"No," he said, shaking his head. "No, of course not. You are. Or, you will be, I hope." He gave her a sheepish smile.
Annie blinked. This could not be for real. No way was her brother asking her to ask Jericho for even more money on his behalf.
"Huh, no," she said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why in the hell would you assume I would do that? You finally paid him off, using my house, and now you want more? What could you possibly want more for?"
"I want to install a fireplace," he told her. "I just finished the central heating and air conditioning. It's the last thing I need and then I can put the place on the market and turn a kick ass profit. Come on, Annie. Please. Please do this for me."
"If I do this for you," she said slowly, making sure to lock eyes with him so he would know just how serious she was, "I don't want to hear from you for a very long time, Bruce. I am done with your bullshit. I want you to stay away from me. I want you to stay out of my life. Do you get that? Is that clear?"
"Annie," Bruce said but Annie cut him off.
"No, Bruce, I'm serious," Annie told him. "Is this favor really worth it? I'm all you have and you're all I have. Is five grand really worth losing me over?"
"Annie, this is my dream," he said, his eyes wide and pleading. "I'll finally be able to have something to call mine. I'll be able to manage a property, making consistent income, and be in charge of something. I've been working so hard for this."
"No you haven't," Annie said. "You took a loan and invested in it, sure, but you didn't have any type of way to pay Jericho back so you gave him the house as collateral. Now, you can't even ask him for an investment yourself. I have to do it."
"Annie, if you could see the cabin, you would understand," Bruce said. "Please don't make me pick between my sister and my dream."
"So you still want me to ask?" Annie asked, her tone, a warning.
At least Bruce had the foresight to look guilty. At least he took his time to really consider her offer. And, when he gave her an answer she didn’t expect – and yet, somehow, knew was coming – she understood what it was like to have a broken heart. It wasn’t when a boyfriend or a husband betrayed her, although that hurt in its own right. But when someone you loved and depended upon, someone in her family that always took care of her and was always there for her, did the betraying. That was the definition of a broken heart.
“Yes,” he said with a nod. “I still want you to ask.”
She hated him in that moment. If she didn’t have the self-restraint she had, she would have leaped out and clawed his eyes out. How could she not, when owning a piece of property he could manage was more important than being with his sister.
Perhaps he didn’t take her threat seriously. He probably thought she was all talk, no action. The thought made her even more furious than before and she couldn’t even be in the same room with him anymore.
“Fine,” she snarled, throwing her arms over her chest. “Go get him. Tell him I’d like to speak to him. But Bruce, I swear to God, I will not forgive you for this. There’s nothing you’d be able to do to make up for what you’re doing. Do you understand?”
Bruce didn’t get a chance to respond before a knock interrupted them. Bruce furrowed his brow, surprised by the interruption, but went to open the door anyway.
There was Jericho, standing with a silver tray of Eggs Benedict and cranberry juice with ice. He barely regarded Bruce except with a courteous nod of his head before bringing the tray in the room and setting it on his desk. Annie immediately inched closer to the tray, the strong scent of potatoes teasing her senses.
“He brought you breakfast?” Bruce asked in a low voice. The tone was clear: what was going on between the two of you?
Despite the fact that the answer was clearly nothing, Annie didn’t think it was any of his business. She was certain Jericho also heard the question – judging by his tone, it was more like an accusation than anything else. Instead of responding, however, he decided to take his seat across from Annie so that the desk was between them and smiled at her.
“I guess I’ll leave you to it, then,” Bruce muttered.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jericho said, standing up. “Did you finish your business?”
“Yeah, we did, sir,” Bruce said. “Thanks for letting us use your office.”
Jericho turned to Annie and gave her a questioning look. She sighed through her nose, not quite sure how to respond, not quite sure if she should respond.
Deciding it would be best just to be blunt, she said, “He wants more money.” She shook her head. “He texted me the next day, asking for this favor. I bet you anything he was going to ask you for more money before paying you anything.” She groaned, rolling her eyes. “I-“ She hesitated. She was going to apologize. She never thought she was going to apologize to someone like Jericho before but she couldn’t help it. Not when her brother was an ass. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to do it. Unless you want to. I guess he wants to install a fireplace and it’s the last thing he needs to do to complete the cabin. I feel bad for even asking so don’t feel as though you actually need to do it.”
His smile grew wider with each word she said.
“How much more does he need?” Jericho asked, no trace of annoyance in his tone. He was asking the question just to ask.
Annie blinked, surprised that he seemed to be open to hearing what she had to say. “Um,” she said, reaching up to cup the back of her head. “Five grand.”
“Five grand?” he asked, placing an index finger on the tip of his chin. “Hmm.” He cocked his head to the side. “Did he tell you how he would pay me back? And when?”
Annie shook her head, a slight wince to her facial features. Of course he didn’t. Why would he tell her something as helpful as that? Probably because he didn’t plan to pay Jericho back anytime soon. Maybe he thought he was owed some money anyway, since the value of the house was worth way more than fifty grand. But if that were the case, he should have asked for that before signing away the deed.
