He walked to me slowly, composing himself.
"I'm sorry." I tried to sound respectable but came off as a total pussy. I was scared. There was no hiding it. He knew it and so did I.
"I want to know everything."
I started to speak when his hand shot out and clamped around my neck. My legs kicked but didn't find the floor.
"How did this happen?" His face was only inches from mine. I looked in his eyes and saw only death.
I clutched at my throat, unable to speak. My eyes moved wildly around the room.
"I-I don't know." I struggled to get the words out. Kiril released his grip. My feet rammed into the floor.
"It is your job to know!"
"They ran the acquisition through shell corps, there was no way—"
"There is always a way. We have to clean up this mess."
"How?"
Kiril stared at me with his head tilted, like I was some strange sort of bug.
He smiled slowly. "Who do we know at the courthouse?"
"There is one on the payroll. What do you want me to do?"
"Get a copy of the documents. Lawyers will find a loophole. Do your job!" He collected himself. I could tell he didn't like to get emotional. "We will find leverage and lean on the owner. Fix this mistake you've made."
I winced.
"Look, this isn't our off books business. It will be difficult to maintain legitimacy—"
"You don't understand. We must have these companies."
Kiril kept information tightly compartmentalized and it sometimes made my job difficult.
"Get it done."
"Yes sir." I was still shaking, on the verge of pissing my pants. I looked over at the pictures of Kiril's family. I'd had never been in his office before. Nobody went in his office.
"You see my family?"
I nodded.
"Family is a strong motivator for action. You have a family?"
I knew better than to lie. I nodded slowly.
"I will visit your family. I will break their bodies, one by one." He reached down and took one of my fingers in his hand. I couldn't look at him. My face went numb.
"Right in front you while you watch, helpless. Understand?"
I nodded. Pain ripped through my arm as he snapped my finger sideways. I clutched my index finger and fell to my knees, wailing.
Kiril leaned down and tilted my head up to him, fingers pressed into my chin.
"Make it happen."
I strutted down the street in a short, charcoal pencil skirt and red blouse, drawing stares as I passed through the crowd. The wind blew strands of my dyed brunette hair in front of the glasses I now wore. People recognized me from news coverage and magazine articles.
My love for downtown Bathory never ceased. I soaked in the city as it played with my senses: the smell of hot dogs from street carts, trash piled on the curbs, the roar of the overhead trains that zipped above, and the rumbling of the ground as they passed. This was home.
I walked between two vents in the sidewalk, steam billowing from them on each side, stopping briefly to look at my phone for the time. I glanced around the buildings, searching for an address above a glass door or bolted to the wall. The city had charisma built into every detail. The buildings were mostly brick, many with murals painted on the sides.
I spotted my destination across the street and weaved through yellow taxis and blaring horns, arms flailing out of windows. I turned and faced the glass doors of a small holistic pharmacy. The business intelligence department of my company suggested it as a possible acquisition. It wasn't a priority, but I knew Kiril would be watching. It was chess with him, and I knew his surveillance team would report back.
Two garbage workers ogled my ass as I walked past. I swayed it a little for them, just to be nice.
I composed myself and walked through the front door. Bells on the door chimed when I entered. I feigned a startle at the sound. My story was that I hadn't slept in days and my nightly activities kept my adrenaline constantly pumping. It wouldn’t be hard to keep a straight face, considering it was the truth. The doctors had tried everything to help. Ambien didn't work, Lunesta was a fucking joke, perhaps something natural might give me some relief, or at least a reason to be in the store.
"Something I can help you find, miss?"
I turned and froze, staring into a pair of warm, emerald eyes. He was tall with mussed brown hair. He could barely see me through the shelves, but I could see all of him. He wore a green apron wrapped around a set of broad, sturdy shoulders. A welcoming smile formed on his chiseled jawline, revealing a sparkling set of white teeth.
Holy hell. I snapped out of my daze.
"Just looking."
