by Paige North
“This is highly unusual, and frankly unexpected,” Mr. Sterling says. He’s shuffling through the papers before him as if he might find the answer of how to handle this situation. “Your father certainly never expected this to happen.”
“I hope he’s rolling over in his grave,” I say.
“Give us a moment to discuss how to handle this,” Mr. Sterling says. He and the others step out of the room.
“Oh my god,” Miles says, pushing his hair back on his head. “This is crazy.”
“What do you think they’re going to do?” I ask, watching them confer on the other side of the glass wall. “I don’t want to harm the company.”
“Definitely not,” Jackson says. “We have hundreds of amazing employees that we’re responsible for. We can’t let this affect them.”
“Agreed,” Miles says. “We have to find a way to keep the company moving forward.”
“Here they come,” I say, as the men make their way back into the conference room. “Let’s see what brilliant idea they’ve come up with.”
“Well, gentlemen, this is where we are,” Mr. Sterling begins. “You’ve all fulfilled your father’s wishes, whether that pleases you or not. You’ve each shown strength of character to run the business. You’re all more than capable. So with that, we hand the power back to you. It’s now up to the three of you to vote as you choose. Jackson, Miles, Rex, you are to decide what’s to happen to Croft International. You can disband it, find an outsider to run, or appoint one of yourselves as CEO. Although this is a major decision that should not be taken lightly, I do need an answer by tomorrow.”
Once Mr. Sterling and the others leave, we all—my brothers, their wives, myself and Addison—all let out a breath and look around at each other.
“So?” I say. “Where do go from here?” My brothers and I have held such grudges against each other, held such battles and animosity yet I’m hoping we can somehow move on or just start over again. Now that I understand what love is and what truly matters in life, I don’t want to fight with my only remaining blood over the crazy shit our father did to us. I just hope they agree.
“Why are you asking us?” Jackson says. “You should know.”
“Yeah, little brother,” Miles say. “This is your town and I’m starving. Skipped breakfast. So where should we go?”
They’re both smiling at me, and I realize there is hope for us to have the brotherly bond we were denied growing up.
“I know just the place,” I say, and we all begin to walk out of the office.
“Better make sure it stands up to Jackson’s highly-evolved palate,” Miles teases. “He thinks he’s some kind of connoisseur just because he owns some restaurant in Boston.”
“It’s not just some restaurant,” Jackson says. “It’s only the best reviewed restaurant in the city. We’re booked up for the next four months.”
I clap him on the back as we walk out. “Glad to hear your ego is still in tact.”
“Well, some things you just don’t want to change. Like your hair. What’s wrong, brother? Can’t afford a haircut?”
We all ride together in my limo. Our wives (that’s so strange to say) make quick work of getting to know one another as my brothers and I start the process of getting to know each other on a new, respectable and dare I say mature level.
I take them to one of my favorite restaurants in West Hollywood and the owner seats us in a semi-private room that still captures the elegance and light atmosphere of the restaurant.
“Champagne?” I say when the waitress comes to take our drink order.
“Definitely,” Miles says. “We have three marriages to celebrate.”
I order two bottles to start and several appetizers. “Jackson, I think you’ll love the beef carpaccio,” I say. “Excellent quality with a touch of lemon.”
“I’ll let you know if I don’t,” he says.
“Of course you will,” I laugh.
“Actually, I know of this place. Always wanted to try it but…”
“But I live in L.A., and you didn’t want to have to see me, right?”
“Something like that,” he says.
Once the champagne arrives we raise a toast. All of us says what we feel is most important to toast to.
“To putting the past behind us.”
“To family.”
“To love.”
“To starting over.”
“And starting better.”
“To getting to know each other.”
It doesn’t matter which one of us said which toast; the point is, we all feel deeply about them all. We’re moving forward, together. And that feels pretty damn incredible.
“Looks like the women are already getting along,” Miles says.
“No, you have to try them!” Emily is telling Addison and Jordyn. “They’re so good!”
“What’s the web site again?” Jordyn asks, taking out her phone. “Wait, first give me your number.”
“Yeah, me too,” Addison says, and soon the three of them are swapping numbers and other pertinent information.
They’ve huddled at the end of the table and are talking rapid-fire as if trying to cram a year’s worth of absence into one lunch.
“Who would have thought, huh?” Jacksons says as we all watch our gorgeous wives talk. “Any of it, really.”
“No kidding,” I say, taking a drink of the champagne. “I don't know what’s more shocking—the fact that we all got married or that we can sit together and not rip each other’s throats out.”
“Give it time,” Miles says, holding up his glass. “I tend to go crazy after my third glass.”
“You couldn’t touch me if you tried,” I say, and it’s good to be able to talk like this and know there’s no subterfuge beneath our words.
“Jordyn is beautiful,” I tell Miles. “How’d you meet?”
“I fired her,” Miles say, a slight look of guilt on his face.
“Nice,” I say.
“Very romantic,” Jackson agrees.
