Fierce- Drake (Fierce Family Series Book 3)

by Natalie Ann

  ***

  Drake was the only one chipper at Cade’s bachelor party the next day. Wyatt and Noah both had their fill of drink and food and then passed out at their cousin Ella’s place where they were staying. Ella said she’d spend the night at her fiancé Travis’s house, and since Ella had three rooms, they each had their own space at her place.

  They just had to make sure they left it as clean as it was when they entered. Which meant that Drake went around cleaning up after his brothers because they weren’t as neat as him. They’d planned on staying the night tonight too and going back tomorrow, but after picking up after their asses this morning, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it two days in a row.

  Since he’d seen Brody, Aiden, Mason, and Cade at the bar last night, he wasn’t rushing over to offer congrats like everyone else was that was just arriving today.

  Brody and Aiden both had pregnant wives, Mason was just trying to find his sanity by the sounds of it with his twin sons starting to walk and Cade was, well... Cade.

  Last night Cade been high strung and on cloud nine. Drake just overheard him telling his cousin Bryce he couldn’t believe he was getting married in a month with a soft look in his eyes like he almost was ready to shed a tear.

  Drake couldn’t imagine being that committed to someone that he’d cry over his wedding vows.

  Laid back? Yep. Laughing and grinning through it all? Of course. Toasting and cheering after the big kiss? Absolutely.

  Crying? No way.

  For someone that wanted a relationship as much as him, he’d yet to find someone that evoked enough emotions for that.

  Anger that he hardly ever exhibited? A few times. And those were secrets in his mind. Very few knew and even less witnessed it. And no one ever would again. He’d learned his lesson that physical violence brought the worst out of everyone.

  Everyone was at his Uncle Gavin and Aunt Jolene’s house for a few hours. Drake was sitting in the shade with Noah and his cousin Bryce when Ella’s fiancé, Travis, came over saying, “God, I need to get away from Cade. You guys are much mellower.”

  Bryce laughed. “What’s he doing?”

  “It’s not what he’s doing, it’s he won’t shut up. Keeps talking about how happy he was his mother found Alex for him and she’s the best thing in his life. She makes him a better man. Blah, blah, I swear to God he’s shitfaced already and sounding like a chick.”

  Drake was glad to know he wasn’t the only one that thought Cade was overdoing it. He’d bet Travis never shed a tear around Ella. He wouldn’t have it in him.

  “Cade never could hold his liquor like the rest of them,” Noah said.

  “So I hear you’re dating someone,” Travis said to Bryce.

  “It seems to be the topic of discussion today for some reason. Everyone should be focusing on Cade and not me,” Bryce said.

  “We’re all sick of focusing on Cade,” Travis said, laughing. “So, do we get to meet her next month? I heard she’s a sweetheart. Ella will be thrilled to know there is another woman in the family besides Jade and Dani.”

  Drake listened to Bryce talk about his girlfriend, Payton, and felt a pang of jealousy over it.

  He was ready to get up and get another drink when his phone went off. “Seriously. Doesn’t she ever take a damn day off?”

  “Who?” Noah asked.

  “Kara.” He waved his hand at Bryce and Travis. “An employee at work. She just sent me a meeting request for Monday. Good grief, nothing like starting my morning off wrong on Monday. I need another beer.” Drake stood up and walked away.

  ***

  “So, how is it going with the matchmaking?” Gavin asked Grant.

  “Sam is all set. They just need to pick a date, but I don’t think they will wait long. Probably waiting to get the two weddings over this summer. Bryce seems to be falling into line. You heard Diane last night.”

  “What about you, Garrett?” Gavin asked. “Any luck with your four? You know Jolene is just dying to meddle there too, but I’ve told her she has enough to occupy her with the weddings and babies.”

  “With any luck we’ll have some weddings and babies soon,” Grant said.

  “On my end,” Garrett said, “Drake is butting heads with a newer employee at work. It’s been interesting to watch.”

