Taurus shrugged sleek, light brown brows. “If impressive, means ‘a crap-load of work’ then I guess it is,” he joined in when Mick laughed.
“Actually all the branches of the company have their own legal divisions but all of them- national as well as international report to my end.”
Mick released a low whistle. “What your family has accomplished...it’s fascinating.”
“It is that,” for the first time Taurus’ expression seemed to darken, “but no big success is ever made without a lot of big secrets underneath.” He forced a smile as if sensing the unwanted route his thoughts were taking.”
“So what about you?” He asked her. “Why are you here all by your lonesome?”
Mick’s expression darkened then too. “Oh I...I’m debating on whether to go see your cousin.”
Taurus smiled, not looking at all surprised. “Man’s a lucky dog to have you come his way.”
“You don’t know me, Taurus,” Mick warned, her expression resigned. “Your cousin’s probably not feeling so lucky given the fact that I’m here to chronicle some of those ‘success secrets’”.
“I’m willing to bet that doesn’t matter to him nearly as much as you do.”
“And what about you? How do you feel about the book?” Michaela felt comfortable enough to ask. “Something that might call attention to your family that way.”
Taurus rested his hand across the as yet unwrapped sandwich. “While it’s probably a necessary thing,” he seemed to consider his next words, “I don’t think it’d be such a good thing.”
Mick brushed potato chip crumbs from her fingers. “It would seen that you and your dad disagree about that.”
He smiled a curious smile. “My father and I disagree about a lot.”
Mick was primed to start questioning the man’s outlook when she saw Quest approaching the table. She ordered her lashes not to flutter, but was unable to get her heart to adhere to the same command. His face appeared a cold, beautiful mask when he inclined his head toward Taurus. His expression softened the second his eyes met hers.
“Michaela.”
“I was just heading back-”
“Stay, T,” Quest urged, halting Taurus moves to repack his sandwich. His gaze never left Michaela’s. “You’re not breaking any rules,” he said and brushed Mick’s arm lightly on his way past.
In spite of the light brush, Mick felt just as shattered given his soft reminder of the night he’d forbid her to dance with any other man in his family. The memory of him fondling and kissing her shamelessly while giving the order threatened to make her swoon.
“My cousin’s a lucky man. And an intense one,” Taurus noted once Quest had moved on.
Mick turned her head a fraction, but resisted the urge to turn in her chair and follow Quest’s departure.
***
“Any coffee in the break room, Jazz?”
Jasmine Hughes smiled up at Vincent Carroll, Ramsey Group’s lead attorney. “There sure is. What’s wrong? Didn’t get your caffeine fix this morning?” she teased.
“Nah,” Vincent said with a shiver. “Just cold as hell,” he complained.
“Are you feeling sick?” Jasmine asked.
“It’s Quest,” Vincent jerked his thumb across his shoulder. “Do you know what kind of mood he’s in?”
Jasmine’s lashes fluttered close. “Yeah, I got a taste of it when I got here this morning.”
“He doesn’t say a thing,” Vincent went on, “What he does say is barely above a whisper. He barely nods or shakes his head, just watches you talk. It’s creepy.”
Jasmine nodded in perfect agreement with Vincent’s assessments. She recalled feeling the same way when she had spoken with Quest earlier that morning. The man’s gray stare was even more haunting and unsettling in light of his mood.
“Hey Jazz, what’s up with Quest this morning?” Theo Stone from accounting asked when he approached.
“What have you heard?” Jazz asked.
“Nothing good,” Theo said.
“Well you heard right.”
“Morning group!”
Everyone turned when Quaysar arrived. Conversation was silenced, but only for a moment.
“Could you take this up to the office for me, Quay? It’s paperwork you guys should look over before I can move forward.” Theo explained.
Quay was already reaching for the file. “No problem. Did Quest leave already?” he asked.
“Unfortunately not,” Vincent grumbled.
“What?”
“Quay, it’s Quest. His... mood, more specifically.” Jasmine said.
