by Marni Mann
“If you want me to stop, you better tell me right now,” he said.
“Stop what?”
“Touching you.”
His hands gripped my sides and held my waist tight enough to tell me he was in total control. My lips parted as a tingle shot down between my legs and my nipples hardened to the point of pain. I was opening for him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. “I…”
“Derek Block,” a man said from behind him, “I didn’t expect to see you here, son.”
His body tensed, his hands clenching me even harder. “Don’t move,” he told me. Then he turned around, keeping me behind him, hiding me with his massive frame. “Randy…what the hell do you want?” His tone was sharp and accusatory.
“Let’s start with an introduction to the beautiful lady standing behind you.”
I clutched his forearms, surprised by how firm they were. The shirts he wore only hinted at his muscular body. I hadn’t expected him to be quite so cut. I leaned around his side and stole a glance. Randy looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him.
Derek shifted to block me again. “That’s not going to happen, Randy. Turn around and keep walking.”
“Not until I get a chance to talk to you,” Randy said.
“Not now.”
“But now is the perfect time.”
I’d felt Derek’s influence and power from the moment I had met him, and I’d felt his desire just moments ago. Suddenly, I felt his anger. He was protecting me from this man. Why was that necessary?
He turned to face me again, his body rigid. “Go inside and grab us another drink.” His tone was insistent, demanding.
“You don’t want to introduce me?”
“Go. I’ll meet you in a minute.”
“Derek—”
“Trust me.”
His order was just like the one Reed had given me the night we had broken up—the night my life had changed forever. Did Reed and Derek have more in common than I’d realized? What if by obstructing me he wasn’t trying to protect me, but hiding me instead? And maybe Randy, whoever he was, was really the protector here, saving me from doing something I would regret.
I didn’t know what the answer was, but I knew how uneasy I felt, and how the urge to trust him was nagging at me.
He wasn’t Reed. I had to keep reminding myself of that.
I held back my response, swerved around him and went inside the party. I could feel the change in the air immediately. Without his body next to mine, it was even colder inside than it had been on the balcony.
SIXTEEN.
DEREK
ONCE FRANKIE WAS safely inside, I shoved my hands into my pockets and directed my attention at Randy. He was full of gray hair and wrinkles. Regardless, I didn’t trust my fists when I was around him. “How did you find me here?”
“Just happened to see you, son.”
“Let’s get something straight right now: I’m not your fucking son.”
He shook his head like my comment had disappointed him, but I’d stopped talking to the bastard the day my father died. Any exchange since had been as icy as this one.
“I taught you the trade like you were my son,” he said.
I stabbed a finger into the air. “No—my father taught me. We just happened to be at your jobsite when I learned it all.”
“And who do you think taught your father?”
My hands could punish him in a way that would ensure he didn’t leave this balcony alive. That wasn’t how I wanted to take him down. Before I lost control and let my rage feed my temper, I needed to get inside and find Frankie. “We’re done here.”
I took a step and felt his hand encircle my forearm. “I gave your father a chance when no one else would. I paid for the clothes on your back and the food on your table. He was a good man, Derek. He just made stupid decisions.”
“You have no right to say that about a dead man who isn’t here to defend himself.”
“Well, we all know he—”
“Don’t say another fucking word about him.” I pulled his fingers off my arm and released them from my grip, resisting the urge to break every single one.
He crossed his arms over his chest, standing wide and tall like he was the foreman on this balcony. The only thing it showed me was how weak he was. “You should be thanking me for your success, Derek. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be building in this city. Hell, you wouldn’t even be at this party.”
Now he was trying to take credit for what I’d built? I’d heard some crazy shit, but I’d never heard anything like this. When the time was right, I would tell him what I really thought of him—what I knew to be fact, not fiction. That moment was coming soon. In the meantime, there was a reason he’d come out here to speak to me, and I knew it had nothing to do with my father. “What do you want, Randy?”
“All these years later and you’re still following me, trying to steal my business. When are you going to step out of my shadow, son, and succeed at a project I haven’t already paved for you?”
He was more delusional than I thought. My buildings were larger and greener, and my sales numbers exceeded his by millions. There had always been another goal in mind behind the things I did professionally: I wanted to make him suffer for what he did to my father. That required financial resources and connections; expanding the business gave me both.
“This isn’t a competition,” I said. “If you feel—”
“Bullshit. That’s why you’ve got your hands on Frankie Jordan, the best real estate agent in the city.”
Hearing her name come through his lips made my fingers clench. I wanted to rip his fucking tongue out. Doing that would only prove him right and that would feel even worse. “Do you feel threatened by that, Randy?”
A sly grin came over his face. “No, I feel like you’re going to fuck her like every other woman who crosses your path and end up with a much less qualified agent.”
He knew about my tendencies with women, which didn’t surprise me. I’d never tried to hide it. But that was all he knew, therefore the fear and second-guessing didn’t work on me. He could feel whatever he wanted. Nothing would stop me from bringing him down.