  “We’re pushing that one,” Grant said. “Every time the two of them are in the same room there is almost smoke coming from Drake’s ears. It’s been fun to watch, but I’m letting Garrett take the lead since I’ve got to keep an eye on Diane with Bryce.”

  “Those are the best ones,” Gavin said. “I’d say encourage it. Push them together even more and watch the sparks fly.”

  “If they don’t set the building on fire,” Garrett said, laughing as he watched his son look at his phone, scowl and then march to the kegs for another drink. He’d bet anything it had to do with work...and that meant Kara.

  Keep Some Distance

  Kara let herself into the office on Saturday morning intending to get some work done with the peace and quiet.

  She’d only been there an hour when she heard a knock at her door and jumped. Very few people worked on Saturday unless they were family.

  Which made sense that it was Jade standing there in fitted shorts to her knees, a flowing light pink shirt and pretty little sandals that sent a pang of jealousy ringing through Kara. Jade was always so put together.

  “Why are we the only two here?” Jade asked.

  “I’ve got some things to catch up on. Why are you here?”

  “The same. I don’t plan on staying long though. I was thinking of hitting the mall. Hey, why don’t you come with me?”

  “What?” Kara asked, not sure she heard correctly. “You want me to go shopping with you?”

  “Yep. A girls’ day. And it gets us out of the office when we shouldn’t be here to begin with.”

  “I’m sure you’ve got other friends or your mother to shop with. Maybe your future sister-in-law?”

  “My mother and Aunt Diane went to Charlotte for the weekend to spend time with my Aunt Jolene. Dani works on Saturday so she is out. The rest of my friends are busy. Well, those that I might want to call and that isn’t many. But they are busy.”

  She’d always figured Jade had a lot of friends but noticed that she did most things with her family. Or so she heard.

  “I don’t know,” Kara said. “I’ve got a lot to do.”

  “And nothing that needs to be done today. At least you aren’t dressed up today.”

  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  “Nothing,” Jade said. “You are finally casual. I wasn’t sure you had it in you. What do you have on on the bottom?” Jade asked walking into the office and looking around Kara’s desk at her jean shorts. “Still too plain. You need color.”

  “Where have I heard that before?” Kara asked.

  “Ha. Who else said it?” Jade asked.

  “Drake asked if I was color blind.”

  “Hmm,” Jade said. “Interesting. Well, he is used to me and is the most stylish of my brothers. Wyatt tries to be, but he spends most of his time in scrubs and hates wearing a suit. Drake loves wearing suits, just not ties.”

  “I’ve noticed that,” Kara said and wished she hadn’t when Jade laughed at her. She had to remind herself this was Drake’s sister. The daughter and niece of her bosses. It would be wise to just keep some distance.

  “So... I’ll give you one hour to finish up your work and then you and I are going shopping. If you leave before that, I’ll hunt you down. I can find out where you live pretty fast.”

  Kara held Jade’s stare and knew this was one of those times to fold. “I suppose. If you insist.”

  “I most certainly do.”

  Kara couldn’t believe how much fun she was having three hours later. Shopping was usually a chore to her. Something she did for food or clothing when the need was present. Since she didn’t often need clothes and didn’t care to have a massive wardrob
e like some women, the need was often swatted away like a pesky fly.

  So what if Drake said her clothes were dull and boring. Well, he didn’t use those words, but he might as well have.

  It’s not that she didn’t like color. By staying basic with her clothes she could mix and match better and get more use out of them.

  Which didn’t explain why she had a bright printed shirt in her hands with bold purples, blues, and greens.

  “That would look fabulous on you,” Jade said. Jade was loaded down with several bags. Kara had purchased two pairs of black pants and a new pair of black sandals. She’d get a lot of use out of them.

  “I’m not sure how often I’d wear it,” she said.

  “You don’t need to wear it several times a month, you know.”

