by Iris Bolling
“No, he pays.” Nicolas stood. “He can afford you.”
Vernon glared at his brother as he stood. “I’m telling Pop.”
“James is right, you always run to Pop.”
“Keeps both of you in line,” Vernon smirked. “Rene.” He extended his hand. “It was a pleasure. One I hope to experience again.”
“You will, as soon as I have something to report.”
Vernon started to say something more, when he was pulled away by Nicolas.
“It may be a good idea to call Connie, your wife, to inform her of the inquiries that may be coming her way.”
He looked over his shoulder with his sexiest smile. “Until we meet again, Rene.”
Once they were out of the office, Vernon cautioned Nicolas, “Don’t say anything about this to the folks. My gut tells me Constance is involved or at the very least, trying to cover it up.”
“Funny, according to Ty, Connie is close friends with a new owner at B7.”
“Close?”
Nicolas nodded. “Close.”
Vernon acknowledged his response. “You okay?”
With a slight tilt of his head, Vernon replied. “It’s time. Constance and I have played this game long enough. I’m certain she has a lot riding on this situation with Taylor.”
“As her manager, Constance stands to receive twenty percent of Taylor’s contract. B7 is offering a twenty million dollar signing bonus for Taylor. ” Nicolas opened the door to his office. “That’s a healthy sum,” he replied as Vernon stepped inside.
The setup in Nick’s area was a stark difference from the openness at Persuasions. A receptionist sat at an oval shaped desk with the name of the agency engraved on the wall behind her. Nothing could be seen from the foyer. To the right there was a door with the name Pendleton above the opening and to the left was a door with the name Brooks above it. Each had a key-code bar for entry. They walked to the door to the left. Nicolas put in his code and they walked through. There were offices on both sides of the hallway, some occupied with staff and some not. They walked to the end of the hallway where a secretary sat in front of Nicolas’ office. She stood when he approached.
“Mr. Brooks, Jarrett Bryson called. He wants to meet you in New York at the end of this month. Mr. Whitfield’s mother called and would like to speak with you. Nicole left a message stating she will be out of reach until late Sunday, but not to worry. She is in good hands.” The woman smiled as she delivered that piece of news.
“Thank you, Sylvia. No calls for now.”
Vernon entered Nicolas’ luxurious office, unbuttoned his suit jacket and took a seat in front of the desk.
“Constance is positioning herself for a divorce. I’m certain she has a nest egg somewhere waiting for the right moment,” Vernon summarized.
“Would you grant it to her?” Nick asked.
“Yes, and I’ll make certain she has a home comparable to ours wherever she wants it.”
“You would think after all this time Connie would know how we operate,” Nicolas stated, his mind still on the message from Nicole. He sat back in his chair. “What do you know about this Davenport character?”
“My marriage is over and you want to discuss Nicole and Davenport.”
“Your marriage was over the day you slept with Katherine. Did you check him out?”
“Make one mistake and this family never lets you forget it.” Vernon sighed. “Of course I did. He’s clean.”
“Nikki likes this guy, Vernon. I need to know more.”
Vernon was on the verge of laughter when he caught himself. This was the exact conversation he had with Nicole about Nicholas’ last girlfriend. He warned her to stay out of Nick’s business and she didn’t listen. She interfered causing a rift between herself and Nick for months. Now here he was about to do the exact same thing. The two had this weird twin psycho thing going on, always had.
“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Nikki when she approached me about you. Nikki is a grown woman. She is very insightful when it comes to people. Hell, she was right about what’s her name. You still haven’t told her how much the woman took you for have you?”
“She didn’t take me, she took one of my clients.”
“Which you ended up putting back into his account, same difference.” Vernon sat up. “Look if you are that concerned about Nikki talk to your boy Grant Hutchinson. He and Davenport are tight. Before you do that, know that Davenport does not need Nikki’s money. Hell, if anything, her wealth is her biggest problem with him. He’s a simple guy. Other than the thing with Trish his taste isn’t bad.”
Nicolas nodded. “I’ll give Grant a call anyway, as a precaution.”
“Suit yourself. What’s the deal with Naverone?”
Nicolas dropped his head and shook it. “You are a married man. There is nothing you can do for her.”
“All I’m asking is, what’s her story?”
After a deep sigh and a stern look at his brother, Nicolas gave in. “Ex-Secret Service. Ex-Ty Pendleton and one hell of a woman.”
“Secret Service? Hmmm, I wonder if she knows Genesis?”
“She’s one of her associates.”
“Genesis left the agency?”
“I think she does jobs for them here and there, but she works across the hallway. They’re four of the finest damn women you ever laid your eyes on who can whip your ass before you blink. Half of my players are scared to death of them.”
Vernon laughed. “I know Genesis can. I’ve seen her in action.”
“They all bow to Naverone.”
Vernon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Rene Naverone, I’ll have to remember that.”
“Vernon, she is not to be played with.”
Vernon stood. “My playing days ended years ago.” He walked towards the door. “Stay out of Nikki’s business.”
“You stay out of Naverone’s panties.”
Vernon laughed as he walked out the door. He sent a message to his driver, then dialed another number. He stood on the sidewalk waiting for the call to go through.