“Nice to know you keep such close tabs on my dick.” I sized up the old man and ran my hand over my beard. “Since you know so much, I’m sure you can guess where I’m going right now.” I moved past him and headed toward the door.
“Your dad would be real proud.”
My father was the most committed, monogamous man I’d ever known. He took comfort and strength in his bond with my mother; his family was the only asset he ever needed. I wasn’t the man my father was. Sex kept me fueled, and the things that took place when I brought women to my home in the city wouldn’t have made him proud at all. Randy knew that, and he knew right where to hit me with it.
Fortunately, I knew where to hit him, too.
SEVENTEEN.
FRANKIE
I WAS BARELY into the ballroom when I spotted Zack. Julia was standing in front of him, smiling as he spoke, pushing her chest out and puckering her lips. She was slowly drawing him into her tight, dangerous web. He was too new and much too naïve to get involved with her. She would drain him of his potential before he even had a chance to succeed.
I had to warn him.
“Zack,” I said, sliding between the two of them, “I have someone I really want you to meet.” I hadn’t thought this through, so I didn’t know who that person was, but I’d figure something out. I just had to get him away from Julia.
“Why don’t you introduce him to me?” said a voice from behind me.
The wine had dissolved the stress I’d been feeling when I had first arrived at the party. Suddenly, it was back, hitting me harder than it had all day. And all because of him.
Reed.
His words cut straight to my core. His cologne filled my nose as his fingertips pressed lightly on my shoulder. So many memories arose, of the life we had created together…of the life he had t
aken from me.
I shifted, giving him enough room to move in between Julia and me. I looked up slowly and met the face I had loved so much. I didn’t want him anymore, and I certainly wasn’t in love with him now, but affection remained, and his presence still had an impact on me. I didn’t think that would ever change considering everything we had gone through.
“I noticed you didn’t have a drink,” he said, handing me a glass of wine. A waiter had taken the glass I had finished on the balcony as soon as I’d entered the ballroom. I hadn’t had time to get another.
“Thank you.” I knew without tasting it that it would be the same pinot noir I had ordered earlier. I appreciated the gesture, though knowing him like I did, there was bound to be a motive behind it. “Reed Reynolds, meet Zack Mucci, one of my—”
“Junior brokers. I know.” Of course he knew Zack worked on my team. Reed always came prepared. His eyes casually glided over to Zack. His hand followed, shaking Zack’s much harder than necessary.
“I’ve been following your career since I was in college,” Zack told him. “You and Frankie have killed it in sales. I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to get into lending or the selling side, it was a toss-up until I graduated.”
Reed had recently turned thirty, which made him only seven years older than Zack. It seemed more like decades. Zack was a novice; Reed had perfected his allure. It wasn’t just in the way Reed carried himself, in his stature and his confidence; it was also in the details, in the fine polish that glossed the surface of him. He wore a light gray custom suit over a crisp white shirt, with a silk tie in peacock teal and black Italian leather shoes that shone even in the subdued light. Freshly-shaven with teeth that had probably been bleached that morning, Reed was the prettiest man in the room. There was a time when he could have persuaded me to do just about anything. That wasn’t the case anymore.
“Frankie’s got a hell of a team,” Reed said. “You’re in good hands at Jordan International.” Reed’s stare shifted to me. He was the most competitive person I knew, and judging by the look he was giving me, I had a feeling Zack was about to experience that first-hand. “But if you ever want to join the real movers in the industry, come talk to me.”
I laughed, catching the attention of both men. “I know you’re not recruiting one of my agents directly in front of me.”
“That’s where real men do it, sweetie,” Julia said. “They don’t bother with behind-the-back shit.”
The cause of our split had been kept a secret. It was the last promise Reed and I had made to each other. If Julia knew what had broken us up, she wouldn’t have said that. I washed down the ugly reminder with a large gulp of wine.
“Reed, my love,” Julia continued, “where have you been hiding your handsome self? I’ve been looking for you…we really need to talk.”
There was a time when I was positive Julia’s performances had no effect on Reed. I no longer felt that way. She may not have been the slut I’d found him with when our relationship imploded, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been with her since.
Reed’s butterscotch stare didn’t leave mine, not even when he smirked and said, “Julia, something tells me you haven’t been lacking attention.”
I hadn’t been able to read his eyes toward the end of our relationship. I’d been afraid of what they might reveal. That fear was gone now, and what they showed was he hadn’t slept with her after all. For some reason, this knowledge made me smile.
“You know me too well,” Julia said. A drawn out giggle followed. “Someone needs to keep Frankie’s date company, since she keeps ditching him.”
“Someone asked to speak to me, and I stepped outside to do just that,” I said. “I would hardly call that ‘ditching my date.’” I shouldn’t have allowed her comment to get to me, and I definitely shouldn’t have justified it with a response. The whole purpose of this party was to mingle, and everyone in this circle knew Zack wasn’t really my date.