“I know,” Miles says. “It’s a miracle she’s forgiven me for that—and all the other shit I’ve done. She’s amazing, guys.” He watches Jordyn laugh with the others, his face full of love that’s so clear. “So what about you guys. How did you meet your wives?”
“I donated to the charity Emily worked for,” Jackson says.
“Of course,” I groan.
“Always the perfect big brother,” Miles says. “Meeting the love of his life through charitable organizations. Didn’t our father teach you anything?”
“Well,” Jackson begins, “there were some strings attached, at my insistence.”
“That sounds more like it,” Miles says.
“God, we were dicks,” I say. “How did we get so lucky with three incredible women?”
“Against all odds, that’s for sure,” Jackson says.
The lunch lasts for hours. We order more and more bottles of champagne. We get to know each other. We laugh a lot. Emily, Jordyn and Addison tell their versions of how they met Jackson, Miles and me, and the enthusiasm in their storytelling has the entire table howling with laughter. My brothers and I tell stories of our childhood, but not the rotten stories of how our father mentally abused us and our mother ignored us. We tell stories that compliment each other…and some that give a little bit of playful humiliation, like when I took Father’s Bentley out without permission and rear-ended a police car.
We don’t call it a day until everyone is sufficiently tipsy, stuffed full, and very happy. We agree to worry about the business tomorrow, when we’ll all meet up again for brunch. Addison and I take everyone to their hotels in the limo, and then we go home to the Hollywood Hills.
After we’ve gotten settled at home I find Addison at the bathroom sink rubbing cream on her clean face. She’s wearing a short silky nightgown thing that dips down low on her back. I press up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.
“So what do you think?” I ask her.
/> “What a crazy day,” she says. “Your family, though, is pretty amazing.”
I kiss her shoulder. “I can’t believe how everything has changed. I hated those guys for so long, and for what? Over some competition that doesn’t even matter anymore.”
“I’m so glad you’re all beginning to put your differences aside,” Addison says. “Not only do you have some great brothers, but they picked some amazing wives.”
“Everyone is married. Unbelievable.” I run my hand across her stomach, the fabric of her little dress so smooth, her skin so close. I kiss her neck, and she reaches back and pulls my neck closer to her. “You were perfect today. You’re perfect everyday.”
“Don’t say that,” she says, her fingers playing at the base of my neck.
“It’s true,” I say. I pull her hair off her shoulder and see that she’s watching me in the mirror. I press up harder to her, my dick already straining in my pants. I run my hand over her ass, and when I realize she’s not wearing any underwear, I’m done.
“Addison,” I say, our eyes locked in the mirror. “I want you now.”
She places her hands on the counter and pushes her ass back toward me until she’s leaning over slightly. Fuck, this woman is beyond everything I’ve ever known. I shuck my pants down and in no time I shove my dick into her tight wet pussy as she lets out a little yelp. I thrust into, watching her face, full of desperation and need. I hold her waist and fuck her as she grips the counter, and it’s not long before I’m unloading into her, my cock slamming into her as every last bit is released.
I rest my head on her shoulder as my senses shift back to normal.
“God I love you,” I tell her.
“I love you too.”
“You’re also really fucking hot.”
She laughs, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.
WHEN WE MEET up the next day, everyone is a little hung-over and still in slight shock at the way things are turning out.
“More coffee,” Emily calls to the waitress. “Please, I beg you!”
“Maybe a whole pot?” Jackson suggests.
“For me? Yes, that would work, thanks very much,” she says.
No one wants to talk about business in such a state, so we wait until the table is filled with plates of eggs and bacon, plenty of toast and pancakes and hash browns and basically the entire breakfast menu, all laid out on the large round table.
The girls started talking the moment they saw each other, as if they’d been friends for years and were finally reuniting.
“After we all left yesterday I had a car come pick us up and take us to the Beverly Center,” Emily is saying. “Jackson was so annoyed but I had to try on those boots and you’re right. They’re so comfortable! Ugly, but comfortable. Jackson is horrified.”
Jordyn laughs. “You’ll appreciate then on the city’s first snowfall, I promise.”
“Emily,” Addison says, “I went to the non-profit’s page you mentioned last night and donated.”
“You’re so nice! Thank you!”
“I may have accidentally donated twice the amount I said,” Addison says.
“We have to do something good with all this money, right?” Emily says sincerely.
I smile. So Addison is already on the charity bandwagon. I can deal with that. I’m not used to it, but I can deal with it.
“Hey,” Addison says to me. “You know what we should do today? Rent one of those cheesy red tour buses and do a tour of the Hollywood stars’ homes. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“I’m not so sure…”
“We’ll have alcohol,” she adds.
“Maybe, then,” I say, kissing her lips.
“So boys,” Jackson says.
“You’re the only boy I see here,” Miles say.
“Ha,” Jackson says. “At some point we do have to talk business. It’s been great getting back together—”
“Without ripping each other’s throats out,” Miles adds.
“Cheers to that,” Jordyn says, raising her coffee mug. “With the stories I’ve heard, I was pretty nervous to meet you guys in person.”