  “But it’s not a good value if I only wear it once a month.”

  Jade burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. I thought you were joking but you’re serious.”

  “Yeah. I just don’t see the need to have that many clothes.”

  “It’s not a need,” Jade said. “It’s a wish. A want. A desire. Yep, that’s it for me. A desire to be a woman. Haven’t you ever wanted to just twirl around in a dress? Geez, I’ve had memories of those thoughts since I was a toddler. I’ve always wanted dresses.”

  Jade wore dresses more often than not to work. Even in pants, she was still dressed to the nines. Or if she was casual on a day, like today, she still screamed feminine.

  “Why is that?”

  “It probably comes from being around so many boys in my life. Men now. My cousin Ella always wanted to be the best. She was the worst tomboy growing up and then hit puberty and decided to be a girl. She and I get along really well now. She has more clothes than me.”

  “Is that even possible?” Kara asked, putting the shirt back on the rack.

  Jade pulled the shirt off the rack. “If you don’t buy it for yourself, then I’m buying it for you.”

  “You will do no such thing,” Kara said. She didn’t need handouts.

  “You can’t stop me,” Jade said. “Either you put it in your hands, or I’ll carry it and pay for it at the register myself.”

  Kara had a feeling Jade would do just that. She took the shirt away from Jade and looked it over one more time. It really was a beautiful shirt. So different than what she normally wore too. And it was on sale.

  “Fine,” she said.

  “And you won’t come back here and return it another day to get your money back?” Jade asked.

  Kara laughed this time. “No. I really do love the shirt. I just never wear things like this much even if I have looked at them.”

  “How come?” Jade asked as they walked around some more.

  She didn’t want to tell Jade that drawing attention to herself in her life as a kid wasn’t a smart thing to do. Not in her house.

  “I like keeping to myself,” she said and left it at that. It wasn’t as if there was a lot of disposable income in her life for shopping days back then.

  “Well, you can keep to yourself in your office but look great doing it in that shirt. Now let’s see if we can get you in a skirt that isn’t brown, tan, black, or gray.”

  By the time they sat down for lunch, Jade had managed to talk Kara into buying a pretty summer dress that was black and white with a bold green belt. No way Kara was giving in to the matching green pumps. Talk about frivolous. But she did purchase a few more pretty summer tops and sweaters. All bright vivid colors and all things she didn’t need to be talked into like the first printed shirt.

  “So what made you move here?” Jade asked when they were waiting on the lunch they ordered in a restaurant off the food court.

  And this was why Kara didn’t have a lot of girl friends. They always wanted to know information and she just wasn’t that chatty. She was more private.

  “The job,” Kara said, grinning.

  “You should smile more too,” Jade said, never one to hold back. “I get you’re quiet and keep to yourself, but you’re such a pretty woman. I remember the first time I saw you in glasses and was conflicted.”

  “Why?” Kara had put her contacts in today, knowing she’d take them out when she got home. Sometimes they were just too much of a pain.

  “Because oftentimes people look better with or without glasses. Not both. But not you. You look great either way. More serious with them on, fun with them off. It’s like you are two different people, but I’m sure you aren’t trying to be that way.”

  “No,” she said, glad when their lunch arrived.

  They both dove into the salads they ordered and Kara hoped that would stall the conversation. It didn’t. “You’re single, right?”

  “Yes,” Kara said. “You too, correct?”

  “More is the pity,” Jade said. “It’s not that I want to be. I can’t seem to find anyone that measures up.”

  Kara laughed. “What are you trying to measure? Or don’t I want to know? Yeah, that might be too personal.”

  “Did you just crack a joke? I’m so proud of you,” Jade said, wiping an imaginary tear from her eyes. “I’m going to have to get you to spend more time with me if you are going to come out of your shell like that.” Kara rolled her eyes and grinned. “Anyway. I want a man who isn’t intimidated by me. One that doesn’t want me for my family’s name or worth. Someone who is willing to spend time with me, but give me the space that I want too. Oh, and he has to turn me on. I mean if there is no heat, what’s the point.”