Why was her brother such an idiot? Why was she still helping him?
“Hmm,” he repeated.
“You don’t…”
He gave her a smile. “Eat your breakfast, Ms. Brennan,” he told her. “You are the last person that be stressing over this.”
Annie nodded and took a bite of the potato. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
Oh, my God. That was delicious.
“You seem stressed,” he said, his eyes going over her face. “What can I do to ease your troubles?”
“It’s not your responsibility,” she told him with a bite of food still in her mouth. “I honestly wish Bruce would just get his shit together and figure it out on his own.”
“I’ll cut him a check,” Jericho finally said. “I’ll give it to him tonight.”
Annie was so surprised, she held off on plopping another bite of potato in her mouth. “You – why?” she asked.
“Because I know what it’s like to have an impossible dream,” he said. “I’d like to ask you a favor, though. If I give him this check, I’d like you to accompany me to a Gala this weekend. I’ll pay for a new dress, everything. It’s for a domestic abuse charity I really like. It would be just a few hours of your time. What do you say? Please?”
It was the please that was her undoing. He would cut Bruce another check for a few hours of her time. She could do that.
“Okay,” she agreed in a meek voice before turning back to her breakfast.
Chapter 5
Scratch that previous statement, Annie thought to herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. This is the last place I want to be. On Jericho’s arm at some charity function. She wasn’t entirely displeased with how she looked, however. In fact, the more she stared, the more she realized that she was quite pretty. The gown he had gifted her somehow fit her exquisitely. She wasn’t quite sure how he knew her size but he didn’t seem like the type of person to rifle through her clothes. H
owever, she could imagine someone else doing it on his behalf.
Not that that mattered anyway.
The gown was a silver, strapless dress that gave her small breasts actual cleavage. It was an A-line gown that bunched between her breasts and swept all the way down to the floor like she was some Greek goddess. The material clung to her waist, to her hips, until the skirt flared out just so and trailed behind her in a small train. On her feet were a matching pair of strappy high heels. She was like a small little rain cloud.
Her hair was pulled into a sleek bun at the base of her head, leaving her center part in line. Two long strands of hair framed her face and curled just underneath her chin. She wore minimal jewelry, her simple silver ring on her right pinky and chandelier earrings that matched the color of the dress and caused her neck to look even longer than it typically was. Her eyes were smoky, her eyelashes long, but her lips were a subtle pink, and she wore no blush. She felt vulnerable, exposed, and she was certain the minute she stepped outside, her skin would erupt with goosebumps. But if this was what it took to get a share of her house, she would do it.
When she walked down the wooden stairs, Annie was able to catch sight of Jericho before he saw her. He looked beautiful in a haunting sort of way. He was wearing a black and white tuxedo, probably custom made to fit his frame perfectly. He was fiddling with his cufflinks which revealed how vulnerable he could be, and something inside of her wanted to help him. Which made no sense since she had promised herself she intended to loathe Jericho until her last breath for taking advantage of her brother’s stupidity and forcing her into this less than desirable predicament.
At that moment, she stepped on the third stair from the bottom. It squeaked loudly, causing Jericho to snap his head up, temporarily forgetting his struggle with the cufflink. He openly stared at her, his eyebrows pushed high into his hairline, his mouth making a slight ‘o’ of surprise, emphasizing his sharp cheekbones. He had no qualms with staring at her like she was something he couldn’t quite look away from.
“Jesus Christ,” he muttered slowly, more to him than to her.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she felt her cheeks turn pink under his stare but not from the flattery. She didn’t know how to react to someone being so forward with his desire for her.
“You cannot possibly be real,” he continued when she met his eyes and stood next to him.
Annie giggled despite herself. She immediately regretted the action but couldn’t take it back. Nor could she force the stupid grin off of her face if she tried.
His grin transformed into a full-fledged smile. “I think that’s the first time I’ve made you blush because of a compliment,” he pointed out. “Or heard you giggle. It’s a beautiful sound. You should do it more often.”
Without warning, he reached out and curled one strand of blonde hair behind her ear, leaving her look unbalanced. He let his fingers trail over her ear and across her jawline and rested on the point of her chin. Her entire body sprouted out with goosebumps even though her home was permeated with heat thanks to Jericho’s relaxed attitude about the energy bill, and she knew it had to do with his touch. He had soft fingers, the kind that never had to work in their entire life. Surprisingly enough, Annie wasn’t resentful of this fact. It wasn’t his fault he had been born into money.
“You know,” he said. His sparkle disappeared from his eyes as his gaze dropped to her collarbone and darkened. It turned to a dull green as he continued to stare and there was something in that gaze that caused Annie to shudder. She swallowed, her throat completely dry. “We could be late. I could take you back to your room and worship your body. We might not even make it out of bed for the next seventy-two hours.”
Annie felt her pink complexion turn red. “You haven’t even taken me out on a date yet,” she mumbled without realizing what she had said.
His brows pushed up in surprise and he smiled. “Would you like me to?” he asked, tilting his head at that awkward angle.
