“Tess.” I cleared my throat. “Tess Macon.”
“I take it you two are not an item?” she asked, turning to gauge my reaction.
“No. We’re not.”
“How did she react after you didn’t call her?”
“Who said that’s how it went down?” I laughed, cocking my head to the side.
“Just a hunch.”
“She knew there wasn’t anything beyond that night, but I’m not sure we should really be speaking about this.”
“Does it make you uncomfortable?” The tease in her voice was undeniable.
“Yeah, actually, it does.”
“I doubt that,” she muttered, walking past me. “I’ll be in touch with her first thing in the morning.”
She pulled on the heavy glass doors and let herself inside, leaving me to freeze to death. It was absolutely impossible to read this woman and I loved every second of it.
By the time I got inside, Avery was sitting at one of the tables, staring at her phone.
“What’s the occupancy rate?” she questioned as I took a seat across from her.
“We’re at seventy-five percent before we’ve even opened the doors.”
“Does that include the apartments you’ve set aside?” she asked.
“No.” I was intrigued that she cared. “The market has been flooded with luxury apartments in the city right now or we’d be at a hundred with a waitlist. That’s how it was just a few years ago.”
“Is that the real reason you decided to set aside apartments for lower income families?”
“Not at all. We’d planned that initiative from the beginning.”
“What is the vetting process?”
“We’ve already begun working with several local agencies to identify families in need who would qualify.”
“So, you’re not all talk?” Her upper lip curled slightly, and it took everything in me to keep my eyes on hers.
“No. My brothers and I are not all talk. We may be misunderstood, but we aren’t all bad.”
“Since you’re my employer, I’d like to believe that.” She licked her bottom lip and my body tightened in response.
“Do you see yourself staying in the city?” I asked.
“I do. I’ve settled in and I just like the vibrancy. It’s so different from where I came from.” She glanced at the marble table between us. “Have you ever been to Idaho?”
She had a mischievous glint in her eye.
“No, never been. I’ve been to a lot of states, but Idaho isn’t one of them.” I glanced at the clock. It wouldn’t matter if I were a little late to the poker game tonight.
“Well, I can tell you that you haven’t really lived until you’ve experienced the Potato Drop.” She grinned, seeming more relaxed.
“The Potato Drop?”
“Times Square may have the ball that drops, but the potato that Boise unleashes is way cooler.”
“Is that so?” I asked.
“Totally. That’s one of the things I miss about living in Idaho. The place fools you into believing it’s less wicked and complicated.”
“How?” I asked, surprised. I couldn’t imagine Idaho carrying even a third of the wickedness of this city.
“Bad things happen everywhere, but here in the city, they’re more noticeable.” She bit her lip and sat back in the chair. “Don’t you think?”
“I suppose it could seem that way.” I nodded and drew in a deep breath. “But not everything is cut-and-dried. The press tends to sensationalize events to keep the advertisers. Growing up, my parents always warned me that you couldn’t believe everything you read. I still think about that every time I read the news.”
And I was beginning to wonder what Avery might have read about my family.
“My dad taught me that even with the most sensationalized rubbish, there was probably a grain of truth in there somewhere.” She smiled. “Opposite ways of looking at the world.”
“Are you close with your dad?” I asked.
She ground her jaw to one side and looked at the floor.
My heart stopped.
I recognized that reaction.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to press.”
Her eyes connected with mine and she bobbed her head slightly. “He was murdered.”
A few seconds of stunned silence sat between us.
“That’s why I left. I didn’t want to be bound to those memories forever, and I knew my dad wouldn’t want me to be stuck either.”
“What about your mom, siblings?” I asked.
“My mom left when I was two. My dad raised me by himself. I have no siblings.” She sat up a little straighter. “At least that I know of.”
As her words settled around me, I sat in awe of Avery. She was incredibly strong, willing to pack up and move to somewhere she knew nothing about, leaving everything she knew only to start again.
I admired that kind of bravery. It explained why she didn’t trust easily and why she always thought she had to fend for herself—because she always had.
“I’m so sorry, Avery. I had no idea and—”
“You don’t have anything to apologize about.” She shrugged. “Bad things happen to amazing people all the time.”
“Doesn’t make it easier,” I said softly.
“No, it doesn’t.” She let out a sharp sigh. “But I’ve been really fortunate in my life. I’ve managed to bounce back. Few do.”
I swallowed a tightness in my throat at her last statement. Not many bounce back, at least not well. Since my sister, Vera’s, death, my choices in life hadn’t always centered around sanity and making the right decisions. Lately, I’d been trying harder to get my shit together, but it wasn’t that easy when temptation lurked in every corner of our world.
“That in itself is difficult. I don’t know that I’ve even come close to bouncing back.” I shook my head and confusion darted through Avery’s eyes. “When I lost my sister, I thought my world was over. I was actually in a relationship with her best friend at the time, and I clung to it like it meant something when it didn’t. Neither of us wanted to let go even though we knew the relationship had run its course.”
