Manhattan Millionaire: Book Three in the Kendall Family Series

by Jennifer Ann

  “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Zimmerman. Please, have a seat.”

  “I’d rather stand,” I say, shaking my head as I take a sweeping glance of the empty conference room. “Where is everyone?”

  “We decided in light of your attorney’s questionable representation of your case and some other information we received just this morning, it’d be best if the closing were to be postponed until we can investigate into the matter further. My client has voiced a concern that you may not be the right buyer for his property.”

  With a burst of anger ripping through my chest, I flex a fist inside my pants pocket. “In no way does my relationship with Ms. Kendall affect this transaction. The ethics board was only notified because I have a bitter ex-girlfriend who’s intent on ruining my happiness. I assure you Ms. Kendall is more than capable of representing my best interests in this matter. I have the money, and I’m prepared to take over the property. My grandmother’s name is well respected in this city.”

  “That may be true, but we’re not ready to go forward with the sale at this time.”

  Telling myself it would only seal my fate if I were to let my rage shine through, I force a smile and offer my hand. “I’m confident your client will change his mind once Ms. Kendall has been cleared. I’ll be in touch.”

  Oddly enough, it’s not the fear of losing the property that weighs heavily on my mind as I leave the conference room. It’s the fact that Sofia may lose everything she’s worked for because of me.

  It feels like days have passed by the time I hear the click of Sofia’s heels as she enters the lobby alone. Despite looking tired, there’s still a hopeful light to her eyes when she offers a small smile. She throws what I perceive to be a sigh of relief before letting me fold my arms around her.

  “That was…fun.”

  “What did they say?” I ask, leaning back to look her in the eye.

  “Either the ring may have actually fooled them enough to think the case wasn’t worth pursuing, or they don’t consider our alleged relationship to be a violation of their rules, all things considered. I’ll hear the final word from the board in the next day or two.” Then her face falls and her cheeks lose their color. “But after they were finished, I returned a call to the firm. The partners asked me to hand in my resignation.”

  Something in my chest tightens, almost like I’ve taken a bullet on her behalf. “Did you tell them what the ethics board told you?”

  “Yeah, but they’re embarrassed by this. They don’t want the firm to be associated with a scandal.”

  “Is that even legal?”

  Her eyes drop down to the floor behind me. “They aren’t firing me. They offered a decent severance pay and a favorable reference down the road if I leave quietly.”

  “I don’t fucking understand,” I growl, shaking my head. “If the board cleared you—”

  As Sofia stops me with a sound kiss, she places the ring in my hand.

  Heart stuttering, I freeze against her. She’s rejecting my proposal.

  “I’m sorry,” she finally whispers, shaking her head. “I can’t do this. At least not right now. I need…time.”

  Grams’s diamond feels impossibly heavy in my hand because it represents more than a promise of marriage. She may as well have ripped my heart from my fucking chest along with it. I know she’s struggling to accept her feelings for whatever reason, but I took a leap of faith, hoping to change her mind when she realized how serious I’ve become about wanting to spend the rest of our lives together.

  “I’m the one who should be sorry. If I hadn’t given Avery the fucking time of the day—”

  “You can’t punish yourself for decisions you made in the past. You told me that not too long ago, remember? What she did…it isn’t your fault, Nolan.”

  Squeezing one hand around the ring, I gently thread my fingers of the other through the hair on the back of her head. “What can I do to prove how sorry I am? I’ll take care of you, Sofia. You wouldn’t have to work another day of your life.”

  “And what? Turn out like your mother?” she spits, flaring her nostrils. “I’m not the type of woman who just sits back and lets a man take care of her.”

  “I know you’re not. I just mean…fuck. I don’t know what to say to make this better.”

  “Just…take me home,” she pleads with tears filling her eyes. “Please.”

  The elaborate plans I made for what was supposed to be a night of celebration disappear in the blink of an eye as we catch an earlier flight back to New York. Not having the heart for it with her ring still heavy in my pocket, I save Grams’s ashes somewhere in Vegas for another visit.

  The quiet sadness stretched out between us continues as we check out of our room, and throughout the entire flight. By the time we catch our ride in New York, Sofia’s unable to even look my way without crying.

  When the car parks out in front of her apartment, I bend down to kiss her cheek. “I’m going back to my place for the night,” I say even though she probably already suspected I was in too much pain to stay. “Call me if you want to talk.”

  She pauses as her fingers curl around the door handle. “You should know that you mean more to me than I ever thought possible.”

  Holding my breath I wait for her to say more, although I don’t fucking know what, but she slips out into the darkness and I feel…nothing.

  The next morning it feels as if there’s a truck parked on my head when I find myself sprawled out on the break room couch, wearing only my boxers. Scratching my head, I’m only able to recall fragmented pieces from the night before.

  Polishing off a bottle of Midleton at Leona’s.

  Advances from women.

  More Midleton.

  Hope telling me I needed to sleep it off.

  The rest is a fucked up blur of drunk texts and conversations I’m not sure that I’ve imaged or if they really took place. I check my phone, hoping to find something from Sofia, but all I’m able to find are a handful of garbled text messages sent to Sharlo.