“God knows what you thought of us,” I say.
“I thought body slamming was a real possibility,” Jordyn says.
“Everyone here is now a Croft,” Jackson says, and we all look around at each other, disbelieving in the best way. Everyone seems to actually like each other, and when just a few days ago I felt like a lone Croft, floating by myself and trying to keep the company great, now I have five others on my side, all working together to stay successful. It’s a great feeling. “Anyone here who has an idea of who should take over the reins, let’s hear it.”
“What about Mr. Sterling?” Miles suggests. “He’s a curmudgeon but knows the company inside and out.”
“He’s ruthless too,” I add.
“But do you guys trust him?” Emily asks.
My brothers and I look at each other.
“No,” we say in unison.
“Who do you trust?” Emily asks. “For the company, I mean.”
We look at each other again, and almost laugh saying, “No one.”
Emily throws up her hands and shakes her head.
“You guys are impossible,” Addison says. “Jeez, just run it yourself. Take turns or something. Are you going to eat that last piece of bacon?” she asks Jordyn, who passes her the plate. Addison plucks the bacon from the plate and pops it in her mouth. “What?” she says when she sees me staring at her. “Did you want half?”
“It’s not a bad idea,” I say. She holds out the other half of the bacon. “Not the bacon.” I laugh. “Your idea.” I look at Jackson and Miles.
“Seriously?” Jackson says. “Take turns running the company?”
“How would that even work?” Miles says.
“I don’t know,” I say, looking to Addison still holding the piece of bacon. “Maybe each of us could be in charge for one year. Then we pass the baton on to the next.”
“It could work,” Miles says thoughtfully.
“After three years we can reconvene,” Jackson says. “Have a sort of state of the union to see how it’s working.”
“Exactly,” I say. “In three years, after each of us has had time at the helm, we’ll decide if it’s working well, or if we need to fully appoint one of us as permanent CEO.”
“Can we do that?” Jackson asks. “Without the egos, I mean?”
“I can,” Miles says. “Don’t know about you, though.”
“I can do it,” Jackson says. “But can Rex?”
“Oh, he’ll do it,” Addison says. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“We should have monthly meetings,” Jackson says.
“Yeah, but not those stupid video conferences,” I say. “If we’re going to do this we should do them in person to keep everyone in the loop.”
“Agreed,” Miles says. “Whoever is in charge, that’s the city we’ll meet in. Sound fair?”
“Sounds good to me,” Jackson says.
“Did we just make a plan?” I ask, looking around the table.
“I think we did,” Jackson says.
“Well then,” I say. “Cheers indeed. Actually I think we need champagne.”
“No more!” Jordyn calls, holding her head.
“It’s the best cure,” Emily says. “Hair of the dog and all that.”
“Hey,” Addison says. “Since we have you all in our city, we need to do something fun while you’re still in town.”
“Definitely,” Emily says.
“We were talking about taking a tour bus of the stars’ homes.”
“We’ll rent the whole bus,” I assure my brothers. “And provide alcohol.”
“And tomorrow we should go to Disneyland!” Emily says.
“Rex can get us into Club 33,” Addison says.
“Ooh, what’s that?” asks Jordyn.
As everyone starts talking about sights to see, we also talk about all of us taking a v
acation together.
“We can see each other again, you know,” Miles says. “We don’t have to do everything on this one trip.”
“And I do have to get back to Boston at some point and go do that work thing,” Jackson adds.
I laugh, watching my brothers and realizing that the love was there all along.
Buried, perhaps, but still there.
The whole time.
I lean toward Addison and wrap my arm around her shoulders. She smiles up at me and kisses my lips.
“Look at you,” she says. “Just like that, you’re a family man.”
“And a very lucky one at that.”
Because it’s true. I suddenly have everything I never knew I wanted. And I couldn’t be happier.
THE END
We hope you’ve enjoyed The Croft Brothers series! Please leave a review and let us know if you did!
And now, continue reading for the first eight books in Hannah Ford’s What He Wants series!
BONUS CONTENT: WHAT HE WANTS BY HANNAH FORD
WHAT HE WANTS
(WHAT HE WANTS, BOOK ONE)
N OAH
I WANTED to fuck her as soon as I saw her. That curvy little body was all tarted up in a tight little black dress, and those nice round tits were practically spilling out the top. Her dark hair fell in loose curls around her shoulders, and she sipped on a drink, her full pink lips pretty and pouty and just made for sucking my dick.
I sat at the bar and watched her for a while, biding my time. She was at some kind of party – bachelorette from what I could tell, and it was almost enough to put me off the whole idea. Women at bachelorette parties were a particular kind of crazy, one I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with.
A couple of blond women at the other end of the bar were staring at me, and I tried not to encourage them by making eye contact. Not that it was difficult. I couldn’t stop staring at that shapely little vixen on the other side of the room. Her dress hit just below the knee, and when she turned around, giving me a view of that gorgeous round ass, my cock got hard.
I was so transfixed that I didn’t realize one of the blondes had made her way over to me.