“What?”
“Yeah, babe. You have an admirer.”
“Max, I didn’t mean to—”
“No, he knows you’re taken and I now have a new assistant. He’s smart Stella, just like you thought. He can speak well, read spreadsheets, and has drive. I hired him to help me communicate with the workforce and report back the progress of the renovations. The position will be on a trial basis. But I wanted to give him a chance. He agreed to stay in school, and work from three to six with me each day. He’ll be getting a company phone and laptop so we can communicate easily. He also agreed to give you updates.”
“Me?” I ask breathlessly.
“Yeah, babe, apparently he took to you.”
“He’s a good kid,” I say as more of a statement.
“Yeah, seems so. But he’s also smitten. I may have some competition.”
“Max! He’s seventeen, he’s not used to kindness. I’m glad you helped him.”
“Babe, even though we got his situation settled, we have to stay focused.”
“I am focused!”
“Well, because of your shenanigans, I’m not.”
“What did you do?”
“That fucking community center was a joke! I called Dana and had her get one million ready to donate. Everything needed redone. So your plan to rebuild the community just adjusted.”
I throw myself on him and cover every skin surface I can with kisses. “I love you, Maxwell McCoy! My gut tells me we won’t be sorry taking a chance on Pedro.”
“I love you too, babe, but you owe me. Now lay back, it’s time to make good on your end of the bargain.”
Being home should have brought me a sense of peace, but my nerves are still on edge. The week we spent in South America was quick, fast-paced, and exhausting, but we touched on everything we went for. Stella wasn’t kidding about needing more manpower and as she predicted, the entire Hurst & McCoy workforce stepped up. Even our vendors and clients have offered to donate to our causes.
Computers, books, and clothes are all being shipped to the factory next week for distribution to schools, shelters, and community centers. Pedro is my point man for the shipments and will take inventory and deliver. Stella, Laci, and Landon have taken over most of the community efforts. My mom has joined them daily pitching in where needed. Even Mason and Matt are helping.
The factory is still producing clothing, but the new equipment will increase production time. I’ve spoken to all our distributors and explained our plans. Demand for JOS athletic apparel is at an all-time high. Whereas a few months ago, it was taboo to have your company name associated with JOS, now it’s a selling point. We shared the product demand with the employees and they seemed at ease when we left.
What’s bothering me most is the meeting with the government officials we had before leaving. The three men were callous and unpredictable. It wasn’t mentioned out loud, but I could tell they were pissed about the whorehouse being closed. I did that before Sullivan PR came into the picture, but they seemed hostile towards Stella in our meeting. The looks, snares, and crude comments were enough to push me over the edge. Thankfully, they spoke in Portuguese so she had no idea what they were saying.
The day we sat down with the officials in the JOS offices was a cluster-fuck. The instant the men walked through the door, air was sucked out of the room. Employees scattered, never making eye contact and the atmosphere went stoic. Stella held her head high and put on a good show, but I could tell she was uneasy. Her leg tapped underneath the table and she continuously rubbed her hands together. At one point during the conversation, she looked to me to finish her statement.
Two of the men smirked at her, which set my irritation on overdrive. I glared at them, leaving no room for confusion and explained our next steps. My words and direction were firm and solid, annoyance evident. My take-no-prisoners, don’t give me bullshit attitude, took over and by the time I was finished with the meeting, the direction was clear, don’t fuck with me.
I took two of the men on a tour to show them the changes being made but one hung back, claiming he needed to make a phone call. We were only gone twenty minutes, but when I saw Stella’s face upon return, blood boiled. She blew me off until we got back to the room and then broke down.
Apparently that son of a bitch laid out money on the table, telling her it was in her best interests to reopen the “bar,” as they called it, and get the women back to work servicing the men. He spoke broken English but she understood every word. He got in her face and insinuated she better watch her back.
I tried to find the asshole the next day but he vanished. So instead, I have a team trying to find him. He’s disappeared and no one seems to know who he is. When I talked to the two men I was with, they claimed he was an independent contractor. I smelled bullshit but my only priority was getting Stella home and safe. Until we do a grand re-opening, she’s not going back.
“Max?” Dana’s voice jolts me and I see it’s after six.
“Yeah?”
“Edward is on his way over.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, he’s bringing a stack of folders according to his assistant.”
“I’ll handle him, do me a favor. Call Stella and tell her I’m held up. See what she wants for dinner and have it delivered.”
“Already done. You’re having pizza tonight. She said it’s Thursday Night Football.”
God, I love that woman.
“I know you do, what’s not to love?”
“Did I say that shit out loud?”
“Yeah, hun. I’m going home. See you tomorrow?”
“Probably late afternoon. Since it’s Friday, I’m going to Stella’s office in the morning.”
“Good Luck, he’s walking in now.”
The intercom cuts off and Edward rounds the corner. His focus is solely on me and doesn’t even acknowledge Dana when he shuts my door.”
“We need to talk,” he says glaring at me.
“Talk.”