  “Anything else you want to add to that list?”

  “No, that’s about it. Oh, one more thing: he has to be able to support himself. I don’t need or want a man to support me; I can do that alone. I just don’t want to be his sugar momma.”

  “You’re a piece of work.” Jade laughed and Kara was quick to amend. “In a good way.”

  This was her boss’s daughter she’d just said that too.

  “I get it. I’ve been told that before. I say what is on my mind. I always will. A guy has to be willing to accept that too.”

  “Well, if you find one that meets all of those criteria then let me know.”

  “Most of the men in my family meet it. All my brothers and cousins. Except for the part about turning me on. That’d be gross and creepy.”

  “Yes, it would,” Kara said and went back to her lunch. Then she thought about what Jade said and realized that, yeah, Drake fit all of that. At least she thought he did.

  He wasn’t intimated by her. Since he spoke his mind with her all the time, that was proof enough. She had no wealth for him to be attracted to, but she wasn’t after his, so in her eyes it went both ways. Drake seemed like the type of man who wanted time to do his own things, but wanted a woman around too.

  The big question was. Did he turn her on?

  The answer to that was a big fat yes! Not that she’d ever let anyone know that.

  And just so she kept a thick white line on the floor between work and any temptation, she sent Drake a meeting request for Monday morning to work on their project when Jade excused herself to go to the bathroom.

  No reason to let her mind wander down roads it had no business navigating.

  Affect His Mood

  Drake looked up when he heard the knock at his doorframe. He’d been in and out of the office all day and was finally getting work done now that most had left the office for the day.

  He should have known that Kara would still be working.

  “Yes, Kara? Let me guess. You want the receipts from anything I did today?”

  “How did you know it was me?” she asked. “You haven’t even lifted your head up. And no, I’m not looking for receipts. You didn’t respond to my meeting request for today.”

  This time he lifted his head, noticed that she was wearing a bold print shirt with more colors than he’d seen on her since she’d been here. She still had black pants on and black shoes, but they were more like heeled summer sandals this time.

  Once he realized he was starin
g at her, he wanted to growl. He was in more of a mood than he’d thought he’d be. Seeing all his cousins happily married or soon to be in Charlotte kind of set him off.

  Even though there were plenty of them still single, those that were, were happy that way too.

  Why couldn’t he be happy when he always was before?

  He thought he was. Then he got that damn meeting notification on Saturday afternoon from Kara and his mood changed drastically and he couldn’t get back to being happy.

  Since when did he let one person affect his mood this much?

  “That should have been answer enough that I couldn’t make it. I wasn’t even in the building during that time.”

  “You could have declined it. Maybe I was waiting around for you.”

  He doubted it. “Since I didn’t reply, you wouldn’t have assumed we were meeting and I refuse to believe otherwise.”

  “No. I just continued to work.”

  “Then why are you here now? You could have sent me another request.”

  “I could have and you might have ignored it again. You’re good at that. Ignoring me.”

  He hesitated for a moment and tried to read the message behind those words. He was at a loss. “So you want to know when we can meet?” He looked at his watch and realized he didn’t want to be here anymore. “How about now?”

  “That’s fine,” she said. “I just figured you were busy. Let me go get my stuff or you can come to my office.”

  “No office. We can meet over dinner out.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “You heard me. A dinner meeting. You can even take the receipt back with you.”

  She smiled at him. “We don’t have to do that. It won’t be long. I just wanted to know your thoughts on what I sent you. You did look it over, right?”

  He had. He’d looked it all over last night when he was sitting around his place wondering why he spent the weekend picking up after his brothers and being in a sour mood when he should have been having fun.

  Since he was moody anyway, he figured it was the best time to look over Kara’s notes and drafted budgets.