Zack attempted to respond, but Reed interrupted him. “Derek Block. That’s who has your attention tonight.”
A glass of wine missing from my hand wasn’t the only thing Reed had noticed, apparently.
“Derek is my date,” Julia said. “I honestly can’t imagine why he would need to talk to you.”
“Why wouldn’t Boston’s newest developer want to talk to the highest selling realtor in the city?” Zack asked. “In my opinion, Frankie is exactly who he should be speaking to.”
He hadn’t said much all evening, but what he did have to say was impressive.
“We all know Frankie’s reign is only temporary,” Julia said. There was a smear of pink lipstick across her front teeth. If I liked her even just a little, I would have told her. Unfortunately for her, I didn’t. “I don’t know what happened to my date, but he appears to be missing. I’d better go make sure he doesn’t need me for anything.” The thought of that made me ill. “Save a drink for me, won’t you, Reed? I’ll be coming to find you in a little bit.”
Zack looked relieved when she left. Reed appeared as inquisitive as when he’d first mentioned Derek’s name. As for me, I was thinking of a reason to excuse myself—just a minute alone. Then I’d take Zack around the room and introduce him to the people he needed to meet.
“Zack, have you partnered with a mortgage broker?” Reed asked.
“Funny you ask, I was talking to Frankie about that on the way here. I haven’t, but I was hoping I’d meet one tonight.”
“Call my assistant next week and set up a time to come in,” Reed told him, taking a drink of his scotch. “I’m sure we can find a way to collaborate.”
Zack’s eyes widened. “That would be great. I’ll definitely do that.”
“Reed is fantastic, of course,” I said, turning to face Zack. “But there’s a few other brokers here I’d like you to meet. You can decide then who might be the best fit for you.” The wine was really starting to kick in. I either needed to eat something or stop drinking. The last thing I wanted was to say something I’d regret.
“The best broker is right here, Frankie.” There was tension in Reed’s voice. Did he think he was doing me a favor by inviting Zack to his office? There was no other reason he would want to work with a junior realtor. I didn’t need any favors from Reed, and neither did Zack.
A waiter walked by, so I placed my glass on his tray. “That’s for Zack to decide after he meets your competition.”
Reed reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet. It was one I’d purchased for him when we had vacationed in Italy. His initials were engraved in silver on the bottom of the inside flap. “Here’s my card,” he said. “Use it.” His free hand hugged my lower back and dragged me closer to him. “I’m going to steal Frankie for a moment, please excuse us.”
My feet shuffled over the floor as he pulled me away. “There’s no need—”
“There’s one hell of a need,” he said, interrupting me, but quietly, so only I could hear. His hand had a firm grip on my waist now. “Stop fighting me and smile…people are watching.” I did as he asked, fabricating an expression that wouldn’t raise any concern.
We came to a stop on the far side of the room. A quiet corner that only included us and several potted bouquets. “What were you doing back there?” he asked.
I leaned my shoulder into the wall, wishing I still had my wine. “I wasn’t doing anything.”
“That’s bullshit. There’s no reason you would want Zack to work with anyone but me.”
“Reed, really—”
“Let me finish…” He looked down, the lines in his forehead deepening. I could feel the emotion wafting off his body. Something was really bothering him. “You don’t have to keep your boyfriend from working with me; I’m not going to destroy his career. I’m an adult; I can handle the fact you’re going to date. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, but I can accept it if necessary.”
I sighed. It wasn’t any of his business what Zack was. However, dousing any rumors before they star
ted was smarter than trying to make Reed jealous. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
His hardened glare seemed to relax. “For what it’s worth, he’s too young for you. You need someone more sophisticated, someone who challenges you.”
My hands started to shake. I folded them over my chest to still them. They’d trembled earlier, when I was with Derek on the balcony, though that was for quite a different reason. “You of all people are giving me dating advice?”
He shook his head. “I’m saving you.”
“I didn’t think you knew what that word meant, Reed.”
“If people find out you’re dating Zack, or any subordinate, or someone using you to get ahead, they’ll talk. Once they start talking, they’ll lose respect for you. I don’t want that to happen. You’ve worked too hard to get where you are.”
“Oh, so suddenly you care how people look at me, but you didn’t care when you were naked, fucking someone else?”
“Don’t do this.” A sadness replaced his relaxation. When he exhaled, it was full of pain. “I know what I did. Jesus, Frankie, I know.”
I turned and stood as straight as I could. I didn’t want to appear weak in front of him. His eyes pleaded with mine. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to listen to what I have to say.” He looked down at my waist. I hadn’t realized I was gently rubbing my navel. When we both noticed, his eyes flashed with anger and more pain.
“There’s nothing you can say.”
“Yes, there is. There are things you need to hear. Give me a chance to say them, that’s all I ask.”
This wasn’t the place to have a conversation as important as this. He may have tried to have it before, but I made Brea screen all his calls. Whenever we did talk, if was about our mutual clients and I cut the conversation before anything else could be discussed.