He walked around the corner. I turned to face him but something changed. His brow narrowed and his personality grew cold.
"Oh." He scoffed.
What the fuck did I do?
"Place isn't for sale." He walked briskly back around the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
"What makes you think I want to buy this place?" I stared around the shop as if it were a complete shithole.
He chuckled and looked at me with one side of his mouth quirked up. I wasn’t fooling him.
I clenched my fists and my jaw tightened. Nobody was going to treat me like this. "I don't have all day. Do you have anything for sleep?"
"You really want something?"
"I'm looking for something natural. My doctor prescribed Ambien, but it makes me feel weird. You have anything like that? Or are you just a stock boy?" He completely ignored my insult and it made my jaw tighten even more.
"Yeah, fix it with a pill." He paused and looked me up and down again. It made my heart race, but I was still nice and pissed.
He dropped his arms, opening up to me a bit. "Sorry, can't help myself, greedy pharma companies. They want to fix everything with a pill when nature has the answer. You should know. Don't you own three or four of them?"
Fucker knows who I am. No wonder. Actually it's nine, asshole.
"I'll just go someplace else. Sorry to bother you."
I turned on my stiletto heel.
"Wait. Just. Wait a second."
I tried not to smile as he walked around the counter. I wanted to tell him how wrong he was. How he shouldn't judge people. But I knew he was right. I'd ignored things for the good of my companies. Things I knew that happened. It wasn't always what was best for the consumer, but what was best for the bottom line. It was necessary for the overall good, but I couldn't explain that to him. I admired his passion.
"Have you heard of melatonin?" He stared at me as I ogled his muscular frame.
"No." It was a lie, but I wanted to hear him tell me about it. I hadn't tried it yet, so maybe it'd work and he could be my hero. What the fuck? Snap out of it, Maggie.
"You need a natural source of it. We have some in capsules. It looks like a pill, but it's naturally extracted and in its original form. Follow me."
His ribs grazed my back as he shuffled by and my face began to tingle. I followed him like a puppy on a leash, admiring the view of his ass in his tight jeans.
"So, do you own the place?"
He glanced back at me and smirked. "Really?"
"Okay, fine. No business. Got it."
He stopped and turned so abruptly I almost bumped into him. He was throwing me off my game.
"Cody Powell." He offered a hand. "Not that you didn't know that already."
I reached for it and his touch was surprisingly soft and inviting. I stood there a moment, my hand lingering longer than it should.
"Rebekah Balfour. So, you know who I am, do you?"
"I do. What I don't know is what you people want with this place."
"People?"
"Yeah, suddenly there is this huge interest in a small pharmacy that barely breaks even." I frowned and started to ask more questions before he interrupted me. "Here it is."
He handed me a small bottle that read 'organic' on it with vario
us medical information wrapped around the eco-friendly label. Look at this hippie shit. Fuck it. I'll try anything if it gets me to sleep.
"Thank you."
I was still jittery and on edge. It bothered me though I didn't know why. I didn't know why my heart raced every time a word came from his lips. I didn't know why I couldn't stop staring at his mouth. What I did know was that I understood his passion. His love for the family-owned business. His loyalty. I didn't like that he thought of me as some vulture, trying to strip his company for a quick buck.
"Look, I think we started off all wrong here. Did I come here to scope out your business? Honestly, yes. Did I intend to buy it? Most likely not. But I am curious now because I know that Kiril is the other 'people' you are talking about. I can't let him get your company."
His muscles relaxed and he looked relieved.
"You don't have to worry. Like I said, it's not for sale. But thank you."
I stood stationary, still drawn to his lips and eyes. I tried to focus, but every time he spoke the sounds barely registered.
"Yeah...I mean, umm, no, thank you," I paused at his puzzled look, "For the medicine, thank you for the medicine."
He smiled down at me, clearly aware of the fact he was making me nervous.
"No problem."
