but I got you. Nothing's going to happen to you on my watch. They know you had nothing to do with this. And I'm not sorry your boss is dead.” Her body pulled away from him and he missed the feel of her form pressed against his.
“Why would you say that? That’s so horrible.”
Shrugging his shoulder, he grabbed her elbow and pulled her back in. His arms wrapped low around her waist as she rested her forehead on his chest. Kissing her on the top of her head, he basked in the feeling of having her back in his arms. Such a small thing made him happy. Yeah, she’d turned his world upside down.
“I’m not. This mess you’re in is all his doing. It’s his fault you have people calling you asking for shit you know nothing about. That you and the cops are on a first name basis, which is just crazy talk if you ask me. He's the one who mixed it up with these motherfuckers. And he didn't even know how to do it the right way. Stealing their money and hiding it in a dummy bank account. Everyone knows you don’t do that. It’s the quickest way to get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. So yeah, I don't give a fuck that he's dead. I'm glad he's dead.”
Geneva pulled out of his arms again, this time taking a few steps away. Arms crossed over her chest, her eyes shot fire at him and her mouth thinned out. Looks like he was in the doghouse. Still, he meant what he said and wouldn’t take it back. It was true. He was just the one honest enough to say it.
Nine times out of ten, he wasn’t a nice man. Even his friends would describe him as a heartless asshole. He said the things that needed to be said. Sometimes it made people uncomfortable. Not his fault. Most times they were just hiding from the truth, hiding from the reality that when something shitty happened to a shitty person, maybe they deserved it.
This is just who he is. Had always been this way. Her boss wasn’t someone he’d worry about once this is over. He had no connection to him. And that man’s actions put Geneva in danger, so no—he didn’t care that he was dead.
As she stared at him in shock at his words, he figured he was about to get a tongue-lashing—and not the kind he wanted. Women didn’t take too kindly to the way he talked. He was rough, raw, and sometimes had no filter.
He’d rather show her the real him, rather than some fake façade of the man he thought she wanted. Since he wasn’t giving her up anyway, it didn’t matter. He was sure she’d come to love it. After a few seconds of glaring at him under lashes, she spoke.
“No matter what the situation is, you should never say that. No one deserves to die. And even if what he's done has put me in this situation, I would never be thankful or be happy that he's dead. I can't believe you would say that.” Her face was full of shock and concern as she turned away, putting her back to him as she leaned on the counter in front of her.
Sighing deeply, he knew those were the wrong things to say. It was too soon, and things weren’t settled yet. But this entire situation was fucked up and he was pissed off. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her back to his front. Time to eat some cro
w. “I hear you, sweetheart. No one deserves to die.” Well, some people do deserve to die, but he could give this to her just to avoid the argument and the explanations behind his thinking—which he didn’t want to go into right now. He wasn't apologizing for what he said, but he knew that he’d opened his mouth and inserted his foot. “Geneva, talk to me, baby.”
“Reed, this has me all twisted up in knots. Hiding away in my house is not me. If something happens in my world, I fight it. I always tackle it head-on. This,” she motioned around her house with her arm, “is not me. And these fuckers have me trapped in my own home. I don't like it.” She was shaking with rage and all he wanted to do was try and make it better.
It had only been a week since he’d met her, but he felt his entire world was focused on protecting the woman standing in front of him. She was the only thing that mattered to him. He knew that everything he’d done up to now had prepared him for this time in his life. He spent years hunting men down for a living. He knew how to make a person suffer. He knew, without a doubt, if he truly set his mind to it he could find the people that were coming after Geneva. The only question was how she would feel about him afterward. Opening that can of worms meant the possibility of never getting it closed again. There would be a cost to pay if he chose to become the person he was before. The Army had trained him to become the one thing he never thought he would be. A killer.
Her voice broke through his thoughts and he looked up at her and confusion, “What did you say?”
She gave him a funny look, “I asked if you were hungry.”
“Baby, you know I'm always hungry. Not just for food though.” A smile came over her face. Oh yeah, she knew exactly what he was referring to.
“Well, that's not on the menu right now.”
He watched her step over to the cabinet holding the dishes and pulled out some small plates and bowls for their lunch. Although he knew the topic of what he’d said about her boss wasn’t over yet, he was glad she wasn’t pressing the issue. Reaching into the refrigerator, she pulled out the ingredients for Caesar salad and sandwiches.