Quay nodded once, understanding perfectly. He’d noticed his brother’s mood during their meeting earlier that morning and believed it had everything to do with Mick. At the time, he dared not question it. In many ways, Quest’s moods were far more unsettling than his own. While Quay roared his anger so that everyone was aware, Quest raged in silence. He’d barely say a word, yet his anger and frustration seethed so close to the surface they could almost be felt. Quay slapped the folder against his palm, braced himself, and headed up to the penthouse office.
~~~
“Quest?...Q? You in here, man?”
Quay received no answer when he entered the dim room. Setting the folder on one of the Gothic iron bookshelves, he stepped farther into the office. He continued to search for his twin until he found him seated in the living area. Quest gazed intently at the myriad of colorful fish frolicking in the huge extravagant tank.
“Q?” Quay called, a bit softer that time. “Damn, man, keep your foul mood at home. You got everybody edgy as hell,” he snapped, hoping to rouse some reaction from the man.
Quest closed his eyes and offered a humorless half smile. Determined to ignore his brother’s obvious attempts to rile him, he remained unresponsive.
“This have anything to do with Mick?” Quay asked, easing both hands into the deep pockets of his blackberry trousers.
The muscle danced furiously along Quest’s jawline. He left his chair and went to prop his elbow against the tank while gazing at the fish more closely.
“Why don’t you just call her?”
“Quay?”
“What?”
“Leave it.”
“Then leave your mood at the crib, man. We don’t need it around here. You got half the building afraid to talk to you,” Quay chastised, glaring when he received a flippant wave from Quest. “What happened between the two of you?” he queried softly.
Quest turned suddenly, slanting Quay a fierce stare before he literally brushed past him.
Quay, of course, was undaunted and simply followed his brother to the other side of the office. “You’re a fool if you let her get away.”
Quest had just reached his desk when he heard the words. Both hands curled into massive fists which he brought thundering down to the maple surface. Everything jumped in response. A few papers and a cup of pens splashed to the floor.
Quay stood quietly, taking in his brother’s murderous expression. Silence bathed the room until the phone buzzed. “Yeah Jazz, this is Quay,” he greeted using the speaker.
“Um, hey Quay is Quest there by any chance?”
“He’s here J,” Quay supplied when Quest remained mute.
“Michaela Sellars is here to see him.”
Quay fixed Quest with a taunting look. “Send her up, Jazz,” he instructed.
“You stay out of this, Quay,” Quest’s tone was low, dangerous.
Quay folded his hands across his chest. “Or what?” he challenged, grinning devilishly at his twin. “Seriously Q,” he said, sobering a little “She’s too special, I won’t let you lose her.”
Quest blinked, looking as though he was actually surprised that his brother noticed about Mick what he had the moment he’d met her. In minutes, the elevator chimed then and its doors opened.
~~~
Mick felt much the way she had the first day she’d stepped into the Ramsey’s hallowed penthouse offi
ce. Like before, she was uncertain and curious. But with those feelings came a new sensation of being hopelessly in love. She was there to tell Quest that she was leaving. Childish as it may have been, she prayed he would ask her to stay. As much as she wanted to help Johnelle Black, she knew she’d stay if he asked her to. Aside from their fiery physical encounters, she had no idea of his feelings. Perhaps this meeting would tell her if his feelings even trickled in the same direction as hers.
“Hey girl!”
Mick uttered breathless laughter at the sound of Quay’s roar before she was pulled into one of his crushing hugs.
“How you doin’? I hardly get the chance to see you with my brother keeping you locked away,” Quay voiced his complaint playfully.
Mick tossed a few curls from her eyes and returned Quay’s broad grin. “I’m good, and I see I don’t need to wonder how you are.”
Quay winked. “Lookin; good, huh?” he said, probing shamelessly for a compliment.
Despite her mood, Mick couldn’t resist laughing. “Is Quest here?” she finally got around to asking.
“Come on,” Quay instructed, dropping an arm around her shoulders as he led her deeper into the office.