When I walked through the door and into the street, I turned my head back and caught him watching me. He gave me a quick wink and my heart beat like a drum. Butterflies raced in my stomach. I caught my reflection in a window and my face was pink as a carnation. Fuck, that was one beautiful man.
I snaked around the private drive to my house in my brand new black Tesla Model S. The engine screamed as I accelerated into a sharp turn. My torso shifted to the side and pushed my back into the seat at an angle. My eyes focused like lasers on the road. Raw energy coursed through my veins. I smirked.
Perks of running a billion dollar company. Gotta keep up appearances.
I didn't mind having nice things. I worked hard for them after I left my old life behind. Harder than anyone knew. I aced the high school equivalency test under an alias and worked my ass off to be top of my class in college. I made my first million three years out of school, and after a few savvy investments I now owned one of the largest VC firms in the world. If I was going to fuck bad guys up at night I could drive whatever I wanted to. I was Rebekah Balfour. Maggie died along with Zak and Kaja.
Speeding through the hillside country in my new toy did nothing to rid Cody from my mind. Thoughts of him coupled with the power under my hood sent a warmth between my thighs. I gripped the steering wheel, taking turns wiping each of my sweaty palms down my skirt. Pebbles and dust flew from the ground behind the rear tires as I maneuvered a tight corner, sending the tall reeds lining the road into a frenzy.
I slowed around a corner and turned up the long drive to my secluded mansion. It was a modern piece of architecture. Huge curved glass windows molded with the hills in the backdrop that overlooked the city and its majestic skyline.
I tapped a few buttons on the flashing screen and the garage door opened. I pulled through the single opening into a showroom that housed many vehicles. A Porsche Spider, '67 Shelby GT 500, a Lamborghini Gallardo, an Audi SUV fully loaded, and a few others that sparkled from the track lighting suspended above them.
I drove into the empty space designated for the Tesla and stepped from the car, running my hand along its curves, feeling the power and beauty under my fingers.
"What do ya think of 'er, Mags?"
"Amazing."
The old, familiar man stepped from the shadows, his face lined with wrinkles and his thin, silvery hair shimmering in the light. He was the only man on the planet who knew my real name.
"She would have made our getaway a little easier than that ridiculous van." He chuckled.
"I know. Too bad we couldn't strap all the girls to this beast. How are they?"
"Oh, they'll be fine. They seem to have taken a liking to me.” He grinned. “All these young ladies aren’t the most terrible view in the world."
"You old perv." I leaned in to hug him. "Grandpa?"
"Yeah?"
"Nothing—forgot what I was going to say. Go get some rest. I'll make dinner."
He laughed as he walked away.
"Dinner? You? That's some funny shit. It's already on the table."
Beautiful young girls scantily clad in my workout clothes filled the dining room.
"Grandpa! Did you even show them any normal clothes?"
"Of course not. A young woman has to express herself. Those legs won't last forever!" He looked around at the twelve pairs of legs strutting around the dining room.
Some of the girls snickered at his goofy smile.
I shook my head as I walked up to the table. The girls crowded around, all intent on thanking me for having them in my home.
"What?" Grandpa smiled again and shrugged, feigning innocence.
"Grammy would kick your ass."
"Oh, she'd want this ol' man to be happy."
He was the polar opposite of my father. Dad was straight-laced and as pure as they came. Grandpa cursed like a sailor, drank, and shouted. Still, he had a moral compass about him that had been passed to my father and ultimately to me. If he'd known what was going on in Golem he would have burned the place down. He still beat himself up constantly for heeding Dad's wishes and letting us leave Bathory, even though I forgave him long ago.
"You're bad."
"If I'm going to risk this pretty face taking bullets, by god, I'm going to be rewarded." He turned to the girls. "Ain't that right?"
"We don't mind, really," said one of the girls. "We told him we just wanted something comfortable to wear."
"Well, we'll work on finding you schools and getting you back on your feet as soon as possible. Won't we, Grandpa?"