“I’m so sorry,” Avery nearly whispered. “I had no idea.”
“We all carry our secrets. Some of us are just better at concealing them than others. I’d never guess you’ve been through what you have.”
“The same could be said about you.” Her eyes fastened on mine, and I felt chemistry churning through us. The pull to kiss her was nearly painful. Every fiber in my body was on fire for this woman. She slid her tongue along her bottom lip as if she was contemplating what to do next, but I never expected her to do what she did.
Avery leaned over the table and touched her lips to mine.
I shut my eyes and let myself take in everything about this unexpected moment. Her mouth tasted sweet as she slowly parted her lips, and I kissed her back. I cupped her chin in my hand and our kisses deepened. Everything I’d been denying and trying to ignore since I first saw her was rushing through me.
I heard her let out a little moan and she pulled away. My breath caught, seeing the desire behind her gaze, and I knew how hard it was going to be to stay away.
Chapter Nine
Avery
Devin was domineering, no doubt about that, but there was a sliver of tenderness that fascinated me. He could read people better than most psychologists, he listened intently, and he seemed genuinely reflective.
Ellis was right. If I opened up to him, Devin would respond, and he did.
I pushed down the guilt that wanted to take over because of my actions from the night before. Just because I was a cop didn’t mean I was void of emotion. I was a little more cynical than most of the people I knew back in Idaho, but I think that had more to do with my father’s murder and the criminal justice system than my chosen profession.
I shook my head and held in a groan as I photocopied Jaxson’s itinerary and glanced around the copy room of W
olf Industries. I needed to get my head on straight.
Devin was not a kind man. He belonged to a notorious mafia that needed to be taken down, and as small of a part as I might play in that plan, I needed to be cautious.
It was difficult to reconcile that Devin could possess such a dark side, but I saw it in the files. I was aware of the brutality his family never thought twice about doling out if someone wronged them.
I never meant to kiss him, and I wasn’t completely sure what came over me, but I think it might have thrown us both off guard enough that it could make it easier to sneak into their world.
Greta had gone downstairs to the coffee shop to treat us both to scones and lattes. I completely understood why they all loved her. She spoiled them rotten.
As I grabbed the copy and the original off the copier, it struck me as odd at how normal this office seemed. A couple of employees made their way in earlier and dropped something off for Greta to deliver to one of the IT guys, phones rang, appointments were set, and travel arrangements made. They did an excellent job at hiding the dirty side of their life. By all appearances, there was nothing going on even slightly off-kilter.
I walked down the hallway to Jax’s office, noticing some of the photography on the wall and listening to a muffled voice become slightly clearer as I approached.
“We’ve found a company we can latch onto.”
A few seconds of quiet filled the air before he continued.
“Yeah. It’s docking in Miami, and I’ll have my guys there to snatch it before anyone even realizes what was done.”
Jaxson went silent again and my pulse accelerated.
Had he seen my shadow?
“Very little could go wrong,” he began again, and my heart rate steadied. “And nothing exists that would or could tie us to them.”
Jaxson’s door was open so I swiftly walked in, set the original and copy on his desk, and turned around quickly to get out as fast as I got in.
“Avery, do you mind hanging back for a second?”
I glanced over my shoulder and nodded as he ended his call.
“Have a seat.” He motioned toward one of the chairs in front of his desk.
I quickly sat down on the edge of the seat, feeling my anxiety rise by the second as his cool gaze drifted over me.
“We appreciate your coming onboard so quickly. We know you hadn’t intended on starting until next week, but with the opening of our new building, it makes the most sense to get you familiar with our holdings as quickly as possible.”
“It wasn’t a problem at all. I appreciate your offering me the opportunity.”
“I wanted to apologize to you about how the situation at Meta was handled.” His blue eyes darkened. “It caters to a different clientele than we’re used to, so we’re still trying to tread water in that neighborhood.”
I shook my head. “I completely understand. I shouldn’t have elbowed the guy.”
Jax smiled, which in the short time I’d been around him wasn’t a common occurrence. “You had every right to knock him down.” He pushed his chair out from his desk and stood. “If there’s ever anything that you need, don’t hesitate to call one of us. You understand that, right?”
“Absolutely.” I nodded.
“If another employee asks you to do something you’re not sure about, reach out to us. We’re always happy to set the record straight on how we like things done.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to do that.” I felt my insides tighten as he studied me. Was there more? Was he onto me?
My eyes moved to the view for a split-second before returning to Jax’s.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” he asked. “The city never disappoints me. Devin told me you’re from Idaho.”
My stomach knotted thinking that they’d been discussing me at all.
“That’s correct.” I nodded. “I can’t imagine going back.”
He drew in a breath and ran his fingers along his jaw. I expected him to ask more about Idaho.
He didn’t.
“My brothers and I will be meeting in conference room F at two o’clock. Will you please have Greta show you how to set up the projector? And I’d like a light lunch for the four of us.”