Mick’s shivers had nothing to do with the long, muscular arm across her shoulders or the sheer fabric of the powder-blue shirt she wore. She had never relished confrontation.
“Q, look who’s here!” Quay bellowed when he brought Mick into the main office. He grinned at his twin, even as his eyes narrowed in a clear warning for his brother to remain civil.
Quest’s hazy stare had already softened. He had no idea how much emotion radiated from his stunning gaze. He nodded once toward Michaela.
Quay rubbed his hands together, satisfied by the man’s reaction. “Alright sweetness,” he smiled down at Mick, “I’m gonna give y’all some privacy.”
“Actually Quay,” she called, curving her hand across his wrist, “you should hear this too,” she said, risking a quick glance at Quest. “I spoke with Johnelle Black,” she said.
Quay’s dark gaze lost its cool appearance. Instantly, he realized why his brother was in such a foul mood.
“We talked about her daughter,” Mick said, “she doesn’t believe it was suicide and wants me to conduct a new investigation,” she stopped and turned to Quest. “I accepted. I’ll be leaving Seattle in a couple of days.”
Quest went rigid, his eyes now as black as the shirt he wore. He couldn’t move, though every nerve ending cried out that he do something- anything to stop her from going.
Say something! Mick pleaded in silence, knowing she was a fool. You, say something! she ordered herself. No! As badly as she wanted this man- wanted to be a part of his life- she would not humiliate herself more by begging him. After all, she was in love with him, not the other way around.
Sighing, she turned to Quay. “Thanks for being so great,” she said and laughed when he pulled her into another smothering embrace.
“Don’t you be a stranger,” he ordered pressing a kiss into the top of her head.
“You either,” Mick said, her voice a bit muffled against the fine fabric of his blackberry suit coat.
Across the top of her head, Quay fixed his twin with a disgusted stare.
“Bye,” Mick whispered as she stepped back. With barely a glance in Quest’s direction, she all but ran from the room.
“Fool,” Quay breathed at his brother before he too left the office.
Alone, Quest stared down at his desk but a moment, before he shoved all the contents to the floor.
“Mick, wait!”
Michaela’s steps halted on her way to the elevator. She whirled around, her eyes blurry with tears. On seeing the man bounding toward her, her first thought was that it was Quest. Her face clouded again when she saw it was mistaken.”Quay…”
“Sorry baby,” he apologized, frowning when he saw the wetness on her cheeks. “Hey,” he soothed, using his thumbs to dry her tears.
The tender gesture forced another slew of tears from her eyes. The elevator doors opened then and Quay hurried her inside.
“It’s alright,” he continued to reassure her as she cried fervently.
“Damn it,” Mick muttered, “weak,” she berated herself, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Damn tears,” she hissed.
“Hey, don’t do this,” Quay whispered, keeping his hands folded across her upper arms as he leaned down to peer directly into her eyes.
“I shouldn’t have come here today,” she said through her sniffles. “I knew it wouldn’t make a difference, but I had to see him.”
“You don’t have to explain a damn thing to me. Hell, I’m glad you’re doing this, Mick.”
Some of the sadness left Mick’s eyes as her curiosity soared. “What?” she whispered.
Quay’s gaze was unwavering. “I need you to do this.”
The elevator arrived on the ground floor, but Quay gave Mick a chance to prepare herself before he let the doors slide open in the lobby office.
“Jazz hold my calls. I’m taking Ms. Sellars to her car,” he told the woman.
When they reached the rental Altima Mick had acquired after her third week in Seattle, Mick just stood at the driver’s side door. She waited patiently, simply staring up into Quaysar’s handsome face.
“The party that night was my idea,” he said folding his arms across his chest while leaning against the trunk of the hunter-green car. “Quest had to get the room in his name because I had a...not so nice reputation with many of the finer hotels in town.” He grinned with a shrug. “My parents were sick of it and not about to put their names to a room I’d be in charge of.”