  And Avery.

  Holding my breath, I scroll through the messages that threaten to sue her if she doesn’t fix the mess she made. Most of them don’t make any sense, but my lungs kick back into gear once I’ve read them all. By some fucking miracle, I didn’t mention what happened with Sofia.

  According to my phone, I’ve already wasted half the morning on sleep. A full-blown headache rips through my skull when I rise to start a pot of coffee. As I’m changing the filter, there’s a persistent knock on the break room door.

  “What the fuck do you want?” I roar, ready to bust skulls for making mine pound.

  Sharlo comes storming into the room with Avery in tow. My ridiculously pregnant friend has her hand wound so tightly around my ex’s arm that Avery is unable to break free. Stunned, I let the filter filled with grounds fall back into the pot.

  “Better watch yourself,” Sharlo warns her with the most malice I’ve ever witnessed. “Wouldn’t want to add assaulting a woman with child to your growing list of crimes, now would we?”

  “What…the…” I stutter, staring at Avery’s fuming expression.

  “I’ve brought you a present, love,” Sharlo sings, releasing Avery’s arm. “This little harlot has something she’d like to say to you.”

  When Avery’s eyes skip down to my boxers, I’m delighted to learn she official does nothing for me anymore. My dick remains placid under her hopeful stare.

  “Out with it, then,” Sharlo prods, poking her in the side. “We haven’t got all day.”

  Avery’s gaze meets mine, filled with tears. “Daddy didn’t really threaten to cut me off if I don’t settle down with a man.”

  Though the news isn’t exactly earth-shattering, I don’t see how it changes anything. It doesn’t excuse her actions in any way. Crossing my arms over my chest, I wait for her to continue.

  “Go on, tell him your dirty little secret,” Sharlo orders her. “It’s time he knows exactly who he’s dea
ling with.”

  Avery’s eyes dance between me and Shar. “I…uh…”

  “She’s been sticking her entire inheritance up her nose,” Sharlo blurts, resting her hands on her stomach. “She’s only allotted so much each month by her daddy, and she’s completely run dry from buying ridiculously expensive designer labels and doing enough blow to render a man twice her size brain-dead. She’s so desperate to hide her habit from daddy dearest that she was willing to blackmail you into saving her sorry arse. She figured it’d be better than being shipped off to rehab and truly cut off for her behavior.”

  With every word Sharlo speaks, Avery’s shoulders sink lower and tears silently slip down her cheeks. How in the hell could I have missed that I was involved with a drug addict? Her behavior was erratic at times, and she spent obscene amount of time at the clubs, but cocaine?

  “Is it true?” I ask her, feeling my patience coming to a head. When she refuses to meet my gaze, I repeat myself with a roar. “Is it true?”

  “Basically,” she answers in what can only be described as a little girl’s voice. “I mean…yeah.”

  I rub my hands over my stubbled jaw, taking a series of calming breaths. I can’t find it in me to be angry at her, only the situation. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve known a party-girl to fall for the promise of more fun, or a simple way to look good without having to diet. Hell, half the rockstars Grams met were high on their drug-of-choice.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen, Avery. Either you’re going to tell everything to your father—”

  “No!” she cries, wrapping her arms around herself.

  “Or I will,” I finish with a cutting glare, “and that’s a promise. Then you’re going to check yourself into rehab. Maybe once you have a clear head you’ll fully understand how irrational you’ve been.”

  Rolling her eyes, Sharlo turns to Avery. “He’s letting you off real nice and easy. Better tell him you’re sorry and be on your way to Daddy before my sources call in a tip on who supplied that eightball to a sorority house in Queens last weekend.”

  Avery’s mouth slacks and she becomes as pale as I’ve ever seen her. “How—”

  “Don’t question it. Say your peace and sod off.”

  “I’m sorry!” Avery blurts, only looking at me for a half a second before bolting from the room.

  Holding my head in my hands, I sort through all the questions milling through my head until I catch a pained look crossing Sharlo’s expression.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, lowering my hands.

  “Just a bit of discomfort from the little one,” she bites out, rubbing her belly. “If he’s even a mere hundredth the size of his father, he’s likely ready for larger accommodations.”

  “Do you want me to take you to the doctor?”

  “Stop sounding like James. I’ll be fine,” she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Did you fancy my present?”

  “How did you know she was doing drugs?”

  “It was all Charlie’s idea,” she admits with a sly smile. “He hired his PI to do a little digging and follow her around for a couple of days. Didn’t take much investigating before she was caught leaving a house known for outrageous parties with a nose covered in white powder. She was so high that I don’t think she remembers the PI asking her questions.”

  Still astonished by Avery’s shocking revelation, I shake my head several times. “How did you get her to agree to come here?”

  “That part I’m not exactly proud of. Let’s just leave it with the general understanding that I made a lot of false promises in the name of justice, shall we?” Finally her expression relaxes and her lips turn upward with a genuinely happy smile. “It seems junior agrees our work is done. He’s finally settled for a bit.”