"Oh hell yeah, you girls are gonna be just fine."
He said it jokingly but I knew he meant every word. He was just as committed as I was. They didn't have anything else in the world. Grandpa was a family man and it broke his heart when my father up and moved us.
I’d begged Dad to let me stay with him, something Grandpa once told me he wished he'd taken me up on. At the time though, he insisted Kyle and I go to keep the family together.
I tilted my head up to Grandpa when I saw tacos on my plate.
"What?" he asked.
"I have a—umm—date tonight."
"You need protein, Mags. Kicking ass takes protein. Shit everyone knows that," he whispered where the girls couldn't hear.
"I'm not eating this."
"Hey, more for me and my new girlfriends." He playfully wrapped his arm around one of the smiling girls.
"I'll just eat after. I have to get ready."
"Be down in a few."
I stepped into my walk-in closet that was the size of a normal living room. Business suits, evening gowns, and accessories lined the walls. I walked to a display of shoes. "Hello, girls." It ran floor to ceiling covered in heels and designer boots. Another perk of running a huge company.
I pressed my palm against a flat panel display and it scanned my hand. It rotated in three dimensions before flashing green. The door slid to reveal a hidden staircase. I wound down in a spiral, my hand running along the cold rail into a hidden room.
"Lights."
The lights flickered on and then dimmed slightly, adjusting to my eyes. My black suit was laid out on a table, and my knives shimmered, strung along a leather belt strap. I looked to my mask, lying in the middle of it, and then my boots with retractable blades set out in front of my carrying bag.
My fingers slid along the blades, making sure they'd been properly sharpened.
Multiple wigs hung on the wall along with a low-cut, black dress and pair of matching pumps.
"Everything should be in order." I turned to Grandpa making his way down the steps.
"Thank you."
He looked me in the face and his leathery palms clutched my cheeks.
&
nbsp; "Be careful." Concern accentuated the wrinkles on his weathered face.
"I always am."
"I had a few tweaks added." His eyes lit up as he grabbed my top.
"Oh yeah?"
"Had thermal options added to your suit. Built in climate control, connects to some bullshit called Bluetooth. In case it gets cold or warm out. Anti-moisture synthetics, to wick rain and perspiration."
"Nice."
He gripped me with a bear hug that squeezed the oxygen from my lungs.
"Come home in one piece, baby girl."
"I promise."
"I love you, sweetie."
"I love you too, Grandpa."
"Well, you are a kinky fucker aren't you?" I climbed on top of William Greinke in his leather office chair, straddling him as I pulled playfully at his tie. His eyes grew huge and his cock stiffened in his slacks. I reached back for my hair tie that held the wig in a ponytail, releasing it as I shook my head. Waves of auburn teased at his face.
I reached down and ran my hand along his trembling leg, inching my fingers toward his cock, then ran my palm the length of him.
"Oh my." I raised my brows, wrapping him up in my fingers and stroking gently back and forth.
"Now, this is a dick." I slowly unbuckled his belt and yanked it from his slacks. "So you want to fuck me on your desk? Or fuck me in this chair? How do you want me?"
I lifted up from him, exhaling down his neck as I pulled away. I turned around as he sat slouched in his chair, ogling every inch of me.
"Stroke that fucking dick for me,” I said over my shoulder.
He reached to his cock, rubbing back and forth on it over his slacks. His thumb teased at the head as he stared at my ass.
I slid my skin-tight, black dress up, slapping my ass lightly. I glanced back to log every reaction while my head swiveled, taking in my surroundings.
I worked my hands under my dress, putting on a show, and pulled down a lacy black thong. I let it drop to the floor pretending it was an accident. "Oops."
I covered my mouth with my hand, showing him the whites of my eyes as I turned back around. I went to my knees, crawling toward him on the ground.
The Matriarch: An Erotic Superhero Romance (The Matriarch Trilogy Book 1) Page 9