“Who was Sera there to see?” Mick asked, easing her hands into the pockets of her silver-gray crop pants.
Quay shook his head. “Probably me. She didn’t have class with Quest or any of our other cousins who went to the school. At least, I don’t think she did,” he added quietly. “Anyway, I don’t know if she even knew the other guys who were there.” He looked over at Mick. “Far as I know, Sera Black was no one’s ‘girl’. Everybody knew her though. Pretty, smart, somethin’ special. Too special to be played with or messed over. She wasn’t easy and we Ramseys didn’t like to work for our sweets back then, if you know what I mean. Still, Sera liked us for some reason. Liking me is probably what got her killed.”
Mick stepped closer. “Quay-”
“Didn’t you know?” he cut in, standing to fix her with a lopsided grin that held little amusement. “I’m cursed.”
“Huh?”
“Ask Quest. Hell, ask anybody in my family. Every girl who ever really liked me, moved away, came up missing...or died.”
“Quay-”
“You think I’m exaggerating? I wish I could think like that,” his onyx stare softened as he reminisced. “Q is the only one who knows this, but in high school there was a girl. I had to let her go because of this crap.”
Mick pressed her lips together and stepped closer to rub Quay’s shoulder.
“I loved her, Mick. She was the only one. The only one, Mick,” he stressed, fixing her with a stern look. “That was in high school. Do you know how many women I’ve known since then? None of ‘em ever came close to her.”
“So you invited Sera to the party?” Mick asked, hoping to shift the conversation away from the woman who still haunted Quaysar Ramsey’s dreams.
Quay cleared his throat. “Only the guys were invited,” he clarified, smoothing a hand across his close-cut waves. “There was an open invitation for all the girls- as many as we could fit into that room.”
“Would’ve been easy for her to go unnoticed then,” Mick pointed out.
Quay curved a fist into his palm. “I wouldn’t know. Drunk as I was.”
“You don’t remember anything?”
“Not a damn thing, besides what I just told you and after I woke up.”
“Where were you?”
“In the hotel room. In bed, butt-ass naked,” he shook h
is head, staring off as though he was envisioning the scene. “Q was sitting at the foot of the bed, he was the only one there, he-he looked like he was in a daze or somethin’. I started to call to him and then I heard the screaming. I never asked Q what he was doin’ there just sittin’ spaced out like that, and he never asked why I was naked in bed and passed out while a naked girl was splattered on the sidewalk below our room.”
Mick propped both hands on her hips. “What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know!” he snapped, leaning back against the car. “But I’ve been too scared for too long, Mick. I need answers. The only reason this thing was covered up is that Q was involved. My parents never asked him to explain it. They just did what they had to do to make it go away. But I know Q, it’s me I’m concerned about.”
“You think you-”
Quay was shaking his head helplessly. “The Ramseys got a lot of secrets, Mick. Second generation out did the elders royally, I think. Quest’s always been there tryin’ to protect us fools. I just pray none of this involves him.”
“So do I,” Mick whispered.
***
Catrina Ramsey had always taken pride in the fact that she never interfered with her sons’ private affairs. By doing so, she’d received the greatest reward. They came to her with their worries willingly without her ever having to ask. She basked in knowing her boys held her opinion in such high regard.
But now, one of her boys was keeping her out of the loop. Catrina realized she was indeed like every other mother on earth: nosy and proud of it!
When the elevator doors opened to the penthouse office at Ramsey Group, Catrina walked in with the grace of a queen. “Quest? Quaysar?” she called.
Her voice was soft- so soft that people often wondered how the tall, molasses-toned beauty with such fragile looks had managed to rear two rambunctious boys at once. Catrina, however, was patient to a fault. That soft voice she possessed held an underlying firmness that warned her twins and every other man she knew to stand and take notice.
The elevator doors closed with a soft thud while Catrina stepped slowly through the dim office. She found comfort in the mellow atmosphere of her surroundings while natural motherly concern told her the boys should work in better lighting.
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