“Hello, you beautiful sexy woman. How the hell are you Genesis?”
***
She was in his bed, with the scent of her hair on his pillow and he liked it. Their love making filled the air and he liked that too. Hell it was turning him on. Three times during the night they took showers together with the intention of going to sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed watching her sleep and smiling about how they laughed and finally gave up on sleep.
He moved away from her about an hour ago because he wanted her again. Closing his eyes with his head tilted back, he wondered what would happen on Sunday when they had to go their separate ways. Would he be strong enough to let her go? He released a deep sigh, opened his eyes and looked into her beautiful light brown eyes and a sensuous smile on her face. “Good morning,” he said fearful to move any closer to her.
“Good morning.” She sat up on one elbow. “I was wondering. What are we going to do on Sunday? I live in New York, have a business there. You live here with a business. It’s going to be hard to leave you.”
“Schematics,” Xavier replied as his long, sleek body covered hers. “Whether you are here or in New York, I’ll have a part of you with me. I do know, I am nowhere near ready to think about you being anywhere other than with me. For the next two days I want to discover all your darkest secrets. Your every nook and cranny, then I want to kiss you from head to toe. For now, we are going to get this weekend started.” He took her hand and pulled her from the bed. “You shower and dress while I prepare breakfast, then we are out of here.”
She kissed his chest. “We have to take a moment to say good morning properly.” She placed a trail of kisses down his chest, stomach, then kissed his manhood.
It jumped to attention before Xavier could think. He pulled her up as she giggled, and settled her legs around his waist. He entered her in one powerful thrust. They moaned.
“Sinergy,” he whispered as he walked her into the
shower.
Two hours later they were fulfilled, fed and on the road to their weekend get-a-way.
Chapter 13
Charlottesville, VA
Friday
The playlist in Xavier’s SUV was a collection of old-school, jazz and R&B. Every song that came on, they sang along as if they were two kids in the back of their parents’ SUV on a road trip. An hour and twenty minutes later they pulled off the highway onto a road where there was nothing but winding roads and trees, as if they had turned into a forest.
“Seems like we have left civilization,” Nicole stated as they continued down the road. “Oh look, there’s a deer, and three baby deer.”
Xavier laughed at the sheer amazement on her face. “You’ve been in the city too long.” The trees seemed to part the further up the mountain they traveled. Coming into view was a magnificent scene of cottages, and a beautiful brick building. They pulled into the circular driveway, where two men were waiting. They each opened their doors.
“Welcome to Paradise Inn.”
“Thank you.” Xavier gave the man the keys to the vehicle then joined Nicole on the other side.
They walked into the building and were greeted by a brunette, dressed in a navy blue suit, trimmed in tan, a white blouse and heels.
“Mr. Davenport, welcome to Paradise where the mountain tops touch heaven.” The woman shook his hand as she gave him a package. “Your cottage is ready, and has been stocked per your request.” She walked over to a desk nestled in the corner of the room, which appeared to be a large foyer. There was a fireplace in the center, tables throughout, with place settings. “It seems a number of news media have contacted us regarding your stay. I took the liberty of gathering their names, however, it is our policy not to divulge guest information. Due to the number of calls, I moved your cottage to the far end of the grounds. If anyone were to trespass, there are a number of check points they would have to clear before reaching you.”
“Thank you, Ms…”
“Mrs. Leigh.” She handed him a card. “This is my number. I am available to you around the clock during your stay. If you need anything at all, please don’t think twice, give me a call.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Leigh.”
“It’s my pleasure. If you would follow me, we can get your weekend started.” Mrs. Leigh walked out of the building through the back. It appeared you were walking right into a mountain. “You picked a perfect time of year to visit,” she said as she walked onto the deck. “The trees are turning to the fall colors and the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains is breathtaking, wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Brooks?”
The comment took Nicole by surprise. It was the first time the woman had addressed her directly. “I do.”
Mrs. Leigh smiled. “It’s a beautiful location for a wedding, if one so chooses to take that step.” She walked down steps to the wood deck leading to an extended walk way. There was a waterfall under it, a clear view of the mountains, and small walkways on the right leading to cabins.
Nicole wished she had thought to bring a camera when Xavier bent down and whispered, “I have a photographic memory. I’ll draw it for you.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
“Everyone thinks it when they take this walk,” Mrs. Leigh replied as they came to the end of the walkway. They turned and walked the short ramp that led to the door of the cottage. Mrs. Leigh put in the code and opened both doors, then stood back. “Welcome to the Paradise.”
Xavier and Nicole stepped inside. The cottage was exquisite, from the floor to ceiling windows, which captured the view of the mountains brilliantly, to the fireplace in the center of a curving staircase, leading to the loft, to the cozy kitchen with just about every amenity they could want.
“Your luggage is upstairs in the loft. Enjoy your stay,” Mrs. Leigh said as she backed out and closed the double doors behind her.
“I think I want to take her back to New York with me.”
Xavier smiled. “She has been indispensable over the last week.” They walked around admiring the scenery, from the foyer to the great room to the dining area.