“Absolutely.”
He tapped the documents I placed on his desk. “Thanks for these.”
“My pleasure.”
He walked around the desk, and I took that as my cue to leave. He escorted me to the door and closed it behind me. As I made my way back up to the reception area, I realized how lucky I was that it was Devin I was following. Jaxson was pleasant enough at Meta and on the phone, but in the office, he was almost militant.
Greta was sitting at the desk, and she smiled when she saw me.
“Two cranberry scones and nonfat lattes.” She patted the empty chair that was rolled next to hers and I quickly took a seat.
“Thank you. It was so nice of you to go get these for us.”
“My pleasure.” She took a bite and shut her eyes, enjoying the flavors.
I held in a chuckle and waited until she came back from wherever that scone took her.
“Jax wanted me to set up the projector for a two o’clock meeting. He thought you could show me how, and then I need to order a light lunch for four.”
Greta rolled her eyes. “Which in his world is the same as a normal lunch to the rest of us. She held up her index finger. “I one time took him at his word and learned the hard way that a cup of soup and half of a salad weren’t going to cut it. He complained about it for weeks.”
I laughed. “Good to know. His life must be good if a cup of soup can bother him.”
She nodded. “Better than he knows. His mom worries about him a lot. Well, all of her sons. They each have their own demons.”
Pretending not to know what she was talking about, I tore a piece off the scone and took a bite. I was surprised at her candidness.
“Their businesses seem successful, and they must have a strong family,” I mused. “That’s got to count for something.”
“To most of us, it would. It’s never enough for Jax. Ever since his father’s death, he’s been trying to prove something, and I’m not even sure he knows what or to whom.”
“Losing a parent is tough.” Ellis’ words about loyalty and opening up rang in my head. “My father died several years ago.”
She patted my hand and nodded. “I’m so sorry.”
“It gets easier every year.” I smiled.
“You’re not very good at lying, dear.” She winked before leaning over to check her email.
I hoped she was wrong about that.
The reception desk had been rearranged to hold two workstations. Greta wasn’t letting any grass grow under her feet when it came to working fewer hours. I think she was already dreaming of the days she could skip coming in at all.
She pulled out a couple of menus and slid them over. “These are their favorite lunch places that deliver. Our card information is on file. They just bill us monthly.”
I nodded, and she flipped open the menu of the first one. “I ordered Thai for the last meeting, so let’s do individual pizzas. I always love when they need a lunch order because it means I get to order one for me, and now two.”
I was still waiting for some of my login information from the IT department. I was able to log onto email, but that was about it. I was promised I’d have it some time this afternoon, but in the meantime, there was plenty of learning to do around the office.
Greta put the phone on speaker and placed the order for delivery at a quarter to two o’clock and then quickly introduced me and authorized me to use the account as well.
“Excuse me, may I speak with Avery?”
I recognized that voice in an instant. I hadn’t actually seen him come in this morning. Maybe he arrived when I’d been in Jaxson’s office. I slowly turned the chair and my breath caught in the back of my throat. It wasn’t just that he was attractive—okay, gorgeous—but he had this energy about him that
drew me in.
Which was precisely why I needed to keep my distance as much as I could while trying to gain information.
“Well, I was going to show her how to set up the projector for your two o’clock meeting with your brothers,” Greta informed him, and I finally let out a breath.
His blue eyes stayed focused on mine and a flutter of emotion erupted in my belly. My gaze dropped to the floor, but I could still feel him watching me. I’d never been looked at like he was looking at me.
It was almost possessive.
“I can show her how to set up all the equipment, if that’s okay with you.” He wasn’t really asking Greta, but she turned to look at me, looking somewhat amused.
“Would that be okay with you?” she asked.
“I suppose.” I stood and reached for my latte. “As long as I can take my caffeine with me.”
When we got out of earshot, Devin slowed down to a stop.
“Am I that much of a snoozer that you need to keep caffeinated?” His voice was low in his throat, verging on a whisper as we stood in the hallway. I hadn’t expected warmth to spread through me as he stepped closer, teasing me.
“A snoozer?” I asked, surprised. “I’ve never heard that expression before.”
He shrugged, hiding a coy smile. “You’re not answering my question.”
“Not in the least bit, but I’ve had a busy morning. I’ve already been in contact with Tessa, and she responded enthusiastically about my changes.” I narrowed my eyes as he took another step closer. “But truthfully, I’m not sure if she was excited about my ideas or the fact that she didn’t have to work with you any longer.”
His mouth dropped open before a smile replaced his shock. “You’re hard to read.”
“I don’t think so.” I shook my head. “Last night was an accident, and I never meant to overstep my bounds. I apologize and it won’t happen again.”
“Is that what you want?” he asked, his gaze darkening.
“Of course it’s what I want,” I stammered, feeling pure sex rolling off him.
I didn’t know how far to push Devin or when to pull back. I wasn’t good at this act, and it certainly didn’t help that I’d kissed him.
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