  I almost meet her smile until I’m plagued with the truth. “This doesn’t fix the mess I made with Sofia. You were right, Shar. I pushed her too hard and it scared the shit out of her. I don’t know that I’ll ever get her back.”

  “Never would’ve guessed based on the incomprehensible texts flooding my inbox in the dead of the night,” she replies with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. “Listen, sweetheart. Even if you’ve managed to make a bloody mess out of your relationship, Sofia’s madly in love and won’t be cutting you completely out of her life any time soon. She merely needs time to sort things out and come to terms with her feelings.”

  Knowing she won’t tolerate any arguments, and she’s most likely right anyway, I cross over to loop my arm around her neck and kiss the top of her head. “I hope you realize how amazing you are to everyone you love, because over the next few years you’re probably going to feel guilty for neglecting them.”

  “How is it we know each other so well, yet struggle to understand the complicated minds of our partners?” she sighs, dropping her head against my shoulder.

  “Maybe we really are siblings, separated at birth,” I tease. Then I drop a kiss into her hair. “Thanks, Shar. I owe you one.”

  “You owe me more than just one. Once this baby makes his grand entrance into the world and I’ve switched to formula, I expect a bloody parade of never-ending drinks, delivered to my door. And your services as a child minder, so long as you’re dressed properly. Can’t have you contributing to their unsightly nightmares.”

  When she glances down at my boxers, I burst out laughing even though my head pounds in protest. Sharlo always has a way of making me feel better, even though the world seems to be crashing down around my feet.

  Chapter 19

  SOFIA

  Once we’re back from Vegas, sleep evades me. Although I was crushed when the partners at the firm expressed their disappointment in my misconduct, turning down Nolan’s proposal is what has me tossing and turning. My bed feels hauntingly empty without him at my side for the first time in nearly a week. But it wouldn’t have been fair to either one of us if I had accepted his offer with anything less than a whole-hearted yes, and I’m not there. Not yet.

  It’s well after noon before I finally drag my weary bones from bed. Realizing it’s the first of many days that I won’t have a reason to dress up for a long time, I throw on a pair of jeans with the Bowie shirt Nolan bought me back when we were still in denial that there was anything more than friendship blossoming between us.

  Although I’d like to pretend I’d do anything to relive those days, I wouldn’t give up the past week we spent together for anything. And I don’t want to lose what Nolan and I have at this point, because I’m starting to truly believe, deep down in my heart, that I’m madly in love with him. I just need time to sort things out. Hopefully with a bit of counseling, I’ll be able to embrace my feelings and we can move on. Move forward.

  I’m pouring myself a cup of coffee when my phone chirps with a text. My heart skips a beat, hopeful that it’s from Nolan, but I grab it off the counter to see it’s from Sharlo.

  I have a proposal for you. Mind if I pop on by?

  My stomach plummets with her poor choice of wording. Obviously she heard only part of what happened in Vegas, or I’m certain she would’ve been more sensitive. I answer:

  My day is wide open.

  A second later there’s a knock on my front door. I can’t help but laugh as I move across the apartment, knowing Sharlo was planning to stop by no matter my answer. She’s always a breath of fresh air, somehow managing to look beautiful in a colorful patterned dress despite looking ready to burst. Though she greets me with the usual bright smile, it falls flat when I fail to return the gesture. Instead, my throat closes with the onset of tears.

  “Bloody hell,” she blurts as she steps inside, curling her arms around her giant belly. “I thought you were at peace with the firm’s decision to let you go. Perhaps there’s something else you’d like to share?”

  “Nolan and I had…a disagreement, and we caught an early flight last night.”

  One of her eyebrows lifts to her hairline. “Anything you care to discuss?”

  “The wounds are too f
resh,” I insist, shaking my head as I start for the kitchen. “I wouldn’t have made coffee if I had known you were coming…I know how much the smell bothers you now. I’ll grab you a water.”

  “No worries, love. James still prepares it every now and again. Besides, it won’t be long until I have my body all to myself again and won’t have to worry about such nonsense.”

  Appreciation for the way she doesn’t push me anymore on what happened with Nolan overwhelms me as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge. When I moved here from Texas, I couldn’t have dreamed my circle of friends and family would be so supportive.

  As Sharlo takes a seat at the granite island, her eyes close and she releases a quiet groan.

  “Whoa, are you alright?” I ask, moving around the island to touch her shoulder.

  Her eyelids flip open and a little flush spreads over her round cheeks. “From what I can tell, these must be bouts of gas. I’ve been experiencing them all morning. They fail to mention all the unsightly things pregnancy does to one’s body.”

  Smiling, I lean against the island at her side. “Are you nervous? I mean…your life will never be the same once you’re a mom.”

  “Thank heavens for that. Change is good for the soul. And I’m bloody giddy whenever I picture your big, strong brother cradling an infant in his arms that we created together. Just when I think I couldn’t love another human being any more, this little one delivers a roundhouse kick to my bladder as if to remind me that before long there’ll be two fighters taking residence in my heart.”

  Something pinches my chest, though I can’t imagine it would be jealousy. Having a baby is the furthest thing from my mind. “So what’s this proposal of yours?” I ask.