“Cookies,” Xavier picked up a macadamia nut and bit into it. “Hmmm, warm and delicious. Almost as good as you.”
She turned, walked over and bit his cookie.
“You eat my cookies, I’ll eat yours.”
“You already did.”
He kissed her. “I want more.” The kiss deepened until they were both trembling. Breaking away, Xavier stared down into her eyes. "If we don't leave now, we will spend the entire weekend in this room."
"And the problem would be..." She trailed off with a side ward glance.
Giving her a crooked grin he took her hand as they walked out the door. "I want to show you a few things while you don't have my mind scrambled. You are a very sexually charged woman." He closed the door behind them.
They walked hand in hand in the opposite direction from the main house, toward a wooded trail. "I didn't used to be. My last boyfriend said I was a prude. All I ever did was work."
Xavier stopped.
Nicole had taken a step further when she turned to look up curiously. He was so fine, standing there dressed in jeans, a rust colored V-neck sweater with a crisp gold collar shirt against his mahogany dark skin. The expression on his face indicated he was thinking something through. "What is it?"
His thumb caressed the silky smooth fingers beneath it. "Boyfriends come and go." He looked at their entwined fingers. "I don't want to be a boyfriend. I want more. He pulled her to him, wrapped a hand around her waist, the other he used to gently touch her brow. "I want to be your lover, your friend. The man you think of when you open your eyes each morning and when you close your eyes at night. I want to be the man creeping through your dreams. I want to be the man on the receiving end of your adorable little gasp every time you come. I want to be the only man enjoying that sweet, salty, unique taste of you." He stopped as if cautioning himself. "I don't want to be your boyfriend. I want to be your man. The one you can't do without." He took a step back breaking all contact with her. "Cards on the table."
"Good card players don't show their hand."
"Never been good at playing games."
She wanted to let the emotions inside go, but if she did, there would be tears so she took a step back. "It's not a gasp, it's an exhale. A release of tension that has been building up inside of me since we saw each other across that room." She stepped back again. "As for taste, I haven't experienced the full taste of you, but I will before we leave here. As to the creeping, well..." A teasing smile appeared in her eyes. "Your body must be tired cause you been creeping through my mind ALL night long."
Xavier smiled as he took a step toward her. "That was a weak line."
She stepped backwards again. "I know and now that I have a man in my life, I don't have to hear the sad come on lines anymore." She looked away then back to him. "I'm a simple woman, contrary to what the media writes. Money doesn't stop the hurt or bleeding. There's no walking away when things get dicey." He took another step closer. "Being the man in my life isn't going to be easy. There will be my family, the money, the media and Nick."
He stopped in front of her. "None of that matters.” He took her hand then kissed her knuckles. "Know why?"
"Why?"
He put her hand in the crook of his arm and began strolling again. "Because we have Sinergy."
Her smile brightened. "That may work on me Mr. Davenport. But you’d better come up with something better by Sunday."
"What's happening on Sunday?"
"Since you are now the man in my life, it's time you meet the family."
***
Trish walked off the plane into Hartford International Airport in Atlanta at 11:58. The first class plane ride was combined with a driver and car waiting to whisk her off to a two o'clock appointment with her new benefactor and attorney. Now that Xavier had made his position clear, she had no problem doing what was needed to secure her desired
lifestyle. Thirty minutes later, the car was pulling into the underground parking at the executive offices of B7 Beats studios. Her curiosity peaked a little, but she really didn't care what the persons motives were, if it lined her pockets and brought Nicole Brooks down a notch or two, she was in.
The car stopped at a door marked ‘Private’. A woman stood there. She was dressed in a canary yellow body dress, a pair of heels she would kill for and had a tablet in her hand stood to meet her.
"Good afternoon Ms. Hargrove. Your meeting is scheduled for two, however Mr. Cannon would like a few moments with you before the others come in. I'll take you to his office.”
Scanning the hallways as they walked, Trish was impressed by the plush office surroundings. "Who exactly is Mr. Cannon?"
The woman stopped so abruptly, Trish almost ran into her. The woman grinned. "He's the man who makes everything happen." She pushed open the door to their left with her hip, knocked lightly, then stepped aside.
Trish walked into the office.
"Cannon, Ms. Hargrove." The woman left closing the door behind her.
A man, the size of a linebacker in the NFL stood behind the desk. He buttoned his suit jacket, the quality of which she knew was in the thousands, as he walked toward her with his hand extended.
"Ms. Hargrove, it's a pleasure to meet you in person." He shook her hand as he directed her to a chair. "Have a seat, please."
For a big man his voice was tender, his manner gracious and his smile genuine. "Mr. Cannon."
"Just Cannon," he said as he rounded the desk to reclaim his seat. "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice. The project we need you on is time sensitive. Once you agreed to assist us, I saw no reason to delay our meeting."
"Would you explain the project, my role and the compensation?”
He picked up a contract and gave it to her. "This is a confidentiality agreement. It's fairly clear cut,” he said as she read. "You are not to discuss any information regarding this assignment. In return for your satisfactory cooperation, you will be compensated in the sum of two million dollars. If the desired outcome is reached, that figure will be doubled."