“I-“ Annie clenched her teeth together before looking away. “Maybe we shouldn’t.”
“You are… exquisite,” he told her. He brought up his finger from her chin so it rested on her bottom lip. “I could just… eat you up.”
Annie felt little shocks of electricity sent to her pelvis and her inner walls were starting to get wet. She clenched her teeth together to keep from making any telling noises that would reveal that she very possibly desired the man in front of her.
“You know,” he said, finally dropping his head and taking a step back from her, giving her space where she could finally breathe again. “You are unlike any girl I’ve ever met before.”
“Maybe because I’m a woman,” she said before she could stop herself.
His smile turned into an amused smirk. “Maybe,” he agreed with a nod. “Are you ready to go?”
Annie nodded once. “Yes,” she agreed.
He offered her his arm. “Then let’s go,” he commanded gently.
She looked at it, not quite sure what to do except take his arm like they were from the fifties and were going on their first date.
She took his arm and slid her arm through it. It was surprisingly sturdy and she squeezed his arm just to give herself something to cling to. He opened the front door to their house - her house, she had to remind herself - and the bitter cold air hit her like a wall of bricks. She immediately tensed up and buried her face into his arm unintentionally. Perhaps it would have been a romantic gesture if they had been a couple but she had been doing it to attempt to garner any kind of warmth since her dress was thin and she didn't have a jacket that matched.
"The car's waiting and heated," Jericho assured her as he walked her out. He turned and locked the door even though one of his security guards was stationed inside just to keep an eye on the house.
Annie picked her eyes up and looked out across the driveway. There, waiting for them, was a sleek black Mercedes town car, the driver leaning against the side of the car with the back door open. The car was running; grey exhaust painted the black canvas. She let Jericho lead her to the car and it took everything in her not to sprint to the car. The minute she was tucked safely inside, leaning against the beige leather seats and strapping herself in with a seatbelt, she finally relaxed. It really was heated and she was grateful for it.
"You buckled in?" Jericho asked, quirking an amused brow. He wasn't asking to be sure, he was asking because it seemed odd that she would wear a seatbelt in the first place.
Annie shrugged her shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles in the skirt of her dress and looking out the window. The leather pressed into her skin, smooth and soft. Her shoulders were relaxed and her muscles eased down.
"Safety first," she quipped with a small smile.
His eyes narrowed in on her lips and lingered. Her cheeks turned pink at the stare and she hoped he would write it off as her being cold to warm so suddenly. However, she had a feeling that he might know that his stare was doing things to her body, causing her to react in such a way, and she didn't like it. She didn't like that it was happening at all and she didn't like that he knew it. The silence in the car was surprisingly comfortable and her eyes looked out. It was supposed to pour at any second. The grey clouds looked so dark and full, that any little thing might cause them to burst.
"It looks like rain," he pointed out, staring out his window. It was like he could read her mind. Maybe he could.
The ride was smooth until they hit the city, then traffic began to pile up. Annie glanced over at Jericho, who didn't seem perturbed the tardiness the two had incurred. Then again, if this was something he was throwing, he could show up at any moment and it would be okay. She shook her head slightly; she couldn't imagine having that sort of power, truth be told.
Annie placed her hand on the leather seat between her and Jericho. If she didn’t remove it from her lap, she was certain her beautiful gown would be wrinkled and ruined before they even arrived at the gala. Her other hand she firmly placed
under her thigh to refrain from even tempting her to fiddle with the soft material.
“What’s this gala about, exactly?” Annie asked, turning to look at him. She was still caught dumbfounded by how beautiful he was, his big pale green eyes and those sharp cheekbones doing things to the inside of her body she forced herself to ignore. “You never really told me what to expect.”
“Oh,” he said. “A domestic abuse charity I’ve been donating to for the past few years. It came to my attention because one of my employees told me about the ordeal his sister was going through and how this shelter saved her life. I looked into it and they really are one of the best places for women. It amazes me that no one really knows about it except those who need the help – and that’s the way they want it. You can’t have an abuser finding out where the shelter is, right? So I assist with funding, helping with the housing, that sort of thing.”
“And you got involved because of an employee?” Annie murmured, somewhat surprised.
Jericho nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Every few months, I like to check in to see what’s going on in their lives, make sure everything is okay, and if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“But only as long as they pay you back,” she said, letting the unanswered question linger.
“I wouldn’t be a good businessman if I just gave everything away,” he told her, the corner of his lips curling up into a gentle smirk. “But I am open to payment. Perhaps they can provide me with something of value I want that isn’t exactly monetary.”
Annie cut him a look. “Do you think that’s fair?” she asked. “Aren’t you kind of preying on your employees, offering them a deal they really can’t refuse and then taking something in return?”
“It’s a give and take,” Jericho said, shifting in his seat so he could give her his full attention. “I ask how they’re doing. I’ve conditioned them to trust me. I earn that trust. I offer them a solution to their problem. They offer me something in return.”
A Corruption Dark & Deadly (A Dark & Deadly Series Book 3) Page 7