“You’ve been so wrapped up in this JOS shit, you haven’t taken New York seriously. They’re threatening to back out.”
“No, they’re not.”
“Bullshit, boy! I’ve been on the phone the last four days with anyone from their project manager to their COO. They’re ready to walk!” he screams at me, veins bulging in his neck.
I get up and walk around my desk, planting myself right in front of him. I lean on the and cross my arms and legs. “Edward, you’re talking to the wrong people. I’ve got this handled. Leave it alone.”
“No! You’ve ignored this company for too long. Working to save JOS was a project out of your hands until you went and sabotaged it with a piece of pussy. Now you ignore future opportunities? I won’t stand for it. Get your head out of your ass and back in the game.”
Rage simmers in my soul and I lose my temper for the first time ever with him. “Never refer to Stella as a piece of pussy again. I’m saving your ass and the companies we own by being lead on this. We’re fucking owning the re-build and our numbers are showing it. This week alone, our stock grew. People are begging to get me on TV to talk about the turnaround. Our investors are making money, you’re making money, and Hurst & McCoy is back in the news—with a positive light for the first time since my dad died. You live in your mansion, cheat on your wife, ignore your daughter’s drug problems all you want. But don’t you ever, ever say I’m not taking this business seriously! You want to ride on the coattails of a company that made some serious shady decisions. Well, that’s not going to happen again.
“I know what the books say and I know too much about you. Keep your shit together, keep Erica away from me, and don’t ever question my business ethics again.”
“You little shit—”
“I’m not little anymore, Edward. I’m a grown man now running a multi-billion dollar company. My dad may have let you be a part-time partner but I don’t see you as a partner at all. Go back to your corner office, your whores, and your pathetic a
ttempts to scare me. But I’m done. The board and I may not have a past like you do, but if I present them with your expenditures, I bet they’d listen to me. Don’t underestimate me. I’m here for the good of the company, but you’ll never treat me like a piece of shit again.”
“Listen to me, you may think you have some control here, but I hold all the cards. I’ve let you get away with fucking around the last few months out of pure respect for your family and the man I called my friend. Get your shit in line or you’ll regret it,” he sneers and stands.
Toe to toe, I’m about six inches taller, but he holds his ground. I don’t look away until he finally turns to leave. No more words are said, but the threat is clear.
My first call is to Jake Freed. He agrees to meet me tomorrow morning for a briefing. Then I call Pedro on his private phone.
“Mr. McCoy,” he greets me.
“Pedro, listen I need to be quick. I want you to watch around the factory closely, tell me if you see anything out of the ordinary.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, but with the new machines coming in and our plans moving forward, it’s good to keep our eyes out.”
“Yes, sir, no problem.” He stalls for a sec and then asks, “Is Stella around?”
“No, son, she’s not. What’s up?”
“I wanted to thank her for the stuff she sent my grandma and brother. The whole church is buzzing about her too. My grandma calls her an angel and I thought I should thank her.”
Surprise washes over me, we’ve only been home for four days. How did she already send things to his family and then it hits me. Laci and Landon. “She’s not here, but I’ll tell her you sent your appreciation. Take care.”
“Mr. McCoy, thank you. I’m not sure I ever said it, but thanks.”
“Yeah, Pedro, yeah.” I hang up and slump my head. It was an asshole goodbye, but he caught me off-guard. I want to throw trust into him, but my business sense says he has to earn it. Thinking about his situation, I see similarities. If he’s as honest as he seems, he’d do anything for his family, just like me.
My phone rings again and Stella’s face flashes on the screen. “Hey, babe.”
“Where are you?” she shrieks.
“Packing up now, what’s going on?”
“Hurry home. Everyone’s here to watch the game.”
“Really?” I groan and pack my stuff. “We’ve been working like hell the last few days since we got back. I was hoping for a night alone.”
“Sweetie, I’m sorry. I thought you might like a night with family and friends. We can kick them out at half time, but something tells me Mason and Matt won’t leave.”
“You told them where you live? Is nothing sacred anymore?”
She giggles and hushes someone behind her. “We’re at your house tonight. I thought you may miss home and you have a better TV. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Stella, cancel your appointments in the morning. We’re working from home.”
“I can’t—”
“No arguments, we’ve been working sixteen hour days this week and last week was fucking crazy. Besides we have some stuff to talk about.”
“Okay, Max, I’ll label it as a ‘meeting.’”
“Label it whatever the fuck you want, but know it’s a naked meeting. You should be in the office by lunchtime.” I hang up and grab my things. Before I get into the elevator, I see Edward scowling at me from behind the reception partition. His look is cold and calculating. I push the button staring him down. My meeting with Jake can’t get here fast enough.
Stella groans lightly and rolls over. I’ve been watching her from my desk for half an hour, trying not to wake her. But as soon as she realizes my side of the bed is empty, she sits up dazed. Her head turns toward the bathroom and then turns to me.
“What are you doing?” she asks sleepily.
“Working a bit.”
“What time is it?”
“A little after seven.”
“Why the hell are you up? Do you ever sleep?” She falls back onto my bed and the sheets slip down her naked body.
I jump to my feet and make my way to her side of the bed in a second. “Yeah, I slept, then I worked out, showered, and decided to work until you woke up.”
“You worked out? Showered? What the hell is wrong with you? I thought we weren’t going anywhere this morning.”
She throws an arm over her eyes and I take the opportunity to kiss the skin up to her elbow, then pull her arm down so she has no choice but to look at me.
“I didn’t go anywhere. I have a home gym down the hall. I showered because I was gross, and we are staying here this morning. We have a meeting at ten, but until then, it’s us.”
“You have a home gym? Where?”
“Yeah, babe, there’s about two thousand square feet you’ve not seen yet. Two more rooms and a gym.”
“What?”
“Babe, you’ve only been here a few times, I haven’t had time to show you.”
“This is a whole lot of information for me this early, without coffee. Remember I’m not a morning person.”
“So you keep saying, but I love proving you wrong.” I kiss her softly and slide my hand under the sheets and down until it reaches her pelvic bone.
My fingertips run lightly back and forth from hipbone to hipbone until her breath catches. Every time I hear that small sound, I know she’s getting turned on. Then my hand slinks lower to her slick heat and I press one finger in, sliding her wetness back and forth. “You are the best morning person I know.”
“That’s because you give me orgasms before my coffee.”
“Then I’ve learned the trick. For the rest of our lives, orgasms before coffee.” I slip two fingers into her, kissing along her jaw. Realization of what I said sinks in and her eyes meet mine with confusion.
“You heard me right.” I confirm without her asking the question. “The rest of our lives.”
My fingers continue teasing her, playing her body with familiarity. She grows wetter and moans. My cock grows impossibly hard, aching to be the reason for her pleasure. Her hand reaches around and slides into my shorts, gripping me tightly. The pad of her thumb circles the tip, spreading the moisture that has escaped.
“Need you, please,” she rasps and pushes the shorts down.
I withdraw my fingers, pull the shorts the rest of the way off, and rip the sheet back, revealing Stella’s naked body. She spreads her legs slightly, exposing just how wet she is. My dick throbs with need and I balance on my elbows above her, aligning us. Her legs wrap around my waist, urging me forward. As soon as I feel her warmness, my body takes on a mind of its own, thrusting all the way in.
“This right here is exactly where I wish I could be every minute of the day.” I rock back and forth slowly, taking the time to feel every sensation. Her body accepts me naturally and her slick, wet heat, hugs me tightly. Every muscle tightens causing me to grow impossibly harder.
“Max—” emotions clog her voice and a tear slips down her temple.
“Right here, Bella. Inside you, feeling your silkiness on every inch of my dick as I glide in and out. Staring into the depths of the amber eyes that bring me to my knees. Can I have that every day, forever?”
“Yes.” She throws her arms around my shoulders and leans up to kiss me.
“I think it may be possible to make you into a morning person,” I whisper against her lips.
“Only with you.”
“No one else matters, babe, only me.”
I pray she doesn’t kill me with what I have planned next.
Do not kill him. Do not kill him. Hold it together. Wait until the enormous man sitting on his sofa leaves before you blow a gasket.
My internal dialogue keeps replaying in my head as I stare at Max. Usually my ‘icy glare’ has people stopping in their tracks, but not him. He keeps talking as if I’m not in the room and an active part of this decision. I may be easy to control in the bedroom, but there’s no w
ay I’m giving up control over my personal and professional life.
“Max,” I intentionally sweeten my voice. “Maybe we should discuss all this once your friend leaves.”
“Discuss what?” He looks at me confused.
I nod my head slightly to the side indicating the man beside me.
“Jake? What about him?”
Still trying to be polite and not insult Jake, I try a different tactic. “Jake, I think there’s been some misunderstanding. Max forgot to discuss your, um, assignment with me. If he would have, it would have saved you a trip all the way here. I’m sorry for your trouble.”
Both men stare at me and then laugh out loud. Yes! Laugh at me! Blush heats my cheeks and I look between them with part mortification and part fury. How dare they laugh while I was trying to be nice?
“McCoy, you got a sweet one this time. Much better than queen bitch. Don’t let this one go,” Jake says through his chuckle.
His statement shocks me that he knew Erica. But I get the feeling he’s not taking me seriously. “Excuse me, both of you. I don’t see what’s so funny. This is not happening.”
Max quiets and comes to me. Kneeling, he takes both of my hands in his and gets serious. “Yes, Stella, it is happening. I’ve hired Jake to watch you until I figure out what’s going on. His job is to keep an eye on everything around you.”
“I don’t understand. Why? What the hell is happening?”
The men share a look and when Max turns back to me his face is worried.
“Things aren’t adding up. Remember the man that tried to bribe you in South America? He’s not who he says he is. The other two men with him aren’t talking. I’ve tried every angle I have to find him, but he’s disappeared. No one knows him. The government officials are denying any involvement with him, his bribe, and his threat to you.
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